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I finally found a great flute channel; As a former flute/piccolo player myself I'm thoroughly impressed by your analogies Miss Heline and look forward to more of them!
Probably helps to understand the emotional content he brought through the flute and that he is in front of a ROCK audience of the 70s (most of them high) but the emotions and storytelling he did with this instrument are amazing.
I've always loved Ian Anderson's comment on his flute playing. "Since I'm the only flutist in all of rock and roll, I'm both the best and the worst flutist in all of rock and roll at the same time."
@@mtc3000 Yeah Mark I agree, I immediately thought of Thijs Van Leer from Focus but Tull formed in 1967 so maybe the comment was made in the early days when flute was maybe lot rarer?
Anderson's fingering is pretty awesome, his breathing somewhat less so but I doubt he cares; the sounds he gets from the instrument work with the band's overall sound. How good is his singing though? That's another question entirely.
While I adore Ian and tull, I think genius is thrown around a little too often. I love the guy and think he’s super talented but I try to reserve the word genius for people who are exceptionally noteworthy. That’s just my take on it though.
His daughter was learning flute in school and pointed out to him all the ways he played it wrong so in the early 90's he bought books and started learning to play properly. you can hear a noticeable difference in his play from the 70's and 80's to the 90's and 00's as a result. I think its kind of a funny story. So now, he plays properly but still plays the improper way when the situation calls for it.
I remember hearing Ian Anderson talk about how he played in such a weird way that was not the correct technique. The expression on the woman's face when she hears some of his riffing is priceless! It might not be everyone's cup of tea, perhaps not a James Galway or Jean Pierre Rampal but they aren't Ian Anderson either. Everybody seems to love Aqualung which is a good album but I think Benefit is one of the best rock n roll albums of all time and nobody seems to even mention it; at least as good as some of the classic Beatles, Stones, Who or Zep albums a real shame.
@@Roger-r7sI agree, benefit is criminally underrated. To be honest I did find it quite a boring compared to other tull albums at first, but it's an album that really rewards repeated listens. I'd probably say it's my favourite album right now.
@@Roger-r7sand for me, there's no question that it's much better than anything the Beatles did, not that they weren't great, there just aren't many bands that are close to being as creative, original or musically talented as tull were.
I heard him in an interview say he never had any formal training. He bought a flute and started to try and play it and after a few days he finally got sounds to come out of it and the rest, well we all know the rest.
Ian is a mad genius. Sometimes brilliant and sometimes totally out there in a way few people can access. He sings, writes, is a great flautist, and also a very good acoustic guitarist and keyboardist. He's all over the place! Never boring.
It's not just flute playing. This man puts all this together with a beginning middle and end. The music most of the songwriting, the music and incorporating the flute to his style of music. He's genius by all standards. You notice their's been nobody like him since
He is also a marvellous arranger, Tull sounds like Tull because of this, with any lineup. No other (ex-)member succeeded in recreating the Tull magic, including Martin Barre.
The apocryphal story is that his daughter mentioned that her flute teacher played differently than he did and his response was, "Does your instructor have more Grammys than me?"
Young lady, He made you smile. This was entertainment, pure and simple. This was music no one else had done before. His music was ground breaking. I miss these days...
@@leifjensen1758 Real music is in the ear of the beholder. What you call real music many others won't and visa versa. It comes down to taste, and taste changes over time not to mention from person to person. I luv classical but I also luv the modern that often breaks the rules. That she's classically trained and still able to enjoy that more modern style says a lot about her
The snoring sound was part of a sleeping giant story line. In context it works wonderfully… truly an incredible performance and greatly under appreciated
Saw him in the Boston Garden in ‘74. He owned the place. When he threw his flute up in the air like a baton and caught it behind his back and then continued playing was something that I will never forget.
1976 In Providence RI… The true Minstrel in the Gallery, Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull.. one of the most incredible groups and entertainers of the era.. Abundant Talent and originality….. Glad to have grown up in the time of the most talented bands & musicians of all time. Long Live Rock & Roll…. To old to Rock and Roll , to young to die!!
@@johnnichols9056 He made many covers. All his first two albums (1968 and 1969 ) are mainly covers! Bouree is a cover from J.S. Bach. Serenade to a cuckoo is a cover from Roland Kirk. Of course he made covers!
@@angeloconsoli On " This Was " only 2 songs are covers, Serenade to a Cuckoo ( Roland Kirk ) and Cat's Squirrel, a traditional tune arranged by guitarist Mick Abrahams. On " Stand Up, only 1 song is a cover, the arrangement of Bouree by J S Bach.
You should listen to jethro tulls whole catalogue it'll blow you away . It took a lot of balls for Ian anderson to be out front of a rock band not with a screaming guitar but a flute. Jethro Tull is a unique rock band.
And this is why they belong in the rock and roll hall of fame. So many great and unique songs, so original and beloved around the world for over 50 years now!
Your certainly right there years ago I remember an article where he was listed 50th of the richest people in the UK yet so many people have never heard of him, their loss!
actually i see him as a big band leader. he seems to be conducting the band thru his entire body! not showing off, but simply conducting. Ian was really big on syncopation, to the point it is evident even in his body movements..
Also classically trained here and went to music college as a flautist. Yes, it's not a conventional classical technique, but I think he's absolutely incredible and an astonishing musician.
If only the previous generation were wise so that the young ones could learn from them. Music isn't the only thing on the planet that you guys fucked up.
Just to add to existing comments here: Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, is a self-taught rock flautist who also plays guitar and keyboards. Just as important he has been writing songs for decades, is an engaging front-man for his band, is keen on motorbike and used his money to buy chunks of Scotland in order to preserve the beauty of the land. What a guy!
Forget the classical training and "the official fingering". Ian is like the Flute version of Jimi Hendrix. Organic playing where there is no line drawn between instrument and man. Legendary.
Ian is amazing....I had learned from an interview that he did go back an relearn proper fingering after his daughter brought it up in the 90s. That's how much of a perfectionist he was. He wanted to do it right...which doesn't diminish what he was doing since he was fine.
I always love when a classically trained musician compliments a self-taught musician’s skills. It’s awesome to hear you say Anderson’s technique is “flawless.”
Ian has always been very open (and, I think, secretly proud) about the fact he is pretty much self taught. What the film fails to show is that for no obvious reason he is standing on one leg throughout his solos. So much love for Tull
His lyrical skill gets totally overlooked. I put him at #3 of all time as far as lyricists go. 1.) Al Stewart, 2.) Fish, 3.) Ian Anderson. (All Scotsmen. Hmmmm...)
@@PandorasFolly ... Wish I was a master of any musical instrument. But I... I am a lowly master of time and space. But, the laws of physics do not apply to me. So, that's pretty cool... eh?
The most beautiful part about Tull live, wad you never know if the concert would begin in the 17th century or slap you in the head with the heavy metal mid 1970s before taking you back there. Ian Anderson and Martin Barre two of the greatest ever.
He was not a trained flautitist...he is/was self taught, my friend...Google has decision to transition to the flute...he realized that he would never be another Clapton and that the flute was absent from rock music...thus is interest in the instrument!!!
Those of us who grew up listening to this level of music are forever inspired and touched. Not bad for a musician who picked up the flute so he could do something besides sing. Love seeing your reaction. Exactly!
Nobody else got this yet? About best compliment to Ian ever. Bunch of 60's/70's stoners (and more) all quite with little clue their getting Classical too from Ian's genius rocking the flute. Great true comment.
I think he blew her socks off! Jethro Tull is Classic in their own style. Back when rock was king and musical talent was the norm, and the genius level is what set groups like Jethro Tull apart.
Re the "pinky" - "Ian Anderson has a congenitally deformed little finger on the right hand" ... he was born with it ... but seeing as he was entirely self taught ... he found a way.
The most dynamic flautist/frontman in rock history. If you ever saw them live, you wouldn't forget. A brilliant band with a giant pixie from a 12th century English forest who discovered the magic mushrooms and shared the fun with his audience.
Absolutely true I've seen him live six times. He still puts on a heck of a show, though my dad says he's not what he once was-- which is fair, I think a 80 year old man jumping off speaker stacks, hopping around on one foot and throwing around his instruments would probably have to be carried out on a stretcher!
I’m amazed at how grossed out she is by this. Like she doesn’t realize that music doesn’t have to be “pretty” I would think somebody who has as much musical experience as she does to understand that music can convey all emotions, and yes that includes gross, grunts, and unclean sounds.
@@eaglewi tbh, disco was fine. that was still music, it was all the synthesizers that ruined popular music. it removed the skill gap that was required for entry prior.
I am a classically trained flutist as well and Ian Anderson is incredible! A true inspiration for me growing up. I was lucky to see him live once. I would love to see him play with his orchestra.
