Silence is the Question

Apr 21

“Jazz Death,” The Roscoe Mitchell Art Ensemble

Feb 3

Vijay Iyer: There’s a real conformity going on and it’s not just in New York either, based on listening to musicians from other places through MySpace and other means. From what I hear, people aren’t challenging themselves that much. They’re largely playing it safe instead of pushing themselves. I felt like I particularly needed to respond to the student culture, because probably the biggest source of jazz musicians now is the music schools. Many who come out of them feel driven to conform. Of course, there are economic pressures for making the choices they do as well. However, the main thing is that their choices don’t seem to be informed by the history of the music. And by “history of the music,” I mean the history of empowered risk taking which is what defines jazz history. It’s one of the main driving forces behind the evolution of the genre. So, I’m not advocating experimentation for its own sake, but advancements that are grounded in the perspective that jazz is inherently oppositional and represents a search for transformation and newness.

Jan 5

Validation.

Dec 22

“To me, Craig Taborn is the number one pianist living today.” Vijay Iyer … Woah!

Nov 26

I really love my professor’s playing, but he doesn’t give private lessons. Does anyone in the Twin Cities know of any piano instructors who lean more towards the experimental side of things? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Nov 15

There is a God.

Oct 23

Reading Dave King’s blog is always amusing:

- My dad came up to the gig from minneapolis and he said “good job son……….clean your room”. then he said “you sound like you have been listening to alot of ronald shannon jackson’s decoding society on vinyl lately” to which i replied “fuck vinyl…… try cassette from vinyl transfer dad………you never understood me”

- I WENT TO THE CY TWOMBLY MUSEUM AGAIN. impossibly good. also the rothko chapel. unreal. people meditating in pure quiet in front of purple black monoliths of pained paint. sounds like a saturday night at dali lamas miami crash pad.

- We finished the euro portion of the tour at the marciac festival in france and by the way…..THE FUCKING PRESIDENT OF FRANCE CAME!!! HES A SOCIALIST LIKE ME!! HES NICE!! WE TALKED ABOUT SOCIALISM AND HOW FREE JAZZ WILL CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER!!

- ask anyone in my house over here in golden valley mn. right by the arts high school where as we speak young assholes are walking by my house with their cigarettes burning holes in their frail cool hearts! AMERICAN APPAREL!! YOU HAVE MUCH TO ANSWER FOR! most of this shit looked bad the first time around.

- We recorded in 5 hours and carrothers wore mirrored sunglasses the whole time. i said “bill…….this isn’t a poker tournament it’s a jazz record” and he said “same thing”. i’m still thinking about that one.

“Thanks to all the “heads” who “represented” for “avant garde populism”. We played a great double trio show with Jason Moran and the great Bandwagon (Nasheet Waits and Taurus Mateen) for the Celebrate Brooklyn Festival thingy. It was “off the chain”. Those guys are formidable improvisers on the highest level and we all have a good natured vibe together. The sound was like Ornette’s Tone Dialing band meets Land of the Lost episodes playing backwards on a beta VCR through Henry Threadgill’s megaphone.” Dave King

Sep 20

Just what I need today.

Sep 10

Cecil Taylor, Tree of Life (1991)
I’m spending some time revisiting this inspired concert by the maestro. It’s a rare person who can look at the fundamentals of sound itself and construct something thoroughly original from the ground up. Mr. Taylor is a treasure for humanity.

Silence is the Question

Listening is an Act of Love