#178 Arthur Lipner- Percussionist, Writer, Educator and More!
Arthur Lipner is one of the top keyboard percussionists of his generation. He specializes in vibraphone, marimba and steel drums. Arthur’s career has spanned three decades since he began performing professionally at age 14. Arthur’s live performances and recordings convey an exuberant drive of creativity and depth. jazzenews.com (London) said, “Arthur Lipner occupies a prominent role in the foregrounding of vibraphone and marimba in jazz and popular music.” All Music Guide called him “an extremely melodic and creative jazz/worldbeat-conscious vibes artist.”
In 2019, Arthur was invited to perform/adjudicate at percussion festivals in China and Russia. In 2018, he performed/adjudicated at the first-ever Australian International Vibraphone Competition. As a bandleader, guest soloist and educator, Arthur has been to over 30 countries including Ghana, Iceland, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Costa Rica, England, Scotland, Iceland, Morocco, Malaysia, the Caribbean and many more.
As a recording artist and NYC session player, Arthur has appeared on over 50 albums. “Two Hands, One Heart” (2015) is a “best of” double-cd collection documenting his first 25 years as a freelance recording artist. His album “Brasilian Vibes” (2010) was nominated for “Album Of The Year” by the Brasilian Press Awards. Recording session appearances have included Bluegrass, Traditional Jazz, Brasilian, Funk, Caribbean and other eclectic styles. From 2016-2018 he recorded nine solo albums on vibes, marimba and steel drums for the NYC-based label Solo Sounds. These included solo versions of West Side Story, Paul Simon’s “Graceland”, Bob Marley’s “Legend”, and a collection of Drake songs on steel drums.
Venues at which Arthur has appeared is a one-of-a-kind mix illustrating his strong desire to share and interact with different cultures. In addition to concert halls, jazz clubs and recording studios around the world, Arthur has performed with Tuvan Throat Singers from Russia, The National Dance Company of Ghana in a small rural village, in the streets of Rio de Janeiro for Carnival, in Chiapas Mexico’s “Marimba Park”, at the Royal Palace in Marrakesh, in the mountains of Norway on an ice xylophone he constructed with award-winning ice sculptor Bill Covitz, and more. He premiered his concerto MALLET FANTASIA with the Nat’l Symphony of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. He has toured in Europe/Latin America over 70 times. He has performed at five PASIC’s.
As an educator, Arthur has been a guest artist and clinician at many percussion festivals around the world. He has presented over 300 workshops on six continents. These include the prestigious Juilliard School, Yale University, Royal College of Music (London), Swedish Academy of Music (Stockholm), Gnesin Academy of Music (Moscow), Sweelink Conservatory (Amsterdam), Conservatoire Superieur (Paris) and Sydney Conservatorium (Australia). He has been a faculty member of The Brabants Conservatory (Holland), Univ. of Bridgeport (CT), Drummers Collective (NYC) and SUNY Purchase. From 2000-2008 Lipner served on the Board of Directors of The Percussive Arts Society.
Almost 100 of Arthur’s compositions have been released on recordings. His music has been used on radio, film and tv soundtracks in such places as Finland, Japan, Belgium, The Netherlands, and England. Arthur has written two widely-adopted method books, THE VIBES REAL BOOK (1996) and “Jazz Mallets: IN SESSION” (2000), the first-ever play-along book for vibes and marimba. He was commissioned to write music for the UK’s 2020 ABRSM Tuned Percussion series. The story of Lipner’s inner and outer journeys are featured in the documentary TALKING STICKS.
Happy Birthday Levon Helm!
“When folks ask me where rock & roll came from,” Arkansas native Levon Helm once said, “I always think of our Southern medicine shows and that wild Midnight Ramble. Chuck Berry’s duck walk, Elvis Presley’s rockabilly gyration, Little Richard’s dancing at the piano, Jerry Lee Lewis’s antics, and Ronnie Hawkins’s camel walk could have come right off F. S. Walcott’s stage.”
Woodstock’s Midnight Ramble harkens back to the rural childhood of the man Rolling Stone called “rock & roll’s greatest drummer” during his tenure with Americana pioneers, the Band. Levon Helm, who was born in 1940 in the Arkansas Delta, grew up in the hamlet of Turkey Scratch surrounded by music made by his parents, heard on the radio, and experienced in person: Seminal bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson, whose King Biscuit Time radio show blasted out of nearby Helena’s KFFA; Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys, featuring Flatt & Scruggs; Elvis Presley in late ‘54. Levon literally witnessed the birth of rock & roll. - Read more
Happy Birthday John Bonham
John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948–25 September 1980) was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer for the English rock band Led Zeppelin. Esteemed for his speed, power, fast bass drumming, distinctive sound, and feel for the groove, he is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rock drummers in history.
