Consolidating

In case you were wondering about the all of the new posts. I wanted to put all of my articles in one place. So here are all of the posts from the last couple of years.  I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed rereading them. 

Much Love :)

Engineer's Perspective: Song Harmony 2/13/09

 Working with faculty is a blessing and a curse.  We in concert production often have a lot of complaints about the disregard of our department's procedures.  No set up information, late paper work, starting late, ending late.  Usually the worst offenders are faculty members.  At the heart of it I think we feel that they take us, and the performance spaces for granted which students never do.  But, Berklee faculty is faculty for a reason... they're really good at what they do.  I think perhaps for this show I underestimated the size and difficulty of it, I wrongly assumed it would be a night of jazz, simple ensembles that wouldn't need much from me.  What I got instead was a large and varied mixture of big bands and small duos, acoustic folk bands to musical theatre.  I was not prepared mentally and am grateful that everyone seemed understanding of my uncharacteristically flustered demeanor.     After what seemed like a endless sound check of striking mics, adding mics, adjusting stage set ups, trying to make everyone comfortable and happy, and oh yeah trying to make it sound good, I actually had time during the show to relax and listen to the music.  Usually these hectic shows keep me agitated throughout the performance.  This time I could listen and enjoy.  I was pleasantly surprised by the variety, cleverness, and fun in the music.  Typically Berklee faculty take themselves far to seriously. 

            This year's concert was a collaboration between the voice department and the harmony department.  So I had a little something to latch my attention onto.  (Sometimes when listening to instrumental music it's hard for me to focus.)  The concert started with an interesting re arrangement of "Over the Rainbow" and then Progressed to the strange but ultimately funny "visiting my aunties" by Darrell Katz, and the cute and witty songs by Lucy... "Don't Let the Fun Begin" and "Go Away".  Which would have been very funny had they been better performed, as it was they were merely sad.  I feel Lucy is a better composer than she is a performer. Her witty lyrics were lost and the subtle irony of the clichéd stylings of the song was over shadowed by a performance that lacked conviction.  The highlights of the evening were "Red Blues" performed by Donna Mc Elroy and George Russell.  Also composed by Darrell Katz this was a beautiful ballad that was just strange enough to make it interesting and was performed beautifully by Donna. I'm a big Donna fan though and it appeared most of the crowd was also.  The other highlight for me was "Screw Cap Vino", because how can you not like a song where the hook is "Guess I'll play a round of Keno and drink my screw cap vino".  We also got a taste of Michael Wartofsky's new musical "The River is Me", which I look forward to hearing concert in March. 

            Each piece was performed with a fun carefree-ness that I can only assume comes from years of doing what you love.  That is the blessing of working with faculty.  Yes they can be intimidating at times, you know "I've been doing this for twenty years, I know what I'm talking about" I get a lot of that, and I can respect that but it sometimes makes the job a little stressful.  But watching and hearing them play is a pleasure.  I wonder if they get the same feeling of disbelief that I do, the disbelief that they actually do this for a living and are constantly in an environment of talent and creativity.  Or is the awe greater for those of us on the side, who only get to bear witness.                

Engineer's Perspective: Heavy Rotation 2/13/09

I have a confession to make. I love the Heavy Rotation concert at the BPC.  I'm not supposed to, it's supposed to be a big pain in my side, but I can't help really enjoying myself on that night.  I'm sure everyone who played that night might find it hard to believe since I probably looked ready to hit someone.  Situations such as that, where there were nine different bands (that's a lot for a ninety minute show) require the stage guy to be a bit of a hard ass.  It's part of the job, admittedly one that is difficult for me to execute, but I do it. I stand around frowning with a "no" ready at my lips for any one who dare inconvenience me with a request.  I hurry bands through their sound checks cutting them off when their 15 minutes are up.  I'm snappy, rude, a bit condescending, at least that's how it feels, definitely out of character for me.  But I want all the bands and participants to know that despite all of my griping I thought it was a great event.  It wasn't perfect, it went long, some of the bands were difficult, it was disorganized, the high hat clutch broke, bottom line, it was a stressful two nights.  Despite its faults it's probably the most fun night of music at the BPC.  Most of the shows I see are small reserved events.  Small, respectful crowds out to her some good music.  The quality of the performance is often very good and the quality of the music even better, but it's usually so very serious.  I feel sometimes that people spend so much of their time thinking about music, analyzing music that they forget the joy of music.  That can't be said for last night's performers.  Even the sound check was fun to watch.  My favorite moment was when the guitarist from Sex! overestimated the length of his instrument cable and in his excitement pulled it right out the amp on the first chord, then proceeded to do it again (we rectified the problem for the day of the show).  And really every band had that same excitement, they seemed giddy with it. Like kids playing rock star in front of the mirror.  I don't get to see that much in the BPC, usually everything is orderly and routine.  That's right, I'll admit it, I like that the concert is a bit unorganized, it's a frenzy, which makes it all the more exciting. 

            This year all of the bands were good.  I haven't been able to say that about every year, but I can't honestly say that I disliked any of the groups that performed.  My personal favorites were Nini and Ben who I heard last year at the New Music festival, White Shoe Brown Shoe, 'cause their second song was just so catchy, and Sex! who were too much fun to watch not to love them.  Even watching the crowd dance with the DJ in between the acts was fun.  I could never really tell if they were really into the music or just mocking him, but regardless every one there was having a great time.  Some people even jumped up on stage during a particularly long change over.  I didn't have the heart to kick them off the stage right away and really anything to distract the audience while we hustled to find a working high hat clutch was welcomed.  Really the only low part for me was when Shea Rose added a song and two singers to her ten-minute spot.  Obviously she went way over her allotted time, and on top of that her performance was weak compared to the rehearsal night. I thought it looked sloppy, and her actions unprofessional, which tainted my opinion of what was shaping out to be a wonderful event. 

            Regardless of what went wrong, this concert made me feel like for one night the Boston music scene comes to me, since I rarely have the chance to go out and experience it for myself.  I get to taste it all, rock, pop, hip-hop, blues, the sweet and simple, the outrageous, it all gets bundled together into one night of music.  It's a night of variety and lots of talent and that's really all I want out of concert after listening to and watching the same shows seemingly over and over again.  Something about the Heavy Rotation concert always stays with me.  Even years later I could sing for you word for word songs I'd heard played at the heavy rotations event, and I sure this year will be no exception (Down the Road has been stuck in my head for a week).  Working this event makes me feel a part of something new, outside of the little Berklee bubble.  Reminding me of why I enjoy doing what 

