Bill Evans

Bill Evans

By: Evan Yuhas

Bill Evans - Portrait in Jazz (1960)

          I had discovered Bill Evans at a time when I knew very little jazz musicians. Although I have since enjoyed many more, the music of Bill Evans still resonates as sharply as ever. I have always been impressed with his ability to sharply transition from an uplifting segment to something near tragic. To me, Bill Evans' wrote some of the more beautifully stimulating and profoundly sad jazz pieces of his time. But at the same time, I find myself relaxed every time I listen to his music, something that I have taken advantage of through the years in times of stress or worry. Bill Evans was an American pianist who often worked in trio and is often considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. Evans' techniques and interesting interpretations of traditional jazz have influenced the likes of Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, and Chick Corea. Unlike many other jazz musicians, he never became interested in newer styles of jazz that emerged, like jazz fusion. Unfortunately, the latter years of his life are marked with hard drug use and depression. 

All About Jazz: This first sight is a fantastic walk-through of Bill Evans' life. From a young age to his time with Miles Davis, this site gives a clear account on his career and why he has made such an impact on jazz music everywhere. This site also goes into depth on some of the quirky mannerisms and unique methods that Bill deployed as an artist. In general, this site is a great place to read about many famous jazz musicians and different jazz styles. All about jazz - Bill Evans 

In addition to another extensive biography, this second site houses numerous interview audio segments and information regarding his albums, the piano's he used, and his compositions. In particular, a section to the left of the site labeled 'Evans style' is a fantastic read. This section gives in depth detail on who influenced Bill and the artists that were influenced by Bill. Bill Evans - The Quiet Revolutionary 

Another great source of Bill Evans is Youtube. There are a plethora of songs and albums that Youtube has to offer. Although this site does not give any information on Bill Evans, perhaps listening to his music yourself will give you more than pages of informational text ever could. Full Albums 

Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard (1961) 

    

Vincent Van Gogh

 

Vincent Van Gogh

By: Melissa Clay

 

 

            The artist I chose is Vincent Van Gogh. He is of course, the now famous artist from the late 1800’s. He began painting as a child and completed thousands of work of art in his short life. The reason that he resonates with me, is because he struggled with severe depression and mental illness, as do I. I can see his emotional struggle in his artwork and am able to relate to his art because of it. For example, “Starry Night” which is my favorite, looks to be dark, gloomy, and almost scary. But there is also hope there. The starts and bits of light and the calm of the scene give hope in a scary world. I chose to share his work because it is personal to me, and that feels more real than just picking someone who paints pretty flowers.

 

Wikipedia: The first page I found is quite useful. It shows images of him and his life and work, as well as describing him. It tells about who he is, where he came from, his mental illness, and his art pre and post mortem. It was retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh

 

Van Gogh Gallery: The second page I found was another detailed Biography of his life, from the Van Gogh Gallery. It gives and overview, then breaks into sections: Early Years, Later Years, Time Line, Mental State, Influences, Influence, Short Facts, and His Paintings. This was retrieved from: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/misc/biography.html

 

Van Gogh Gallery: The final page I found is the website that holds the above biography. http://www.vangoghgallery.com. This has not only his biography, but an online shop for Van Gogh items, Images of his art and information about them and the medium used. This would be a great site to check out for anyone interested in the artist.

Lang Lang

Lang Lang

By: Rongshan(Susan) Zhao

    Lang Lang is the most famous and talented pianist in China, even in tie world. He was the first employed by the world's top Chinese pianist Berlin Philharmonic and the American Symphony Orchestra five, get a number of prestigious awards category of classical music, including classical German Echo Awards, Classical Brit Award for artistic achievement Bernstein Awards, an international awards such as Mendelssohn. Worked in a number of the world's attention on important occasions performances at home and abroad, including the Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony, China 60th anniversary celebration, China 2010 Shanghai World Expo opening ceremony, the White House, U.S. Independence Day celebrations, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration celebration, French National Day celebrations.