Bonham was born in 1948 in Redditch, Worcestershire and took up drums at the age of five, receiving a snare drum at the age of 10 and a full drum set at the age of 15. He played with multiple local bands both at school and following school, eventually playing in two different bands with future bandmate Robert Plant. Following the demise of the Yardbirds in 1968, Bonham joined Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist John Paul Jones to form Led Zeppelin. - Read more
R.I.P. Jimmy Cobb
Jimmy Cobb, whose subtle and steady drumming formed the pulse of some of jazz's most beloved recordings, died at his home in Manhattan on Sunday. He was 91.
The cause was lung cancer, says his wife, Eleana Tee Cobb.
Cobb was the last surviving member of what's often called Miles Davis' First Great Sextet. He held that title for almost three decades, serving as a conduit for many generations of jazz fans into the band that recorded the music's most iconic and enduring album, Kind of Blue.
It's impossible to overstate how much his playing, which propelled that all-star group forward with delicate washes of cymbals and brush-stroked snare, contributed to Kind of Blue's undeniable bounce and feel. "Jimmy, you know what to do," Davis told Cobb before the session. "Just make it sound like it's floating." And it does: The perfect tension between Cobb's signature driving cymbal beat and Paul Chambers' relaxed walking bassline makes most people's first jazz album one that you can — or can't help but — move to. - Read more
Gig Alerts
SATURDAY, MAY 30
60+ ARTISTS, 1 DAY
We’re excited to announce that on Saturday, May 30th, Live For Live Music is teaming up with the PLUS1 COVID-19 Relief Fund and nugs.tv to present a one day virtual music festival: Quarantine Comes Alive.
This donation-based event will directly benefit the participating musicians as well as Sweet Relief, MusiCares, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, World Central Kitchen, Partners In Health, Trans Lifeline, Backline, and local organizations helping the homeless.
The show will begin at 1pm EST on May 30th! Please donate whatever you can to help those in need. Those who donate will be e-mailed a link to watch the event on various platforms. - Find out more
Educational Spotlight
Applications for GRAMMY Camp 2020 are now open. Click here to apply!
Deadline to Apply: April 30
GRAMMY Camp Los Angeles: July 14-18, 2020
GRAMMY Camp Miami: July 28 - August 1, 2020
GRAMMY Camp Los Angeles is a 5-day nonresidential summer music industry program for high school students interested in having a career in music. Hosted on the campus of USC Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles, students from across the country apply for one of the eight offered career tracks. GRAMMY Camp faculty of music professionals as well as guest industry professionals provide valuable insight to give the campers the best chance at achieving success in their chosen career.
GRAMMY Camp Miami is a 5-day nonresidential summer music industry program presented by Royal Caribbean for high school students interested in having a career in music. Hosted at Royal Caribbean's Entertainment Studio in Miami, students from across the country apply for one of the five offered career tracks. GRAMMY Camp faculty of music professionals as well as guest industry professionals provide valuable insight to give the campers the best chance at achieving success in their chosen career.
Financial assistance is available for students who need it.
PLEASE NOTE: During GRAMMY Camp, campers must reside with a parent/guardian or with an adult approved by the GRAMMY Museum. - Find out more
By now, it’s clear that COVID-19’s impact on musicians and the music industry is deep.
The virus has cancelled shows and entire tours, delayed record releases, and put physical distance between musicians across the world. Since it sounds unrealistic and tacky to urge anyone to look for a silver lining during a crisis as complex and devastating as this one, I think it’s better to suggest that we musicians focus on what we can control in our lives right now.
And there’s a lot! Here are four skills you can develop during your time at home that will have a lasting effect on your career for years to come. - Read more
Product Review
Audio-Technica’s stringent quality and consistency standards set the AT2020 apart from other mics in its class. Its low-mass diaphragm is custom-engineered for extended frequency response and superior transient response. With rugged construction for durable performance, the microphone offers a wide dynamic range and handles high SPLs with ease. The AT2020: the new standard for affordable side-address studio condensers.
