Composing with Timbre

I see a very close correspondence between composing with timbre and abstract painting—it’s a natural connection to make, I think. The same sorts of relationships that define pictorial plasticity—the dynamic interrelationships of color and shape, or the interactions of negative and positive spaces in an abstract painting for example—have their analogues in a musical composition or performance. (Daniel Barbiero, Fifteen Questions Interview with Daniel Barbiero: Forced Originality, 2016)

15 Questions with Daniel Barbiero

Be sure and check out the 15 Questions interview with Daniel Barbiero. It's a fascinating look into Dan's practice and methodology in his composing and playing. Dan's one of the most thoughtful people I know, and his love of music permeates the interview. He's also nice enough to mention New Ting Ting Loft and yours truly.

Dan is also hard to keep up with! I just discovered a release of his from May that somehow slipped through the cracks for me: All Things Aligned, a collaboration with Chris Lynn based on field recordings and Dan's beautiful bass playing. I'll try to do better about keeping up, Dan.

Playlist, Week of 2016-07-24

Playlist 2016-07-25:

*Mahler: Resurrection Symphony and Beyond "Symphony No. 5"
*Art Ensemble of Chicago: A Jackson in Your House
*Art Ensemble of Chicago: Message to Our Folks
*Rodger Coleman/Sam Byrd: Perihelion
*Rodger Coleman/Sam Byrd: 2015-12 Nashville (wav) (selections)
*Rodger Coleman: Real Gone
*Duke Ellington and His Orchestra: The Treasury Shows, Vol. 6 (disc 1)
*Jimmy Ghaphery: oralhistory
*Alexander Hawkins/Evan Parker: Leaps in Leicester
*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey: Buoyancy
*Mahavishnu Orchestra: Birds of Fire
*New Ting Ting Loft: 2015-02-09 “Second Thoughts on Number Five” (wav)
*New Ting Ting Loft: 2016-06-20 “Membrainiac” (wav)
*Sun Ra: Space Probe
*Sun Ra and His Astro Ihnfinity Arkestra: The Intergalactic Thing
*Sun Ra: In Some Far Place: Roma '77 (disc 2)
*Cecil Taylor: 2016-04-14 Whitney Museum, NYC (CDR) (disc 2)
*John Zorn: Valentine's Day
*Beach Boys: That’s Why God Made the Radio
*Broadcast: Work and Nonwork
*Jefferson Pilot: Soundtrack to Welcome Stranger
*Dal Niente/Deerhoof: Balter/Saunier
*Deerhoof: The Magic
*Mike Elder/Harry Forrest/Greg Jordan/Sam Byrd: 2016-07-02 (wav)
*Explorers Club: Together
*Fall of Troy: Fall of Troy
*Grateful Dead: Red Rocks 7/8/78 (disc 1)
*Heldon: Agneta Nilsson
*High Llamas: 2016-05-24 London (CDR)
*Meters: Funkify Your Life (disc 2)
*Monkees: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones Ltd.
*Santana: Borboletta (side 2)
*Soft Machine: Live 1970
*Soft Machine: Facelift (disc 1)
*Soft Machine: BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert
*XTC: Black Sea
*Frank Zappa: Mystery Disc

Reading List, Week of 2016-07-24

No, I'm not an actor--but this book presents a great perspective on how to make the language come alive on stage, and is worth reading both for its close analysis of meter and phrasing and for the long section on soliloquies.

Reading List 2016-07-25:

*Peace, David. The Damned Utd (started)
*Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice (Arden 2nd series, ed. John Russell Brown) (reread/started)
*Fraction, Matt, and Chip Zdarsky. Sex Criminals, Vol. 1: One Weird Trick (started/finished)
*Hinds, Andrew. Acting Shakespeare’s Language (finished)
*Martin, George R. R. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (finished)

oralhistory

Exciting new release from bandmate Jimmy Ghaphery. No sax this time: it's all manipulated sound, with the sources being the interludes between sentences from oral histories old and new. It's a fascinating concept, and it works really well, especially when the manipulation gets heavy (the so-called "timely" tracks). Abstract, jarring, and yet soothing at the same time. Check it out!

Playlist, Week of 2016-07-17

Funky summer

Playlist 2016-07-18:

*Sam Cooke (selections)
*Impressions: The Definitive Impressions
*Parliament: The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein
*Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (selections)

Reading List, Week of 2016-07-17

The one time of year when my reading list is longer than my playlist: vacation time!

Reading List 2016-07-18:

*Martin, George R. R. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (started)
*Buchanan, Edna. Shadows (started/finished)
*Esslemont, Ian C. Dancer's Lament (started/finished)
*Abbott, Megan. Dare Me (started/finished)
*Corbett, John. A Listener's Guide to Free Improvisation (finished)
*Erikson, Steven. Fall of Light (finished)
*Hinds, Andrew. Acting Shakespeare’s Language (in progress)

Playlist, Week of 2016-07-10

If I could talk instead of type, I'd have so much to say. All in good time....

