Raritan Trombonist Makes Uplifting Music Videos During Pandemic
RARITAN, NJ — Raritan resident and renowned trombonist Jim Lutz is sharing his love of music by making videos from his home studio to lift people's spirits during the coronavirus pandemic.
Lutz has been making music age 4 and has since performed, recorded, composed and produced music around the world, with credits including Disney, Blast, and Cirque du Soleil. After all of his live performance engagements were canceled he decided to create his own personal concert for others.
"I made these videos because I wanted to uplift and inspire people during an incredibly stressful time. I think it's safe to say that almost nobody alive today has experienced anything quite like this," Lutz said. "Since music is what I do for a living, this is therapeutic and cathartic for me, and I hope it has the same effect for others!"
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For several years, Lutz has been creating trombone arrangements and videos for his YouTube channel YouTube.com/jimlutzmusic. Now stuck at home because of the coronavirus, Lutz has shifted gears to create a series of videos inspired by the current events.
The videos "pay tribute to those who every day put their lives on the line for the rest of us —doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, EMTs, cashiers, drivers, janitors, delivery personnel, and all those who keep the world turning while the rest of us are stuck at home," Lutz said.
The first in the series is a transatlantic collaboration with one of the UK's trombonists, Carol Jarvis. They played Lutz's arrangement of "Over The Rainbow." The next video is a tribute to Bill Withers' classic "Lean On Me".
Lutz also released a video dedicated to healthcare heroes and frontline workers with the arrangement of Andra Day's "Rise Up".
"Sadly, COVID-19 has made live performances impossible for the foreseeable future — live entertainment was one of the first sectors of our economy to go away, and it will likely be one of the last to come back. So to me right now, it means more than ever to be able to touch a heart, to bring a smile to someone’s face, or to make someone pause and appreciate those around them."
To view Lutz's videos see below:
For more information Lutz and his music visit jimlutzmusic.com.
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This article originally appeared on the Bridgewater Patch
