If you were to take a poll of the stage crew at Berklee and ask them "what music do you enjoy listening to the least at work?" There would be a surprising majority who'd say Jazz. It's surprising because of all the styles of music Jazz is the one that Berklee is best known for. There's an easy explanation for this though. Let's say for example that you worked at Willie Wonka's chocolate factory and part of your job was tasting the chocolate before it gets packaged. If someone were to ask you if you liked chocolate, after spending an entire day eating it, you would most likely answer "no." That's exactly what it's like for our work-study students. We hear so much Jazz in this job we can barely stand to listen to it anymore. So when I look at the program and see the first piece is entitled "Free Jazz" I groan. Not only would tonight be Jazz but it would be unlistenable Jazz. We spend the rest of the relatively simple set up time making jokes about how awful tonight is going to be when one girl meekly states that she is looking forward to the show tonight. At my incredulous response she says "I know, no one here likes Jazz." Which made me pause. I didn't want that to be the case. In fact, I enjoy a lot the jazz concerts around campus. I explained that there are many types of Jazz, so that wasn't necessarily true, but decided I would reserve judgment on "Freefall" (the concert title) until I'd heard it.
The concert had an impressive line up. Most notably (for me at least) was Joe Lovano, George Garzone, and Josh Rosen. The first group started the show off with a 50 minute free jazz piece, with two saxes and drum set. I know, it sounds awful, but I was reserving judgment. Instead of listening to it how I usually do (trying desperately to stay awake) I listened and thought about the crew girl who was excited to hear this show. What about this music is appealing? There is no melody or harmony or even a rhythm to keep your interest, all of the reasons I enjoy music are missing, so what is there? As I watched and listened I was reminded of a scene from "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac. In the scene the protagonists are in a jazz club, but it's not a jazz club like I know them. This was a crowded dive, a lively party where everyone is there to be lost in the music. It sounded wild or crazy with a level of energy I've never experienced in a jazz club. The scene resonated with me because even though the environment was unfamiliar, the music he described was. I hear it everyday. So now as I listen I imagine being in that space. The heat of bodies is almost overwhelming, cigarette smoke hangs thickly in the air, and it's noisy, not just with the sound of two wailing saxophones, but there are clinking glasses and boisterous conversations intermingled with cries of encouragement to the band. Everyone here is seeking release and the music embodies that search. The audiences experiences through the musicians a freedom that they don't get anywhere else in their lives. It makes you want to shout, to move, to let everything go and just be apart of it. This is a place I would love to go. I can see myself dancing on a table occasionally adding to the din, with laughter and shouts or music of my own. Anything goes here, that's what defines this music... it's free.
I open my eyes and I'm back in a dark, still room watching three men make noise on the stage. They are expressing this freedom, but there aren't sharing it. The room doesn't allow them to share it, it's too big. At this point it has been 30 minutes of them playing. My threshold for this stuff has reached it's limit and I am now pitifully watching the clock hoping they stay within the 45 minute time restraint which of course they don't. Now that my listening exercise has fizzled out I struggle again to pay attention, to not fall asleep, to at least pretend that I am actively listening to what is happening on stage. Let's not forget that I have a job to do. But as the minutes tick by I turn into my five year old self trying to stay still in church. I fidget and look around, make origami shapes with the program, count ceiling tiles. I honestly had the hardest time doing my job simply because I couldn't listen any more. Of all of the difficult shows I've complained about over the years I've never felt I wasn't up to the task of mixing it. And even if it sounded band I was always working to make it as good as it can be. This show proved that I have some limits. Fortunately I didn't need to do much. And I can't help but think that despite the acclaim of the musicians playing or even the crowd that came out, that this music has no business being played in a concert hall. It's supposed to be about connecting with people and I have a hard time believing that anyone was connecting to what these guys were doing. There once was a time and a place for this music, when it served a purpose and spoke to people. What I saw last night while I'm sure it was gratifying to the players was stripped of it's meaning when it failed to move the audience emotionally. Last night wasn't about freedom and expression, it was just noise.
10.20.2010
10.15.2010
Steph's Recs 10/17
This was the week of clinics for me. So unfortunately I don't have any concert reviews. Although I watched a little bit of Shun Chein's Super Mario Party which was so much fun. It wasn't an impeccable performance, but the themes from the games were cleverly arranged into listenable songs. I only stuck around for a couple of songs since the room was packed (kudos to you sir) and I had to get home, but I'll definitely keep an eye out for any upcoming shows of his. Now on to the main attraction...
