Blog - Gunnar Madsen

Guzzette Issue #2019 – All the news from 2019!

Posted on November 19, 2019

HERE’S THE LATEST EMAIL NEWSLETTER FROM GUNNAR

Dear Everybody,

I get so busy doing cool stuff that I forget to tell you about it 🙂 This is just some of the cool things going on this past year – Enjoy!

1. BIRDS SING, THE WORLD SMILES IN NEW VIDEO!

2. HOLIDAY SONG (WITH LYRICS BY ROB MEURER)!

3. GUNNARMADSEN.COM NOW TOTALLY SECURE – IT’S JUST YOU AND ME, BABY!

4. GM PRODUCES NEW CD OF MUSIC FOR HOSPICE BY CURRAN REICHERT!

5. SHAGGS FILM MUSICAL TANTALIZINGLY CLOSE!

6. SHEET MUSIC HOLIDAY SALE – 5 DAYS ONLY!

1. If Birds Sing, Why Don’t We?!

Sirius/XM has been playing this song of mine for a few years now, and I thought it’d be fun to treat all those satellite listeners to a music video. This is my favorite animation so far, based on one of my favorite songs (from my 1998 album “The Power of a Hat”). It’s got joy from here to Sunday and back again. Give a listen, give a hoot, wake up to a tweety feeling no matter what happened the night before 🙂 View on Youtube, Vimeo, or at my home, GunnarMadsen.com

2. Piano music finds a voice – Lyrics to Imagine it Falling!

When I wrote and recorded “Imagine It Falling” for the album “Two Hands”, the producer Kent Sparling remarked that it would make a great holiday tune.

He was onto something…

In December of 2015 I mentioned this piece of music to a fine lyricist and friend, Rob Meurer (songwriter/keyboardist with Christopher Cross), who was so taken with it that he turned out some awesome lyrics in a single weekend. Before he or I’d gotten to publish it, Rob died tragically in a hit and run accident. The shock of his death made me put this song away. It felt too raw to try and do anything with it. A few years on, I’m ready to let this out into the world. I’ve made a demo with me singing and playing piano, and have put the sheet music on my website for anyone who’d like something fresh to sing at holiday time. If you’ve got an open fire, roast chestnuts!

Available in 2 keys, Eb and C! Listen now on SoundCloud!

3. Forget Facebook – Trust Gunnar Madsen with your information!

Visit www.GunnarMadsen.com and you can be assured that your information is secure and safe. From now on, whenever you visit, whether to just enjoy videos and music, or to purchase sheet music, you’ll see the little “lock” icon in the URL and, yes, the powerful letter “S” has been added to the http:// header, meaning that we are taking care of you! If you must lose sleep, this can no longer be your reason. Come on over and visit, you’re protected!

4. Curran, The Singing Reverend, Lays You Down Gently…

I went through the death of both my father and my father-in-law over the past few years, and I and my loved ones received much comfort from the hospice workers. For me, it was eye-opening how having someone to help with the little things that need doing (the legal things, the practical things), made room for everything else. The state of shock that comes from even an expected death cannot be overstated. Having someone to guide you is so important.

Curran Reichert and I met in a production of Truman Capote’s “Holiday Memories” at the Aurora Theatre back in the 90’s. She moved to NYC to do cabaret, and then came back west to study for the ministry, and since then has combined her singing with her church services – the only Cabaret Church I know of! She is the Minister at the First Congregational Church of Sonoma.

I’ve produced other recordings with the Rev. Curran, but when she showed up with this music, it was different from her other projects. The music here is incredibly gentle and delicate, she sings in a restrained lullabye voice, and all the songs are about making room for the next step. This music is a balm for the soul. Its focus is on hospice, but it’s for anyone who wants peace in their ears. Give a listen. The music is offered for free. Download and enjoy. It’s called “Rest: Songs of Comfort and Peace”.

5. The Shaggs! The Movie Musical!

When the film version of our off-broadway musical about The Shaggs is released, will it have an exclamation point in the title?! We don’t know yet! But we’ve got most of the elements in place to go ahead and make the movie! Casting! Directing! New Songs! New Script! Some of the money!

We’re currently negotiating with a couple different set of investors over the last little bit of cash needed to hire the catering truck and the special effects technicians, but otherwise we’re good to go!

