There’s not alot to say about Andrea Vadrucci. He’s just an awesome drummer, who combined one love with another (and blew up the Internet). I have seen some solo work of his at a jazz festival or two, and he is an amazing drummer. One of the best in the world.
Here we have 3 videos…they are him playing drums to three sets of video game music that most of you will recognize. The Super Mario series!
You think that sounds lame? Yeah…I dare you to watch.
We have no idea how we found this…but we think somehow we was graced by the presence of magical kick ass luck dragons or something like that. All we really know, is that years ago we had been searching in vain, trying DESPERATELY to find some sort of video game remake that wasn’t a steaming pile of fail. Then…on some forum at the end of the rainbow, we found Jake “virt” Kaufman. His remakes are, simply put, absolutely some of the best arrangements we have ever heard. His riffs are so awe inspiring, yet so familiar to those who grew up playing these games, that there are no words to describe it. Transylvania, Zelda (Blood of Ganon), Super Metroid, Toejam and Earl. Mainstays of awesome made even better with by real guitar hammerage and sweet sweet harmonic love.
Now, not only is the guitar playing brilliant, but the arrangements themselves are master pieces. Seriously!? How do you come up with the ending to Zelda – Blood of Gannon that he did? It drips greatness. And a Western/Spanish intro to Transylvania? For the love of Grayskull, it’s just too much too handle. We felt like fat kids locked in a donut shop all night.
And you want to know the best thing about it? Free. Everything we went and saw was free. No click to buy jack-assery, no register so I can spam flame your mail box. Just plain right click, download, and rock.
The Reviewist hereby declares Virt to be the best video game rocker there ever was.
You guys remember that game tetris? You know, with the falling blocks that you have to put into rows? Well, remember that music? Yeah…it was sweet.
First off, that tune is actually called Korobeiniki, and it’s a Russian folk tune of all things. Second, there are several groups that do “8-bit” remakes and I want to introduce you to two today.
First up we have “The Blue Collars”. I don’t know much about this group, as I can find nothing about them anywhere. I actually had to actively seek out their music to buy it. Their label has apparently disappeared too…sucky…
The second version we will touch today is is by Michael “Piano Squall” Gluck (website). He specializes in video game and anime music, and released Koro…tetris on his album “GAME”. Now, the album itself is a wiggling bucket of awesome, but the cherry on top is that a significant portion of any proceeds “goes to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s “Promise: 2010” campaign.
This version is a much more relaxed version played on the piano. Mr. Gluck is accomplished pianist, and his compositions do him credit. Also, on a side note, his music is available for dowload in PDF format. This is pretty freaking nice of him. So, consider buying it, if only for the memories of sweet, sweet falling pentamino action. Or even better, buy it because you will be supporting a worthy cause.
First up we have “The Blue Collars”. I don’t know much about this group, as I can find nothing about them anywhere. I actually had to actively seek out their music to buy it. Their label has apparently disappeared too…sucky…
The second version we will touch today is is by Michael “Piano Squall” Gluck (