Mon: 1W 4pm, Deepak Gopinath- Deepak is a fellow crew member so I have to give him a shout out. If you like jazz you should come check it out.
Tues: 1A 6:15pm- Esterhazy String Quartet Student Readings- I always enjoy hearing this group play. I especially enjoy hearing the student compositions. I think having predominantly jazz musicians write classical music results in a very unique listening experience.
Wed: 1W 4pm, Utar Dundaratun- I will preface this by saying the last time I heard him play I almost became violently angry at one of his players. And yet despite my awful experience I still think he's awesome and would go hear him play again. Even if my nemisis was playing with him.
Thurs: Steve Heck Room 1pm, Jonathan Joubert- Gypsy jazz, need I say more.
Fri: 1A 4pm, Rika Ikeda- Elcletic Jazz violinist. Some people say that Jazz is an antiquated style of music. Eight years at Berklee has shown me otherwise and Rika is a perfect example of all the new places Jazz can go.
Mon: 1W 4pm, Deepak Gopinath- Deepak is a fellow crew member so I have to give him a shout out. If you like jazz you should come check it out.
Tues: 1A 6:15pm- Esterhazy String Quartet Student Readings- I always enjoy hearing this group play. I especially enjoy hearing the student compositions. I think having predominantly jazz musicians write classical music results in a very unique listening experience.
Wed: 1W 4pm, Utar Dundaratun- I will preface this by saying the last time I heard him play I almost became violently angry at one of his players. And yet despite my awful experience I still think he's awesome and would go hear him play again. Even if my nemisis was playing with him.
Thurs: Steve Heck Room 1pm, Jonathan Joubert- Gypsy jazz, need I say more.
Fri: 1A 4pm, Rika Ikeda- Elcletic Jazz violinist. Some people say that Jazz is an antiquated style of music. Eight years at Berklee has shown me otherwise and Rika is a perfect example of all the new places Jazz can go.
10.05.2010
The Business of Music
Yesterday Berklee's music business department hosted their annual Hip Hop Symposium. A panel of black music industry professionals assembled to discuss their experiences in the business. The panel included Ryan Leslie top artist/producer; Ed Woods Attorney, former exec VP of Black Music, Casablanca; Francesca Spero whose credits in publishing, project executive oversight, music supervision include longtime VP Management/Publishing; Joi Pitts Head of Urban Marketing/Brand Partnerships Mgr - Atlantic; Leonard Lb Brooks Sr. VP A&R Labels/Head of Urban: EMI; and Sharon Heyward Former top exec Virgin Perspective. While this is I believe the 4th year that they've put on this symposium it was the first time I had seen it. And I wasn't particularly impressed. Oddly enough the high point of the night for me was watching the Hip-Hop Ensemble play. I say oddly because miraculously it sounded good, and I didn't need to fight the band to get it that way. For such a high energy start it just fizzled out and then got really awkward at the end.
I always complain that clinicians who come to Berklee rarely rise to the level where Berklee students operate. That was the impression I had last night. The general message was: educate yourself about the business of music, so you can make your own success. This was the driving message to a room full of students who were presumably studying music business? I think they came to that conclusion already. I was hoping for something more insightful, more specific, something that spoke to the technicalities of working in music business. Now maybe I'm being unfair. I've been at Berklee awhile and have heard many many many clinics on how to become a successful artist. After two or three you realize that there is no formula for success. I forget that there are students who haven't had the benefit of hearing this message yet. On the other hand I would have loved to hear something unique. Especially since this panel was speaking specifically about the business of Hip- Hop. I was curious to see if the experience in the Urban music industry varied much from the other industry representatives Berklee has hosted over the years. My husband jokingly asked after it was over if they gave advice on how to patch bullet holes in your Escalade, or what the appropriate size for an entourage is. And he's right, their experience seemed no different from any one else who works in this business. I will say the main attraction of the night Ryan Leslie, was worth the hubbub. Beyond the usual bland advice he put some ideas out there that I'd never heard before and that never occurred to me. Mainly the idea of using social media not just as a means of getting your music out there, but as a gauge of whether or not it's any good. If you put something on Facebook and of your 100+ friends and only 3 people comment on it, then it certainly won't catch the attention of any one else outside of that network. A valid point which made me very insecure about my measly 24 followers on twitter. Geez, maybe I should rethink this blog for that matter. My own failings aside, it's a novel idea. In this world of instant access there is a way for anyone to say whatever they want to say and get feedback on it. Now he wasn't the only one touting the benefits of using social media but he was the first, and then in true superstar fashion left early to then get on a plane to Paris. And while I had never thought of it that way, telling a group of 18-21 year old the potential of social media is the epitome of preaching to the choir. What everyone failed to mention is the vast amount of luck you need to be "discovered" via the Internet.
