Edgar Meyer is playing with the symphony tonight at Milligan College, in Tennessee. The local NPR station, WETS, did an interview with him this afternoon. He mentioned working on a project with Chris Thile! I am so excited, but it won't be released for another year! That is just too long to wait.
If you aren't familiar with Edgar Meyer, he is an expert on the double bass. You may have heard him on other artists' recordings and not known who was playing the bass that can move the soul.
The Best of Edgar Meyer is a good place to start if you would like to hear extraordinary bass performed in different genres of music.
The album includes "14 tracks, all of which feature Meyer’s expressive, highly personal style and unparalleled bowing technique on double bass."
• The Green Groves of Erin /The Flowers of Red Hill (arranged by Edgar Meyer), with violinist Mark O’Connor and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, from the album Appalachia Waltz;
• Sliding Down (Edgar Meyer), with Bela Fleck on banjo and Mike Marshall on mandolin, from the album Uncommon Ritual; This piece melts me.
• Two tracks from the album Edgar Meyer – Please Don’t Feed the Bear and Early Morning (Edgar Meyer), featuring Meyer playing various instruments;
• Two tracks with Joshua Bell on violin – Concert Duo, The Prequel and Concert Duo, Movement 1, from Short Trip Home, a genre-shattering album that seamlessly interweaves elements of bluegrass, folk, rock, blues and classical music, with many of the pieces composed by Meyer;
• Uncommon Ritual (Edgar Meyer) with Bela Fleck on banjo and Mike Marshall on mandolin, from the album with the same title; Another favorite of mine.
• Pile-up (Edgar Meyer), with Bela Fleck on banjo, from Music for Two, an album of the best live performances from the critically acclaimed duo tour;
• Duet for Cello and Bass (Edgar Meyer), with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, from Appalachian Journey; Appalachian Journey is a wonderful album
• Spanish Romantic composer Pablo de Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen, with Mike Marshall on mandolin, from Uncommon Ritual;
• By the River (Edgar Meyer), with Bela Fleck on guitar and Mike Marshall on mandolin, from Uncommon Ritual;
• Movement III (quarter note = 190) from Concerto in D for Double Bass and Orchestra (Meyer), with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra conducted by Hugh Wolff. Beautiful
• Prelude from Suite for Solo Cello No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 & Gigue from Suite for Solo Cello No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 (Bach: Unaccompanied Cello Suites – Performed on Double Bass)
If you love the mandolin you know Chris Thile. He is best known to most as the very talented and creative mandolin player from Nickel Creek and the Punch Brothers. Thile and Meyer both started playing their instruments very early. Both are very talented, passionate and creative with their music. I anticipate this being a vibrant and fresh creation.... and a year is too long to wait.
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Comments: 7
Tonia, Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer were at Appalachian State two years ago, before they released their CD/DVD. It was great.
The first piece I remember hearing was Mary Chapin Carpenter's "I am a Town." It was an excellent piece on its own --- and I, of course, loved it as a Carolinian --- but Meyer's bass took the song to a higher level. It is a wonderful arrangement.... the bass is a voice in this song.
Peace.