Stereogum Home

 

October 28, 2008

Andrew Bird And Yo-Yo Ma Smile And Whistle At Each Other

thumbnail icon: Andrew Bird And Yo-Yo Ma Smile And Whistle At Each Other

Presented without comment over at The Daily Swarm this afternoon is this two minute, first-meeting of the bows between Yo-Yo and Dr. Stringz. Ma's eager to the point of being patronizing, sorta like a preschool TV show host in laying out the rules (I'll play something, you just jump in whenever) and congratulating Andrew on his performance as if this was Bird's first time in violin class. However Andrew probably doesn't mind, it's Yo-Yo after all (never said that before) and they really do make some nice contrapuntal music together, especially when AB gets into his Bird calling.

Yo loves that whistling. Ma Bird is an album that does not exist but I'm thinking now that maybe it should.

UPDATE: Clip is from MTV Iggy, a "new, recently launched brand focused on culture and music with a global perspective." Word.

Posted at 4:02 PM by amrit in
Tags:  |




9 Comments

I dunno about patronizing, the whole jump in when you want is a common way of improvising, and I think Yo-Yo Ma is just adorably nice: like world's greatest dad nice.

Posted by: 6-3-2 at 10/28/08 4:51 PM | Reply
Score = 9 Vote up Vote down

"World's greatest dad nice". Something to aim for in life.

Posted by: Michael Houghton at 10/28/08 5:20 PM | Reply
Score = 3 Vote up Vote down

AB rules. Can't wait for his new album!

Posted by: Jeff at 10/28/08 6:15 PM | Reply
Score = 2 Vote up Vote down

YY rules. Can't wait for his new album!

Posted by: steev at 10/28/08 6:26 PM | Reply
Score = 2 Vote up Vote down

Word indeed. Yo-Yo is the shit! He brings the thunder in Appalachian Waltz.

Posted by: bananafana feux at 10/28/08 8:08 PM | Reply
Score = 1 Vote up Vote down

umm this is not good. the problem is that yo yo picked a really dumb ass melody to play

could have been so much cooler without yo yo ma, who is a classical musician who was playing a melody from memory, NOT ACTUALLY IMPROVISING!

Posted by: Eric at 10/28/08 10:16 PM | Reply
Score = -8 Vote up Vote down

Um your comment is not good. The problem is that you picked a really dumb ass thing to say.

Improvisation in classical music, like in jazz, is often based on established forms. Considering Ma plays the cello, a lower register instrument, it makes sense that he would provide the basic form.

Posted by: Adam profile link in reply to Eric's comment at 10/29/08 8:14 AM | Reply
Score = 7 Vote up Vote down

good god i envy that whistle.

Posted by: nick at 10/29/08 8:58 AM | Reply
Score = 1 Vote up Vote down

I can whistle better than that. I'm serious.

Posted by: la la la la at 10/29/08 1:49 PM | Reply
Score = -2 Vote up Vote down

Leave a comment


Staff

  • Founder/Editor-In-Chief: Scott Lapatine
  • Executive Editor: Amrit Singh
  • Senior Writer: Brandon Stosuy

Info

Contact

Get Flash to see our mp3 player. Here are our mp3s: Cold Cave - Life Magazine (»)
Pants Yell! - Cold Hands (»)
Bill Quick - Take Me Away (»)
Fool's Gold - Surprise Hotel (Wallpaper's Mariah Mashup) (»)
Air - Sing Sang Sung (Black Moth Super Rainbow Remix) (»)
Avi Buffalo - What's In It For (»)
Vampire Weekend - Horchata (»)
Small Black - Kings Of Animals (»)
Max Tundra - Which Song (Passion Pit Remix) (»)
Cold Cave - Theme From Tomorrowland (»)
Tegan And Sara - Hell (»)
Jeff The Brotherhood - Bone Jam (»)
Mount Eerie - Wind's Dark Poem (»)
Tigercity - Fake Gold (»)
Yeasayer - Ambling Alp (»)
Drink Up Buttercup - Even Think (Andrew W.K. Remix) (»)
Florence And The Machine - You've Got The Love (The xx Remix) (»)
Cold Cave - The Laurels of Erotomania (»)
Jookabox - Phantom Don't Go (»)
Jookabox - You Cried Me (»)

Progress Report logo
Commercial Appeal logo
Premature Evaluation logo
Band to Watch logo
Quit Your Day Job logo
The Outsiders logo
The 'Gum Drop logo