CD Review


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Posted by Kelly O'Bryant on August 13, 1999 at 18:55:27:

Hey Folks -

As most of you know, right before the bulk of the musical world shut
down for the months of June, July, and August, my good friend and
partner-in-crime, Dennis AsKew and I released a joint solo tuba CD
entitled "Carolina Morning".

Upon returning home yesterday, I found the "official" review of the CD
that will appear in the next issue of the T.U.B.A. Journal waiting for
me in my inbox. I am extremely honored to say that the writer of the
review is none other than R. Winston Morris, world renowned tuba
pedagogue and Professor of Tuba at Tennessee Tech University for the
past 30 years.

So, in what some nay sayers will see as a blatant commercial (fire away,
I've been "hardened" by teaching 7 weeks of summer camp - and I was told
that I was "pretty jiggy for an old guy"!......), I thought I would post
the review here for y'all to see, and "gently nudge" you about the CD,
etc. Anyone wishing to order it may e-mail me directly, or just hop over
to my web site (address below). Any way, enjoy the review below.

Take care,

Kelly O.

P.S. - would someone with a 13-year-old child please find out what
"jiggy" really means? ;-)

--
Kelly O'Bryant
Tuba Soloist/Lecturer of Music
kotuba(AT)erols.com
Annapolis, Maryland
http://www.erols.com/kotuba

- Laissez les bons temps rouler!

--------------------------------------------

CAROLINA MORNING a review. R. Winston Morris

"Carolina Morning" is a new CD featuring the outstanding musical talents
of
two very fine tubists and best-buddies, Kelly O'Bryant and Dennis Askew.

O'Bryant, formerly with the U.S. Naval Academy Band and now free-lancing
in
the Annapolis, Maryland area as well as performing tuba recitals all
over
the country, and Askew, on the faculty of the University of North
Carolina-Greensboro and a leading music educator in the low brass
studio,
have been collaborating on a number of musical projects over the past
several years. This recording is about 50/50 shared by these two really

fine musicians.

The playing is melodic (above all) and controlled throughout the wide
range
of musical expressions presented on this recording. There is a very
nice
mix of original material and transcriptions/arrangements. Or, as stated
on
the album cover, an "eclectic mix of American Music." Both Askew and
O'Bryant represent, to this reviewer, excellent examples of the highest
art
of "traditional" tuba performance. Everything is solid: consistent
sound
throughout the entire range of the instrument, evenness of concept in
every
style and range, equal weight on melodic and technical ability, and,
most
important of all, outstanding musicianship always! Which is the strong
point of this recording and why I would strongly recommend it to anyone
interested in how music sounds on the tuba. It is most refreshing, and
unfortunately getting rarer and rarer, after a zillion tuba conferences
to
hear two performers whose priorities are in the correct order. Music
doesn't exist so that we can play the tuba. The tuba exists so that we
can
play music. Dennis and Kelly got it straight!

Here is a list of the music on this recording, AND, who's performing it.

Pay attention here because you won't find this information on the
recording!
In the rush to get this recording out, identifying the performers on
each
piece was overlooked as well as, unfortunately, any program notes on the

music performed. Unfortunate especially in the case of the three new
(outstanding) original works on the CD that warrant a more thorough
recognition. At any rate, here are the tunes and the performer(s).

Wondrous Love/traditional (AsKew)
Three Old American Songs/Copland (O'Bryant)
Studies in American Folk Idiom/Gregory Carroll (AsKew)
Suite from West Side Story/Bernstein (O'Bryant)
When We Were Giants/Jonathan D. Green (AsKew)
Duh Suite/James Self (AsKew/O'Bryant)
Amazing Grace/traditional (O'Bryant)

You can order this CD for $18 (domestic) or $21 (international) from:
Kelly
O'Bryant, 1026 Spa Road, Suite I, Annapolis, MD 21403 U.S.A., or via his
web site at http://www.erols.com/kotuba .

--
R. Winston Morris
Professor of Music
Tennessee Tech University
Cookeville, TN 38505






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