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Nutcracker
CD and Book
$34.00
by Tim Sparks
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Nutcracker
Suite Book and CD for 34.00
 
Tim Sparks astounding solo guitar arrangement
of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. Beautiful, Charming,
and playable.
"...this is a full-scale concert version and it
works very well indeed, combining so much colour,
life, energy..." -- Neil Smith, Classical Guitar
Magazine
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Hear Tim with the
Legendary Jazz Vocal group Rio Nido on Digitally
re-mastered CD re-issues of two classic, long
out-of-print vinyl albums from back in the day: "I
Like To riff" and "Hi Fly"
The popular vocal jazz trio Rio Nido emerged from
the heady days of the Minneapolis West Bank music
scene of the early 1970’s, playing at the
legendary New Riverside Cafe and Extempore
Coffeehouse. With Tom Lieberman on vocals and
guitar, Prudence Johnson on vocals and Tim Sparks
on vocals and guitar, Rio Nido specialized in
Classic Jazz and Swing of the 1930’s and
40’s. In 1977 they recorded “I Like to
Riff” which featured arrangements of The
Boswell Sisters, The Cats and the Fiddle, Stuff
Smith, Al Jolson and Nat King Cole performed with a
stellar lineup including Butch Thompson, Eddie
Berger, Peter Ostroushko, Jim Price, Gary Raynor,
Hearn Gadbois, and members of the Wolverines
Classic Jazz Orchestra. Recorded by Dave Ray, Chris
Hinding and Michael McKern, “I Like to
Riff” was produced by Charlie Campbell and
Doug Ackerman for Campbell’s Shadow Records
label with artwork by famed music poster artist
John Hanson.
Tom Lieberman left the group in the late 70’s
and after a brief hiatus he was replaced by Roger
Hernandez on vocals and drums. Beginning in 1980,
Rio Nido switched to a quartet format of guitar,
bass, drums and vocals and focused on the vocalese
style of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and Eddie
Jefferson as well as Do-Wop classics like 60 Minute
Man, which showcased Hernandez’ rich baritone.
Prudence Johnson blossomed in this period as
arguably the best jazz singer ever to come out of
Minnesota.
In 1983 they released “Hi-Fly” on Bob
Feldman’s Red House Records, which featured
original lyrics by Jim Nance, Mary Jo Knox, and
Sparks set to the music of Slide Hampton, Bud
Powell, Charlie Parker, and Randy Weston. Hi-Fly
featured Dave Maslow on bass and vocals, Dave Karr
on flute and tenor sax and Jimmy Hamilton on piano.
Rio Nido’s last recording was
“Voicings”, recorded for the Pro Arte
Jazz label, one of the first early, all-digital
recordings released in the then new compact disc
format.. They were joined by a who’s who of
Minnesota Jazz greats including Tom Lewis on bass,
Jimmy Hamilton-piano, Dave Karr-tenor sax, Gary
Berg-tenor sax and chromatic harmonica, Phil
Hey-drums, Dave Jensen-trumpet, Kathy Jensen-tenor
sax and flute, Pete Enblom-trombone, Billy
Carrothers-keyboards, Dave Birget-bass vocals, and
Marc Anderson-percussion.
Rio Nido garnered widespread recognition and many
awards including MN Music Awards for Best Jazz
Group, Best Female Vocalist, Best Jazz Guitarist,
etc. They performed in many renowned music venues
of the Twin Cities such as the Night Train, Capp
Towers, the Dakota, Sweeney’s, the Taiga,
First Avenue, the Triangle Bar, and the Cabooze as
well as The Guthrie Theater, Orchestra Hall, the
Walker Art Center, the MN State Fair and the
Prairie Home Companion Show.
A V A I L
A B L E T I T L E
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