Our cast includes:

Steve Zahn as Austin Wiggin. You’ve seen him in Dallas Buyers Club, Reality Bites, That Thing You Do!, Out of Sight, Riding in Cars with Boys, Treme, and War for the Planet of the Apes.
Allison Tolman as Annie Wiggin. Her portrayal of police officer Molly Solverson in the first season of the FX television series Fargo earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. You’ve seen her on Brooklyn 99, Castle Rock, Drunk History and Good Girls, among many others.
Elsie Fisher as the indomitable daughter Dot. She starred in the hit movie Eighth Grade (Golden Globe Nomination), while her voice is all over the Despicable Me films. She also presented at last year’s Academy Awards.
Sydney Lucas as the fiery Betty. For her work in the Broadway hit “Fun Home” she received a Tony nomination, Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominations, and an Obie award for her performances.
Elena Kampouris as the tender and fierce Helen. She is known for her roles in Men, Women & Children, NBC’s American Odyssey, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, and Before I Fall. She made her Broadway debut in Les Liaisons Dangereuses as Cécile Volanges.

Our team includes:

Me! Composer and co-lyricist
Ken Kwapis Producer/Director (One Mississippi, The Office, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Freaks and Geeks, A Walk in the Woods)
Joy Gregory Screenwriter and co-lyricist (Joan of Arcadia, Madame Secretary, Switched at Birth, Swingtown)
Craig Wedren Music Producer (School of Rock, Velvet Goldmine)
Howard Paar Music Supervisor (20th Century Women, Diary of a Teenage Girl, Dogtown & Z Boys)
Alex Beattie Producer (Happyish).

While writing new songs for the film I’ve been happily rooting through the music of the 60’s like a french pig snuffling truffles, cadging the ethos, the style, the gestalt of the songwriters and bands and producers of the era. The result, filtered through my ears and cortex and fingers, are some of my proudest accomplishments – Brand-new Pop songs of the 60’s, available Now in the Future (which is now, or, at least, soon).

Before long I’ll be sharing a box of popcorn with you all to celebrate as the lights dim and we all turn off our cellphones together. How do I like my popcorn? Buttered, with a hint of truffle oil. Oink on!

6. Sheet Music Sale Half Notes Half Off!

To celebrate the release of my first-ever holiday song, and the fresh and robust security of my website, all sheet music will be on sale through the end of November!

From now until the turkey and cranberry leftovers are all gone, you can have ANY piece of sheet music at 1/2 off the regular price!

Load up now! Have a heaping spoonful of delicious notes, and go back for seconds, or thirds, fourths, fifths or even tritones (groan)!

Peace, and Truth, and Love,

Gunnar

Video premiere “Every Morning the Birdies”!

Posted on October 24, 2019October 23, 2019

When the birds wake and sing, why not sing with them? My latest music video creation, from the album “The Power of a Hat“. Enjoy!

More animated videos on YouTube
Subscribe to YouTube Channel
View on Vimeo

Piano & Voice – Gunnar Madsen
Electric Guitars & Voice – Lucio Menegon
Drums & Voice – Tobias Hawkins III
Electric Bass – Chuck Deardorf
Bongos, Tambourine – Alain Despatie
Production & Voice – Kent Sparling
Backing Vocals – The Birdwatchers (Joshua Burbank & Sam Burbank)

LYRICS
Every morning the birdies sing
No matter what happened the night before
Every morning the birdies sing
So sweet
Tweet tweet

They must know something we don’t know
They always wake up on the right side of the nest
The birdies know to let things go
Tweet tweet
So sweet

I want to sing like the birdies sing
Want to wake every morning with a song
I want my neighbors to wake up with me
I want the whole neighborhood to sing along

Good morning neighbor
Howdy neighbor
Wake up neighbor it’s a brand new day
Come on people, the whole world’s waiting
We got to get up yes it’s time to play

Good morning everybody
Good morning each and every one
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah

It’s a thousand voices making noises
It’s the power and the beauty of an earthly song
Chickadees and children, lawyers and loons
Businesspeople and pigeons in the park at noon
Let it spread through the city and out to the country
Down in the valley and up into the sky
Let it rain in the ocean let it crash upon the shore
Let all the voices of creation make a joyful roar

Good morning everybody
Good morning each and every one
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah

And at night when the stars come out
Each one carries a voice away
And we’re left with the sweetest sound of all
And we’re left with the sweetest sound of all

Easy Listening for Advanced Listeners – Summer Sounds!