@@oysterman250 Incorrect. There are two accepted terms and which is used is regional. The word flutist predates flautist, by more than a couple centuries, and flautist is chiefly British English. One may sound fancier, but it doesn't make it more correct.
@@Nonesuch83 I hope you realize everything you just said probably made not one ounce of difference to the word Nazi. :-/ One thing I've learned is when people come at you in that tone, "you should" (ie I'm RIGHT, you're sub human) it is a pretty good indication that nobody will EVER confuse them with facts and logic. They are generally unteachable. I can appreciate the attempt, though. It's like aluminum and aluminium. My initial reaction was how in the heck do you get 'ium' out of 'um'. Then I realized they don't, it's spelled in Britain the way they pronounce it. And then when thinking why the difference, looking at the periodic table, I could see theirs might make more sense than ours (US). Nu Ku Ler I'm not even going to touch, though. Cheers.
@Ignatios Nelson Recorded history says it was Flutist 200 years prior to Flautist which is a later Italian influence. It's an issue of local vernacular which changes all the time. It's like making fun of Americans for saying Soccer when the English used the word Soccer up until what the 1960's? No sense in looking pompous about it.
His Celtic Old English flute style of playing is his most famous trademark in my opinion, he creates that Celtic medieval country-side atmosphere of mystique and fairytales, a musical genius I must say...
And don't forget he's doing this literally with the flute on the MIC and amps full volume so no getting away with mistakes. That is insane to sound that great amplified at that volume, AMAZING!
Found this and thought you might be interested... “Being self taught, and never having had a lesson, I was playing a lot of the notes using incorrect fingering,” Anderson says. “I had to relearn it again, in about ’91, I think. … It taught me to take a little more seriously. In relearning my own repertoire, it was a good lesson in mid life - not quite a crisis, but damned close to it.” - Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull).
Iirc, he has something wrong with his pinkie that makes it difficult to use, so he didn't bother to use it when learning the flute. I don't remember if it's a birth deformation or if maybe he broke it at some point.
Found this enormously informative and entertaining. I am a "classical" clarinetist and every time I see one of these encounter videos I'm afraid it will just turn into a exercise in snobbery. But I loved how open minded and receptive you were! Brava!
The one thing she pointed out was that his fingering was wrong. Just read on Wiki that relearned to play the flute after learning from his daughter, who was taking lessons, that he was doing it wrong.
so then, i guess, according to you--- a guy who empties garbage cans is a dumpsterist? i mean, i wipe my ass. professionally of course. does that make me a reacherarounderist? brava. what is that? some gay thing?
As you probably know, he was totally self taught. I read that his daughter a few years ago told him how untrained he was and he re-learned how to play the "right way". My wife, who is also a classically train flutist is totally put off by him.....just can't wrap her head around him...appreciates the talent, but he is off the charts....literally. Personally, I think he is AMAZING
I said the same about being untrained. Just incredible. Saw him do this plenty of times in the 70s. Thank God for mescaline. Made it all that much more intense. Was front row plenty of times in The Old Boston Gahden. Miss those days. Just saying. 😂
I am another self-taught flute player. That has been playing professional for over 20 years. The style of Ian Anderson was groundbreaking when he first got signed. You have to understand that not only does he play Radical flute while humming but he's also creating a Persona of a Madman. He wants to be wild on stage and he also wants to play flute in a manner that is is unheard of until he came along. There are tons of players who can mimic the style now including myself but he was definitely the pioneer of the humming while playing the same note on the flute and creating that certain sound. Before I learned of who he was I was originally in a Jazz workshop with the baritone sax player from Maynard Ferguson Band by the name of Dennis de Blasio. He also plays this way on the flute. He explained how Not only was he humming those notes but then he'd start humming harmonies to the actual note that he's playing on the flute so it sounds like two instruments in one playing Harmony. Anyhow, classical player usually struggle because of the rigorous routines of a classroom when they're young. I learn to play flute as an adult. When you're learning something on your own and you're not reading music then the sky's the limit. The reason why is that there's no one telling you you can't do something. So throwing in Hidden Melodies whether it's Christmas carols or Bach over a flute solo where he's got an entire audience of thousands of people hanging on his every whim it's just adding to the flare of his stage persona. Anyhow, thanks for the video
If I'm not mistaken, the same, or similar, technique of humming on a Sax is "growling". I don't recall the artists name, but there was a jazz saxist that was famous for it...Glover Washington, Jr, maybe?
Ian incorporated humor in his music and performances. The facial expressions and grunting/snorting were part of that. He was also famous for standing on one leg while playing flute, although it originated with the harmonica in his earlier days.
I also feel he is channeling his character Auqulung and the story that is the song Locomotive Breath in the song the character is named Charlie I encourage Hella to look at this performance after listening to Aqualung then Locomotive Breath to see the characters are there and helped him play his flute
Mustang Debbie - they had a baby carriage on stage during a show I saw in Barcelona (mid-70s) as part of their “Too Old to Rock ‘n Roll” tour. The music was great by itself but the entertainment made it spectacular.
This was just great, and should be preserved for all time. Heline, you were fabulous and sweet and vulnerable. I'm a flutist and a Yethro Tool fan myself, of course. You're absolutely right about the pinky, obviously, and intentional or not, your comments are meaningful. A match made in heaven, the two of you make this a totally enjoyable video.
That is so cool - seeing someone, especially trained as a pro, watching Ian for the first time. Saw Tull for the first time in 1978, and all we could say for days was "What a class act!"
I think he's self-taught so you would probably find some issues with his fingering etc. But at the same time that probably explains his unconventional playing in general. He isn't stuck in a box
Funny enough, I heard him in an interview 10 years back and he was explaining how his daughter critiqued that very pinky issue after she was classically trained... ... and he changed his style.
After seeing Ian Anderson on a late night talk show, one can clearly understand that he is very intelligent and outspoken. Wise and witty with a sense of humor. Aqua Lung will always be one of my favs. Thanks for giving us your gift Ian. Sure is awesome to hear you play. I won my 4-H Talent Contest in 6th grade playing the recorder (sound in the opening of Stairway to Heaven btw for those that had no idea) and competed in state. Seeing this genius play the flute like he does, makes me wonder if I should have been a musician throughout my life. I sure do love and appreciate music. The band director at the middle school I was about to attend the following year, came to my school and gave the sixth grade class a hearing test where we put headphones on and hit a button every time we heard a beat, looking for new talent to be in his band. I wanted to upgrade from the recorder and try the wood bassoon. I recall it being $800 (1984) and unfortunately my family couldn't afford it. I obviously passed the hearing test quite well, and was approached by the band director, and he has won many awards for his efforts btw, if I wanted to be in the band, after telling him I couldn't afford my instrument and saying "no", he turned his head to the side in disappointment and said, "ok" in a low tone of voice. He really wanted me to be in an award winning band. I thank God for my musical ear and giving me that talent. A musical ear that is 80% deaf on the right side. Born with a hole in my eardrum, that allowed sound to reach my heart instead. 🎶 👂 ❤
@@drmodestoesq According to legend, Ian Anderson was at a friend's house and pulled a random book from the shelf. That book was a biography of Jethro Tull. The rest is history.
I was 6 months pregnant with my first child. My parents took me and the child's father to see Jethro Tull. They were so amazing. Ian Anderson was utterly brilliant. The child's father insisted our son be named Ian.
Actually, a lot of his techniques were originally developed by jazz guys, and his fingering comes closer to Irish wooden flute than classical metal flute. Check out Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Eric Dolphy, Hubert Laws, to say nothing of Matt Molloy and Seamus Egan. Trust me, Anderson did. You have no idea what you've been missing! Thing about Anderson....he just sampled everything he heard and mixed it all together into his own personal gumbo. And became and international rock star playing the most un-macho instrument that exists. Thick as a brick!
Marcia Stern Some other flute players I like are Herbie Mann, Dave Valentin, Nestor Torres, and a big favorite of mine is Nelson Rangell. He plays saxophone, flute and piccolo.
Yes, yes, yes, and he called the band "heavy metal flute" sometimes...I'm no flutist, but love listening to late, great Herbie Mann, love the flute sound mixed with vibraphone, etc. Love improvising, (keys, harmonica, little guitar), great to know all the theory but improv is the coolest, my opinion.
My father had a cassette of Aqualung in his office when I was a little boy and, even now at 40 years old, listening to the title track when I visited is one of my strongest childhood memories. Heavy Horses, Rock Island, and yes even J-Tull.com are great, but it's hard to top the original studio Aqualung.
This is probably my all time favorite reaction on RUclips. Jethro Tull has been my favorite band since the early 1970s so I always enjoy listening to them, and you being a professional flutist hearing them for the first time was so fun to watch. I also love how unpretentious you are as a RUclipsr...you have a naturalness that I find very charming. Thanks for doing this!
