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Hawaii Photos From My Trip
I thought I would share a few photos from my last trip to Hawaii. This visit was on the island of O’ahu. The photo gallery includes a picture of the stained glass window at the rear of St. Augustine church on Waikiki, flying guitars in Hard Rock Cafe – Honolulu and other miscellaneous scenes around the island. Every time I go to O’ahu I enjoy visiting the somber Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. We also paid a visit to Iolani Palace, home to the last Hawaiian royalty, which included attending a concert on the lawn outside by the Royal Hawaiian Concert Band.
Spooky Halloween
In October 2015 I released my cover of “Spooky”…….Just in time for Halloween….you can play my version of some Spooky music at your party or as background music as you open the door for Trick or Treaters.
You can download your copy of Spooky music at CD Baby by clicking this link or at my Music Store page. Also here is the video of Spooky music. Or you can watch it on YouTube.
This is my instrumental version of Spooky…..arranged, performed (Yes, that’s me playing electric guitar, string bass, keyboard and synthesizer.) and recorded by me. Spooky was a billboard hit for the group Classics IV in 1968 and then again in the late 1970s for the Atlanta Rhythm Section (ARS). Spooky however, was originally composed by Mike Sharpe (Shapiro) and recorded as a saxophone jazz instrumental.
Per Wikipedia, “Mike composed the tune along with help from Harry Middlebrooks and recorded the song at Liberty Records. The Mike Sharpe version of Spooky peaked at #57 on the Billboard Pop Hot 100, which was pretty good for a Jazz group. The Classics IV version of the song added lyrics which we all associate with the song and as a single it peaked at # 3 in the US as a pop single.
In 1979 ARS covered the song and released it on “Underdog”, and according to the album’s entry on Wikipedia, “The album contained two songs which reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
LYRICS
In the cool of the evening when ev’rything is gettin’ kind of groovy,
I call you up and ask you if you want to go and meet and see a movie,
First you say no, you’ve got some plans for the night,
And then you stop, and say, “All right.”
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.
You always keep me guessin’, I never seem to know what you are thinkin’.
And if a fella looks at you, it’s for sure your little eye will be a-winkin’.
I get confused, ’cause I don’t know where I stand,
And then you smile, and hold my hand.
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.
Spooky!
If you decide someday to stop this little game that you are playin’,
I’m gonna tell you all what my heart’s been a-dyin’ to be sayin’.
Just like a ghost, you’ve been a-hauntin’ my dreams,
So I’ll propose… on Halloween.
Love is kinda crazy with a spooky little girl like you.
Spooky,
Spooky,
Spooky,
Oh-whoa, all right,
I said Spooky!
Bluesy Bach Opus 1 Full Score
As time allows I have been transcribing into notation some of my music and making that available on this site. The full score for Opus 1 in my Bluesy Bach series of recordings, Bluesy Bach – Opus 1 (Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring), is now available for purchase. This piece is scored for four electric guitars, violin 1, violin 2, viola and cello, contrabass, electric bass 1, electric bass 2, timpani and two drum kits. The drum kit parts are only an approximation as notating drum parts is exceedingly difficult, at least for me!
This was my first venture into rearranging Bach to take on a blues groove and was with his, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”. Per Wikipedia, it “is the most common English title of a piece of music derived from the 10th and last movement of the cantata Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147 (“Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life”), composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1716 and 1723.”
Bach scored this piece for choir, trumpet, violin, optionally oboe, viola, and basso continuo. As I said, my arrangement is scored for scored for four electric guitars, violin 1, violin 2, viola and cello, contrabass, electric bass 1, electric bass 2, timpani and two drum kits. The guitar plays the violin 1 melody and the double bass plays the choir lines. A preview of the score and the full score are available for purchase in the sheet music store.
Ringtone – Bluesy Bach and Friends Opus 4
As I mentioned in the previous post, I had a busy spring and summer, so now I am playing catch up with my web site. I had created a ringtone for Bluesy Bach Opus 4 (Arioso Für Elise) a few months ago, but forgot to post it until now.
So…….Here is the link to the Ringtone for Bluesy Bach and Friends Opus 4 (Arioso Für Elise)
And furthermore, YOU can help support independent music creation, by going to my music store page. All payments may be done SECURELY through PayPal.
The music store page contains ringtones that are already in the Apple .m4r format for use on an iPhone.
A Quick Intro to Christopher J.
I am Chris Hartzog and this is my website, Christopher J. Music. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in the Seattle, Washington area.
I’ve loved music as long as I can remember. During many years of being a special needs parent to a very high needs child with autism, I started playing guitar again and started writing music. And through that experience I learned that music not only transcends languages, it also transcends disabilities.
Today my music covers a variety of styles and instruments from folk to blues/jazz, and classical to pop-rock. I am a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, bass (electric and upright), ukulele, keyboards, and a singer and songwriter. I also enjoy playing classical music on the double bass with my local community symphony orchestra. And, I write, arrange, record and produce songs and put them on this website for people to download and hopefully share and enjoy.
Some Music
Go to the music store page for a complete catalog.
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Some Videos
Some Photos
Some pictures and stuff
