By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Have You Seen This? Beats by bulldog
aa4c92218b5c7aa55b0a33575c364b53a96480b4278cc6751e667c7839f92a35
Have dog, will make music. That's the thought of comedian, musician and bulldog owner Nic Smal. - photo by John Clyde


THE STUDIO There is just something about bulldogs. I'm not sure what it is, but you see one and you immediately smile and want to hold it. Well, most of us feel that way. Comedian and musician Nic Smal wants to use his bulldog to create mad beats.

Smal got his dog in front of a microphone and used him as a living drum to create beautiful music. Maybe beautiful is a stretch, but at the very least it's entertaining. I laughed pretty hard a few times even though I had a very traumatic experience with a bulldog that looked exactly like this one. No, the dog didn't bite me or chase me, but rather it used my basement as its doggy litter box and let's just say my stomach doesn't do well with gnarly smells.

I won't get into graphic detail here but my stomach was having none of that smell from that animal and I managed to add to the smell in the basement. I shudder to this day when I think about it. But with all of that terribleness this dog made me forget all of that for a split second and thinking I wanted to buy a dog. Then I got sick to my stomach and that feeling quickly left.

Anyway, now that I've grossed you out go ahead and check out the video and get your groove on.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
638421_Screenshot_1.png
Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
Latest Obituaries