I played some Tull for a classically trained flutist years ago. She was snobby and gave no respect. Props to you. Great to see someone approach an instrument in an existential way.
Classically trained flutist and flute teacher listening to Ian Anderson (self trained rock artist) “I’m kind of speechless, his technique is kind of flawless”...
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I've been a fan of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull for decades! I had heard that Anderson played with strange finger position, and now you've confirmed it.
And I believe he lays no claim to being the best flautist of the century or whatever. He is not known for his mastery of playing the flute. I know him for the wonderful music he created (with and without the flute) which made our lives better.
I love Ian Anderson....His hisses, singing, flutters and grunts and snorts just add to the beauty in a devilishy demonic way twisting the simplicity into chaos and then back. It always leaves me wondering whats next? Inspired me to learn some flute when I was younger.
I was blessed to actually be at the show and I still have the ticket stub from it. Year after I got out of high school, I lived in St Petersburg. Good times at Tampa Stadium!
Well, she’s a classical musician. They’re a pretty insular bunch. That means they don’t get out much. Welcome to the world Helene, it’s a big beautiful place. If ya know where look.
We saw Jethro Tull in Oakland, CA. The opening band was a country-type group no one in the audience recognized- the Eagles. The Jethro Tull band put on one of the best shows I have ever seen; not just Ian Anderson but the whole group.
He’s combining styles as well as scales, major, minor and what most classical trained musicians don’t meet up with - major and minor pentatonic. That is the blues, the roots of jazz.
Yeah, “Wow, just wow” pretty much sums it up. It’s Art, and Improvisation. This man, Ian Anderson, is a phenomenal musician, composer, and band leader. Sometimes known as “The One Legged Flautist”, he combined Classical Music, traditional English and Celtic music, and Rock & Roll in a way no one else has ever done. I saw this amazing man, and his band Jethro Tull, five times in the 1970s. What an amazing treat each concert was. Thanks for showcasing Mr. Anderson’s talent, and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Rock On
I came of age listening to Jethro Tull . One of the most amazing bands ever. When they won a Grammy they didn’t know which category to put them in so they put them in Heavy Metal. Lmao 😆 I feel that they never got the recognition they deserved because their music was so diverse!
I would recommend Locomotive Breath. Terrific rock number with a flute solo to match. Also check out their biggest chart hit Living in the Past which has lovely flute work in it.
I heard an interview with him. He was the guitar player originally, but when Martin Barre came to the group, he gave up guitar. He went to a music store to find a new instrument. He settled on a cello or a flute. He picked the flute because it was a lot lighter than a cello. So he bought a flute and taught himself to play.
@@patriciapowell6047 while in fact, he certainly is. Some of the Tull songs are incredibly hard to play, and he manages to do that while singing and standing on only one leg.
I was fortunate enough to follow Jethro Tull and see them live since 1969 for 40 some straight years. Ian Anderson was and is just incredible! How lucky I am to have seen him every year and in so many different venues from the house of Blues to every large arena. The snorting and other sounds you're hearing from Ian actually originated from blues flutist Roland Kirk who Ian "borrowed" these sounds from. Just amazing every year of progression! one note tho: Martin Barre is also Jethro Tull!
@@DecksterPenkor Not true. It's out there playing live all over the place, and being played very well. It's just not on any media platforms from radio to internet. It used to rule the 'record' charts, but its now all but gone there -- but from music festivals to bars, rock lives.
@@roberttank2919 The problem is "industrialisation" of music ... AND the skill-less artificial creation of bands. The current time of "rebellion against bureaucracy" needs to end with bureaucrats being changed and quality controlled AND we need to tear down mainstream media too due to their lies. This gives a chance to change the music industry ...
Could it be the voters are still mad that they won the Grammy over Metallica in 1989 for best metal band?. Why is Soundgarden not in the HOF and Nirvana and Pearl Jam are? Soundgarden was the first band on the Seattle grunge scene. And then there is Ozzy Osbourne, The Guess Who, and Iron Maiden to name a few others. The HOF is a joke,
@@karllietzennayer9661 bc Nirvana and Pearl Jam are great bands and soundgarden is only a decent band? Either way, obviously Jethro should be in the Hall
@@amiiann All three great bands. Chris Cornell vocals superior to Kurt or Eddie in my opinion. Thayil not too shabby of a guitarist either. Soundgarden's music more appealing to me. I'm a Chris Cornell fan.
I just wikied him and it seems that his first love was guitar, but after realizing that he'd never be as good a Clapton, he took up the flute... among a whole bunch of other instruments.
Actually... Ian: -I wanna be a guitar playing rock star. Clapton: -Hi, Ian. This is my slowhand. Ian: -Hey clerk! How much will it be if I trade this guitar for that flute?
Ian Anderson and many others in the "Rock" and "Metal" world are masters at what they do. They pushed boundaries way beyond what was previously considered.
I'm a lifelong fan of jethro Tull and I'm 68 I finally got to see him in Houston a few months back took my 34yr old son would is a great musician, man the memories me and him are making, we go to as many shows as we can, we have seen countless bands. Funny story about this show, he had bought the tickets online and had them for months, and we were anticipating the show, so we thought the show was on that Tuesday, but we were wrong it was that night(Monday). So we were eating supper and I asked him to check and make sure of the date for the show, well he looked on his phone, and damm it was starting in an hour and ten minutes, we left the food on the table and hauled ass. We got to our seat with 5 minutes to spare. Haha true story
I was watching Jethro Tull a couple of years ago on TV. In the middle of a song he dropped to his knees and placed his mic against the guitarist's crotch and started to simulate oral sex on him.
I can tell you what makes this one of the best concerts ever. Imagine if you will 17 year old boy standing next to the coolest cousin ever in the 7th row back from the stage. He just returned from the army for 3 years 1 to go. Who does he take to a Jethro Tull concert me. We will remember this until the end.... Thanks Randy
I was there as well and would've been 17 as well..............we were stage left a bit. Robin Trower, then Jethro Tull.....................doesn't get any better. Remember that Johnny and Edgar Winter were supposed to open but backed out, so I think Blackfoot opened up.
Hi Helene, thank you so much for reviewing this clip of Jethro Tull. I have to say I’m not surprised that you found Ian Anderson , the lead soloist of Jethro Tull , the band’s name, actually ‘ great ‘. You said wow that’s cool about 3 or 4 times throughout the piece. This is exactly why he was so popular and yes great. He put the cool in flute playing . I grew up studying flute mainly against my will, parents wanting me to get more culture and round out my education. To be clear: I HATED PLAYING THE FLUTE for 8 years mind you, then my older brother introduced me to his Jethro Tull album in 1973. Having struggled for years doing scales over and over again and again I wanted to puke mainly because I thought it was uncool and certainly not helping in the ladies department , at least I thought. I began listening To Ian at first several times daily for weeks, then slowly began trying to play along, grasping at times with a flutter hear and there but mostly trying to achieve the technical range and speed the he so clearly displays. One day it all clicked and just like you said not always aiming for the holes , the wrist, the tongue and especially the throat relaxes and this flow begins to take over the playing. It is intense for sure but the actual playing like this becomes hypnotic. I remember one day during orchestra practice in high school , I was always last seat in the flute section, but this one day two of the flautists were absent and so I’m sitting next to the the number 1 chair and we come to a particularly difficult passage with a large scale ending with a high trill . I ripped through the scale hit the trill and roared into my flute at the end. The first chair couldn’t believe what she heard and looked at me and asked how did you…. How where did…. And I simply said Jethro Tull….. To bring this story full circle about 10 years ago I was sitting in a bar in New York City and this band of two people started to play, one of them had at least 8 different flutes behind him and they were playing Jethro Tull music. I remember the flautist was old, bald and playing with the other guy to an audience of maybe 12 people just digging this crazy flute guy. A few days later I see a street news paper with this old , bald guy on the cover with the headlines Ian Anderson comes up of retirement with his latest album. I have to say he still has it and is just as cool now as he was 40 years ago.
I have several friends, professional musicians, that were self taught. Stevie Ray Vaughn couldn't read music, Roy Clark, Glenn Campbell were self taught just to name a few. I'll even go as far to say, they are usually better musicians a good bit of the time.
I played flute my whole life. My instructors would probably have beaten me for playing with my fingers like that. Whatever technique he taught himself it clearly worked for him. The mouth/tongue articulation takes most flutists a long time to master. Plus he plays in the harmonics with all the articulation. Unbelieveable!
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Saw them in 74 or 75. AWESOME!
I finally found a great flute channel; As a former flute/piccolo player myself I'm thoroughly impressed by your analogies Miss Heline and look forward to more of them!
That strange sound was just a snort.
