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To: illiac
If that is talent...we’re in trouble...

I have been a musician for more than 50 years, graduated magna cum laude from the world renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, been a professional theater music director, a recording producer/arranger, a booker of musicians for various gigs. I have done many hundreds of gigs and played rock, jazz, theater and function music.

My late girlfriend, with whom I shared a breathtakingly joyful mutual immersion in music, was a world renowned professional classical viola player who performed at many of the world' great performing venues (i.e. Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall), performed for 30-years with an award winning string quartet with more than 30 CDs to its credit (available on Amazon) played as a guest artist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (among others), was in the orchestra that recorded John Williams' soundtrack for Saving Private Ryan, and headed the music department at a well-known Boston area university. Through her I attended dozens of classical music concerts, and met and interacted with many of the world's finest classical players and composers living today.

So with all due respect, I am very confident in my ability to recognize talent when I see and hear it.

If you want to say that you don't care for Bruno Mars' music, that's certainly legitimate. There are many brilliant and famous jazz and classical musicians whose brilliance is undeniable, even though I don't really dig their taste and don't really care for their music.

So if you don't like Bruno Mars, that's one thing. But if after watching his performance at the Super Bowl you think he has no talent, well, with all due respect, I think your opinion about that is pretty worthless.

64 posted on 02/03/2014 8:28:27 AM PST by Maceman
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To: Maceman

I’ve not played on as high a level as you and your wife, but have played for major signed acts in the dim past. Also opened for giant names and got to hear them up close.

I agree with your take.

Give Bruno some congas and have him reprise Ricky Ricardo.

I like the kid, he’s miles above most of the crap around today. If he is handled properly and handles himself properly he has a great future.


65 posted on 02/03/2014 8:34:25 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (....Let It Burn...)
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To: Maceman

Sorry, I should have written “your late girl friend” not wife. Sorry for your loss, that had to be a great union of musical souls.


68 posted on 02/03/2014 8:36:37 AM PST by SaxxonWoods (....Let It Burn...)
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To: Maceman

So what did you think about the National Anthem?


69 posted on 02/03/2014 8:37:54 AM PST by stevio (God, guns, guts.)
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To: Maceman

I’d like to add that having Renée Fleming sing the National Anthem was a wonderful idea! She did a splendid job!


70 posted on 02/03/2014 8:38:14 AM PST by folkquest (I plan on being cranky for the next 4 years. Hope to crack a political smile at the midterms!)
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To: Maceman

My opinion is not worthless.

We all have opinions, and just because you have “credentials” does not mean your opinion is any better than mine.

It is a free country and we are free to have opinions.


74 posted on 02/03/2014 8:56:08 AM PST by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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To: Maceman

Um... I’ve been listening to music for over 60 years and I wasn’t impressed by Bruno. I couldn’t understand the lyrics. I’ve seen those dance moves before. I was trying find a melody that I thought anyone would remember in 20 years. I didn’t find one.

I was never a Beatles fan, but I can remember the tunes and most of the lyrics to their music, 50 years later. Bruno might have talent, but he’s wasting it on his current material.

That said, this half-time show wasn’t offensive (maybe it was and I just couldn’t understand the lyrics or, should I say I couldn’t understand what they were shouting).


99 posted on 02/03/2014 2:26:59 PM PST by FXRP
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