Of course you do; even though this midi sequence is just the chord progression. But it represents my first encounter with a venerable, senior composer.
Back in my high school years I performed in my home town summer concert band, the Sioux City Municipal Band, Leo Kucinski, bandmaster. We played two Sunday concerts - one in Riverside Park (actually near a river) and the other in Grandview Park Bandshell (a tiny Hollywood Bowl clone).
Every year this guest artist would come and conduct his most famous work. His name was David Bennett (I can't find any web link about him personally). His was my first image of how a composer looked and acted. Can you say "stereotype"? Of course you can.
Much more recently - like last week - my friend Wildman (yes, that's what we call him) sent me a wonderful YouTube link of Sweet Georgia Brown.
Wildman is a drummer. We went to graduate school together and were housemates. He used to drive many miles every day through Los Angeles traffic to play in a Top 40 band at a hotel in the City of Industry. Or was it in Commerce?
Wildman knows that drummers can be replaced by machines. But usually not machines like this one. It even does some basic drum breaks.
What does this have to do with composer David Bennett and his hit tune Bye Bye Blues? Just watch the whole video.
Previous Mixed Meters Mentions of My Home Town.
This MM article about growing up listening to Mahler has a picture of the Grandview Park Bandshell and another of my father and me in our band uniforms holding our horns.
Update: Wildman confirms that his Top 40 Band gig was in City of Commerce. He wrote:
I still have the silvery white jumpsuit with rhinestones and matching jacket but lost the white patent leather shoes.Remember, that was in 1976. Just imagine!
Bye Bye Tags: Sweet Georgia Brown. . . Bye Bye Blues. . . David Bennett. . . tractor. . . drum machine. . . composer
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