There's nothing like a good instrumental solo—that moment when a lone player stands in the spotlight and takes the helm, leading the band in an uncharted direction. On the first edition of Strong Solos, Kirk takes apart a few of his favorite solos, which a special focus on players who use motivic development, also known as theme and variations.SOLOS FEATURED:Eric Shenkman on "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors from Pocket Full of Kryptonite, 1991Sonny Rollins on "St. Thomas" from Saxophone Colossus, 1956Joe Morello on "Take Five" by Paul Desmond/The Dave Brubeck Quartet from Time Out, 1959Chris Potter on "Janie Runaway" by Steely Dan from Two Against Nature, 2000ALSO DISCUSSED:Excerpts from multiple previous episodes of Strong Songs“Sponger Money,” traditional Bahamian folk song, from Goombay - the Folk Songs of the Bahamas by George Symonette"Symphony No. 5" by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1804-08, performed by the London PhilharmonicOUTRO SOLOIST: Steve PardoThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------MAY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSPatrickSEAN D WINNIEDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMAY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieMax DicksteinDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams

Wake up, fall out of bed, and drag a comb across your head, cause Strong Songs is finally doing an episode about The Beatles.It's time for Kirk to tackle the fab four, and what better Beatles song to analyze than Lennon and McCartney's two-tune casserole of a closer, "A Day in the Life." Get ready for some lilting Lennon dreamscapes, some meticulous McCartney melodies,  a really big glissando, and an even bigger E chord.Written by: John Lennon and Paul McCartneyAlbum: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED:"Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin (1924), performed by the New York Philharmonic"Yesterday" by Paul McCartney (Lennon/McCartney), 1966"Strawberry Fields Forever" by John Lennon (Lennon/McCartney), 1967"Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" and "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" also from Sgt. Pepper's, 1967The Yoko Ono/John Lennon episode of the excellent podcast You're Wrong About"Mr. Blue Sky" by Jeff Lynne and ELO from Permission To Land, 1977OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve PardoThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/STRONG MERCH!!As Kirk mentioned on the episode, the Strong Songs Store is now live! Check it out for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This whole thing happens thanks to the support of Strong Songs's wonderful patrons. For more on how to help Kirk keep making this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsNOVEMBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJeffrey JueRick KlarasNikoLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromJill Smith-MooreNarelle HornMickey ClarkNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourMatt ButlerDoug PatonRobert PaulR WatsonViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerChad BarnardMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiNOVEMBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONSKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JTerron IshiharaJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloJoel StevensonWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyJoshua JarvisDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiMark EdwardsRandall BrowningSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandDavid CatlettJoe LaskaMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderMelanie AndrichFranco FamularoDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesJeff AlmondStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SamplechamomiateaWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJoe CClare HolbertonJake TinsleyGeorgia LivesayDavid ZuckerDiane TurnerTom ColemanSUELLEN MOOREJudy ChappleStuart TerryMark PerryMaloryDhu WikEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSheilahSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro FieldJudith StansfieldJenifer Carrmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipMarkus KoesterDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonRobbie FerreroGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerBrooke WilfordCyrus N. WhiteChris BrownMark HaberlenJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaKate AlburyMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJohn and Sharon StengleinTom LauerForrest ChangEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaShane DeLeonJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterJustin LiewEmily Williams

Classic video game consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System didn't just play games; they also played music. Their onboard synthesizers put strict limits on what kinds of music game composers could write, but from those limits came a cornucopia of musical themes that remain iconic even today. On this episode, Kirk peels back the layers of Koji Kondo's  "World 1-1" music from the first Super Mario Bros., revealing a perfectly polished musical gem. Level: World 1-1 Game: Super Mario Bros. (1985) Written by: Koji Kondo ------ ALSO FEATURED: The Legend of Zelda theme and various other tracks from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, all by Koji Kondo "Nascence" from Journey by Austin Wintory feat. Tina Guo, 2012 "El Cayuco" by Tito Puente from Dance Mania, 1958 Audio from the Basileous Productions playthrough of World 1-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-avspZlbOWU OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve Pardo This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist, and also does work in the world of video games, having spent several years at Harmonix, where he helped make music games like Rock Band and Dance Central. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/ TRIPLE CLICK If you want to listen to Kirk talk about video games every week, check out his new video game podcast Triple Click, which he co-hosts with Polygon's Maddy Myers and Bloomberg News's Jason Schreier. It's on all major podcast services, and also at http://tripleclickpodcast.com. KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - you all make all this possible. For more information on how to support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs JULY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Guinevere Boostrom Jeanneret Manning Family Four Jill Smith-Moore Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Rachel Rakov Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Viki Dun JULY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Adam Conway Albukitty Alexander Geddes Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Aparajit Raghavan Arjun Sharma Benedict Pennington Bill Fuller Bill Thornton Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams Eric Helm Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Geoff Golden Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jack Sjogren Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson Joe C John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Latifah Makuyi Leigh Sales MH Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robyn Fraser SP SUELLEN MOORE Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah Steven Maron Stuart Terry Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Wen Zoe Little brant brantphillip michael bochner