Posted on June 28, 2019

This is an ear-worm from my childhood that I never knew the name of, just one of those cheesy instrumentals from the late 50’s and early 60’s that played everywhere, all the time. When I was fiddling with some Eastern sampled instruments a few years back it’s the melody that came to hand, and I put it in 5/4, recorded a quick version and sent it off to some friends for a laugh.

I just happened across it again today, and was inspired to share it with you. The tune? “The Theme from A Summer Place” which, according to StereoGum, “ended up dominating the Billboard Hot 100 for a good chunk of 1960, selling more records than any other single that year and, for good measure, winning the Grammy for Record Of The Year… It is the most popular instrumental song in history.” Will it now be the surprise reprise of the Summer of 2019?! Share it with your friends, make something go viral, baby!

The Shaggs! The Movie of the Musical!

Posted on May 2, 2019

At the beginning of our current century, I began work on the stage musical The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World. Along the way there were readings, workshops and productions at The Powerhouse in Los Angeles; LookingGlass Theatre in Chicago; NY Musical Theatre Festival (in New York); GEVA in Rochester; TheatreWorks in Palo Alto; and The Manhattan Theatre Club (New York again). All of this led up to the acclaimed Off-Broadway New York Theatre Workshop/Playwrights Horizons co-production in 2011.

Have things been quiet since? Well, Bring On The Noise!

SHAGGS MUSICAL ONSTAGE!
Our musical will be on the boards again at the Bridge Street Theatre, July 11-21 in Catskill, New York! Featuring the Original Austin Wiggin from Los Angeles, Steven Patterson! Schedule your summer vacation around this one – book your lodgings now! (Musicals require the use of exclamation points in their titles and all press materials)

SHAGGS MUSICAL ON THE BIG SCREEN!
Bookwriter and co-lyricist Joy Gregory (Joan of Arcadia, Madame Secretary, Switched at Birth, Swingtown) and I have been working closely with Producer/Director Ken Kwapis (One Mississippi, The Office, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Freaks and Geeks, A Walk in the Woods) on bringing The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World to the screen, and things are really heating up. We’ve got a great team, and have now cast the entire Wiggin Family:

Steve Zahn as Austin Wiggin. (You’ve seen him in Dallas Buyers Club, Reality Bites, That Thing You Do!, Out of Sight, Riding in Cars with Boys, Treme, and even War for the Planet of the Apes.)
Allison Tolman as Annie Wiggin. (Her portrayal of police officer Molly Solverson in the first season of the FX television series Fargo earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. You’ve seen her on Brooklyn 99, Castle Rock, Drunk History and Good Girls, among many others.)
Elsie Fisher as the indomitable daughter Dot. (She starred in the hit movie Eighth Grade (Golden Globe Nomination), while her voice is all over the Despicable Me films. She also presented at this year’s Academy Awards.)
Sydney Lucas as the fiery Betty. (For her work in the Broadway hit “Fun Home” she received a Tony nomination, Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominations, and an Obie award for her performances.)
Elena Kampouris as the tender and fierce Helen. (She is known for her roles in Men, Women & Children, NBC’s American Odyssey, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, and Before I Fall. She made her Broadway debut in Les Liaisons Dangereuses as Cécile Volanges.)

Other teammates include music producer Craig Wedren (School of Rock, Velvet Goldmine), Music Supervisor Howard Paar (20th Century Women, Diary of a Teenage Girl, Dogtown & Z Boys), and Producer Alex Beattie (Happyish).

We’ve been busy writing an entirely new catalogue of songs to fit the needs of the film screenplay, and I can’t WAIT to share them. I’ve been happily rooting through the songs of the 60’s like a french pig snuffling truffles, cadging the ethos, the style, the gestalt of the songwriters and bands and producers of the era. The result, filtered through my ears and cortex and fingers, are some of my proudest accomplishments – Brand-new Pop songs of the 60’s, available Now in the Future (which is now, or, at least, soon).

With our cast in place and the music simmering, we’re just waiting for the last chunk of financing and pixie dust to settle. And then, I’ll be sharing a box of popcorn with you all to celebrate as the lights dim and we all turn off our cellphones together. How do I like my popcorn? Buttered, with a hint of truffle oil. Oink on!

Letter to Oliver Sacks

Posted on March 22, 2019

I’ve long appreciated Oliver Sacks’ work, and was excited when I received his new book, Musicophilia, as a gift shortly after it came out. I eagerly began to read it, but then, only a third of the way into the book, I had to stop. The descriptions of people afflicted with music, sometimes in ways that drove them crazy, was too close to the bone for me. I feared that just by hearing about these afflictions, I would fall prey to them.

