Doug Skinner: An Archive on Your Gizmo

Doug Skinner header image 1

Entries Tagged as '*Music'

We Need More Art

February 6th, 2012 · Comments Off on We Need More Art

We need more art!  I only performed this anti-art tirade once, in a performance at Dance Theater Workshop.  Maybe I’ll revive it.  

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · W

Sentimental Doofus

February 1st, 2012 · Comments Off on Sentimental Doofus

Poor sentimental doofus!  The arrangement was really meant for violin and cello, but I recorded it with keyboard.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · S

String Quartet 6: Palindromes

February 1st, 2012 · 1 Comment

The sixth string quartet is based on palindromic rounds. I like the way they wash back and forth, interlocking.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · S

The Baptistown Crawl

January 26th, 2012 · Comments Off on The Baptistown Crawl

“The Baptistown Crawl” is a delightful and catchy tune, recorded by “Hitch’s Happy Harmonists” in 1924.  Historians remember the band as the first that Hoagy Carmichael recorded with.  This tune, however, seems to have been written by the leader, Curtis Hitch.  I transcribed it, and arranged it for viola and piano, in which form David […]

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · B

The Hand Without the Fingers Is Just a Spoon

January 24th, 2012 · Comments Off on The Hand Without the Fingers Is Just a Spoon

“The Hand Without the Fingers Is Just a Spoon” was one of the pieces I wrote as a student at Oberlin Conservatory.  It was a piano suite, made up of diatonic motifs, repeated and varied within a rhythmic structure.  In keeping with its diatonic foundation, it was structured mostly around the number 7. I have […]

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · H

Secant Records

January 19th, 2012 · 6 Comments

I think this was back in 1972.  At any rate, I was still in high school when I wrote string and flute arrangements for this local 45.  Jan Ince sang two of her songs, and Caltrick Simone (whose real name I’ve forgotten) produced.  I also played ‘cello on it.  An internet search reveals that copies […]

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · S

Listen to the Birds Cry Ouch

January 15th, 2012 · Comments Off on Listen to the Birds Cry Ouch

A song about aging, always a crowd-pleasing subject.  This is the first verse.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · L

Them Keener Boys

January 15th, 2012 · Comments Off on Them Keener Boys

I joined Them Keener Boys for their debut CD in 1999, contributing trombone to “How’s It Going Mary?”, and backup vocals to “My Booty Cost a Dollah” and “Whores.”  If I recall correctly, I also played uke on “My Booty.”

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · T

Love Me Unconditionally

January 11th, 2012 · Comments Off on Love Me Unconditionally

I think everyone can appreciate the sentiments of this song.  I recorded it for my CD That Regrettable Weekend, then later arranged it for uke, voice, and viola.

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · L

dust/Dream(pisca-)

January 11th, 2012 · Comments Off on dust/Dream(pisca-)

When I was sixteen, I wrote a piece for string orchestra, which was played by the high school orchestra.  It was not a particularly sophisticated piece, relying heavily on tritones, but I learned a lot doing it.  And I can still remember the thrill of hearing it for the first time.  I apologize for the […]

[Read more →]

Tags: *Music · D