Engineer's Perspective 1/29/09

It's been a while since I've written, which I regret.  Another semester is under way and nothing demonstrates that more than the singer's showcase auditions.  Berklee's own little American Idol.  These auditions are the highlight of the semester for me.  It's very little work for me as an engineer so I just get to sit back and make my own picks for showcase.  It is amazingly similar to watching American Idol at home and I get to play Simon, which let's face it is what everyone does when they watch.    I debate with my co-workers about the singer's song choice, or arrangement, vocal ability and (most important to me) stage presence.  Every semester I watch and pick and know that the judges will pick differently.  I know by now what they look for but I always hold out hope that one of my underdogs will sneak in.  Admittedly I have a bias.  I have been involved with just about every Singer's Showcase since 2002.  Seven years may not seem like a long time especially compared to others who have been involved since the beginning but I've seen enough to be tired of it. Tired of the same singer's and the same songs trying to find some way to make this semester more exciting and spectacular, when really all I want is to make the show different.  I sit and watch big voice after big voice come to knock the socks off of the judges, there's very little subtlety.  There's no one that whispers sweetly commanding you to sit on the edge of your seat and really pay attention to what they are doing, or one who takes a song you've heard a thousand times and makes it fresh and new. Rarely is there even great presence on the stage. There's confidence and comfort, but it's rare to see someone who you can't help but watch perform.  Stage presence and musicality, more so than singing ability makes great singers.  Some people would argue, that singing ability at an institution like Berklee which teaches singing technique, is more important than performance ability and that they should at least be weighted equally. But a great performer can be forgiven any fault in his ability where as a great voice alone is not enough to compensate for lack of charisma. You'll say that he was good but boring or maybe you won't be able to put a finger on what you didn't like, but you know it wasn't what it could have been. A performer needs to connect with the audience and not just impress them.  And here is where the Showcase fails, it's filled with extremely talented people but always disappoints, because instead of nurturing individuality and creativity it produces the same ol' thing semester after semester.  And the result is the same ol' people turn out every year to audition and eventually all of those other great performers here at Berklee don't bother auditioning.  With a little flexibility and an open mind Singer's Showcase could live up it's potential could maybe be worthy of all of the hype.    

Engineer's Perspective: 50 years of Bossa Nova 8/23/08

 As I have mentioned before it is often difficult when working a concert to separate the experience of the engineer, stagehand, etc. from the experience of the audience. Some one says to you after the fact how great the show was and all you can remember is how irritated, frustrated, and exhausted you were. That concert as far as you are concerned was awful. Luckily for last night's show I wasn't mixing it. I had the opportunity to work and exhaust myself on stage while someone else dealt with the frustration.  It made being objective a little easier.  And with my objectivity I will sum up the concert in one word... considering.  It sounded good, considering there wasn't a sound check.  The orchestra did well considering they were unrehearsed.  The engineer remained remarkably civil considering the impossibility of the situation he was presented with. This concert, which had the potential to be great, was merely mediocre, and it's unfortunate.  My impression after it was over was that the orchestra was unnecessary.  Every song that was just the band or a small ensemble was magical. The band grooved and the simple arrangements were lyrical and beautiful.  My personal favorite was "Morrer de Amor" arranged for piano, voice, and cello, which was equally sweet and sorrowful. The concert's special guest, famed guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, was (as is the case with most of the seasoned professionals that the school brings in) wonderful to watch.  His anecdotes were funny, endearing and educational. He wore the teacher's cap admirably for his audience, telling them about the history of the music, the people who created it, and reminding them to always play for the joy of it.  I especially liked the story of calling up Jobim and asking him to jam. It embodies the idea of playing for joy; it's unassuming and naive in the best possible way.  So why, with all of this joy, knowledge, and beautiful music going around was there still this bad aftertaste in my mouth? For all of its good elements it couldn't escape the taint of unprepared ness.  Every time I looked at the ugly scrim hanging in the back I cringed, but we didn't have time or space to change it.  Or whenever someone tried to awkwardly maneuver the stage I was reminded of the three hours I'd just spent attempting to fit the orchestra onto our too small stage.    And I was mad that this wonderful artist was subjected to the worst Berklee style overproduction.  It seems like every other show we do has turned into Songbook.  Or is trying to be without realizing how difficult it is to pull off that show. A golden rule to go by is less is more, and when you do have more, it's important to allot more time for it.  Songbook doesn't happen in a day and the BPC is not Symphony hall; expecting either is asking for a sub par performance. Fortunately for them I enjoyed the part of the concert I watched... considering.

Engineer's Perspective: My Multi-Band Nightmare 4/1/09

 Sometimes it seems my year doesn't really start until the spring semester.  That's when things get a bit hectic around here.  But this year seems to be more tiring than others. It's not that there are more concerts, but they seem to be cramming more into each event.  I 'm speaking of multi-band concerts: where they attempt, (no actually they succeed) to fit between five and fifteen bands into one ninety-minute show.  Now maybe to the audience this doesn't seem like a big deal.  Most concerts have multiple bands, battle of the band concerts happen all the time, why is it so difficult for Berklee to do them?

            The issue is time constraint. I'm sure all the people who work sound or who are stage hands for these type of concerts despise them as much as I do, either that or they don't care.  Since I'm an engineer who cares, who has an invested interest in the success of any show I work, these concerts are frustrating, tiring, and always disappointing.   For those who don't know, a BPC show is a seven-hour shift.  A two-hour set-up, a 90 minute sound-check, the house is open for forty-five minutes, 90 minute show (supposedly), and an hour to tear down.  This is plenty of time for most events, but when the sound check involves ten bands, that gives us only nine minutes per band to change over and check. What that means is that I hear each band for five minutes, if I’m lucky.  This is not enough time to get the monitors straight, let alone get a mix going. And that's just ten bands.  Do the math and figure out what would happen if there were more. Though it may be hard to believe, a properly balanced mix isn't instantaneous, there is more going on behind the console than just bringing up faders, and it takes time.  Some of you perhaps will still say, 'That's not so bad, five minutes is enough time and you can always mix on the fly'. Which is true, and if the bands are similar in style and instrumentation it's not a problem, in fact it makes for a more exciting evening. But this is rarely the case and even so, it means that no one should expect perfection, which people often do.

            This leads me to the second part of my nightmare scenario: pressure.  Most of these multi-band concerts are what we call high profile events.  The night when the house is packed, and the boss's boss is there; where I am under the microscope, and inevitably something goes wrong. As you can imagine, my feeling as the show grows closer is one of either frustrated resignation, or just plain ol’ anxiety.  It's awful facing a show with such low expectations.  Even if everything goes well, at the end you feel as if a bus hit you.  There's no satisfaction from having done a good job, there's just this elation at having made it through the concert partially intact.

            I know I've been ranting a bit in this article; I understand that dealing with these situations is my job.  And ultimately at the end of the day, as bad as I may feel about it, the show always goes on without too much blood loss.  But it could be better.  When dealing with such a large production, preparedness is essential, and more time is necessary.  And I don't mean sound checking for five hours instead of two. Tired ears only worsen my ability to mix. If you have a show with multiple bands ask for a tech rehearsal the day before.  This leaves plenty of time for each band to check, to work on transitions, get everyone happy and then come back the next day fresh.  As a leader for these concerts, look ahead, decide how much time each group should have to sound check. Take into consideration how much time it will take to change from one band to the next.  Try to get the bands to share equipment, but don't assume that they all will.  Take changeovers into account when deciding on the show order.  The more information the engineer has before he starts, the easier the sound check goes. Last, and most importantly, bring a lot of patience: we understand that leading these shows can be stressful so we are patient with you. That courtesy should be reciprocated.  It would certainly be appreciated.  