Playlist 2016-07-11:

*Mahler: Symphony No. 5 (Myun-Whun Chung)
*Anthony Braxton: 3 Compositions (EEMHM) 2011 (disc 1)
*Rodger Coleman/Sam Byrd: Unheard Voices "Waltzing with Adolph"
*Rodger Coleman: Real Gone (streaming)
*Kris Davis Infrasound: Save Your Breath
*Kris Davis Trio: Waiting for You to Grow
*New Ting Ting Loft: 2016-04-24 “Ear Density” RVA Noise Fest V, Gallery 5, Richmond VA (wav)
*Tom Rainey Trio: Hotel Grief
*Sun Ra and His Astro Ihnfinity Arkestra: The Intergalactic Thing (sides 1, 2, 3, 4)
*Sun Ra: Nuits de la Fondation Maeght Vol. 1
*Sun Ra: In Some Far Place: Roma '77 (disc 1)
*Cecil Taylor: 2016-04-14 Whitney Museum, NYC (CDR) (disc 1)
*Leon Bridges: Coming Home
*Jefferson Pilot: Soundtrack to Welcome Stranger
*Cold Blood: Thriller!
*Dal Niente/Deerhoof: Balter/Saunier
*Betty Davis: The Columbia Years 1968-1969
*Dope: Life
*Mike Elder/Harry Forrest/Greg Jordan/Sam Byrd: 2016-07-02 (wav)
*Guided by Voices: Please Be Honest
*Marvelettes: Complete Motown Singles (disc 2)
*Steppenwolf: The Second
*Tool: Lateralus

Reading List, Week of 2016-07-10

The beach....

Reading List 2016-07-11:

*Corbett, John. A Listener's Guide to Free Improvisation (started)
*Erikson, Steven. Fall of Light (in progress)
*Hinds, Andrew. Acting Shakespeare’s Language (in progress)

New Solo Album from Rodger Coleman: Real Gone

Be sure to check this out: Rodger Coleman has released a new solo recording: Real Gone. I'll have more to say about this in the weeks to come! Short review: beautiful and enchanting.

Playlist, Week of 2016-07-03

Jim Nolan, Welcome Stranger




Lots more to say about this massive influx of new music in weeks to come!

Playlist 2016-07-04:

*Mahler: Symphony No. 5 (Boulez)
*Art Ensemble of Chicago with Women of the Calabash: 1990-02-02 Berkeley CA (CDR)
*Anthony Braxton: 1979-11-11 Berlin (CDR)
*Anthony Braxton: 3 Compositions (EEMHM) 2011 (discs 2, 3)
*John Coltrane: Live in Japan (discs 3, 4)
*John Coltrane: 1966-07-17 Kobe, Japan (CDR)
*Kris Davis Trio: Waiting for You to Grow
*Kris Davis: Capricorn Climber
*Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey: Buoyancy
*Charlie Parker: The Complete Savoy and Dial Studio Recordings 1944-1948 (disc 6)
*Tom Rainey Trio: Hotel Grief
*Sun Ra: 1968-03 Electric Circus, NYC (CDR)
*Sun Ra: 1969-07-03 Newport Jazz Festival (CDR)
*Sun Ra and His Astro Ihnfinity Arkestra: The Intergalactic Thing (side 1)
*Cecil Taylor: 2016-04-23 Whitney Museum, NYC (CDR)
*Henry Threadgill & Zooid: 2011-11-25 Poznan, Poland (CDR)
*Beach Boys: Sunflower (selections)
*Beach Boys: Surf’s Up (selections)
*Beach Boys: That’s Why God Made the Radio (selections)
*David Bowie: Nothing Has Changed (disc 2)
*Jefferson Pilot: Soundtrack to Welcome Stranger
*Deerhoof: The Magic
*Dr. Dog: Psychedelic Swamp
*Fall of Troy: Fall of Troy
*Gerbils: Battle of Electricity
*Grateful Dead: 1969-04-22 Boston (CDR)
*OOIOO: Armonico Hewa
*Various artists: Old, Old Old (cassette compilation)
*Various artists: WSAM: Sure (CDR compilation)
*Amy Winehouse: Back to Black
*XTC: Wasp Star (Apple Venus Vol. 2) (selections)
*Yes: Tales from Topographic Oceans (side 1)

Reading List, Week of 2016-07-03

David Thomson is my second-favorite writer on film. I don't write much about movies on this blog, but I do watch, and I enjoy reading about watching.

My favorite writer on film is my good friend Gordon Thomas, whose masterful new article on The Birth of a Nation has just appeared in Bright Lights Film Journal.  Gordon's writing is always thoughtful and provocative, and this lengthy exploration is no exception.

Reading List 2016-07-04:

*Thomson, David. How to Watch a Movie (started/finished)
*Erikson, Steven. Fall of Light (in progress)
*Hinds, Andrew. Acting Shakespeare’s Language (in progress)

The Nature of Books

A book gives great responsibility to our participation and commitment: reading keeps us awake and it maintains the forward motion of the text. The very nature of the book tends to emphasize the privacy and purpose of reading. Its nature is to build introspection, the way exercise improves a muscle. (David Thomson, How to Watch a Movie, 2015, p. 216)