These talks always seem to center on how to become the next big star, and it makes sense because these panelist all work with big stars, or are big stars, but there are so many ways to live and make music without being a household name. Frankly the large music industry establishment is running on an antiquated system that is dying out. It's always more interesting to hear how different "indie" musicians have carved a place for themselves. My favorite example of this was ( not so indie) John Mayer, who said that it's important to always set new goals for yourself. Explaining that as an artist you decide when and what makes you a success. Can you afford a house and support your life? Did you sell out the 300 seat club you are playing at. There are so many types of success that don't require you to be a phenomenon, they simply require you to be good and work hard. In that case you don't need to worry about creating a brand or image for yourself to sell to labels. Who you are as an artist will develop and solidify with time. So in between the "find yourself a good manager" and "don't sign anything without a lawyer looking at it first" the underlying message was hone your craft, and learn as much as you can about as many things can, which at the end of the day is a message I can get behind even if I'm a little tired of hearing it.
I always complain that clinicians who come to Berklee rarely rise to the level where Berklee students operate. That was the impression I had last night. The general message was: educate yourself about the business of music, so you can make your own success. This was the driving message to a room full of students who were presumably studying music business? I think they came to that conclusion already. I was hoping for something more insightful, more specific, something that spoke to the technicalities of working in music business. Now maybe I'm being unfair. I've been at Berklee awhile and have heard many many many clinics on how to become a successful artist. After two or three you realize that there is no formula for success. I forget that there are students who haven't had the benefit of hearing this message yet. On the other hand I would have loved to hear something unique. Especially since this panel was speaking specifically about the business of Hip- Hop. I was curious to see if the experience in the Urban music industry varied much from the other industry representatives Berklee has hosted over the years. My husband jokingly asked after it was over if they gave advice on how to patch bullet holes in your Escalade, or what the appropriate size for an entourage is. And he's right, their experience seemed no different from any one else who works in this business. I will say the main attraction of the night Ryan Leslie, was worth the hubbub. Beyond the usual bland advice he put some ideas out there that I'd never heard before and that never occurred to me. Mainly the idea of using social media not just as a means of getting your music out there, but as a gauge of whether or not it's any good. If you put something on Facebook and of your 100+ friends and only 3 people comment on it, then it certainly won't catch the attention of any one else outside of that network. A valid point which made me very insecure about my measly 24 followers on twitter. Geez, maybe I should rethink this blog for that matter. My own failings aside, it's a novel idea. In this world of instant access there is a way for anyone to say whatever they want to say and get feedback on it. Now he wasn't the only one touting the benefits of using social media but he was the first, and then in true superstar fashion left early to then get on a plane to Paris. And while I had never thought of it that way, telling a group of 18-21 year old the potential of social media is the epitome of preaching to the choir. What everyone failed to mention is the vast amount of luck you need to be "discovered" via the Internet.
These talks always seem to center on how to become the next big star, and it makes sense because these panelist all work with big stars, or are big stars, but there are so many ways to live and make music without being a household name. Frankly the large music industry establishment is running on an antiquated system that is dying out. It's always more interesting to hear how different "indie" musicians have carved a place for themselves. My favorite example of this was ( not so indie) John Mayer, who said that it's important to always set new goals for yourself. Explaining that as an artist you decide when and what makes you a success. Can you afford a house and support your life? Did you sell out the 300 seat club you are playing at. There are so many types of success that don't require you to be a phenomenon, they simply require you to be good and work hard. In that case you don't need to worry about creating a brand or image for yourself to sell to labels. Who you are as an artist will develop and solidify with time. So in between the "find yourself a good manager" and "don't sign anything without a lawyer looking at it first" the underlying message was hone your craft, and learn as much as you can about as many things can, which at the end of the day is a message I can get behind even if I'm a little tired of hearing it.
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