 

Engineer's Perspective: Mandolin Madness 2/19/2008

Last week I had the pleasure and privilege to mix for John McGann's Mandolin Madness.  And all I can say was it was a perfect evening. I am so happy that this was the first concert that I mixed on the new speakers.  I couldn't have asked for a better one. It was a concert of small acoustic ensembles, no pick-ups, no amps; I could really take my time and listen to the system.  In general acoustic music is easier to mix because the musicians balance themselves, all I have to do is make them louder. Granted it can be a little more involved depending on the musicians.  Before mandolin madness there was another small acoustic show in the BPC that should have been easy but was mixed so loudly, it kept running into trouble.  With that in mind my objective for that evening (aside from getting accustomed to the speakers) was to make the reinforcement transparent.  I wanted it to sound like everything was coming from the stage, not from the speakers. Have nothing so loud that it might feedback, just loud enough to hear everything clearly. I decided to use all small condenser mics for the string instruments, figuring they would complement all the different instruments we had. Because all of the groups were small I had time to really listen during sound check, change and adjust mics when I needed.  But really all the fuss about the sound was for my benefit alone. A lot of times when there's not much for the engineer to do, he'll justify his presence by appearing as busy and important as possible.   I'm sure they would have been content to all play around one mic; they were just concerned with making good music.  Which was fine by me 'cause the better the music is, the more I enjoy my job.

             The concert, which was a joy to listen to, was a journey through many styles and shapes of music with the mandolin as the common theme. Throughout the night the music was varied, lively, and fun. They opened with a vivacious duet of mandolin and frame drum. The piece was a fusion jig weaving seamlessly through odd meters and intricate rhythms.   I sat back and listened as we went from the Mediterranean to Ireland and finished stateside with jazz and bluegrass.  Every ensemble while small in size, inspired movement and dancing, shouts of praise and encouragement, no one was left unmoved by the good vibes coming off the stage.  It was how a concert at a music school should be.  I'm often disheartened by the lack of enthusiasm in Berklee audiences and subsequently in the performances.  It always feels as though everyone is listening critically and not enjoying. Such was not the case here, every one involved audience and performer was there to first have fun and secondly celebrate the talent on stage. Like I said I couldn't have asked for a better concert to mix

Engineer's Perspective: My Soul Still Needs Restoring 2/12/08

I've always enjoyed black history month because even with the disorganization and general chaos one expects from the concerts, you can always expect interesting clinics and really good music.  But lately since the Africana studies department has taken over the programming the music has suffered. While I understand that it is important to know the history behind the music and the cultures that create it. I feel that academic analysis and politics have no place in the celebration of music and that ignorance in no way hinders appreciation. Having said that I wonder what has happened to our celebration of black music? It seems that it has stopped celebrating and started preaching, and that is some how not nearly as fulfilling. Last year, I remember being disappointed by Cornell West's speech that kicked off black history month. I thought it was without reflection, or insight or relevance, it was simply a lot of show with no substance.  This years BHM kick off proved to live up to those disappointing standards.  The guest this year was George Duke who has visited the college before and has always delivered inspirational and educational performances.  My disappointment does not stem from him or with his performance. My issue was with the first hour of the show where the visiting artist wasn't even present.  I watched for three days as they stumbled their way through seemingly endless rehearsing, baffled that such a talented collection of students and faculty couldn't seem to get it together.  The concert was tired; the song selection trite, and the whole thing was approached with a serious lack of enthusiasm.    That wasn't the case with George Duke's portion of the show. The band came alive in his presence and that's understandable be because he was brimming over with excitement and energy.  There was a very blatant difference between the demeanor he had during rehearsals and show and that of the leaders of the first half.  He was understanding, cheerful, accommodating and he commanded the band.  He rehearsed as little as the other ensemble, but that wasn't evident during the performance.  Listening as the first group's arrangements fall apart made me cringe.  Watching as they rehashed the same old stuff made me want to get up and walk out.  There was no soul restoration going on.  All there was was a lot of time wasted waiting for George Duke to perform.  And for what purpose, why not dedicate the whole night to the visiting artist? I'm sure everyone there would have loved to see another hour of George Duke performing.  The only saving graces to the soul restoration were two performances, one by Kudisan Kai and the other by Donna McElroy.  They were the only ones who managed to breathe some new life into the songs and give the audience something fun and sincere.  And that's really what it boiled down to, sincerity.  The whole time I couldn't shake the feeling like I was watching a spoof on what an R&B concert should be.  So even with all that talent and all that time the concert still lacked the most necessary component... soul.   

Engineer's Perspective: A New Year, A New Leaf 1/30/08

Once again the New Year begins, and we as customarily take this opportunity to reflect on our lives, the lives of others, and the world around us. We reflect and wonder what it is we can do to make all these things better. The New Year represents to us a turning of a new leaf, another chapter, a catalyst for change.  And in this spirit, (and the convenience of a long break) The Berklee Performance Center has under gone a transformation.  For those of you who don't know the BPC recently changed those beloved and uncomfortable green sets for new ones. And most exciting for me, is the installation of a new speaker system.  I won't get into any of the geeky details, suffice to say it sounds great!  With all of these new changes I feel it is only appropriate that an effort be made to change the way we (and by we I mean both engineer and performer) make an effort to make the concert experience better for all involved.

 I once talked with a musician who compared the musician engineer relationship to the Israel/ Palistine conflict. The analogy is perhaps a little extreme but the point he made is vivid. The performer/engineer relationship is plagued with a complete lack of communication, fueled by old grudges and an unwillingness to compromise.  And while I'd like to pretend that I am at all times professional and open-minded, the truth is that I am human and imperfect and probably difficult to work with at times.  But this is a new year and in the spirit of resolutions and in the constant pursuit of self-improvement, I am approaching this new school term with a clean slate for myself and for the various concert leaders I'll work with this year. 

            It is difficult in this business to receive criticism, I know this as a giver and taker of advice.  As artists we need to develop a thick skin, let stuff roll off our shoulders, take everything with a grain of salt, right?  This provides the necessary buffer to allow us to stay positive and keep going.  The drawback of course is that once this buffer is in place it is hard to take it down when it could be useful.  It's easier to keep on trucking; lay blame elsewhere.   

Engineer's Perspective: Gabriela Montero

Improvisation is often taken for granted by Berklee students.  It is just another part of the music, an inevitable part of it. We are taught and know as musicians ourselves that invention and innovation are often the product of improvisation.  It allows the musicians an opportunity to express themselves as they are at that moment. It gives them space to show their abilities.  Historically improvisation has always been an important part of music. But as of the early nineteenth century, the classical music establishment has shunned improvisation preferring to emphasize reading and the playing difficult scores instead.