This was not an idle fear, music has afflicted me in the past, looped in my brain in a way that caused intense anguish. I thought that perhaps my symptoms, which I had not seen outlined by Dr. Sacks, might interest him. I began writing a letter to him, but never sent it. I figured he was busy, after all. While on the KCSM radio show Desert Island Jazz last week, I briefly touched on this issue, and when I got home I looked around and found this letter. I think it’s worth sharing here, in case someone gets comfort hearing about this form of musicophilia.

“Haunted by music that won’t stop”

I’ve always dreaded fevers – they’re uncomfortable, sure, but for me
they bring on short loops of songs that repeat, over and over.
Usually bad songs, songs I hate, just a chorus that goes on forever
and ever.

Since I entered my 50’s, I’m getting music stuck in my head at night,
when attempting to sleep, and sometimes in the day. But this is
longer pieces of music, and sometimes it’s favorite music from long
ago. And, I’m amazed at my ability to remember complex jazz or
classical pieces – entire bass solos, things I never thought I was
paying attention to.

These are pieces that I used to go to sleep to at night in my high
school days. I loved music so much, I would go to sleep to a stack of
albums, or to my reel-to-reel tape deck, on which one tape at 3 1/2
ips would fit 2 entire albums. I didn’t have a large collection, so I
heard much of this music over and over and over.

The tape deck died when I was 20, so I haven’t heard those albums for
many years. Recently, I bought a favorite CD from that time “The Bill
Evans Album”. Listening to it, I was amazed at how I KNEW the music.
I am a professional musician and composer, but I’ve never been one to
be able to transcribe or sight read well. I could sing any of the
piano solos after hearing it again just once (after a 30 year hiatus).
And then, the music wouldn’t leave my head. I was stuck with it, for
a few days, like a fevered nightmare. Finally, listening to other
music, I was able to banish it from my head. Since then, I can now
hear the album with pleasure, and not get it stuck in my head. And, I
can still hear (and sing) the solos in all their complexity.

Another example happened just this past week. I owned the John
Kirkpatrick recording of Ives’ Concord Sonata in high school, and went
to sleep to it many times. Last week, I went searching for a CD of
it, but it’s long out of print. I read up on various extant
recordings, and listened to one of them on Spotify. It was good, had
much of the same intensity and lyricism of the Kirkpatrick version.
And, again, I was amazed at how much of it I knew absolutely by heart.
And now, for the past few days, it is running feverishly in my mind.
Knowing that the Bill Evans album eventually abated, I’m not as
freaked out this time. But I am VERY tired today, as my sleep last
night was constantly interrupted by various snippets of the Concord
Sonata.

Gunnar on Desert Island Jazz Friday 9am

Posted on March 13, 2019March 15, 2019

“I Am Your Food” caught the ear of Jazzinista host Alisa Clancy at KCSM Jazz 91, and she’s been playing some tracks. She has now invited me to come join her on her Desert Island Jazz program this Friday morning.

I’m surprised to learn that I Am Your Food = Jazz, but I am honored to be considered part of the Jazz pantheon. I’ve always loved jazz.

I’ve always loved the concept of Desert Islands. Not the actual starvation/privation part, but the philosophical musings of what would you wish to have in such an environment.

If you can’t listen live (9am on 91.1FM in the San Francisco Bay Area, live on KCSM website), you can hear the archived show for 2 weeks afterwards here. (Just click on the date of March 15th, and press ‘play’ on Desert Island Jazz)

If you don’t get around to listening, here is my my metaphorical message in a bottle encapsulating my choices…

Favorite all-time recordings that I’ve memorized, so I don’t need to bring them to the island:

The Band – The Weight
McCartney – Maybe I’m Amazed
The Bill Evans Album
Every Beatles album

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not tired of these recordings. Every time I hear them, I enjoy them. But in my youth I played them so much that I know every nook and cranny, can hear it all in my head. I went to sleep to the Bill Evans album for a year or so in my teens, and that got buried deep deep deep into the grey matter.

Endlessly new, but no need to bring a recording:

John cage 4:33

This is the famous piece where a pianist sits at the piano for 4:33 and plays nothing. The intent, or at least the effect, is a heightened sense of all the sounds in the world. On the island, I’d listen to the wind in the palms, the waves, the birds, whatever. It’d always be fresh!

