I’ve already ordered the book.
If you are not a classically trained musician, specifically a classically trained *flutist*, one with a huge interest in esoteric / avant garde music and extended playing techniques, you may want to go watch paint dry somewhere else. I won’t be talking about the Kardashians today [wink].
I am going to talk about Robert Dick today. Robert Dick is a highly esteemed classically-trained flutist, composer, and inventor. One who embraces the esoteric / avant garde music and the extended flute techniques that I have always loved so dearly.
I don’t watch TV much so I didn’t know that the current host of The Tonight Show (Johnny Carson is who I remember even though I didn’t really watch the show in the Jurassic Age either) dissed — on air — Mr. Dick’s very serious book on extended flute techniques, The Other Flute. Yes, they made the jokes you are thinking of.
Here’s a link to the show segment. The host ridicules several other books. The Other Flute is at about 2:20 if you care to watch.
The “Floot Loop Groop” LIT UP today on email! There is a push to get Mr. Dick on The Tonight Show to show his invention(s?) and musical expertise, not to mention his wonderful sense of humor and stage presence. Check this video out to see his glissando headjoint. It’s five minutes but it’s kind of worth it. A side note is that Nina in the video is a Planet Ann Arbor native, maybe 10 years older than my beach urchins. I do not know her but what a wonderful person!
As my title says, I have already sent an order into Amazon for Robert Dick’s book, The Other Flute. It will reside on the shelf next to one of the quintessential Flute Bibles, On Playing the Flute, written by Johann Joachim Quantz in the 1700s.
A few weeks ago, I linked to a video of Jimmy Fallon singing a duet with Neil Young. I don’t watch TV so I didn’t really know who Jimmy Fallon was but I was moved by that video. Now that I know who Jimmy is and have seen him dis a book by one of my heroes, I am disappointed. I love Neil Young’s music and I love Robert Dick’s music (and inventions!) and I think that Robert Dick deserves a chance to show people what he knows and what he can do. I hope Jimmy Fallon is up to that challenge.
March 19th, 2015 at 7:46 pm
What a sweet man. Luscious duet. Do you have a head joint? Will you play on the beach this summer? Pretty please…….
March 19th, 2015 at 8:21 pm
I saw this on Fallon (when you started talking about Robert Dick I wondered, “Why is that name familiar?”) Knowing Jimmy Fallon and how extremely musically talented he is (albeit not via flute, obviously) and also a decent guy, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he DID invite Mr. Dick onto his show, and not in any snarky way, although some humor would definitely be bantered around. We also saw the duet he did with Neil Young and John and I were blown away. (That same night, Doc Severinsen—original Tonight Show bandleader for Johnny Carson—performed with Jimmy’s Tonight Show band, The Roots, and my night was made in heaven!)
March 19th, 2015 at 9:30 pm
I don’t like ridicule, but I often laugh at it which makes me feel guilty.