Help identifying music-themed public TV show from the mid 90s
August 5, 2015 10:00 AM Subscribe
The show aired in the mid 1990's on PBS (Arizona's Public Broadcast Channel 8) It was an improvisational/rhythm TV show, largely a one-man show of rhythm and musical improvisation with objects at hand.
The intro I remember was a Subterranean Homesick Blues/Don't Look Back riff.
The show's format was the main character would come into his Apartment address the audience in the style of Gary Shandling or Mr Rogers, and in the course of doing something mundane, sorting the mail or getting ready to make a meal, he'd find something that made a musical noise when he hit it, like the dish rack dings when he hits it with a ladle. He'd begin to add in other noises, reaching back to add a mixing bowl drum on, a colander to scrape across for a washboard noise. Then the phone would ring and he'd answer it and the scene/song would break. Other segments I remember were him wearing a large baby mask and drumming on a full drum kit, somebody delivering him a box of horns, and not-necessarly-the-blue-man-group but a group of blue painted men who arrive and do rhythm play with the main character. There was very little narrative episodic progress that I can recall.
The intro I remember was a Subterranean Homesick Blues/Don't Look Back riff.
The show's format was the main character would come into his Apartment address the audience in the style of Gary Shandling or Mr Rogers, and in the course of doing something mundane, sorting the mail or getting ready to make a meal, he'd find something that made a musical noise when he hit it, like the dish rack dings when he hits it with a ladle. He'd begin to add in other noises, reaching back to add a mixing bowl drum on, a colander to scrape across for a washboard noise. Then the phone would ring and he'd answer it and the scene/song would break. Other segments I remember were him wearing a large baby mask and drumming on a full drum kit, somebody delivering him a box of horns, and not-necessarly-the-blue-man-group but a group of blue painted men who arrive and do rhythm play with the main character. There was very little narrative episodic progress that I can recall.
Almost certainly "Ear-Responsibility" by the legendary downtown NYC percussionist/composer David Van Tieghem.
posted by mykescipark at 3:03 PM on August 5, 2015
posted by mykescipark at 3:03 PM on August 5, 2015
Response by poster: This was a standalone multi-episode program at least 3 separate episodes I recall. It aired late at night and while not necessarily adult themed it was not a kids show.
Ear-Responsibility is remarkably close in format, and I'm checking to see if this Van Tieghem leads me to it, but this show was much more like a conventional sitcom in presentation.
The main character would address the audience, upon arrival. "Oh hey you guys pfff, bills bills bills am I right" then he'd get a package from "old uncle victor" that had a musical instrument in it, and instead of a long running song like this it was a series of shorter 1-2 minute improvised bits carried by interruptions breaking in, a doorbell, a phone call.
posted by jarvitron at 5:25 PM on August 5, 2015
Ear-Responsibility is remarkably close in format, and I'm checking to see if this Van Tieghem leads me to it, but this show was much more like a conventional sitcom in presentation.
The main character would address the audience, upon arrival. "Oh hey you guys pfff, bills bills bills am I right" then he'd get a package from "old uncle victor" that had a musical instrument in it, and instead of a long running song like this it was a series of shorter 1-2 minute improvised bits carried by interruptions breaking in, a doorbell, a phone call.
posted by jarvitron at 5:25 PM on August 5, 2015
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posted by dpx.mfx at 11:30 AM on August 5, 2015