He took lessons in the late 80's and discovered he'd been holding the flute wrong all those years. I csught the interview, on Metalshop I think.
Probably helps to understand the emotional content he brought through the flute and that he is in front of a ROCK audience of the 70s (most of them high) but the emotions and storytelling he did with this instrument are amazing.
I've always loved Ian Anderson's comment on his flute playing. "Since I'm the only flutist in all of rock and roll, I'm both the best and the worst flutist in all of rock and roll at the same time."
Lots of others flute players in rock
@@mtc3000 Yeah Mark I agree, I immediately thought of Thijs Van Leer from Focus but Tull formed in 1967 so maybe the comment was made in the early days when flute was maybe lot rarer?
Anderson's fingering is pretty awesome, his breathing somewhat less so but I doubt he cares; the sounds he gets from the instrument work with the band's overall sound. How good is his singing though? That's another question entirely.
If Clapton was the guitar God, does that make Ian the flute God?
Peter Gabriel?
The man who proved that you can, in fact, play the flute in a rock band and still be a total badass!!
He’s unreal.
Well said
Ian Anderson made the flute cool AF
While standing on one foot.
And stand on one leg.
Considering Ian Anderson is self taught and can play several musical instruments equally well, he must be regarded as a genius
the gift of perfect pitch
He wrote all of the music too.
Totally agree
While I adore Ian and tull, I think genius is thrown around a little too often. I love the guy and think he’s super talented but I try to reserve the word genius for people who are exceptionally noteworthy. That’s just my take on it though.
@@cygnusactual1618 don't use the word "take" in such a way
Don't care how he learnt to play the flute correctly or incorrectly, all I know is he creates pure magic with that unique sound!🪄🎶
His daughter was learning flute in school and pointed out to him all the ways he played it wrong so in the early 90's he bought books and started learning to play properly. you can hear a noticeable difference in his play from the 70's and 80's to the 90's and 00's as a result. I think its kind of a funny story. So now, he plays properly but still plays the improper way when the situation calls for it.
I remember hearing Ian Anderson talk about how he played in such a weird way that was not the correct technique. The expression on the woman's face when she hears some of his riffing is priceless! It might not be everyone's cup of tea, perhaps not a James Galway or Jean Pierre Rampal but they aren't Ian Anderson either. Everybody seems to love Aqualung which is a good album but I think Benefit is one of the best rock n roll albums of all time and nobody seems to even mention it; at least as good as some of the classic Beatles, Stones, Who or Zep albums a real shame.
Pure magic.
@@Roger-r7sI agree, benefit is criminally underrated. To be honest I did find it quite a boring compared to other tull albums at first, but it's an album that really rewards repeated listens. I'd probably say it's my favourite album right now.
@@Roger-r7sand for me, there's no question that it's much better than anything the Beatles did, not that they weren't great, there just aren't many bands that are close to being as creative, original or musically talented as tull were.
Simply put. Ian Anderson is a genius. End of story.
With the last name of Armstrong you've said more than most could.......
So is his wife
Yetro Tull had a very unique sound.
A card-carrying genius, yes
Nuff said. I couldn’t put it any better. Who else could make the flute cool as hell. Well, other than Ron Burgundy!
So what kind of sounds can you get from a flute?
Ian Anderson: Yes.
LOL!
❤
I heard him in an interview say he never had any formal training. He bought a flute and started to try and play it and after a few days he finally got sounds to come out of it and the rest, well we all know the rest.
LOL! My thoughts exactly!
Underrated comment. :)
Also, priceless reaction to 2:33. I believe that’s called a growl. :) (But yeah, re 11:57, it’s ok not to like it. :))
Ian is a mad genius. Sometimes brilliant and sometimes totally out there in a way few people can access. He sings, writes, is a great flautist, and also a very good acoustic guitarist and keyboardist. He's all over the place! Never boring.
Thank you for saying flautist!
I Think you ate to young
@@anhauenanhauen6547 Is that English? Are you talking about an Asian dish?
And also a Salmon farmer.
It's not just flute playing. This man puts all this together with a beginning middle and end. The music most of the songwriting, the music and incorporating the flute to his style of music. He's genius by all standards. You notice their's been nobody like him since
their's nobody like him I agree
He is also a marvellous arranger, Tull sounds like Tull because of this, with any lineup. No other (ex-)member succeeded in recreating the Tull magic, including Martin Barre.
Ian Anderson is self-taught. And it wasn't until his daughter took flute lessons that he was informed he was holding the flute incorrectly.
I think Ian actually injured his pinky finger and that was why it was bent.
@@DropAnchor1978 he was born with a crooked pinky
The apocryphal story is that his daughter mentioned that her flute teacher played differently than he did and his response was, "Does your instructor have more Grammys than me?"
@@HollowGolem That is hilarious. The music speaks for itself. I got to see them play many years back. It was amazing.
Chris Check it’s not a true story
Anderson's technical skill isn't the issue, it's his free style interpretation and innovation that puts him in a category unto himself.
So coherent and on point my friend!
Sorry but Roland Kirk was his Mentor...Album Talk with the Spirit''..check..and u'll see...thanks..
He is copying Roland kirk - thats the innovator
Al Katraz which separates him from the conservative self obsessed generation who now review his work.
Ian Anderson stage name is Jethtro Tull .,his biggest hit was around the 1960s'....'' Living in the past,, from the UK.
Young lady,
He made you smile. This was entertainment, pure and simple. This was music no one else had done before. His music was ground breaking. I miss these days...
It is not that she is a classical trained flute player, it is the first time she has heard REAL MUSIC 🎶
@@leifjensen1758 Real music is in the ear of the beholder. What you call real music many others won't and visa versa. It comes down to taste, and taste changes over time not to mention from person to person. I luv classical but I also luv the modern that often breaks the rules. That she's classically trained and still able to enjoy that more modern style says a lot about her
The snoring sound was part of a sleeping giant story line. In context it works wonderfully… truly an incredible performance and greatly under appreciated
Anybody that snorts into the mic while playing Bach is my hero
😁
Back in the day...I may have been there more for the snorts than anything else...ha
@@robertallen6710 yeah back in the day there was a lot of snorting going on if you know what I mean.
@@zorroonmilkavitch1840 I 'member.
Your comment made me instantly burst into uncontrollable laughter. 😅
Nothing screams the 70s more than Ian Anderson playing a flute solo to a full stadium.
AQUALUNG!!!! 😉
aqualung from bursting out
Absolutely 😁👍
Don't you start away uneasy
@@JamesCouch777 4tg3vvçþ
@@dorotheamaterna8234 ok
Let's not forget that he also writes, arranges, and sings! The man is a musical genius!
I love your reactions. That's great fun!
Tull Rules
Amazing showman/ entertainer.
Absolutely!
beyond genious.
Ian can play, sing and snort simultaneously. Such a powerhouse, and he's still going in 2023 !!
I missed a chance to see them in Buffalo some years ago. The tickets were only $40 and I’m still kicking myself for not going 😭
Saw him in the Boston Garden in ‘74. He owned the place. When he threw his flute up in the air like a baton and caught it behind his back and then continued playing was something that I will never forget.
Saw him at Maple Leaf Gardens back then. Great show!
1976 In Providence RI… The true Minstrel in the Gallery, Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull.. one of the most incredible groups and entertainers of the era.. Abundant Talent and originality…..
Glad to have grown up in the time of the most talented bands & musicians of all time.
Long Live Rock & Roll….
To old to Rock and Roll , to young to die!!
Seen JethroTull 3x in '72-73-74. Awesome especially on peyote
I saw him at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, OR during his ‘76 tour. I had so many of his albums. Really brings back great memories!
Thick as a brick tour, Boston around that time. To this day........🤯
I'm 64 years old. I was a teenager in the 1970's....Jethro Tull played in all the kids house's . We loved him....Living in the past is my favorite
I’m a 74 yr old black man. Totally agree. Saw Tull 3 times and was blown away. Living in the past on my All Time Favorite List. Awesome👏
Yes I saw him first in '78 when I was 15, Last time I saw Ian was within the last decade, Can't remember exactly- haha
It's not just his flute playing, it's his his songwriting and huge output of work. A truly staggering musician
One of the best, I don't know if he ever did a cover of someone else's music, as far as I know nothing but his or his band mates.
@@johnnichols9056 He made many covers. All his first two albums (1968 and 1969 ) are mainly covers! Bouree is a cover from J.S. Bach. Serenade to a cuckoo is a cover from Roland Kirk. Of course he made covers!
👌
@@angeloconsoli On " This Was " only 2 songs are covers, Serenade to a Cuckoo ( Roland Kirk ) and Cat's Squirrel, a traditional tune arranged by guitarist Mick Abrahams. On " Stand Up, only 1 song is a cover, the arrangement of Bouree by J S Bach.
