Category: 2011

S_V_H The Christmas Song finalimage

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

The Christmas song Music Count is 175 plays dating from about November 18th to December 6th. Some of the favorites versions of The Christmas Song, in the order of most plays from over 20 different Artists:

Joe Williams
Nat King Cole
Mel Torme 3 versions  one specially enjoyed with Judy Garland
Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole
Diana Krall
Frank Sinatra
Also enjoyed where the voices of Ella Fitzgerald, Toni Braxton,  Christina Aquilera, and a surprisingly cover of The Christmas Song by Trace Adkins.

You would think that listening to the same words over and over again would strain the enjoyment of the music, but it does not.  It helps that there are a couple of instrumentals, for example by Glen Miller, but the song is just that good, and it lingers in the mind and heart.

This painting is clean looking and that fits well with the Christmas theme.  The feature of the round snow flakes works well helping to move the music across the canvas to where one flake dots the “i” on the word Christmas.  The far right Tie feature worked out well, and is part of the evolution of the last few paintings. The difference in this work is the softening of the tie to blend better with the rest of the canvas.  Of course, the use of  a number of iridescent colors,  including gold, silver, and  bronze, fits with Christmas.  All-in-all this may be the best of all the Christmas works, so far.  A larger version of this music will be uploaded to www.scottvonholzen.com over the weekend.

Next year’s music has been booked marked.  It is is another great classic Christmas song, sung by a group of outstanding Artists. The clue is that the word “Christmas,” is a part of the title.

Tonight a two panel 30 inches by 80 canvas is being prepped for the next artwork,………. Blackbird by the Beatles.

Scott Von Holzen  Listening to Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song

S_V_H Body and Soul final image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen1 Comment

Body and Soul musical count:

Anita O’Day –  live Art Fords Jazz Party
Barry Harris – Solo Piano
Billie Holiday – 3 versions two live
Carmen McRae – Live Mt.FUJI Jazz Fes in Japan, 1986 ( a surprising favorite)
Charles Mingus
Coleman Hawkins
Jimmy Forrest 2 live performances with the Count Basie Band (the absolute favorite being the longer 6:34 version)
Dexter Gordon
Diana Krall  (well done)
Ella Fitzgerald- two versions, one live on a Frank Sinatra television show
Frank Sinatra
John Coltrane
Julie London
Louis Armstrong
Sarah Vaughan 2 versions (the older Jazzier Sarah with the deeper voice is the choice)
– and of course the version the started it all:
Tony Bennet & Amy Winehouse
All told the Total Number of plays of  Body and Soul over the last few weeks is over 250 and counting.

It is hard to break away from the music.  It will linger on.

Listening to Make Someone Happy – Chris Botti.

In short this is considered a good effort.  Maybe it is the color blue. The words were well chosen to reflect the artist and the music. The signature is hard to miss.  That is done on purpose.  It is all about that day.  It is about walking into the Art Museum.  It is about floating through galleries.  And then, it is about entering another gallery, and there across the room, is Body and Soul.  And you know the name, because even from the other side of the room you can read that signature.

The only lingering question has to do with the treatment of the background.  Although a considerable effort was put into this background, it appears, in the end, to be similar to previous works.  That may not be bad, but this artist likes a challenge. Maybe, there is a little holding back going on here.  Hopefully, more experiments with better ideas will finally open up those creative doors and let the light in.

Listening to Al Green – Love and Happiness.

In short, maybe its the color blue. Body seems to work better then the effort with Heart of the Matter. Hearts background was pushed to create more interest, but now seems, at times, to drown the music.  You do not see that in Body, with a background that is more in sync with the flow of the music. The understanding with Heart was to not pop the music, but to unite. So, it could be a matter of taste or the choice of the music, which, no doubt, did have a great effect on the results of both of these images.

The Christmas 2011 canvas is next, and maybe because of this conversation, the background is going to be influence by the art of Jean-Bapiste-Simeon Chardin.   Mark Rhothko can take a canvas off.

Ending this blog with Sarah Vaughan – Body and Soul

Scott Von Holzen

S_V_H Heart Of the Matter final image

Published on by Scott Von Holzen

Heart of the Matter, 3 panels 36 inches by 104 inches is finished.  This is a strong painting in that it is in places rough and sketchy which contrasts with the soft, smooth, sharp, and precise areas of this work.   It is those such differences that are all of us and in all of us, and also in this canvas, that captures this music.

Listening to Wait A Million Years – The Grass Roots.

Here is the list of the different artist’s versions of  The Heart of the Matter that where listen to every night sometimes in a continuous play:

Cuppa Joe, Gwen Sebastian, The Harvard Opportunes, Idia.Aire, Roger Kardinal, Something Borrowed Something Blue, and two version by Don Henley, the album, and a live version that was the standard for this music.  Here is the YouTube link, performed live in 1994, so you can understand where this art is coming from.

The major first impression a viewer will have is how this music flies across this canvas.  This work, along with More than you Know, have accelerated that push from left to right.  Moving the music across the canvas has all ways been the major goal of this art.  What separates this art, from most abstractions of music, is that directional movement, that is consistent with the music, itself.

Listening to Domino – Van Morrison.

The take for this work:  The use of the one word is perfect for this music.  The Tie, seen on the very lower left, is beautiful and works beyond expectations.  The background, maybe still could be painted to better unite the work.  Then again, maybe not, for there was a lot of that done with this work to accomplish that point. So, maybe enough is enough, and this is all Heart wanted, or needed.  A concern also is with that one musical representation that is that very magenta or so note on the left of the image above. The question is whether this works or not.

The other objects, do work, and they are seen as the style to lead the way into the next work.  Sometimes it is hard to change what has become of a painting. Each of these artwork soon develop their identity, their own momentum, and when you have an artwork that has nothing to compare it to, you just finally except what is in front of you, and move on.

Such as it is with life.

The next work, started, is Body and Soul, with an explanation of why soon to follow.

Finally, there is The Black Crowes – She Talks to Angels, Chopin Valse Op.64 No.2, and Fragile by Sting.
Scott Von Holzen