Enter Gabriela Montero. Born in Venezuela, Gabriela has been playing piano since she was a toddler.  She recounted the story of how at the age of seven months her grandmother convinced her parents to give a toy piano intended for an older sibling to her.  And she has been playing piano ever since.  Performing for the first time at the age of five and her first concerto at the age of eight she has been a shining star to the classical music world for her whole life.  But aside from being a prodigy and her virtuosic abilities on the piano, Gabriela also has an extraordinary gift for improvisation, reintroducing it to the classical music world.  She described how many people who came to hear her when she first started improvising in her concerts were shocked, they didn't know what to make of her. So in an effort to bring some understanding into what she was doing she began asking members of the audience to sing her a theme on which she would base her improvised piece. And after touring the world and playing with many different orchestras Gabriela comes to Boston to perform solo, putting more emphasis improvising.     

 

The Lawrence and Alma Berk Hall is certainly a different venue from where she usually plays.  But the intimate setting made the atmosphere much more comfortable and special.  I felt as if I were sitting in her living room listening to her play after dinner.  It was like a small gathering of friends, and after a few timid requests the audience relaxed and felt free to talk and joke with the performer.  Her first improv and one of the night's best, was inspired by a snippet of a theme from The Write of Spring.  And we watched as she took a few moments to prepare herself.  Lightly doodling the theme a couple of times she closed her, took a breath, then began to play.  You can hear the influences of Chopin, Mozart and the wide breadth of styles that she has played and internalized over the years. The Write of Spring theme was an especially nice way to start the night because it was a perfect catalyst for her to make an interesting piece. It's fascinating to see where the piece begins (with just a little snippet) then makes this transformation through styles and eras of music into something completely original.  The best moment for me was when she was asked to speak about how she came to play piano. She talked about how her mother sang to her as a baby and she would in turn play those same melodies on her toy piano.  She ended the story by improvising a piece inspired by a lullaby her mother used to sing to her. The evening continued with The Simpson's theme (another favorite of mine), Somewhere Over the Rainbow, a little Elvis, and a little Beatles.  It was an amazing thing to watch, hear and be a part of and I hope she will grace us with her presence again sooner rather than later.

 If you want to hear her before her next Boston appearance check out her website.  She has started taking online request and bi-monthly she will pick one request and improvise a piece from it to post on her website. www.myspace.com/gabrielamontero

Engineer's Perspective: Maysa Clinic 9/24/07

Clinics at Berklee are often hit or miss.  I always find it interesting and at times disappointing that more often than not the clinics presented at Berklee lack much academic value.  Berklee has built it's reputation on the analysis and understanding of popular music styles.  Seeing as a lot of that music doesn't come from a very academic foundation I imagine it is difficult to find clinicians who can offer a more analytical approach to the music or the musical career.  But this is an academic institution.  Visiting artist should reflect and enhance the education being received.  I recently attended a clinic sponsored by the voice department that didn't reflect the schools level of education but was certainly an adequate representation of clinics put on at the school.  Maysa, an R&B singer popular in the early nineties, came to offer her story of the journey through music and business.  All in all she was a good speaker.  She was very nice to listen to, comfortable, eloquent, personable, and a good story teller, but was she a good clinician? I don't know.   Listening to it I'd say she is no different than any other I've heard. She first spoke of her start in the business singing back up for Stevie Wonder.  Then auditioning for Incognito, which ultimately led to her being signed as a solo artist by a record label.  And aside from some obvious bitterness from being passed over for jobs because of her weight, it was an almost fairytale like the story. Her advice was clichéd and uninspiring declaring such jewels of wisdom as "I do my job and mind my own business" as reason for her continued work, or "Do what ever you can not to sound like everybody else".    She then turned around admitting that she couldn't believe she was giving out advice because she still had so much to learn.  Humble for her to say but also very true. A clinician should be able to offer more.  How did she start? How did she get there? What got her foot in the door?  I could have answered those questions without going to the clinic, hard work, talent and the less often mentioned, luck. Any one who is in the business of making music knows that luck is essential to one's success.  So if there is no formula for success, if looks, talent, and perseverance can't guarantee security, what do you (as a clinician) have to offer me? That is the question that should be asked. What can your story offer me as an aspiring artist?  I always leave clinics disappointed for two reasons.  One is that there is never an enlightening message for me. Not even inspiration at hearing a success story because I know that success is spelled differently for everyone, or not at all for some. The clinician must ask itself "what do I have to offer?"  I believe that Maysa did ask herself that and came prepared to discuss her approach to scatting.  She touched on it briefly but was never allowed to elaborate.  The clinic was interrupted with request for her to sing something, which she was unprepared to do.  Which leads me to my second disappointment.  If the clinician is someone I admire as a musician,  I want to hear a performance.   Unfortunately the clinic leaves little room for performance.  The little I hear is never enough to satisfy.  In the case of the Maysa clinic she was never given an opportunity to offer anything.  Her discussion on scatting was interrupted which then led to a very pathetic story of her "cuss out scat" which when demonstrated was nothing more than a rhythmic scat where she made ugly faces and pointed her finger violently.  I was under-whelmed to say the least.  Now that the ball had been knocked out of her court she was completely at a loss, she awkwardly stumbled through songs she couldn't remembered, and ended the clinic with a forced sing-a-long to the song she couldn't remember.  Who's at fault?  I don't blame the clinician I blame the faculty of department heads for not giving structure and aiding the chaos.  The clinicians should be brought with education and enlightenment as the goal.  A semi successful artist alone doesn't qualify, what does the clinician have to offer? What about their story is significant.  What about their musical approach can benefit the students here? Once you find someone worthy of the audience, act as a guide to both student and clinician.  I'm tired of the same disappointments and I'm sure the students are too.            

The Engineer's Perspective 9/18/07

The Engineer’s Perspective

            Another school year has begun and the city is once again full and bustling with the animated anticipation of thousands of students returning home. Because let's face it after spending a year here, you do consider it a second home.  And while I detest the longer commute, and crowded streets, I can't help but get swept up in the excitement of all the students starting a new year. For me, part of that excitement comes from knowing that with the new school year comes new talent, and with that talent comes a new potential for a lot of great performances at the school.  Working in the Performance Center, I have the pleasure of listening to some of the best performers Berklee has to offer everyday (Well... almost everyday).  Being an engineer, there is nothing I enjoy more than mixing for a good concert.  But as a musician it always disheartens me to see how few people come out to enjoy the talent that performs here.  There is nothing sadder than a great show with no audience. And that is too often the case with recitals here at the school. Some of the best shows I've seen here were in the smallest hall with no one there except for the people working. And believe me, it doesn't make the concert more intimate when no one's there, just uncomfortable.  So After five years of being here listening, watching and enjoying, I figure that someone should take the time to shed some light on some the school's hidden treasures.  And who better to do some light shedding than that silent observer behind the board.