I don't think anyone has realized that he was playing 3 instruments at the same time ... flute, voice, and breath!!
He was the Jimi Hendrix of the flute. breaking every rule.
A beautiful player....
Would that be pronounced Yimmy?
I'm so glad I saw him preform live , magnificent , artist . tickets were affordable in those days.
@@maryjanerod7226
Lucky girl :)
@BRIANTOWN33
Breaking rules... The material geniuses are made of.
Everyone else can stick to the mediocre level. Cruel but true.
You should listen to jethro tulls whole catalogue it'll blow you away . It took a lot of balls for Ian anderson to be out front of a rock band not with a screaming guitar but a flute. Jethro Tull is a unique rock band.
Tull was one of the best bands, that's for sure.
Playing up to your audience with one's appearance, expressions, and antics, is definitely good showmanship but certainly not 'bawlsy'.
Martin Barr can definitely scream on the guitar.
oh yes ! Martin Barre supplies the screaming guitar btw ....
And this is why they belong in the rock and roll hall of fame. So many great and unique songs, so original and beloved around the world for over 50 years now!
You have to keep in mind his stage persona is that of a wild man travelling troubadour. I believe he successfully projected that image.
Your certainly right there years ago I remember an article where he was listed 50th of the richest people in the UK yet so many people have never heard of him, their loss!
@@andrewbainbridge4979 Thats those salmon investments for you
more like the mas minstrel as he describes himself
actually i see him as a big band leader. he seems to be conducting the band thru his entire body! not showing off, but simply conducting. Ian was really big on syncopation, to the point it is evident even in his body movements..
When he went through the tweed coat with patches phase I always envisioned him as a mad Philosophy teacher on shrooms and peyote.
Also classically trained here and went to music college as a flautist. Yes, it's not a conventional classical technique, but I think he's absolutely incredible and an astonishing musician.
Thank God no one taught him the rules.
When you are the one who introduced and defined the flute in rock music, everything you do is the right way.
😉
Jethro Tull comes from a tradition of British "Folk" musicians. These guys are real musicians. Many of them can play multiple instruments.
Can't prove it tho
If only the current generation could learn from the wise ones.
If only the previous generation were wise so that the young ones could learn from them. Music isn't the only thing on the planet that you guys fucked up.
@@groadybones What does this even .mean?
Absolutely
Just to add to existing comments here: Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, is a self-taught rock flautist who also plays guitar and keyboards. Just as important he has been writing songs for decades, is an engaging front-man for his band, is keen on motorbike and used his money to buy chunks of Scotland in order to preserve the beauty of the land. What a guy!
i completely agree: wonder boy!
Didnt he get caught peeing on some teens in a hotel?
@@banjominer9682 No. Don't know who you're thinking of there.
@@banjominer9682 no that was President Trump in Russia.
@@FunkyFyreMunky Trump?
This video tells us that Ian Anderson is a skilled eccentric (both on record and on stage), and that we all are standing on the shoulders of Bach.
Ian anderson: I never did drugs
His flute: dancing fairies emerge speaking dragon
Best comment haha
Forget the classical training and "the official fingering". Ian is like the Flute version of Jimi Hendrix. Organic playing where there is no line drawn between instrument and man. Legendary.
Ian is amazing....I had learned from an interview that he did go back an relearn proper fingering after his daughter brought it up in the 90s. That's how much of a perfectionist he was. He wanted to do it right...which doesn't diminish what he was doing since he was fine.
If you look carefully you can see his right hand pinky is crooked from an accident as a youngster hence his fingering adaptation
Mark Knophfler apparently doesn't hold the guitar correctly and plays in an unusual style.
And how about Keith Moon on the drums.
Excellent take. He's like Jimi in that way, different instrument.
I always love when a classically trained musician compliments a self-taught musician’s skills. It’s awesome to hear you say Anderson’s technique is “flawless.”
Ian has always been very open (and, I think, secretly proud) about the fact he is pretty much self taught. What the film fails to show is that for no obvious reason he is standing on one leg throughout his solos. So much love for Tull
Everyone: You can't play Rock with a Flute Lead.
Ian Anderson: Hold my beer.
Check this one out ruclips.net/video/21sw02hZ3ao/видео.html
LOL ... I am sure that's what happened, yeah! ;-)
Hold my beer whilst I go beat metallica for a grammy!
@@lizardinparadise "We'd like to thank Jethro Tull for not releasing an album this year." LOL
Hold my beer and a large pair of cymbals!!
He wasn't JUST a flutist. He was a master story teller
His lyrical skill gets totally overlooked. I put him at #3 of all time as far as lyricists go. 1.) Al Stewart, 2.) Fish, 3.) Ian Anderson. (All Scotsmen. Hmmmm...)
As well as a true showman. Postures, movements, facial expressions. There will never be another Ian Anderson, or Jethro Tull.
@@TheRKae I'd put people like jim croce and bob dylan up there as some of the best lyricist.
You guys got me worried there. He IS a great flutist, story-teller and showman.
@@TheRKae Al Stewart, one of my favorite song writers.
*Ian Anderson... "Rules to flute playing??? Ha! There are no rules to flute playing!!!"*
There’s no rules for music. Only theory. Test every theory.
" IAN DON'T NEED NO STINKING RULEZ !!!! "
Rules are for the weak! Flautists do not coddle the weak!
HaHa...
I am a master of Jazz flute
@@PandorasFolly ... Wish I was a master of any musical instrument. But I... I am a lowly master of time and space. But, the laws of physics do not apply to me. So, that's pretty cool... eh?
The flute is and has always been what makes Jethro Tull, well Jethro Tull. So unique and amazing.
And the lyrics and his voice! But, yes, that flue speaks to me on a soul level
Only way to review any Jethro Tull is by sitting on a park bench.
Eying little girls with bad intent?
Eying little girls with bad intent. Snot running down your nose. Greasy finger smearing shabby clothes
Stoned
Eying little girls with bad intent
not necessarily stoned, but beautiful
Ian Andersen is a musical genius and treasure to us all. It's an honor to listen and watch that man perform.
AND an INSPIRATION!
Completely and totally unique sound!!! A very very special part of music history!!!
The most beautiful part about Tull live, wad you never know if the concert would begin in the 17th century or slap you in the head with the heavy metal mid 1970s before taking you back there. Ian Anderson and Martin Barre two of the greatest ever.
'Yet-tro Toole"...,love the classic European pronunciation...
The story if how Anderson chose the flute vs. the git-taris a classic one...
He was not a trained flautitist...he is/was self taught, my friend...Google has decision to transition to the flute...he realized that he would never be another Clapton and that the flute was absent from rock music...thus is interest in the instrument!!!
Unfortunately the camera work back in the 70’s wasn’t the greatest, too many closeups and generally shotty work ! 🙄
@ Len Hess; SPOT ON!;)💥✌️✌️✌️
Those of us who grew up listening to this level of music are forever inspired and touched. Not bad for a musician who picked up the flute so he could do something besides sing. Love seeing your reaction. Exactly!
This guy kept an arena of rowdy stoned kids/adults mesmerized with a flute....
Nobody else got this yet? About best compliment to Ian ever. Bunch of 60's/70's stoners (and more) all quite with little clue their getting Classical too from Ian's genius rocking the flute. Great true comment.
Pied piper ;)
He is amazing.such a shame he cant play anymore.
He did me twice in Illinois in the 70's
We'd all play the air flute when Jethro Tull came on.
I think he blew her socks off! Jethro Tull is Classic in their own style. Back when rock was king and musical talent was the norm, and the genius level is what set groups like Jethro Tull apart.
Re the "pinky" -
"Ian Anderson has a congenitally deformed little finger on the right hand" ... he was born with it ... but seeing as he was entirely self taught ... he found a way.
He actually had two left hands. But somehow he found a way.
I have that same pinky - from birth and I played the flute in 5th grade just fine.
When sousins marry **sigh**
Cousins
I borrowed that pinky from Kathy Mayes for the summer of '98 and I played just fine too.
The most dynamic flautist/frontman in rock history. If you ever saw them live, you wouldn't forget. A brilliant band with a giant pixie from a 12th century English forest who discovered the magic mushrooms and shared the fun with his audience.
Absolutely true I've seen him live six times. He still puts on a heck of a show, though my dad says he's not what he once was-- which is fair, I think a 80 year old man jumping off speaker stacks, hopping around on one foot and throwing around his instruments would probably have to be carried out on a stretcher!
Saw him live at Jones Beach NY, in 1999.
Jethro Tull is simply awesome.
I did see him play live in the 1970s.
@mrmockatoo67 Yessss!!! What a conscious, poetic all knowing awareness encapsulated in your brilliant remark, bravo, Ian, bravo Mr Mockatoo!
