Until that point in the talent portion of the competition, the performances had been pretty boring.  Lots of dancing and Broadway show tunes, and one decent baton twirler.  But then Miss South Carolina took the stage, and this marimba virtuouso gave the performance of a lifetime.

Her performance was a rare combination of technique, phrasing, and showmanship.  She flew up and down the keyboard, her hands a blur.  It was the talk of the percussion world the next day, and I dare say many young musicians, including yours truly, were inspired to take up this noble instrument.

For many years, this video was only circulated amongst the marimba cognoscenti.  Thankfully, technology has evolved and her talent, her joie de viver, can now be shared with everyone.

Take it away, Regis.

And then, on Sunday morning, Arthur Kaptainis at The Montreal Gazette broke the story that Yannick was going to be the next Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra.  Suddenly, Ottawa was part of the week’s biggest classical music story. The buzz has become a roar.

Just 35 and universally acclaimed as Canada’s greatest conductor, Yannick is almost too good to be true.  He was appointed Principal Conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic when he was 31, succeeding Valery Gergiev – you know, only the world’s most powerful conductor.  A year later, he added Principal Guest Conductor of the London Philharmonic to his resumé.  He debuted at the Met and the Salzburg Festival to rave reviews.  Now he’s Music Director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, whose previous Music Directors include Ormandy, Stokowski, and Muti.  And yet despite all the demands on his time, he is still committed to l’Orchestre Metropolitan, the orchestra he’s led for the past decade.  Oh yeah, he’s also young, handsome, well-dressed, and completely engaging. 

I attended the dress rehearsal last night to watch him in action.  There was certainly no sign of the exhaustion that had forced him to bow out of performances in Toronto last week.  The orchestra sounded great, especially when you consider the musicians only came together for the first time just 36 hours earlier.  His directions are clear, and he exudes a confidence from the podium that seems infectious.   His smile and thumbs up to the youth choir flanking the stage after the first movement was a nice touch.

I’d urge you all to go to the concerts on Wednesday and Thursday night, but unless you have a ticket (or you’re a major music critic), you’re out of luck - they’re completely, totally, 100%, no-standing-room-left sold out.  The performance at Place des Arts on Sunday afternoon is also sold out.  You can, however, listen to the concert on CBC Radio Two on Sunday.

A final note – Sunday’s performance will also mark the final concert in the distinguished career of Principal Timpani Ian Bernard.  An original member of the orchestra, he’s anchored the percussion section for 41 years and influenced two generations of aspiring timpanists.  I wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.

Incredibly, there are some among us who haven’t seen Once yet. If you are one of those poor, unfortunate people, I strongly urge you to set aside 86 minutes tonight and watch it. You should probably also set aside a couple of hours tomorrow to buy a guitar if you don’t already have one – after watching the movie, your life will feel incomplete without one.

Watching Glen sing Leave was one of the reasons I bought an acoustic guitar last year. I had this romantic idea that a guitar would be a conduit, a way to unlock a passionate side of me that is just looking for a way out. So far, no dice. If and when it does happen, I’ll let you know.

Three years after the film was released, Glen and Marketa are still recording and touring together. They’ll be on the main stage at the Winnipeg Folk Festival on Friday, July 9th and at Ottawa Bluesfest on Sunday, July 11. Other tour dates can be found on their website.

You can listen to other Swell Season tracks at the usual places

The Swell Season Website

The Swell Season on MySpace

Playing ZZ Top tunes in a cover band 200 times a year would be excruciating.

Especially if you’re the drummer.

Unless…

Unless you cast aside the conventions of what a drummer should look like and adopt your own unique style.

Steve Moore, from Rick K. and the Allnighters, is one such drummer.

With a bag of tricks inspired by Tommy Lee and the Muppet Show’s Animal, limitless energy, and a commitment to being completely over-the-top, he’s gone from relative obscurity to world-wide fame in approximately six days.

He’s now simply known as, “the drummer at the wrong gig.”

In any case, the track is I’ll Be Gone by Lithuanian producer Mario Basanov, with Vidis, featuring Jazzu.  The song is fine, but I think the video is brilliant.  Simple concept, great execution.  The needles are hypnotic, and when the ink begins to lift off the page – it’s magic.

In any case, her song Hide and Seek is highly addictive. Even if you don’t think you’ve heard it, you probably recognize the sample that was used in Jason Derulo’s hit Watcha Say. Or perhaps you heard it when you watched the season two finale of The O.C. Or perhaps you heard it when you watched the controversial SNL Digital Short “The Shooting”, which spawned an Internet phenomenon called “Dear Sister” in which violent scenes were juxtaposed with her song.

So yes, it’s a popular song. Here are three versions for your enjoyment – the original, the SNL Digital Short, and an a cappella version performed by the University of North Carolina’s Achordants. I’d be shocked (and disappointed) if this track didn’t appear on Glee sometime.

I was in Brandon last fall for the Western Canadian Music Awards, and I heard a set by the JD Edwards Band. I was impressed by their performance – a tight group, very musical, with lots of energy and a gifted lead singer. I heard from a few people that JD was a great guy with a bright future, and I made a mental note to learn more about him when I got home.

About a month later I was in a hotel lobby in Ottawa at a conference, and I saw JD standing a few feet away. I walked over to introduce myself to him, and was shocked when he said “Hey, you used to work at Fort Henry! I was a rookie in the Drums during your last summer”.

I was totally unprepared for that greeting, and was a bit embarrassed because I couldn’t remember a Private Edwards in the Guard. It was also entirely likely that the last time I had seen him, I’d probably yelled at him while he stood at attention and called me Sir (the Fort was kind of a unique place to work, with power imbalances that would strike most outsiders as odd). My first instinct was to apologize for any aggressive outbursts on my part back in 1998.

In any case, it turns out JD is short for Jonathan Dyck, which cleared up some of the mystery. I clearly remember Private Dyck (no, I will not make a joke at his expense – one with the last name “Dearlove” should not poke fun at such things), and was very happy to see he’s become such a talented singer-songwriter.

If you can find a copy, I highly encourage you to check out his album JD Edwards Live at the Gas Station Theatre. Here’s a clip from the concert – a song called Morning Sparrow. I love the guitar part, and JD makes it sound effortless.

You can also listen to tracks on the usual sites:

JD Edwards Website

JD Edwards on MySpace

JD Edwards on CBC Concerts on Demand

I know Serena Ryder’s Sing, Sing is the official song of Music Monday, but I’m going to have to go with Travis’ Sing. I mean, it’s got a food fight that involves an octopus – how cool is that?

The band sounded great in concert – tight ensemble playing, compelling vocals, and energy to burn.  They certainly have a devoted following in Regina, and I hope the new album will create new fans across the country.

Here’s the video for Drinking Games .

You can check out the rest of the album on iTunes, or you can stream tracks in the usual places:

Library Voices on CBC Radio 3 

Library Voices on MySpace

Iron & Wine is actually Samuel Beam, an American who was originally working as a professor of film and cinematography.  He wrote some songs, made a demo, got signed to a deal, and released his first album in 2002.  I think he first got noticed for his cover of The Postal Service’s Such Great Heights, which appeared on the Garden State soundtrack.  I hadn’t noticed until tonight, but I think he looks a lot like Zach Galifianakis.

The clip is another cover – this time it’s Waiting For A Superman, which was originally recorded by the Flaming Lips.  It’s mellow, but give it a chance.  I love the guitar part – one day, when my fingers get more nimble, I’ll try it out.  If I have a few drinks, I may even sing along…badly.