    When Lang Lang becomes famous, he emphasizes the importance of arts education in teachers and children grow up in, and he has been keen to share ideas and experiences of children around the world. Lang Lang established Lang Lang International Music Foundation in 2008 in New York and  Lang Lang Music World in 2012 in Shenzhen, China. Lang Lang expectations for the next generation of young people to create a better environment for the growth and development of the platform, and expand young classical music audiences.

http://langlang.com/

This website is Lang Lang 's official website, it publishes Lang Lang's musics, videos, concerts, and also provides the information about Lang Lang International Music Foundation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lang_Lang_(pianist)

This website provides Lang Lang's general information, such as his early life, awards and outreach. And also mentioned Lang Lang's performing and recording career, like White House state dinner.

https://www.youtube.com/user/langlang

This YouTube Channel records Lang Lang' related videos, playlists, and also provides a discussion area and allows Lang Lang's fans to post any questions or comments.

Mercier Philip Cunningham

Mercier Philip “Merce” Cunningham

By: Camille Strawn

"You had to think about [composition], not just have some feeling about what you were going to do next." 

                                                                                                                    –Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham is known as a leader of American avant-garde. As a dancer and choreographer, Cunningham paved the way for modern dancers and visual artists alike with his innovation and collaborations within multiple artistic disciplines. I admire Merce Cunningham for his creative pairings amongst contemporary, visual, and performing arts. Cunningham was never afraid to experiment with dance and the fantastic spectacles that could be made. The history and legacy of Merce Cunningham first caught my eye in 2009, soon after the time of his death. Cunningham was honored with a segment about his creative vision, accomplishments, and famous dance company in The Seattle Times. I learned that he was born in Centralia, WA in 1919 and that he entered Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA in 1937. Cunningham originally entered the school as an aspiring actor, but quickly took to dance and became a star performer. While attending Cornish, Cunningham met a music composer named John Cage. Cage would become Cunningham’s longtime creative partner. The two experimented with dance by introducing concepts of time, space, and new visual elements. Both Cunningham and Cage believed that dance should not depend on musical structure. Dance should be allowed to wander independently. The two collaborated to choreograph multiple pieces with their innovative techniques in mind.

Eventually, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company was formed in 1953 as a means of further exploring ideas. Cunningham continued to work with many musicians, artists, and designers including Andy Warhol and Radiohead. His legacy carried on thanks to publicity from his dance company, foundation for emerging artists, and his very own dance studio. Dancers, visual artists, and musicians set out on a three year tour after Cunningham’s passing in an effort to continue spreading the word about his choreographic work. Merce Cunningham inspires me through his efforts to blend multiple visual arts and through his positive influence on local dancers and artists.

http://www.mercecunningham.org/merce-cunningham/

This is the only site that is fully dedicated to the life and legacy of Merce Cunningham. It includes information about trust funds, foundations, famous pieces, and shows. The history that is included seems to be mostly after his breakthrough as a choreographer and visionary. There is little to no information about his life before dance. Mostly, the site offers programs and various ways to get involved in groups that help to keep Cunningham's vision alive.

http://seattletimes.com/html/thearts/2009548549_cunninghamobit28.html

 I first read this article soon after Merce Cunningham’s death in 2009. The segment was written as a tribute to Cunningham, a local frontier of modern dance and American avant-garde. I find this article to be particularly helpful because it gives information about his family, schooling, and dance education before his major breakthroughs. Because the article was written to highlight Cunningham’s local stardom, a lot of information about his years at Cornish College of the Arts has been included.

https://nplusonemag.com/issue-16/essays/the-merce-cunningham-archives/

This article does a fabulous job of focusing on concepts of experimental dance and on the artistic collaboration between John Cage and Merce Cunningham. Here, we learn about what it took to create these experimental pieces with Cunningham, as well as about how these pieces were reworked for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company after he was gone. We are introduced to the interesting creative process, which many times included unconventional methods including scientific and mathematical thinking. 

                                                                             

                                       

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding

By: Carly Trager

The inspiring Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is a compelling and talented artist. She is capable of singing, songwriting, and playing multiple instruments. Her voice and her songs are extremely captivating because they are full of rich textures. Her lyrics are catchy and her music is dance worthy. She combines different styles of genres to give her fans something new to experience. Not only is Ellie Goulding an amazing artist but she also gives back to people all over the world. Being an avid runner allows her to connect with her fans by inviting them to run with her. She also has participated in many running events to support numerous charities. Ellie Goulding is extremely talented, but I found her interesting because of her passion to help people and to support a healthy lifestyle. Being so young, we can expect only good things to come from Ellie Goulding. 

Ellie Goulding's Official Website | http://elliegoulding.com
This website includes a biography, new information, videos, music, and lyrics to her songs. You can also purchase merchandise from her online store! This is a great tool to find out when and where Ellie Goulding will be performing. 