When Yetro Tool’s flawless flute snort technique is so strong it breaks the camera in 2020 from the 1970’s ...
😂😂
I’m amazed at how grossed out she is by this. Like she doesn’t realize that music doesn’t have to be “pretty” I would think somebody who has as much musical experience as she does to understand that music can convey all emotions, and yes that includes gross, grunts, and unclean sounds.
😂🤣😂🤣
@@brandonjohnson2493 ha
😂
The late 60s and early 70s was the Golden Era of music. Future people will understand that.
My dad said disco was like posion to music
@@eaglewi tbh, disco was fine. that was still music, it was all the synthesizers that ruined popular music. it removed the skill gap that was required for entry prior.
There's a good video by Thoughty2 about the decline of music and why it's sooo horrible today
Ha ha don’t forget the drugs which intensified this era of music.
Quite possibly, the best period in music ever.
I am a classically trained flutist as well and Ian Anderson is incredible! A true inspiration for me growing up. I was lucky to see him live once. I would love to see him play with his orchestra.
If you’re classically trained, then you should know that you’re a FLAUTIST, not a flutist!
@@oysterman250 Incorrect. There are two accepted terms and which is used is regional. The word flutist predates flautist, by more than a couple centuries, and flautist is chiefly British English. One may sound fancier, but it doesn't make it more correct.
@@Nonesuch83 I hope you realize everything you just said probably made not one ounce of difference to the word Nazi. :-/
One thing I've learned is when people come at you in that tone, "you should" (ie I'm RIGHT, you're sub human) it is a pretty good indication that nobody will EVER confuse them with facts and logic. They are generally unteachable.
I can appreciate the attempt, though. It's like aluminum and aluminium. My initial reaction was how in the heck do you get 'ium' out of 'um'. Then I realized they don't, it's spelled in Britain the way they pronounce it. And then when thinking why the difference, looking at the periodic table, I could see theirs might make more sense than ours (US). Nu Ku Ler I'm not even going to touch, though. Cheers.
@@oysterman250 you don't even have content on your channel. How do you know so much and do so little. I think I feel the hot air now!
@@Searchingforsilver777 :-)
Jethro brought a flute to a gun fight and won!…🔥🔥🔥
or an AXE fight
I can’t believe a professional flute teacher has never heard of Jethro Tull. Crazy
yea really
@Ignatios Nelson she's not a native english speaker you twat
Seems like she had her flute playing box broken. =)
@Ignatios Nelson Recorded history says it was Flutist 200 years prior to Flautist which is a later Italian influence. It's an issue of local vernacular which changes all the time. It's like making fun of Americans for saying Soccer when the English used the word Soccer up until what the 1960's? No sense in looking pompous about it.
Let her ignorance show how anyone can call him(er)self a teacher .. poor students!!
Even after 50 Years Jethro Tull still has such a distinct sound! Ian Anderson will forever live as the rock star flautist in my opinion.
His Celtic Old English flute style of playing is his most famous trademark in my opinion, he creates that Celtic medieval country-side atmosphere of mystique and fairytales, a musical genius I must say...
... and perhaps standing on one leg.
I agree
That is a perfect description
And don't forget he's doing this literally with the flute on the MIC and amps full volume so no getting away with mistakes. That is insane to sound that great amplified at that volume, AMAZING!
Found this and thought you might be interested...
“Being self taught, and never having had a lesson, I was playing a lot of the notes using incorrect fingering,” Anderson says. “I had to relearn it again, in about ’91, I think. … It taught me to take a little more seriously. In relearning my own repertoire, it was a good lesson in mid life - not quite a crisis, but damned close to it.” - Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull).
Iirc, he has something wrong with his pinkie that makes it difficult to use, so he didn't bother to use it when learning the flute.
I don't remember if it's a birth deformation or if maybe he broke it at some point.
Found this enormously informative and entertaining. I am a "classical" clarinetist and every time I see one of these encounter videos I'm afraid it will just turn into a exercise in snobbery. But I loved how open minded and receptive you were! Brava!
The one thing she pointed out was that his fingering was wrong. Just read on Wiki that relearned to play the flute after learning from his daughter, who was taking lessons, that he was doing it wrong.
Good on ya, You lots of clarinet players to aspire to... Just about any Big Band sound had a clarinet conductor
I played clarinet in school, only thing I did was annoy everyone
so then, i guess, according to you--- a guy who empties garbage cans is a dumpsterist? i mean, i wipe my ass. professionally of course. does that make me a reacherarounderist? brava. what is that? some gay thing?
@@Kermit_T_Frog um. dingbat. you can't play an instrument wrong. there is no such thing. that's the point of creativity.
As you probably know, he was totally self taught. I read that his daughter a few years ago told him how untrained he was and he re-learned how to play the "right way". My wife, who is also a classically train flutist is totally put off by him.....just can't wrap her head around him...appreciates the talent, but he is off the charts....literally. Personally, I think he is AMAZING
I said the same about being untrained. Just incredible. Saw him do this plenty of times in the 70s. Thank God for mescaline. Made it all that much more intense. Was front row plenty of times in The Old Boston Gahden. Miss those days. Just saying. 😂
I’m with your wife on this one
Classically trained sometimes means close minded.
@@eristicfreethinker2098 and a conformist:)
I love it when a new generation discover Jethro Tull.
I am another self-taught flute player. That has been playing professional for over 20 years. The style of Ian Anderson was groundbreaking when he first got signed. You have to understand that not only does he play Radical flute while humming but he's also creating a Persona of a Madman. He wants to be wild on stage and he also wants to play flute in a manner that is is unheard of until he came along. There are tons of players who can mimic the style now including myself but he was definitely the pioneer of the humming while playing the same note on the flute and creating that certain sound. Before I learned of who he was I was originally in a Jazz workshop with the baritone sax player from Maynard Ferguson Band by the name of Dennis de Blasio. He also plays this way on the flute. He explained how Not only was he humming those notes but then he'd start humming harmonies to the actual note that he's playing on the flute so it sounds like two instruments in one playing Harmony. Anyhow, classical player usually struggle because of the rigorous routines of a classroom when they're young. I learn to play flute as an adult. When you're learning something on your own and you're not reading music then the sky's the limit. The reason why is that there's no one telling you you can't do something. So throwing in Hidden Melodies whether it's Christmas carols or Bach over a flute solo where he's got an entire audience of thousands of people hanging on his every whim it's just adding to the flare of his stage persona. Anyhow, thanks for the video
If I'm not mistaken, the same, or similar, technique of humming on a Sax is "growling". I don't recall the artists name, but there was a jazz saxist that was famous for it...Glover Washington, Jr, maybe?
wyatt K. Thijs van Leer from the Dutch band, Focus ??
Straightupsax It’s just incredible.
Ian incorporated humor in his music and performances. The facial expressions and grunting/snorting were part of that. He was also famous for standing on one leg while playing flute, although it originated with the harmonica in his earlier days.
He WAS famous? He's still alive dude :D
I also feel he is channeling his character Auqulung and the story that is the song Locomotive Breath in the song the character is named Charlie
I encourage Hella to look at this performance after listening to Aqualung then Locomotive Breath to see the characters are there and helped him play his flute
@@wirsing2332 Oops, word crimes. My bad, I know he is still performing.
i realized part way thorugh, that the snorting was meant to be percussion. :)
Mustang Debbie - they had a baby carriage on stage during a show I saw in Barcelona (mid-70s) as part of their “Too Old to Rock ‘n Roll” tour. The music was great by itself but the entertainment made it spectacular.
This was just great, and should be preserved for all time. Heline, you were fabulous and sweet and vulnerable. I'm a flutist and a Yethro Tool fan myself, of course. You're absolutely right about the pinky, obviously, and intentional or not, your comments are meaningful. A match made in heaven, the two of you make this a totally enjoyable video.
That is so cool - seeing someone, especially trained as a pro, watching Ian for the first time. Saw Tull for the first time in 1978, and all we could say for days was "What a class act!"
I think he's self-taught so you would probably find some issues with his fingering etc. But at the same time that probably explains his unconventional playing in general. He isn't stuck in a box
You are correct sir.
I have no idea of his training but he has mastered his instrument. He is one with his flute.
Funny enough, I heard him in an interview 10 years back and he was explaining how his daughter critiqued that very pinky issue after she was classically trained...
... and he changed his style.
@@ryenschimerman2127 - There are many reports that the pinky issue is an adaptation due to lifelong physical limitations of his pinky finger.
He says he learned to play by only practicing as he performed live.
Ian was a creative and gave us everything, classical, Pagan, Christian, performance art, viseral, visual, everything.
IS not was!
This Was...and is.
