James Burke Playing the Guitar

[sithering]

Or is he?

[ifutureman]

I think he takes for granted that some brains are wired to do this sort of multitasking much more effectively than others. One of my favorite mind-blowing examples of this ability has always been Les Claypool playing and talking during "Tommy The Cat". Most people could spend their whole life trying to learn to do that and still not do it. But I guess it's better that Burke doesn't even realize how exceptional he is, or he might be an insufferable egotist.

[SlimPickins613]

I don't understand how one man can be so cool, on so many different levels.

[soberek]

The origin of Dr Isaac Kleiner is so obvious.

[Suiton1]

Complex motor movements are stored in the Cerebellum, are they not? So the "Hierarchy" is definitely not in the cortex or the cerebrum, but most certainly not in the spinal cord.

I'm confus

[Benivey2]

but is it art?

[PyroVesten]

"Now watch while I make every other human being look like a worthless piece of shit."

[tombstonehand1]

Damn it feels good to be James Burke.

[epsteinsmutha1]

James Burke. Or is it?

Playing the Guitar. Or is he?

On YouTube.

Or is it?

[GordonMorrice]

Along with Carl Sagan, the most awesome TV host of all time.

[robinmondorama]

James Burke - Hero.

[truewolffur]

I used to love the Burke Special

[poop31]

james burke is the man

[productionsEJ]

I had always wondered about that song. It appears as the opening track on the first My Chemical Romance CD, and I think I've heard it in a film score before...

[DAVEBLISS2007]

Burke by name Burke by nature: The guitar was played almost correct the first time the second time he was miming! So much for genius! He was never that smart, just had a good script! Arrogance is often seen this way.

[Vince878]

Doesn't look like miming to me.

[Janusha]

bullshitter

[antrolev]

the song is ghioti proibiti or romanza....a classic anonym piece

[flamingpare12]

what song is that dammit?!!? ahh someone tell me!!

[RodCornholio]

Burke is the closest human we have to a genuine god. I mean he sees everything with near omniscience.

I bow before thee almighty James Burke. I prostrate myself and grovel before ye. I watch Connections as a sacrament and testimony before your mighty power. Amen.

[RoyHobbsIsGay]

You're joking right?

[RodCornholio]

Yes. The second paragraph was sycophantic sarcastic and parodistic while the first was exaggerated and sycophantic.

I'm not a theist so I have no shame in mocking biblical style.

[TarantulaArms]

Seemed like an Alan Ginsburg,Neal Cassidy hangup a bit though.

[RodCornholio]

You've peaked my interest into those two. Never heard of Neal Cassidy (any relation to Shaun I wonder?)

Thanks

[Arkanj3l]

@RodCornholio Which probably defeats the point of what he's talking about all along :p but I agree with you.

[flamencodiablo007]

this peice is played enough that once one has it "down" its not that hard to play it instinctively and have a conversation at the same time...That said, Burke is brilliant and has pretty good technique too...

[kyleashley]

He should be Ruling the planet by now..really..is there nothin he canee doooo!

are there any James Burke fan T shirts?

[rodneyj42]

careful, there was some very creative editing going on....hahahha...

[sirrahusa]

Thanks rodney. I was the producer of that show and I swear by Britney Spears' knickers that the audio track was not edited.

[rodneyj42]

at one point you can see him looking down at the strings and the voice quality of his speech doesn't change. maybe the sound was all one take (I highly doubt that however), but the video certainly wasn't

[sirrahusa]

Oh no, of course the video wasn't. We shot a master of the complete piece, with both JB and the guitar in vision. We then shot close-ups of just his text and then just the music, excluding the guitar strings / his lips respectively. The video editor inserted selections of this video at my direction, but using the audio of the inserts as a guide track only. I remember it fairly well because we had no computer-assist and I did the timecode calculations myself using pencil & paper. Cheers.

[rodneyj42]

hey I know all about that. All of the editing I did back in the early 90s was nonlinear betacam pro tape stuff. In any case it was very well done! I appreciate the editing work done on all of Burke's stuff, in fact I would go as far to say that the videography and editing on the entire "day the universe changed" is unparalleled in any historical documentary to date! And if James burke can play classical guitar and talk about something else at the same time he is truly amazing!

[rampantandroid]

It is obviously two takes, at least: When they focus on his playing, you see his chin and mouth at the top of the video...you hear his voice, but his mouth does not move...

But that's expected - I have no doubt Jame Burke can play the guitar, but to be able to narate a show and play simultaneously is rather hard for anyone to do.

[wabs05]

safe james whats happening man?

[jimmyp37]

funny I work as a psychotherapist and I was just discussing the so called executive functioning site of the brain today with a co-worker