Warning: Video May Be Manicly Energetic And Irresistibly Cute

March 18, 2006 10:34 AM

The J Marimba Ponies have performed at Carnegie Hall, as well as in concert halls from Vienna to Japan. Even more impressive, the oldest member of the group is 12, and the youngest is 4 years old. Musical prodigies or novelty act? See them play Khachaturian's Sabre Dance (Coral link to Quicktime video) and judge for yourself. Via Music for Maniacs. Previously mentioned on MeFi but worth its own thread.
posted by yankeefog (16 comments total)

That Khachaturian's Sabre Dance was very cool!
I had never known what the name of that was. I always thought it was associated with juggling, on a flaming tightwire, above a pool of sharks, with lasers.
posted by shnoz-gobblin at 10:48 AM on March 18, 2006

I like!

Leroy Anderson would be impressed.
posted by ericb at 11:00 AM on March 18, 2006

i fucking love.
GO DAMON!!!!
posted by phaedon at 11:12 AM on March 18, 2006

Cool! They need to recruit this little Korean girl, Mo Kin. (QT clip)
posted by madamjujujive at 11:14 AM on March 18, 2006

Musical prodigies or novelty act?

Who cares ... can I get it as a ring tone? Can I put it in my iPod as an alarm clock?
posted by Relay at 12:01 PM on March 18, 2006

You miss final cymbal crash little Kim-Lee, no supper for you!



EVER...
posted by stenseng at 12:27 PM on March 18, 2006

Amazing Drum Solo by Tony Royster Jr . -- 12 years old.
posted by ericb at 12:34 PM on March 18, 2006

Wow, Tony Royster Jr. is really impressive. Not merely because he has a flat-out miraculous talent (and frighteningly well-developed technical skills -- see his textbook-perfect double strokes), but because taste is evident in his playing. Sure, it's a drum solo, and as such, is flashy, but he used restraint there to really emphasize his phrasing. Good Lord. Both he and his teacher are to be congratulated.
posted by nonreflectiveobject at 1:03 PM on March 18, 2006

Oh yeah. He's really funky, too.
posted by nonreflectiveobject at 1:03 PM on March 18, 2006

DOES THAT NOT CREEP THE FUCK OUT OF ANYONE ELSE?

Seriously. This screams "some form of hidden child abuse" to me.

And it's terribly frightening to watch most of them bouncing there, open-mouthed slapping at whatever instrument's in front of them.

...actually, what's up with the bouncing?
posted by Imperfect at 1:16 PM on March 18, 2006

Naah, Mo Kin could eat their lunch.

She's singing and dancing for Great Father Kim.

And mistakes make him Very, Very Sad.
posted by the sobsister at 1:37 PM on March 18, 2006

...actually, what's up with the bouncing?

Their signature move -- "The prancing animation of the young musicians is the source of their name, Ponies."
posted by ericb at 1:51 PM on March 18, 2006

excellent
posted by farnastic at 7:24 PM on March 18, 2006

Humans: flexible versatile low-maintenance self-healing voice-activated programmable semi-autonomous machines. It's hard to get consistent quality when you produce them in bulk. However, carefully selected units can produce extraordinary performances.

Warnings:
- Autonomy increases with age of unit resulting in some units becoming effectively uncontrollable.
- No user manual.
- No manufacturer warranty.
posted by Silki at 8:33 PM on March 18, 2006

Not to mention

- a closed source OS
- poor quality control
- frequently built with non-standard parts
- poor upgradability of hardware
- obsolescence by design
- poor UI design

Need I continue?

(OTOH, case modding isn't so hard...)
posted by Samizdata at 8:43 PM on March 18, 2006

Tony Royster Jr. gets really really good from 6:10 to 6:40
posted by blasdelf at 9:03 PM on March 18, 2006