Joshua MacCluer Music

Video from Singapore

Josh — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:47:23 +0000

I sat in the other week with my friend Cindy “Chilani” at the “Burlesque” party at Lucky 13 in Singapore, and somebody took a bootleg video. Here’s her version of “Why Don’t You Do Right” with me in a bow tie playing a few notes.

New Generation – Bezdeistvie

Josh — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:27:18 +0000

In the summer of 2008 I lived for a couple months in Sofia, Bulgaria, and we met the guys from the historic Bulgarian band New Generation at the Spirit of Burgas music festival, which is an awesome summer festival on the beach of the Black Sea. We hung out a lot that summer, and I played a little bit for their new album. Here is the last track on that album, titled Bezdeistvie, which ends with a little trumpet solo.

[audio:http://joshuamaccluer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/new-generation-mp3.mp3|titles=new generation mp3]

Haydn Trumpet Concerto- Second Movement

Josh — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:55:46 +0000

Here’s the second movement of the Haydn concerto from 2002. Incidentally, this performance began at the exact time that Tom Brady was starting the last field goal drive to beat the Rams in the Super Bowl. They had to drag me out of the stage crew office backstage to make me play this. Click here for the first movement.

[audio:http://joshuamaccluer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/haydn-2-mp3.mp3|titles=Haydn Trumpet Concerto, Second Movement]

Christine Brewer

Josh — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:00:05 +0000

I’m listening this Sunday morning in Singapore to a radio broadcast from St Louis of the Four Last Songs by Strauss with the SLSO and my favorite living female opera singer, Christine Brewer. She’s from southern Illionois, near Saint Louis, and got her start with the St Louis Symphony Chorus. These days, she’s the best of the best in the opera world. Not only is she an amazing musician with a once-in-a-generation quality voice, she’s also super cool and down to earth. Every time she sings with us in St. Louis, she brings an elementary class from Marissa, Illinois, where she used to teach school. She’s genuinely nice and truly a real person, which is rare in the opera world of superdivas.

One of my favorite moments in 9 years playing with the St Louis Symphony was a performance of the Britten War Requiem, when Christine was placed in the front of the chorus, right behind the trumpet section. It was a little bit like the old Memorex ad.

The Australian Brass Quintet

Josh — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:44:29 +0000

I had the good fortune while I was in Singapore this week playing with the Singapore Symphony to meet and hear the guys of the Australian Brass Quintet. The elite young brass players of Australia, these guys are great players as well as very nice cool guys. Check out this video of them playing Rhapsody in Blue arranged by Paul Terrancini, with pianist Timothy Young. Special shoutout here to the two excellent trumpeters of the group, international soloist Tristam Williams and the new principal trumpeter in Sydney, Dave Elton.

Timmy

Josh — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:00:07 +0000

Another classic Icebucket track, this was Josh Gindele’s vision of a song by Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld. I hope I’m not supposed to pay Matt and Trey for the rights to this. Cello, cowbell and “vocals” by Josh G, and the conch solo by yours truly. No drugs at all were involved in the production of this tune from 2009.

[audio:http://joshuamaccluer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/timmy.mp3|titles=timmy]

The Girl With the Flaxen Hair

Josh — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:00:01 +0000

Here’s a live radio broadcast performance from 2005 of Debussy’s beautiful Girl With the Flaxen Hair arranged for brass quintet by Dave Sabourin. Joining me on this performance are Chris Van Bergen, trumpet, Greg Roosa, horn, Steve Lange, trombone, and Gerry Pagano, tuba.

[audio:http://joshuamaccluer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/flaxen-hair-mp3.mp3|titles=The Girl with the Flaxen Hair]

Amazing Grace

Josh — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:05:37 +0000

Here’s a performance from back around 2004 from a live radio broadcast on KFUO from the St Louis Botanical Gardens. This is the opening section from Luther Henderson’s great arrangement of Amazing Grace. Joining me are Susan Slaughter on trumpet, Stephen Lange on trombone, Gerry Pagano on tuba and Greg Roosa on French horn.

[audio:http://joshuamaccluer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/amazing-grace1.mp3|titles=amazing grace]

The St Louis Symphony Experience

Josh — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 02:51:44 +0000

Here’s a cool Youtube commercial for the Saint Louis Symphony with Carmina Burana in the back. It’s nice to see my friends and colleagues say what they say about music. They believe what they’re saying, the musicians in SLSO really do love music. Too bad there’s no shot of the trumpet section in the commercial!

The Star Spangled Banner that Won the World Series

Josh — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 01:37:18 +0000

We got a last minute call last October to go play the national anthem for a crucial NLDS Game 4 versus Philly. The Cardinals were down 2-1 at that point, and so it was a must win. We played, and the Cardinals won, and then went on a tear culminating in a World Series win. It all started with this performance we like to think.

In the video I’m playing with Mike Walk and the legendary Susan Slaughter, who is a huge Cardinals fan. This is also her very classy and stirring arrangement. It was great how the crowd cheered as we finished. Go Cardinals!