Finding the best USB mic for your needs can be a bit of a challenge. To make things easier for you, the Music Critic team has tested out the top microphones and reviewed them for your convenience.
Due to the ever-increasing and changing of musical applications, there was a need to change the dynamics of microphones so they could easily adjust to these changes. As a result, there are many types of microphones available on the market, and it can get pretty confusing. - Read more
The Bucket is...
-256 “one shot” samples and 400 “motion” samples
-Rattles, clanks and clacks
-Booms, flooms and thwacks
-Distant dings and close-up smacks
-Broken jingles and spaced out jangles.
-Dont feel like rhyming with jangles...so...
Anyways. That was fun.
The Bucket is a sample library I made out of all the percussion and household items I use on a daily basis for recording. It’s all the weird stuff that helps glue together a rhythm track and keep it sounding unique.
There are 256 "one shot" samples and 400 “motion” samples divided into 11 folders that are set up perfectly to toss into your sampler as 11 different "kits".
The basic difference between what I’m calling a “motion” sample and a loop is that these are shorter than loops and they aren’t designed to be used as loops. They are, however, quick random rhythms played by all these bucket instruments in an effort to give you creative ways of adding life and motion to whatever loop or rhythm part you’re creating. They can be used as fills or little enhancements to your beat that give it a more flammable human feel.
Iconic Recording
For this week’s iconic recording, Arthur Lipner chose Gratitude by Earth, Wind & Fire.
Johnny Graham - guitar
Ralph Johnson - drums, percussion
Perry Jones - talking voice
Al McKay - guitar, percussion
Fred White - drums, percussion
Maurice White - vocals, drums, timbales, kalimba
Verdine White - vocals, bass, percussion
Andrew Woolfolk - percussion, saxophone
Honorable mention
Google Doodle on Mbira
Today’s interactive Doodle celebrates Zimbabwe’s national instrument, the mbira, as Zimbabwe’s Culture Week begins. Try your own hand at this instrument that has been played for over 1,000 years, while experiencing a story as told through the lens of a Zimbabwean girl who learns to play the mbira. - Read more
Music News
Is a Second Stimulus Check Coming? U.S. Senate Says ‘Not So Fast’ - Paul Resnikoff - Article
Spotify Lifts 10,000-Song Library Limit - Matthew Strauss - Article
Nashville Live Music Is Now Reopening — Let’s See How This Goes - Ashley King - Article
Here Are Some General Guidelines for Using Music on Instagram and Facebook - Dylan Smith - Article
Live Nation Is Testing Socially-Distanced Concerts In New Zealand - Dylan Smith - Article
Kendall Jenner Slapped With $90,000 Fine Over Fraudulent Fyre Festival Posts - Dylan Smith - Article
Wu-Tang Clan Releases a Hand Sanitizer to Benefit Charity — ‘Protect Ya Hands’ - Ashley King - Article
Arthur Lipner Interview
The song leading into the interview is “Mr. Bubble” by Arthur Lipner & The Any Language Band.
This week in Discussions in Percussion we have our guest co-host and friend of the show Kassandra Kocoshis join us in our exclusive interview of Arthur Lipner.
Damon mentions using Arthur Lipner’s vibraphone mallets he used in high school and shares a story about a gig he played with Arthur where on the drive back Arthur’s car brakes stopped working!
Damon mentions the book Arthur wrote “Vibes Real Book”. Arthur was 13 years old when he got his first vibraphone at Manny’s music store on 48th st. He bought it for $510 with cases!
THE VIBES REAL BOOK will guide you step-by-step through six classics — "St. Thomas," "Waltz For Debby," "My Little Suede Shoes," "Bags’ Groove," "Don‘t Get Around Much Anymore" and "Moonlight In Vermont,"
taking you from two-mallet lead sheets to full solo arrangements.
Arthur’s mother was a classical singer freelancing in the New York City. She sang in Carnegie Hall with Leonard Bernstein and had a church and temple gig every week. Arthur’s father built turntables and loud speakers!
At age 6 Arthur started playing classical piano, and at age 10 he started studying John Mehegan who wrote different jazz method books. After three years Arthur switched to vibraphone.
During high school Arthur played mostly pop music which was mostly guitar based. He also ECM artists like Gary Burton and Keith Jarret. Arthur talks about as he was trying to establish an identity as a bandleader and artists he wanted to connect the vibraphone with something that hadn’t been done and with what he likes to listen to which is world music. Arthur found an interest in Caribbean and African music. During that time he was studying with Dave Friedman and he even bought a marimba off him when he was 22.