            While I’m sure some musician’s would argue that the sound engineer is the last person you want giving their opinions on the quality of a performance, I would beg to differ.  If anything the engineer is going to be the one person in the audience who is truly removed enough to be objective. And while I understand that in music, or in anything, true objectivity is impossible.  There is some impartiality in someone who is at the performance to work. Objectivity aside a good critic needs to listen, and no one in the audience is listening more critically than the engineer.  Often times I feel that people think we don't listen, or we don't care beyond our most minimal obligations. But engineers have an invested interest in the music, and listening is the biggest part of it. I promise we have more to offer in the form of critique than just to turn down your amp.

             Since the school year is just beginning and their aren't many concerts to tell you about, this is a perfect opportunity to hand out some friendly advice to those who are interested in putting on recitals.

 

Tip #1: Consider the performance space when deciding on the size of your band

 

I often hear the complaint that the stage is too small.  Unfortunately there isn't much we can do about that, but one thing you can do is to have a smaller band. Before you add that horn section go have a look at the hall you are performing in and think where will they go.  I'm a firm believer that comfort weighs heavily in the quality of a performance. Cramming eight people on a stage that fits 4 is not conducive to the music making experience.  Leave yourself some room to breathe. 

 

Tip#2:  Balance

 

It may be hard to believe, and it is a little hard to admit, but the engineer does not have complete control over the sound in the halls.  I know, it's shocking.  While I can guarantee that I will always do my best there are some variables that are out of my control, namely the musicians on stage.  In a live setting the job of the engineer is to simply amplify what is happening on stage, if someone is playing too loud on stage my hands are tied.  Let me demonstrate.  Say the drummer is playing too loud, since I can't make him softer I must make everything else louder.  Because he is playing loudly the other musicians can't hear themselves or each other over the drummer, now I must make it even louder on stage, which means I have to make it even louder in the audience.  This goes on until I hear that inevitable feedback rumble (or ear piercing shriek, which ever it happens to be) and am forced to turn down the monitors on stage.  The musicians are unhappy now because they can't hear themselves and they in turn don't play as well.  What a dilemma.  So how does one avoid this problem? Balance, if everyone on stage is playing at a level where they can all hear each other comfortably then there is no need for that disastrous chain of events to occur.  Think about how it sounds when you rehearse.  You probably don't use monitors when you rehearse, so here is a situation where you must balance to hear each other. Remember what that feels like when you perform. Have someone not in the group listen during rehearsal. An outside person will be more objective in their listening.  Can that person hear all the players?  Is the volume comfortable to listen to? Is any one instrument more prominent than another that shouldn't be?   Being balanced and aware of each player on stage gives the engineer more room to work, and gives you a better sounding concert.

 

Tip#3 Practice, practice, practice

 

By the time you are on stage you should be ready to perform. The sound check is not extra rehearsal time it is a sound check, which is done for the benefit of the musicians.   This is the time to make sure you are comfortable that you can hear everything well and that everything is to your liking.  If you are running through songs that you didn't get to rehearse you are not paying attention to how things sound, and I'm sure you are not calm and comfortable.  People get nervous when they perform in front of people, don't add to your nervousness by not being prepared.

 

Tip#4 Remember the sound guy is your friend

 

We are here to help you sound better.  Anything we can do (within our power) to make you more comfortable, and more at ease we will.  We are not the enemy and we do care. Trust our judgment, ask us questions, we are here for you.

I hope these tips are helpful and I look forward to hearing and seeing all your great shows this year.

Engineer's Perspective: Berklee On Broadway Goes Bust 2/27/08

If there was anything to be learned from this Sunday's concert (aside from the importance of rehearsals) is that Berklee has no business doing Broadway.  The Great American Songbook has been the one show I really look forward to during the year.  It was the best that Berklee had to offer, a real classy affair.  All tuxedos and evening gowns, a full orchestra; it is like no other show that the school puts on.  It is a night when Berklee shimmer's with the magic of good music, and Hollywood glamour. 

            For those who are interested in a bit of history, The Great American Songbook is a term given to a particular era of popular music beginning around the 1920's and tapering out in the 1960's. Interrelating the music from Broadway, Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley.  For the first few years of Berklee's American Songbook it held to this tradition with shows dedicated to the music of Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington.  Last year's show deviated from the others by performing the music of Stevie Wonder. And while I love Stevie Wonder's music and enjoyed the show, I felt it had lost some of it's class.  The music just didn't seem fitting with the atmosphere of the big band orchestra. Tuxedos and evening gowns were inappropriate, the orchestra seemed excessive, and the show lost some of that glamorous shimmer.  So this year's Broadway show should have been a return to what it once was right?  Unfortunately it was not.

             To be fair the show was terribly unrehearsed, some music hadn't even been handed out until that day.  On top of that, the band had all been there since one o'clock in the afternoon with just one break for dinner before the show. So by the time the show started the band had been there for seven hours rehearsing.  But aside from that I also thought the song selection was lacking in cohesion, the arrangements were corny, the transitions were sloppy and badly thought out, and the vocal performances were mediocre. Some of the composers weren't even American (but that's just being knit-picky). The concert wasn't bad, but it was hardly something to write home about.  I walked away saying "well... they got through it." and wondering what happened to this show.  I can't understand why they didn't choose just one composer. It would have added some cohesion to the songs, they wouldn't have needed so many different vocalist, and they wouldn't have needed such a big band. (Not that they ever needed such a big band to begin with.)  What they did need was a little organization; they needed to realize that Berklee has no business attempting Broadway.  Berklee does jazz and does it extremely well, I'm not saying they shouldn't have used Broadway songs, but arrange them in the jazz style. Have a little fun with it. The concert was so all over the place I wasn't really sure what to think. The end result was that I thought the jazz numbers were excellent and that everything else was weak in comparison.

 

            The one saving grace in the night was Donna Mc Elroy.  Originally she was the only vocalist in the show. Songbook was her show, she is who people came to see; she made it special. This year she was the crutch that kept the show from being a complete disaster.  I cringed listening to the singer add R&B runs to "Music of the Night"; I sat nervously hoping no one's voice cracked or they didn't run out of breath or forget the words.  At least Donna owned the un-preparedness, attempted to excuse it, but that did little to appease the awkwardness surrounding the evening. It felt as if the entire ensemble was holding it's breath waiting for the whole thing to fall apart. Resulting in a show that just couldn't let lose and get into the music.  I still have faith in songbook though, and hope that next years will be all of the things that made me love this show in the first place.

Engineer's Perspective: Wyclef at Berklee

I don't know if I should make these a separate blog.  While I debate it I'll just post everything together. 

 

Although Berklee is THE school for popular music.  It rarely host artist who can be considered popular at this moment.  Most had hits in the eighties or are only known to a very small audience.  So when a real celebrity visits the school, the whole place is in a frenzy.  This Monday Wyclef Jean gave a clinic for the five week summer program, which was

 bursting at the seams with people.  

