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Stephen Walsh's new biography of Stravinsky sounds as though it proves that, at least when it comes to hagiography, sometimes art is better without Craft (ahem!).
Ohhhhh, my aching head. Back from a wedding and then right into CMJ (a sort of New York version of Austin's SXSW), which strangely enough actually had music worth seeing and some very cool panels for the first time in many many years. The Thrill Jockey Showcase that I saw, which showcased all the noiserock that Shytown is famous for, was excellent. Also attended a party at the Slipper Room on the Lower East Side for Fuzz Music, a new music company whose backing comes from one of the Google millionaires. They're looking for things to sign but have no real idea, it seems, as to what directin…
Chesky Jazz SACD 321.hybrid multilayer SACD Bob Belden, David Chesky, prods; Nicholas Prout, eng. DDD. TT: 60:00.
Nicholas Payton: trumpet; Bob Belden: saxophones; Sam Yehel: Hammond B3 organ; John Hart: electric guitar; Billy Drummond: drums.
We—or perhaps I should be completely accurate here and say I—have become so comfortable thinking of Wayne Shorter a an instrumental genius that we (I) forget just how powerful his compositions are. Mysterious Shorter serves as a timely reminder that the powerful tenor saxophonist could have been a powerful jazz voice without ever…
My review of Nicholas Payton, Bob Belden, Sam Yehel, John Hart, Billy Drummond: Mysterious Shorter: Music of Wayne Shorter is now up at Face the Music blog.
"Also," John DeVore continued, "we should have drinks soon. What do you say?"
We arranged to meet at the Pink Pony on Ludlow Street, just beside the musical Max Fish and directly across from a suddenly vacant lot. You can look into that vacant lot from a third-floor bedroom window and count the ugly rats as they scurry across wooden planks and dart into dark holes. One, two, three...
We decided on the Pink Pony, and not the musical Max Fish because I'd requested coffee.
"Coffee bad, beer good," John DeVore replied.
"I'd actually like to drink something other…
I know what you're thinking. "Did he ask 36 questions or just 35?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is the most powerful melodic neuroimaging test in the world, and could blow your ears clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that an empty box in a good location, must be in want of a cat.
Greetings to visitors from The Friday Ark and Carnival of the Cats.
"You think I can't?" sez Huckleberry. "Look at these ears—solid gold, baby."
Note to visitors from The Friday Ark and Carnival of the Cats: It's an audiophile thing.
CJR's oral history of embedded journalists in Iraq 2003–2006.
I love getting my print copy of CJR, but the website has become an obsessive must-visit URL.
"Exciting!" I replied. "I was hoping you’d say this."
"I love it," he said. "It's one of my favorite parts of the job, but it's really difficult."
***
I wasn't taking notes, and it's been four days and fifteen coffees since, so I can't give you all the special little details and all the perfect words, but what's causing John DeVore all the trouble and excitement is a brand new monkey — a new loudspeaker, that is, in his Gibbon line, to fill the obvious gap between his $4000 Super 8 and his king of the jungle Silverback, and to be introduced at the 2007 CES…