After seeing Ian Anderson on a late night talk show, one can clearly understand that he is very intelligent and outspoken. Wise and witty with a sense of humor. Aqua Lung will always be one of my favs. Thanks for giving us your gift Ian. Sure is awesome to hear you play. I won my 4-H Talent Contest in 6th grade playing the recorder (sound in the opening of Stairway to Heaven btw for those that had no idea) and competed in state. Seeing this genius play the flute like he does, makes me wonder if I should have been a musician throughout my life. I sure do love and appreciate music. The band director at the middle school I was about to attend the following year, came to my school and gave the sixth grade class a hearing test where we put headphones on and hit a button every time we heard a beat, looking for new talent to be in his band. I wanted to upgrade from the recorder and try the wood bassoon. I recall it being $800 (1984) and unfortunately my family couldn't afford it. I obviously passed the hearing test quite well, and was approached by the band director, and he has won many awards for his efforts btw, if I wanted to be in the band, after telling him I couldn't afford my instrument and saying "no", he turned his head to the side in disappointment and said, "ok" in a low tone of voice. He really wanted me to be in an award winning band. I thank God for my musical ear and giving me that talent. A musical ear that is 80% deaf on the right side. Born with a hole in my eardrum, that allowed sound to reach my heart instead. 🎶 👂 ❤
JT didn't play his music, he "became" his music. That transcendent spot we all strive for....
haha... no
Jethro Tull is not a person, it's a band...Ian Anderson is the flute player.
@@burundiblack4282 Jethro Tull is, or was a real person. He invented the seed drill.
@@drmodestoesq
According to legend, Ian Anderson was at a friend's house and pulled a random book from the shelf.
That book was a biography of Jethro Tull.
The rest is history.
@@Hare_deLune Thank God he didn't grab the diaries of Joseph Goebbels.
Ian was beatboxing on flute waaaaaay before people on YT were born.
From now on...I will call this band.. "Yetro Tool"
Me too!!
Count me in too!
and me tool!
Add me in the club :-D
@@PoetDreamer Likewise, plus Heline is extremely cute and endearing.
I was 6 months pregnant with my first child. My parents took me and the child's father to see Jethro Tull. They were so amazing. Ian Anderson was utterly brilliant. The child's father insisted our son be named Ian.
Actually, a lot of his techniques were originally developed by jazz guys, and his fingering comes closer to Irish wooden flute than classical metal flute. Check out Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Eric Dolphy, Hubert Laws, to say nothing of Matt Molloy and Seamus Egan. Trust me, Anderson did. You have no idea what you've been missing! Thing about Anderson....he just sampled everything he heard and mixed it all together into his own personal gumbo. And became and international rock star playing the most un-macho instrument that exists. Thick as a brick!
Marcia Stern Some other flute players I like are Herbie Mann, Dave Valentin, Nestor Torres, and a big favorite of mine is Nelson Rangell. He plays saxophone, flute and piccolo.
@John Chrysostom Rev 3:9 I didn't get that from her post at all. I heard praise from it. To each their own.
Yes, yes, yes, and he called the band "heavy metal flute" sometimes...I'm no flutist, but love listening to late, great Herbie Mann, love the flute sound mixed with vibraphone, etc. Love improvising, (keys, harmonica, little guitar), great to know all the theory but improv is the coolest, my opinion.
Glad you brought up Rahsaan Rolad Kirk!
MARCIA, WELL-SAID! Thank you, beautiful lady!!
Ian Anderson’s flute solos were unique. His lyrics were unbelievable. I met him...for a few moments...at a Tull show in seventies.
Didn’t you open for him? Or play with him?
he was hot
He's the guy who wrings his hands rather than the band. Incidentally they're both fans of each other.
Uriah Heep is pretty damn good too. Demons and Wizards is a great album. Easy Livin’. 👍
Every song is good.
Jethro Tull, a great band deserving to be in the Rock and Roll HOF.
Aqualung, one of the best albums of all time.
'A Little Light Music' awesome live album
You spelled "Heavy Horses" wrong.
My father had a cassette of Aqualung in his office when I was a little boy and, even now at 40 years old, listening to the title track when I visited is one of my strongest childhood memories.
Heavy Horses, Rock Island, and yes even J-Tull.com are great, but it's hard to top the original studio Aqualung.
The Rock and Roll Hall od One Man's Opinion more like. No band needs to be inducted into that crap.
Love Aqualung also! Love the way he incorporates the flute into his music!
This is probably my all time favorite reaction on RUclips. Jethro Tull has been my favorite band since the early 1970s so I always enjoy listening to them, and you being a professional flutist hearing them for the first time was so fun to watch. I also love how unpretentious you are as a RUclipsr...you have a naturalness that I find very charming. Thanks for doing this!
Old school flute player listening to Ian Anderson for the first time: What strange manner of sorcery is this!
True that!
Sorcery of the very best and most beautiful kind, and there will never be another like him.
Right? I don't think she was quite ready for that! Lol
"Questionable" sorcery.
Level 20 Bard right there.
I played some Tull for a classically trained flutist years ago. She was snobby and gave no respect. Props to you. Great to see someone approach an instrument in an existential way.
Matty G Ian Anderson is British So he is flautist
Classically trained flutist and flute teacher listening to Ian Anderson (self trained rock artist) “I’m kind of speechless, his technique is kind of flawless”...
Yes. It is.
Iss awlz inz ze pinky!
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I've been a fan of Ian Anderson and Jethro Tull for decades! I had heard that Anderson played with strange finger position, and now you've confirmed it.
And I believe he lays no claim to being the best flautist of the century or whatever. He is not known for his mastery of playing the flute. I know him for the wonderful music he created (with and without the flute) which made our lives better.
well said sir
He said that since he was the only flautist in Rock music he was both the best and the worst!
I love Ian Anderson....His hisses, singing, flutters and grunts and snorts just add to the beauty in a devilishy demonic way twisting the simplicity into chaos and then back. It always leaves me wondering whats next? Inspired me to learn some flute when I was younger.
Paul Samson
Imagine what he’d do with a didgeridoo.
I agree wholeheartedly. He is one-of-a-kind and truly creative. I am also a big fan of Jethro Tull.
I live in a world where people have never heard of Jethro Tull?? That's horrible.
You can bet Metallica knows who he is .
I was blessed to actually be at the show and I still have the ticket stub from it. Year after I got out of high school, I lived in St Petersburg. Good times at Tampa Stadium!
@@noclu4u384
Jethro Tull is actually the name of the band, this flute players name is Ian Anderson.
Well, she’s a classical musician. They’re a pretty insular bunch. That means they don’t get out much. Welcome to the world Helene, it’s a big beautiful place. If ya know where look.
Even worse they think he is a member of the band
We saw Jethro Tull in Oakland, CA. The opening band was a country-type group no one in the audience recognized- the Eagles. The Jethro Tull band put on one of the best shows I have ever seen; not just Ian Anderson but the whole group.
That was one of my first concerts, Saw lot's of good music at the coliseum..
Wow! You hit the jackpot with that concert.
I have known about Jethro Tull for 50 years, this is the first extended solo I have heard. Thank you for sharing.
Me too! Other then seeing them in concert in 84
I was in the audience at that concert. Anderson to me is a genius at getting the crowd involved. Your review was very good, and I enjoyed it.
He’s combining styles as well as scales, major, minor and what most classical trained musicians don’t meet up with - major and minor pentatonic. That is the blues, the roots of jazz.
That's a good take. He mixes Celtic folk, blues, jazz and european classical without a shrug.
No its not !
Yeah, “Wow, just wow” pretty much sums it up.
It’s Art, and Improvisation.
This man, Ian Anderson, is a phenomenal musician, composer, and band leader.
Sometimes known as “The One Legged Flautist”, he combined Classical Music, traditional English and Celtic music, and Rock & Roll in a way no one else has ever done.
I saw this amazing man, and his band Jethro Tull, five times in the 1970s.
What an amazing treat each concert was.
Thanks for showcasing Mr. Anderson’s talent, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Rock On
I came of age listening to Jethro Tull . One of the most amazing bands ever. When they won a Grammy they didn’t know which category to put them in so they put them in Heavy Metal. Lmao 😆 I feel that they never got the recognition they deserved because their music was so diverse!
I think for being so different from mainstream they did really well.
I would recommend Locomotive Breath. Terrific rock number with a flute solo to match. Also check out their biggest chart hit Living in the Past which has lovely flute work in it.
Thank you! I'll save those to my list!
I love the intro to Locomotive Breath and how Marty's guitar blends and counterpoints John's piano.
@@HelineFay I do believe Living in the Past has some nice flute.
Oooo, Living in the Past! I'd forgotten about that song! But you're right about the flute being prominently featured in that song.