Now, clinics at Berklee generally fall into two categories: anecdotal, or academic.  Me being the geek that I am prefer more academic discussions about music and technique.  The anecdotal while entertaining do little to inspire me or teach me since every experience is different and you can't copy another musician's journey to success.  Wyclef deffinately fell into the anecdotal category, in fact he really turned his star power on for these kids.  Ordinarily I would scoff and say with all of his talent he had nothing substaintual to say. But, between the funny stories of growing up in Brooklyn, and meeting Michael Jackson, and Lauren Hill's craziness.  He actually dropped a few pearls for the students to take with them. Granted I may be reading too much into his words but what I walked away with was an uplifting speech aimed to inspire these young people to go out and make it happen for themselves.

So after performing a couple songs with a Berklee all-star band (Jetro De Silva, Terri Lyn Carrington, etc.) they opened the floor to questions.  The first dreaded question from the audience was of course "What kind of gear did you use?" I hate this question.  It completely misses the point of creating music. The gear isn't what makes a hit, it's the talent of the music maker.  Unfortunately this question wasn't answered to my liking, but the message was still delivered at other moments.  While discussing how he got into music he said that he listened to all styles of music.  He got into Miles and Monk because he liked the the "mood" of the music. As a musician you shouldn't discriminate against different types of music.  Music can only truly be classified as either good or bad.  Later when talking about working with Shakira he said " Don't try to make hits, try to make a cultural phenomenon" Easier said than done.  And while it's wasn't stated very clearly, I think the message is to aim for longevity, not for what's popular at the moment.  Good music is timeless.  All of these little tidbits  came between funny stories, or teasing the audience, gernerally a lot of goofing around.  Which was refreshing to witness in a celebrity and very entertaining for the students. 

 At one point a young man came up to ask a question.  I didn't hear a word of it but it took him about two minutes to get it out, at which point he was interrupted and chased by Wyclef.  After a laugh Wyclef turned around and asked him a simple but important question, one that anyone considering a career in recording music should be able to answer.  "What is a Producer?" He waited for the student to answer his question and the young man paused, tried, but couldn't really answer the question.  (Especially since he told him it had to be in ten words or less!)   It's a great question.  Whatever it is that you want to do it is important that you have a clear and concise idea of what your part in it is.  The answer Wyclef gave after letting the kid squirm for a bit was, the producer is the composer. Again not particularly eloquent or, profound. As he elaborated he said that it's not about providing one part of the song, it's having the artistic vision for the entire record. He ended the question and answer portion with some advice about the future of the music industry. Telling them that they need to make it happen for themselves. And to use the tools that are available to get their music out into the world. "The future of the industry is in the technology" and in that future it is possible for everyone to write their own version of success.  

He ended the clinic with one last stellar performance as his alter-ego Toussaint St. Jean.  Starting with a berklee freestyle then jamming his way through Guantanamera, then adding an encore of "Get up Stand Up".  By the time he was finished kids were dancing in the aisles, standing on chairs and having the time of there lives.  All Berklee clinics should have that kind of energy. (Oh and in case you're wondering, yes, he's playing the guitar with his teeth.)

Adventures in iTunes land Day 5

I need to start by first clarifying a statement made in my previous post.  My husband never said he doesn't like The Allman Brothers.  That particular conversation we were discussing Lynard Skynard and in general the superiority of Rock bands coming out of England compared to those from the U.S.  It's still an on going debate, though I have conceded many points to him.  For such a small country Britain has produced a large amount of excellent talent. And when you compare similar artists, the British artist is often technically superior.   However that doesn't apply to all (ahem, Spice Girls) nor does that mean that the American artist doesn't have equal talent and musicality. And I feel that all of the examples where the British artist is better are from at least twenty years ago.   You always hear Zepellin, or Pink Floyd, the Beatles. The more recent examples don't make for as convincing an argument.  

Ok, moving on to today's listening.

Primus Antipop (1999), Antipop indeed.  I only know Primus as the group that did the South Park theme song. That, and the uber-funky bass sound. My sole reason for adding this to my iPod is that I love that bass sound.  It seems silly right? I was never much of a engineer/production geek ( You know the "I wonder what kind of effect they put on his vocal to get that sound" types) but something about that slap bass is so funky it draws me in.   Their Wikipedia page described the music as Funk/Metal.  Which didn't become very evident until I got to Laquer Head, which I would definitely describe as metal. Admittedly I'm not digging this song too much. At least it's more interesting that most metal is, and it doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, which makes listening fun. But, I would definitely need to be in a certain kind of mood to pull this out and listen to it, and probably not the album in it's entirety.  I keep checking to see how many songs are left to go, I feel like I've been listening to this for hours and there is still more to go.  It's like I said about Metal in a previous post.  It's fun, it grooves but ultimately it's boring.  I could turn it down and put it in the background, or maybe put it on at a party. It's lively, you can bob your head to it and it won't distract you from conversation. As far as listening to it for listening's sake... I doubt I would.  I did like the last track, the kind of twisted carnival vibe of "Coattails of a Dead Man" and "The Heckler" (hidden on the last track) were the most interesting things to listen to on the album.  Fortunately there is some Aretha to bring me back to the music. "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" is hands down my favorite Aretha cover and is probably topping the list of the most played songs in my iPod.  Kudos to Otis Redding for writing this awesome song but let's face it, he could never do the song justice, and in my opinion neither could the Rolling Stones.  This should be the only version of the song people talk about, but unfortunately I think it's little known. I only discovered this until late in my Berklee career. Now, I'm a big fan of Aretha, so I'm a bit biased, but even I will say that not all of her soulful covers are great(i.e. "Elenor Rigby") but when she's on she's really on. This song just has so much energy when she's singing it, I only wish I could have seen this performance live, it must have been remarkable.  

"I Want You To Want Me" - Cheap Trick, always fun.

Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison ( 1968) I'll admit to being a bit of a Johnny Cash poser.  I never considered myself a country fan which I'm sure my music collection shows, but I knew 

Cash to be something of an icon. High Fidelity got me curious about reading "Cash" by Johnny Cash, which according to Rob is the best book he's ever read, and I generally trust his opinion on all matters of pop culture.  Even after that glowing endorsement I never bothered to check out Johnny Cash until "Walk the Line" came out.  I realized then "Hey this is good music!" So when I saw my boss had this album I snatched it up.  To add to my poser-ness I usually only listened to the songs that I liked from the movie. (I know it's shameful) My thoughts after a full listen through? While I still don't consider myself a country music fan I can see why so many people are. With it's simple harmonic structure and pretty melodies and lyrics that are so expressive you feel them in your soul, country music has a way of touching people that other styles don't.  The lyrics are never very profound, but they manage to, in very few words to perfectly express a particular emotion, or story. Painting this vivid picture in our minds of what is happening in the song. "Inside the bars of prison my body may be, but the lord has set my soul free" is a beautiful line, and that was written by on of the inmates!  

