Articles by Ronald B. Weber, MD
Vic Vogel: Je Joue Mon Piano
by Ronald B. Weber, MD
Well, the title--which translates to I Play My Piano certainly does tell the truth about Montreal, Canada's iconic musical father figure. That is precisely what Vic Vogel does--he plays his piano, almost unremittingly. Although that is not totally correct. The CD in this two DVD/one CD set consists of fourteen solo piano renditions of Vogel originals, thus the CD title. However, the first DVD not only has these same tunes on video--so you get to watch the same droning, uninspiring ...
read moreGood-bye, Elvin
by Ronald B. Weber, MD
On May 18, 2004 the world lost perhaps the most influential drummer of all time, Elvin Jones . He happened to be one of my heroes. Incredibly muscular and robust most of his life, Elvin succumbed to chronic heart failure. For those of us who knew him, it seemed inconceivable that he could become as frail as he was described near the end of life.The youngest of ten, Elvin was born in Pontiac, Michigan, growing up in a ...
read moreIs There Freedom in the Groove?
by Ronald B. Weber, MD
Recently a friend showed me an article that appeared a “gentlemen’s” magazine in 1957 entitled “Can Jazz Be Progressive?” It stunned me with its narrow definition of jazz (“it ain’t real unless it’s dirty, hungry, and lowbrow”) and the way in which the author derided young, conservatory trained musicians and denigrated some of the finest modern players of that day including Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, Lennie Tristano, and the Modern Jazz Quartet, who he said played “cool” as opposed to ...
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