Arthur talks about the Gyil he has in his house that he acquired while visiting Ghana to interview Bernard Woma. He talks about the tuning for the standard Gyil and mentions that he had his built to reach a “G” on the low end.
Arthur talks about the differences between westernized marimbas and the Central/South American marimbas. He mentions the marimba being the national instrument of Guatemala. In Mexico they use boxes as the resonators while in Ghana they use calabash or hard gourds. In America, Europe, and Japan they focus more on the tuning to fit western’s music pitch specific style rather than the folkloric music of South America and Africa.
Kassandra asks Arthur what he thinks about the repertoire in mallet instruments. Arthur mentions how his background is classical, jazz and world music where the focus was on a melody and chords and not so much on technique. He said that for a period of time the marimba repertoire he heard didn’t have the level of melody and harmony he needed. Arthur mentions getting his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and did on Graduate year in nutrition and that’s when he actually played any marimba repertoire at the University of North Texas.
Arthur talks about how his documentary “Talking Sticks” evolved through a span of almost 10 years. It was released in 2016 and Arthur got to interview artists like Gary Burton, Mike Mainieri, and Vida Chenoweth. In the documentary Arthur visits countries like Ghana, Brazil, Norway, and Iceland to name a few, and embarks on a path of musical discovery with the keyboard percussion instruments vibraphone and marimba. Arthur mentions having the film screening at Symphony Space in NYC.
Arthur is an established writer (you can get his publications from his website) and he is also an educator. Feel free to get in touch.
Arthur talks about how he started playing the steel pans for an album he recorded and didn’t touch them again until he started getting calls to record jingles, tv and radio commercials. Arthur started the Tropical Music Productions and they started to do a ton of private events.
Arthur talks about how Brazilian music came into his life after going to Brazil with Ney Rosauro for a festival in 1996. After visiting he got the bug and starting searching out more information. He’s been to Brazil 18 times and knows enough Portuguese to express himself and has some close friends in Brazil.
Arthur mentions his ex-wife and the successes she has with her own career.
Damon asks about seeing different subway acts in NYC, and mentions his favorite. If you plan on busking in NYC, you should know what to expect.
Arthur shares stories about moving his vibraphone through the streets of NYC and about his travels and what kind of gear he brings. He mentions that usually he only needs to bring his mallet bag but on certain occasions like recordings he’ll bring the marimba/vibraphone bars. Arthur brings a white noise machine to help if a hotel room is noisy.
The iconic recordings Arthur mentions are in the above segments.
Arthur talks about the advice he would give to his younger self and that is to play in time, USING A METRONOME. Growing up playing classical music he didn’t learn the importance of playing in time until he started playing in bands with others. He talks about the different swings of each folkloric style and how important it is to have a strong focal sense of time. Here are some other apps you may consider when practicing.
The a couple of Turkish percussion instruments are the Darbuka and the Tar. The song Damon was trying to remember is “Ciftetelli” by Hüsnü Senlendirici and Laço Tayfa.
Arthur shares some stories about recording in Turkey and Russia. He mentions his daughter’s interest in organic farming and landscaping and his song working in a financial firm in Stanford. Damon mentions green roofs in the Javit’s Center.
Arthur owns three musser vibraphones. Two of them are from the Pro line with one being the gold bars and gold resonators (M55G).
He also owns their pro traveler vibraphone (M48).
Musser 3.0 Pro Vibraphone (M55G)
Musser Pro Traveler Vibraphone (M48)
Arthur also uses a Musser low A marimba that he leaves folded up in the hallway ready to take for gigs and he also has the Musser 5 octave marimba. He talks about how musser was the first to make a 5 octave marimba and how he has one of the first instruments that friend of the show Leigh Howard Stevens made.
Arthur uses Ludwig-Musser Instruments, Mike Balter Mallets, Zildjian Cymbals and Warm Microphones. He talks in detail about his signature mallets that he uses.
Arthur talks about his method recording marimba and vibes. He first mentions how the quality of the mic will make a huge difference when trying to catch all the colors that the marimba can make. Arthur uses two mics usually between the “Eb” and the “Gb” and for the five octave marimba he uses three mics but is careful to not get any cross transients. For bigger projects Arthur prefers to go to a professional studio like Carriage House Studio.