Throughout the album  the theme of a fallen then redeemed man plays heavily, I'm guessing that was intentional given the audience.  But it's a compelling theme even for someone not physically behind bars.  A man can feel trapped in many ways besides physically.  And the songs tell this story so fluidly, with a  playful narattive that takes some of the bite out of the sad stories .  Granted,  some songs are better than others, but that is the case with any album. I recently sat in on a song writing class where singer/songwriter Melissa Ferrick was speaking.  She was asked by a student if she needed misery to write well; if that was the best inspiration for her songs.  She gave a resounding yes and then said it's ironic that some of the most joyous music is made by those who are the most miserable.  Suggesting maybe it was her white girl guilt that made her write songs of sadness and heartbreak.  What strikes me about this music is even though it is all about men down on their luck, miserable, lonely, or sick with love. The music is toe-tapping and the lyrics are whimsical.  The music, while being about misery, is an escape from it at the same time.  It's refreshing.

Avenue Q (2003)   I didn't think this would make the cut.  I know it's an award winning musical but come on... puppets?  Really?! But the few songs I have from the soundtrack are hilarious.  "Grab your dick and double click, the internet is for porn" is possibly the best lyric ever. Hilarious! I think I may need to make a trip to the library to get the whole album.  

Beyonce B'day(2006)  I'm discovering that I only like top forty singles.  All of the songs I didn't know from B'day fell short.  They would start with a nice catchy beat and then the vocals come in and ruin the nice set up.  I Love the sample at the beginning of suga mama,  then the rest  of the song is blah.  The one surprise was "Resentment".  I recognize the song they're sampling and it's driving me crazy that I can't remember it, but regardless, it is a nice old school sounding song and she is great on it.  I feel her strength is her live performances.  Whenever I hear her records I think "ehh" but when she's there with a live band performing it's always off the wall. That same energy is missing from the recordings.  I think the difference is the live band.  Call me old fashioned, but a machine can never replace or duplicate  the energy of a live player.  It's my main issue with most "R&B/ Hip Hop" music that's been coming out lately ( like the past 15 years!).  Beyonce is enough of a star to pull it off, most others aren't.  

I got to Back and Black, but I'm suffering from listening fatigue so I think I'd better stop. I'll post days six and seven shortly.  This post is really long so I'm going to try to listen a little everyday and keep the post shorter. Thanks for bearing with me as I figure this thing out.

Adventures in iTunes land Day 4

I know it's been a while since I last posted.  Life, as I knew it eventually would, has hindered my listening.  I'm going to attempt to add a playlist of my favorite songs of each week, but that is proving more difficult than I had originally anticipated.  

So far the best part of this is discovering music I've had but never listened to.  Going to a music school you learn to talk the talk.  You know which artist to mention to get a good conversation going, you know what is generally agreed on as good music. So you collect and collect and before you realize you have an iPod with something for everyone to enjoy but that I often never really appreciate myself.  Well no longer, today's listening begins with Neo-soul artist Anthony Hamilton who I discovered searching for an artist that used to play XM's The Flow which sadly got canceled.  All I knew was that the guy played acoustic guitar and I thought his name started with an "A".  I don't think Anthony Hamilton is the one I was looking for but it was a nice discovery none the less. 

The album, Ain't Nobody Worryin' is like a tribute to R&B music.  It was all over the place, but in a good way.  This is what I like about Neo-Soul music.  There's this reverence for the past while  managing to sound current and new.  Ain't Nobody Worryin had gospel elements ("Preacher's Daughter", "Pass Me Over"). Some songs reminded me of that  seventy's sound, you know with a string section, horns, percussion, dreamy vocals.  The first artist that came to mind (even though he doesn't really sound like him) was Curtis Mayfield.  I enjoy hearing the history in the music.  It is an example of a culmination of years of this music.  You can hear your old favorites singing through a new voice. And in doing that it keeps all of the music that came before relevant. By way of transition, Missy Elliot's  All in My Grill single was thrown in between a couple albums.  A fun little break from my critical listening.

After enjoying Achtung Baby so much I was surprised by U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000).  My first surprise was that I know this album. At least I know it better than some older U2 work.  Rather... I know the first two songs, but I never knew that "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" was a U2 song. See, I'm learning new things everyday with this project.  My impressions of this album are luke warm.  I am more familiar with it, but never really liked the songs I was familiar with. As I'm listening I'm trying to pay more attention to the lyrics since from what I've read that is one of great things about this band's music. And I want to give the music my full attention, which I never really do when I'm listening to the radio.  Frankly... it's difficult to understand what he's saying. I eventually gave up on trying to catch every word seeing as I can't enjoy the music if I have to think to hard. It started off strong and the singles are definitely the best on the album, but I  grew tired of the songs. This album lost me after Wild Honey.  After that I found the songs corny, the subject matters while socially conscious, did little to stir any passion, and I grew tired of the polished disco rock sound that dominated the albums production.  Rock should be gritty, nasty, passionate.  The music can be about anything  so long as it stirs my blood, this album fell very short of doing that.  

Thankfully the next album was The Allman Brothers Band (1969). That had more than enough grit to compensate for U2's lacking. You've got to love that blues shuffle! Here again is another example of that uniquely American sound, I'll take it one further and say it's distinctly southern.  I don't understand how my husband can not like this music, it feels so good.  I remember watching a documentary about Tom Dowd where he spoke about his experience with the Allman brothers and how after hearing them he felt that as a producer all he had to do was let them play. Which in my experience is a very rare thing for a producer to say.  And if you think about it, it's a very unconventional band ( can't think of many popular bands with two drummers), which makes it even more impressive that the producer took a hands off approach to the music. It's a great testament to the quality of the music they were making.  I know they're known for being something of a jam band, but that's not what I'm getting from this album, which perhaps makes it more accessible for me. No, it's not just that it's mostly blues rock, it's more that the music is really good. And good music is always easy to listen to.  The two guitar lines in harmony is catchy even if what they're playing isn't. My biggest complaint about jam band music is typically  it seems to go on forever, and it's really boring. It's the same problem I have with Metal, and some Hip hop.  There's always a lot going on, so much so that you end up not listening to anything.  The ears need something to focus on, they need to be guided trough the music. This band does that artfully.  I can only imagine what it must have been like to experience them live. And "Whipping Post", wow!  I think that just became the song of the summer!

The Allman Brothers  would have been a nice note to end on for the day, but there are still hours left at work for listening. Next up in the queue is Amos Lee and Smokey Robinson's Anthology. Amos Lee is a nice low key R&B album, this is the kind of album you put on to relax.   Surprisingly it sounds a lot like the music I hear at Berklee. Musician's music,  a fusion of jazz, blues, and funk.  Fun music to play and fun music to listen to. Smokey on the other hand surprised me.  I am a huge Motown fan.  I love the music and it's from my home town which makes it all the more special for me.  But as I'm listening I can't tell on song from the next, nothing is really jumping out or  catching my ear.  There are the obvious songs which I've known for years, but then there was about an hours worth of music which wasn't really worth the time I'd dedicated to it.  I can say this about Smokey, he was prolific. Even with all of the fond memories of my childhood and all of my home town love,  I think I may have found the first album to get the axe. I'm sad to say it, but I know I'll probably never listen to most of these songs again.  I guess some music doesn't stand the test of time, even when it's Motown. Fortunately the day ended on a high note with Aretha Franklin's version of "The Weight" one of my favorite covers by her.  Tomorrow is another slow day so I'll hopefully finish up this first week of listening. Until then...

