Thats not a bad theory at all... i don't mind admitting that i am far more familiar with Mr. Staman's clarinet playing than i am with his mandolin playing (a clarinet is the only other instrument i have in the apartment, though i can only do geese honks on the thing). Overall though, i have learned that he does manage to bring an intensity of expression to both instruments that kinda blows my top.
My own thoughts on the humming thing was that it is a way of internalizing or resonating with the playing, literally vibrating the body which i think pulls memory triggers and helps loosen improvisation, there maybe a breathing-trance type aspect to it aswell. I think with an instrument lacking in heavy bass, like the mandolin, that vocal resonance may help to centre the instrument with the player more. Strangely, the other musicians that immediately come to mind who vocalize, Kieth Jarrett and Glenn Gould are both piano players, jazz and classical respectively, though i still think the centering thing applies but in this case its needed because the piano is just so blooming big that vocalization just might help reinforce connection between the player and the instrument. I half imagine though if you aksed these guys 'hey, whats with the humming you were at while playing?' they'd reply 'what humming, i was'nt humming... was i?' :D On Jun 15, 2:50 pm, mistertaterbug <taterbugmu...@gmail.com> wrote: > Mark, > I was sort of under the impression at first that Andy's vocalizing was > possibly a chant of some sort, but then it dawned on me(duh) that he's > also a very accomplished clarinet player and maybe, when he's caught > up in the music, that he feels the need to push air out of his lungs > the same way that he does when he's playing the clarinet. > > Taterbug > > On Jun 11, 1:53 pm, Mark Halpin <tomas...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > One of the nice surprises of this group has been the liberal helping > > of linkage to various video goodness available from Mr. Statman... I > > have had the video of him playing Fiddlers Blues on a loop for the > > last twenty minutes and i'm no where near tired of it yet... what a > > cracking wee tune. > > > But, but, yes, i have only really heard Mr. Statman on album and i > > never knew that he vocalised while playing, well, thats if i am right > > in presuming that the hum-a-humming on that track is indeed from Mr. > > Statman. > > > Personally, i love it, mostly because it reminds me of Kieth Jarrett > > who has also been known to vocalize while playing/improvising, much to > > some folks annoyance. (Then again, i have been thinking recently that, > > for me, there is a lot in comon between the musics of Statman and > > Jarrett... but that may be just me). > > > But i got to know, is that a common feature of Andy Statman's live > > playing? > > > Also, does anyone else here vocalize when playing and does it help > > your playing any? > > > (and one more time round for Fiddlers Blues, oh my poor old foot is > > stomping overtime)- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. To post to this group, send email to taterbugma...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to taterbugmando+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en.