What I’m bringing:

(Somehow, even if these are memorized, I need to hear them to really HEAR them)

Joni Mitchell – Blue
Paul Bley/NHØP – Olhos del Gato (from Paul Bley/NHØP)
Thelonius Monk – Oska T. (from Who’s Afraid of the Big Bang Monk)
Bill Evans Trio – Nardis (from The Last Waltz, Keystone Corner)
John Kirkpatrick – Ives’ Concord Sonata – Movement III
Lambert, Hendricks, Ross – Farmer’s Market
Tower of Power – What is Hip (from Tower of Power)
Bach – B minor Mass, Agnus Dei

BUT WHAT ABOUT DANCING?

I know all these records by heart, but it’s just not the same dancing to a song in your head – it has to be heard out loud!

Stevie Wonder Dance Tracks:
Happy Birthday, Jungle Fever, Superstition, I Wish, Sir Duke
Rolling Stones – Can’t you hear me knocking
Tell me Something Good – Chaka Khan
Dixie Chicken – Little Feat
Speaking in Tongues – Talking Heads
Whole bunch o’ Bob Marley

A Book, a Luxury Item:

These are the further stipulations of Alisa’s show. The book? Easy:

Complete Works of Shakespeare (annotated)

I would finally, alone on a desert island, have time to dig into Shakespeare the way I’ve always wanted to. Over the years I’ve delved into it from time to time, but it takes practice to get into the archaic language and the rhythms. As long as a spotter plane or cruise ship doesn’t interrupt me, I should be able to enjoy all of his works!

Luxury? What do I want with luxury? I haven’t figured this one out yet. Holly Hunter had a piano on the beach, maybe I could have one, too? Or a blender, so I can make smoothies from the papayas and coconuts and mangoes? Or is it really a Desert with a capital D island, with nothing but one palm tree in the middle? Then I’d go with the piano, and get used to a diet of fish and fish, with a little fish on the side….

Sheet Music Sale – 5 days only!

Posted on September 25, 2018

If you were affected by the recent winds blowing sheet music out of your shopping cart, take advantage of this 5-Day Sheet Music Blow-Out Sale!

For 5 days starting today (09/25/2018), you can have ANY piece of sheet music at 1/2 off the regular price!

If you weren’t affected by the recent winds blowing sheet music out of your shopping cart, I Don’t Care! – You can STILL have the same, amazing, half-off BLOW-OUT savings!

Load up now! Before these Wacky deals are Gone With the Wind!!

I Am Your Food wins Parent’s Choice Gold!

Posted on September 20, 2018September 20, 2018

Today the winners of the Parent’s Choice Audio Awards were announced, and am pleased and proud to say that “I Am Your Food” won their highest commendation, the Gold award. Only 6 others pulled down the gold ring (my friend and guest artist Frances England won for her latest release “Blue Skies and Sunny Days“). The Parents’ Choice Award is a respected, distinguished yet unstuffy honor. If I may crow for moment, every single one of my silly albums have won the Gold award, all 4 of them! Caw, caw, caw! (That’s me crowing on my soapbox perch).

I am deeply grateful for all the support I’ve received over the years for my work – fans, friends, family. Life continues to be fulfilling and deep and pleasurable. Thanks.

Solid Gold!

Sheet Music Sales are UP again!

Posted on September 17, 2018

I was alerted to a problem with my sheet music store by a lovely customer from Germany. She claimed that whenever she added sheet music to her cart, a wind came up and blew it away before she could buy it. And, she was right – some strange digital ether-wind was emptying the shopping carts before anyone could conclude their purchases. It took a while for my web hosting genius to figure out a fix, but he did. He describes it as a kind of digital ether-paperweight that keeps all the sheet music in your cart until you are ready to buy it. Try it, it really works!

Apologies to my dear and loyal customers for any troubles this may have caused. I will announce a sheet music sale soon as a gesture of good will – stay tuned!

yours,

Gunnar Madsen

My Plate is Full – CD Release Day!

Posted on June 14, 2018

I’m shouting it from the rooftops! I’m coding and messaging and posting in preparation for the worldwide premiere of “I Am Your Food” tomorrow, June 15. Here it comes, babies. Enjoy the videos, here, or on facebook, or youtube, or vimeo. Listen to the album wherever you want to, download it, stream it, spin it in a CD player, sing along and dance yer ass off to it. Write me and tell me what you think. Write your grandma, your grandkids, your grand canyon, let your words echo to skies. Spread the word, spread the joy, spread the peanut butter and jelly! And thanks – y’all are great.