Adventures in iTunes land Days 2&3

I'm suddenly realizing how little time I actually have to listen to music. I hate imposing my song choice on my office mates so I couldn't really listen at work yesterday. Fortunately I have the office to myself today and lots of time to kill. This second listening installment included the rest of Acoustic Soul (India.Arie), Add it Up ( Violent Femmes), Adoration live in concert (Richard Smallwood), Aerosmith (Areosmith), and Aftermath [US] (The Rolling Stones),

The first three albums I was already very familiar with. Add It Up is my go to road trip album, and the Richard Smallwood I listen to when ever I need uplifting. It had been years since I listened to the entire Acoustic Soul album. And like with Aaliyah I understood why. The more I listen to my R&B albums the better I understand why it has such a smaller audience than Pop or Rock. It always puzzled me that a style of music that I enjoyed so much wasn't well known among the other students at Berklee. I think I get it now... it's boring music. Don't get me wrong I still love it but listening to it, really listening to it, I had a hard time resisting the urge to skip to the songs on the album I like. India.Aire in particular started to grate on me. Oddly enough her songwriting reminded me a lot of my own music, but it reminded of the things I don't like about my music. The lyrics seemed divorced from the music, fitting awkwardly into the songs melody and meter. The interludes/dedications were especially awkward, and she loves, LOVES using cliches. I'd like to think that you can use cliches as a clever lyrical device, but in all honesty it merely sounds (for lack of a better word) cliched. Thankfully it ended on a high note with "Wonderful". That is the kind of up beat R&B that I like. Everything grooves, sitting nicely with all the other elements. You can't help but bob your head and sing along. So props to her for starting strong and ending strong, even if the middle was a little weak.

My new discoveries today are Areosmith (1973 ), their first album, and Aftermath (1966) by the Rolling Stones. I love Aerosmith, at least I loved this album. It's fun to listen to, bluesy, souful, a sound that I think is uniquely American. Especially compared to Aftermath in which I heard more of a folk influence. Aerosmith also reminds me of Boston. It is the perfect bar music, and while Boston isn't much for flashy night clubs, it is definitely a drink and listen to music kind of town. This album would be the perfect backdrop to one of those evenings. As I listen I'm beginning to think that I'm an old soul when it comes to Rock. I like how raw it sounds. Everything you hear today is so polished it's sterile. There's no bite to it. This stuff on the other hand is messy, and there's a freedom and passion expressed in it that is intoxicating, it sucks you in. Or maybe I am just responding to the similarities between this music and the Blues and R&B that I'm so familiar with. My previous knowledge of the Rolling Stones is as a cover band essentially. The only songs I knew by them were covers of R&B tunes, which I believe they are greatly influenced by. It's a little grittier, but at the heart of it is good old rythym and blues, which is just fine by me.
All in all today and yesterday were great listening days. We'll see how many more of those there are by the end of this.

Adventures in iTunes Land Day1

Day one of my little project was a little rocky. I remembered my iPod today, which is good.  Unfortunately my peaceful (not) work environment wasn't conducive to music listening today.  I soldiered on any way.  I followed my friends advice and am listening by album.  I figure that way I'm keeping the artist vision complete while still giving myself some variety in listening. First up Aaliyah's Aaliyah ( albums are alphabetical in case you hadn't guessed).  A seemingly strong start, up beat, catchy songs that I am familiar with, but after about four songs I realized why I hadn't listened to this album in six years.  Primarily produced by Timbaland, the over all sound of the album got old really quick.  And while some of the songs ("We need a Resolution, More Than a Woman, Rock the Boat) still got my feet tapping and me singing along, the rest sounded dated.  It reminded me of that summer when "Sexy Back" was released. Timbaland had produced a few other songs that same summer that were hits but none of them kept my interest like JT's song did. That song was great, the rest just seemed to try to recreate that same sound and didn't cut it.  I will say this about Aaliyah, it did take me back. "Rock the boat" reminds me of this awful church I went to when I first started studying in Boston.  I had a few friends who played in the band and whenever they had an opportunity to, at some point in the  service they would play that song.  It was the only redeeming part of the service. The rest was like watching bread go stale.  

After Aaliyah my listening went a little awry.  The next album on the list was the never listened to before Achtung Baby by U2. Before my husband, I never listened to U2, I'd never listened to a lot of things which I'm sure this experiment will illustrate.  I think I'm a fan, I enjoy the songs I know, which I guess is a start. So again my first day of listening could have been a lot worse than it was turning out to be.  At first listen, I thought it was Prince, that first song "Zoo Station" definitely didn't sound like the U2 I know.  Not that I know them all that well, but that's beside the point.  Though as I listened The Edge's guitar sound made it's presence known.  To my surprise I knew one of the songs from the album ("Mysterious Ways") and my favorite off the album was hands down is "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses".  It was around this point that my co-workers started hinting for a change in music.  The disadvantage of not having it on shuffle is that if you don't like the artist you still have to sit through the whole album.  So about two songs into Acoustic Soul (India.Arie) someone started blasting Alice in Chains.  I figured that would be a good time to stop.  Tomorrow I'll bring headphones so I can listen without distraction. Until then...

Much Love

* Little factoid: Achtung means attention or warning in German. 

Adventures in iTunes land

This is my first post to my first blog.  I ordinarily write about my work and review shows that I see around school.  Unfortunately things are really slow at work so instead I'll take the opportunity to conduct a little experiment I've been thinking about doing for a while.  I am  embarrassed to admit (but I'm sure I'm not alone) that I have no idea what half of the music in my iPod is.  I typically put it on shuffle and skip through a majority of the songs it picks.  I've been debating whether I should just start deleting the songs I never listen to from my library.  But, before I start purging, and in the interest of learning something new about music and myself, I want to really sit down and give all of my music a good listening to. According to iTunes I have about eight days worth of music. So I'm figuring it will take a couple months to go through it all.  

Before I begin there are a few decisions to be made.  The first is whether I should listen to my iTunes library, or my iPod; the second is how I want to go through the songs.  I'll go with the ipod, because of the two that is the more complete collection of music.  The only remaining question is whether to organize my listening by artist/ album, or to simply put it on shuffle or song for a more random listening experience.  It was pointed out to me that a good album should be listened to as one unit.  The key word in that statement being "good", and I can't say how many of the albums I have could be considered good. I doubt any of them are even complete!  At the moment I'm leaning towards shuffle just so I'll have some variety to my listening.  Well, since I forgot my iPod today, I'll sleep on it and see what I feel like tomorrow.  Oh, and if you're wondering about the picture, it's the cake from the baby shower my co-worker's threw for me.  How awesome is that?!