Tor Bekken

Tor Bekken started the topic Melodica & Casio mini keyboard… in the forum Members' melodica recordings 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Hey…I jammed along with a rhythm track on my Casio SA-46 toy keyboard. Kinda cool… the melodica is a Hohner Piano 36

Tor Bekken started the topic Hohner Airboard vs vintage Piano 26 in the forum General melodica discussion 4 months ago

Comparison time….

Tor Bekken started the topic One For Don in the forum Members' melodica recordings 4 months, 1 week ago

Tor Bekken replied to the topic Thelonious Monk! in the forum Members' melodica recordings 4 months, 1 week ago

Well…thanks! Richard and I have three albums out there…’Songs From A Forest’, ‘Slaveriet’ and ‘Spell’…! We play the occasional concert together…and we will be in the ROYAL ALBERT HALL on Nov 10!!!

Tor Bekken started the topic Thelonious Monk! in the forum Members' melodica recordings 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Just got down with some Monk.

Tor Bekken started the topic Three Hohners in the forum Vintage Melodicas 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Tor Bekken started the topic How do you make a melodica more airtight? in the forum Melodica construction, repair and maintenance 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Well that’s the question…
I have a vintage 1960s Hohner 26 (the grey and white one with metal casing). It sounds great and the keys are fine. Unfortunately, it is not as airtight as it should be, and when you blow through it without pressing the keys you can hear a hissing/whistling sound (not very loud, but irritating)…clear proof of air l…[Read more]

Tor Bekken replied to the topic "Roland Alphonso" by Don Cherry in the forum General melodica discussion 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Here’s the other Hohner Piano 26….the metal one.. May have to look into ways to reduce key noise, and it’s not as airtight as I may wish…but the sound / tone is GREAT

Tor Bekken replied to the topic "Roland Alphonso" by Don Cherry in the forum General melodica discussion 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Thanks for the nice comments! The old Hohner is a wonderful instrument. I just got another one, probably even older, with a metal case (grey/white colour). I’ll post a video soon!

Tor Bekken started the topic "Roland Alphonso" by Don Cherry in the forum General melodica discussion 5 months ago

The great jazz trumpeter Don Cherry played many other instruments, including melodica. He recorded this piece in the early 1980s, in a duo with drummer Ed Blackwell. It’s on an album named EL CORAZON. Here’s my own little solo version…

Tor Bekken replied to the topic Freebag Melodica in the forum General melodica discussion 5 months ago

Haha…yeah!

Tor Bekken started the topic Freebag Melodica in the forum General melodica discussion 5 months ago

This may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but here’s some totally free way out improvisation. The melodica is a wonderfully expressive instrument, also in this kind of improvised music.

Tor Bekken replied to the topic Melodica Norwegian Folk Style in the forum Members' melodica recordings 1 year, 5 months ago

Here’s another….

Tor Bekken replied to the topic Melodica Norwegian Folk Style in the forum Members' melodica recordings 1 year, 5 months ago

The improvisation is just based on various licks and tricks; the folk song was taken from a book of transcription of folk music from Finnskogen, a remote rural area in the southeastern parts of Norway. Cool stuff!

Tor Bekken started the topic Melodica Norwegian Folk Style in the forum Members' melodica recordings 1 year, 5 months ago

Here are two videos…the first is an improvised tune, inspired by various Norwegian folk music stylings, the other is an actual folk song from Finnskogen, Norway. Hope you enjoy… The melodica is a vintage Hohner Piano 26 that I bought from a Norwegian…[Read more]

Tor Bekken started the topic Wayfaring Stranger in the forum Members' melodica recordings 1 year, 5 months ago

https://youtu.be/J8lhLzwpAjo This song is much sung by the small Romani minority here in Norway, but it is probably more of an ‘international’ folk song, well known many places in the world. I try to harmonize it a bit, like I would on piano, as well as improvise a little.

Tor Bekken started the topic Improv in the forum Members' melodica recordings 1 year, 5 months ago

Dear forum…I am a newcomer; to the forum, and to the melodica. I am a Norwegian pianist and keyboard player, working with jazz, folk and improv. Here’s some noodling on the melodica. I am working to get more used to the small keys, and will record more improv and Norwegian folk stuff in the future.

@tor