Oooo, Living in the Past! I'd forgotten about that song! But you're right about the flute being prominently featured in that song.
I heard an interview with him. He was the guitar player originally, but when Martin Barre came to the group, he gave up guitar. He went to a music store to find a new instrument. He settled on a cello or a flute. He picked the flute because it was a lot lighter than a cello. So he bought a flute and taught himself to play.
I can’t, I just can’t
I heard also that he saw Page,Hendrix,Clapton and other biggies and figured he better find something else.
But he plays acoustic guitar and probably wrote all his songs on guitar.
@@joeblow2069 True but he did not fancy himself as good as Martin.
@@patriciapowell6047 while in fact, he certainly is. Some of the Tull songs are incredibly hard to play, and he manages to do that while singing and standing on only one leg.
I was fortunate enough to follow Jethro Tull and see them live since 1969 for 40 some straight years. Ian Anderson was and is just incredible! How lucky I am to have seen him every year and in so many different venues from the house of Blues to every large arena. The snorting and other sounds you're hearing from Ian actually originated from blues flutist Roland Kirk who Ian "borrowed" these sounds from. Just amazing every year of progression! one note tho: Martin Barre is also Jethro Tull!
There will never be another flute player in rock and roll like Ian Anderson.
Rock & Roll exists only on recordings now. The real thing is gone.
@@DecksterPenkor Not true. It's out there playing live all over the place, and being played very well. It's just not on any media platforms from radio to internet. It used to rule the 'record' charts, but its now all but gone there -- but from music festivals to bars, rock lives.
@@roberttank2919 The problem is "industrialisation" of music ... AND the skill-less artificial creation of bands. The current time of "rebellion against bureaucracy" needs to end with bureaucrats being changed and quality controlled AND we need to tear down mainstream media too due to their lies. This gives a chance to change the music industry ...
PROBABLY!
Why is Green Day in Hall of Fame and Jethro Tull is not?
Could it be the voters are still mad that they won the Grammy over Metallica in 1989 for best metal band?. Why is Soundgarden not in the HOF and Nirvana and Pearl Jam are? Soundgarden was the first band on the Seattle grunge scene. And then there is Ozzy Osbourne, The Guess Who, and Iron Maiden to name a few others. The HOF is a joke,
Oh yeah, and how could I forget one of my favorite artists not in the HOF, Paul Rodgers. Are you kidding me? "The Voice" is a rock god!
@@karllietzennayer9661 bc Nirvana and Pearl Jam are great bands and soundgarden is only a decent band?
Either way, obviously Jethro should be in the Hall
@@karllietzennayer9661 the hof is totally a joke, lol
@@amiiann All three great bands. Chris Cornell vocals superior to Kurt or Eddie in my opinion. Thayil not too shabby of a guitarist either. Soundgarden's music more appealing to me. I'm a Chris Cornell fan.
Ian: Mom I want to be in a Rock Band?
Mom: No Ian, you have to learn to play the flute!
Ian: okay mom!
I just wikied him and it seems that his first love was guitar, but after realizing that he'd never be as good a Clapton, he took up the flute... among a whole bunch of other instruments.
Actually...
Ian: -I wanna be a guitar playing rock star.
Clapton: -Hi, Ian. This is my slowhand.
Ian: -Hey clerk! How much will it be if I trade this guitar for that flute?
Ian Anderson and many others in the "Rock" and "Metal" world are masters at what they do. They pushed boundaries way beyond what was previously considered.
I'm a lifelong fan of jethro Tull and I'm 68 I finally got to see him in Houston a few months back took my 34yr old son would is a great musician, man the memories me and him are making, we go to as many shows as we can, we have seen countless bands. Funny story about this show, he had bought the tickets online and had them for months, and we were anticipating the show, so we thought the show was on that Tuesday, but we were wrong it was that night(Monday). So we were eating supper and I asked him to check and make sure of the date for the show, well he looked on his phone, and damm it was starting in an hour and ten minutes, we left the food on the table and hauled ass. We got to our seat with 5 minutes to spare. Haha true story
I envy you, sir. And would have left filet mignon to go get my soul fed.
Ian was much more impressive in the 70s though.
I saw Jethro Tull in the early 70's. It was an awesome show.
I was watching Jethro Tull a couple of years ago on TV. In the middle of a song he dropped to his knees and placed his mic against the guitarist's crotch and started to simulate oral sex on him.
'... we were eating supper ...'
Nothing to beat the very last minute!
I can tell you what makes this one of the best concerts ever. Imagine if you will 17 year old boy standing next to the coolest cousin ever in the 7th row back from the stage. He just returned from the army for 3 years 1 to go. Who does he take to a Jethro Tull concert me. We will remember this until the end.... Thanks Randy
Jeff Condo was 21 and on leave from the Marines. Did you get to Led Zepplin there in 73.
I was there as well and would've been 17 as well..............we were stage left a bit. Robin Trower, then Jethro Tull.....................doesn't get any better. Remember that Johnny and Edgar Winter were supposed to open but backed out, so I think Blackfoot opened up.
Jeff Condo - Cool! How lucky you were! And what a great cousin too!
Ian Anderson is one a kind. He redefined what's possible on the flute!
So true..redefined sounding like crap on an instrument that sounds like crap.
Banjo Miner you hating? That stadium full of people seems to dig it.
He copped most of it from Roland Kirk. Go to the source.
@@banjominer9682 I agree, the banjo is a hack 'instrument' for hicks that sounds like crap.
@@farshimelt Yes sir! And I don't Know whether he ever acknowledged that fact.
Hi Helene, thank you so much for reviewing this clip of Jethro Tull. I have to say I’m not surprised that you found Ian Anderson , the lead soloist of Jethro Tull , the band’s name, actually ‘ great ‘. You said wow that’s cool about 3 or 4 times throughout the piece. This is exactly why he was so popular and yes great. He put the cool in flute playing . I grew up studying flute mainly against my will, parents wanting me to get more culture and round out my education. To be clear: I HATED PLAYING THE FLUTE for 8 years mind you, then my older brother introduced me to his Jethro Tull album in 1973. Having struggled for years doing scales over and over again and again I wanted to puke mainly because I thought it was uncool and certainly not helping in the ladies department , at least I thought. I began listening To Ian at first several times daily for weeks, then slowly began trying to play along, grasping at times with a flutter hear and there but mostly trying to achieve the technical range and speed the he so clearly displays. One day it all clicked and just like you said not always aiming for the holes , the wrist, the tongue and especially the throat relaxes and this flow begins to take over the playing. It is intense for sure but the actual playing like this becomes hypnotic. I remember one day during orchestra practice in high school , I was always last seat in the flute section, but this one day two of the flautists were absent and so I’m sitting next to the the number 1 chair and we come to a particularly difficult passage with a large scale ending with a high trill . I ripped through the scale hit the trill and roared into my flute at the end. The first chair couldn’t believe what she heard and looked at me and asked how did you…. How where did…. And I simply said Jethro Tull….. To bring this story full circle about 10 years ago I was sitting in a bar in New York City and this band of two people started to play, one of them had at least 8 different flutes behind him and they were playing Jethro Tull music. I remember the flautist was old, bald and playing with the other guy to an audience of maybe 12 people just digging this crazy flute guy. A few days later I see a street news paper with this old , bald guy on the cover with the headlines Ian Anderson comes up of retirement with his latest album. I have to say he still has it and is just as cool now as he was 40 years ago.
Helene is so cute the way she analyzes his playing.
I am officially going to refer to Jethro Tull as "Yetro Tool" from here on out. I love it.
Best to ask the guy who invented the Seed Drill in 1701, he should get the final word, except he is quite deceased.
She had me as soon as she said his name!
It’s been over 30 years since I’ve seen Jethro Tull live on stage and I’m still amazed at how good he really plays
@@roysheaks1261 she never even mentioned his name in the first place. It's Ian Anderson.
She must be German, because the "J" in German is pronounced as a "Y".
So now,imagine if you can, him standing on one leg the whole time he is doing the solo. Jethro Tull is quite the trip.
Don't need to imagine it, been there Little Rock 1972....
@@harlenburke8535 Jethro Tull in Little.Rock. Who'd a thunk it.
I have several friends, professional musicians, that were self taught. Stevie Ray Vaughn couldn't read music, Roy Clark, Glenn Campbell were self taught just to name a few. I'll even go as far to say, they are usually better musicians a good bit of the time.
I played flute my whole life. My instructors would probably have beaten me for playing with my fingers like that. Whatever technique he taught himself it clearly worked for him. The mouth/tongue articulation takes most flutists a long time to master. Plus he plays in the harmonics with all the articulation. Unbelieveable!
I just Love your reaction to Jethro Tull! You should have been with us back in the 60's and 70's, you'd have Loved every minute of it!