Wikipedia | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellie_Goulding
This is a general overview of Ellie Goulding's life including how she began her career, her family, and her passions outside singing. Additionally, the history of her music is explained including the many awards she has received and when albums were released. The website gives an overall look into Ellie Goulding's background. 

YouTube Channel | http://www.youtube.com/user/elliegoulding
This channel showcases all of Ellie Goulding's music videos including behind the scenes of most of her videos. Through this YouTube channel you can connect with other fans and discuss about Ellie Goulding. 

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is a 23-year-old British singer-songwriter who blew up the music industry with his unique sound and incredible talent. After he attended an intimate gig featuring Damien Rice, Ed decided to teach himself guitar. When he was sixteen, he moved out of his parents house and couch surfed in London doing random small gigs until he was discovered by Jaime Foxx who decided to sign him and help him put out his first album, “+”. As Ed’s fame continued to grow, his head didn’t. He kept his humility by visiting home in Framlingham, Suffolk, England and being as generous and kind to his fans as he could be. Not only is Ed an accomplished guitar player and talented singer, he is also a gifted song writer. Ed has written songs for One Direction and Taylor Swift. He actually went on Taylor Swift’s Red tour and opened for her. He was also nominated for Best New Artist at the 56^th Annual Grammy Awards. He also wrote the song featured in the end credits of “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” titled, “I See Fire” and the song featured in the end credits of “The Fault in Our Stars” titled, “All of the Stars”. In this year alone, Ed has released his newly anticipated second album, “x” which sold 180,000 copies in its first week in the United Kingdom and he announced his headlining “x” tour this summer. (Which I’m actually going to!) I love Ed’s music because it’s so unique and inspiring to me. I never thought I’d like acoustic music but he does so much more than just strumming on a guitar. I also love that he is a huge weirdo. He’s hilarious, obsessed with cats, and best friend with Rupert Grint. Those are three things I am crazy about.

http://www.edsheeran.com/home.htm?force=show

This first link is to Ed Sheeran’s official website. It has tour dates, the shop, news, and links to his music. It’s the best place to find out general information or find out specifically where something is that you’re looking for about Ed.

https://www.youtube.com/user/EdSheeran

This link is to Ed Sheeran’s YouTube page. I think this is the most important link here because it has all his videos. Not only are there his music videos, he has audio videos of his songs, and he also has live recordings of his songs and songs he covers. This is where I discovered Ed!

https://twitter.com/edsheeran

I put this link to Ed’s twitter because I think he’s so funny and very sweet. He says weird things all the time, which he posts on his twitter account. He cares a lot about his fans and that’s apparent on his twitter account because he’ll post about random shows or free shows or free meet and greets he’s giving away. He likes to post pictures of his two cats, Graham (who has his own twitter account) and Bellini.

Nickel Creek, by Woodrow Moore

Nickel Creek

Nickle Creek is a (primarily) folk bluegrass band that has impacted my musical taste since I was a small boyo, and still inspires me today to make music and enjoy their creation with others! They, meaning the 4 members that make up this "artist" comprising of siblings Sean and Sarah Watkins and world renown mandolin player Chris Thile, have been extremely talented since they were children and continue as a band today that leads the charts in folk music. I find them worth sharing because they are not a typical folk band, they have incredibly unique harmonies and know how to step off the music sheet to explore new sounds to compliment the others. They usually use fast-paced allegro tempo but are all written and inspired by events in their lives which add emotional connection to compel the audience.  

(image compliments of nydailynews)

The complexity of their rhythm and talent challenges me to think creatively and try my own hand at expressing imaginative music!  

The Official Nickel Creek Website!

This is the (of course) official Nickel Creek website where you can get the overall feel of the band and sample their music. Here you can also read about the band, check their concert times and locations and buy tickets! They just came out with a new album which has an intriguing background story and is very enjoyable (if you enjoy this sort of genre).

AllMusic Access

This is a site that allows you to further explore and fall in affection with Nickel Creek, listen to their songs (new and old), read their biography, view the awards they have received and many other features.

NPR NIckel Creek News

This NPR news site allows access to interviews, studio sessions and reviews of the band through consumer perspectives.

Here's a link to watch a video of one of their newer songs, compared to earlier which hasn't significantly changed and still maintains the rich sound of what they started with! Enjoy!

Nickel Creek- Destination

(photo credit to Billboard Online)