Entrap Vapor

Experiments in Punk Pedagogy

2011-12-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

Enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Grammy nonsense

2011-12-01T16:07:00.003-05:00

Last year, NARAS significantly reduced the number of Grammy categories, with serious repercussions for the awards already terrible diversity in representation (not just in categories -- do we really agree that Eminem should have won a jaw-dropping 31.25% of the "Best Rap Album" awards through 2011?!?). The Latin Jazz, Hawaiian, Cajun, Zydeco, Native American, and Tejano categories were all removed.

Now we see the glorious fruits of this labor. Competing for one "Best Regional Roots Album" award:

47. Best Regional Roots Music Album

Can't Sit Down

C.J. Chenier

[World Village]

Wao Akua - The Forest Of The Gods

George Kahumoku, Jr.

[Daniel Ho Creations]

Rebirth Of New Orleans

Rebirth Brass Band

[Basin Street Records]

Grand Isle

Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys

[Mamou Playboy Records]

Not Just Another Polka

Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra

[Starr Record]

Beside the obvious question of how in the world these five albums are going to be judged against one another (two Cajun/Zydeco nominees, one Polka, one Hawaiian, and a N.O. Brass Band), the list is a reminder of the many other albums that were prevented from benefiting from a nomination in the cut categories. Depressing to say the least.

See http://www.grammywatch.org/ for details on the lawsuit filed by Latin Jazz artists and the resolution passed by the San Francisco Arts Commission.

All Scars: Introduction to Humanity

2011-11-29T12:57:00.004-05:00

This out-of-print album is now available on WFMU's Free Music Archive! I'm on the "C" jams. Chuck is uploading stuff by the boatload, so stay tuned.

Or on the FMA website: All Scars - Introduction to Humanity

Separated at birth: Beef + Nacho

2011-11-14T16:28:00.004-05:00

Ezro Malakov feature

2011-07-19T09:27:00.001-04:00

The great Bukharian Jewish singer Ezro Malakov was featured in today's NY Daily News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/queens/2011/07/19/2011-07-19_shepherding_old_words_into_music.html

Interesting book review by Louis Menand:

2011-05-31T12:12:00.001-04:00

Debating the Value of College in America

Free-assoch Battle Royale V : BHOP IS BACK

2011-05-20T22:24:00.002-04:00

THE EXECUTIONER IS BACK ... READY TO MAKE HISTORY ... !!!

TWO AMERICAN ICONS GO TOE 2 TOE:

BHOP VS. IHOP

Collide Quartet playing Henry Threadgill in Philadelphia

2011-05-18T08:41:00.005-04:00

Exciting news! Collide Quartet will be performing Henry Threadgill's "Background" in Philadelphia on June 13. We are thrilled to be playing this modern master's piece, and to be working again with the Ars Nova Workshop (we had a fantastic experience playing for their Tim Berne composer portrait in December 2009). Ars Nova Workshop is currently presenting a number of concerts featuring AACM composers and performers, including Threadgill, Roscoe Mitchell, and Wadada Leo Smith.

Threadgill has long been one of my favorite players and composers. His creativity is endless, and I say without a shred of exaggeration that Air (Threadgill, Fred Hopkins, and Steve McCall) was one of the all-time greatest groups of the twentieth century. Here's one to listen to: G.v.E.

Also on the bill will be Jeff Parker and Mike Reed, two next-generation AACM exponents.

Details from the Ars Nova Workshop site

Monday, June 13, 2011, 8 pm
The Maas Building
1325 Randolph Street
Philadelphia, PA | Map
Price: TBA

Battle Royale ... IV!!!

2011-05-16T17:35:00.002-04:00

Tyler, the Creator

vs.

tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE

Tough call ... my money's on the crafty veteran.

Battle Royale III

2011-05-14T20:47:00.003-04:00

"Nice" Ice Cube

vs.

"Nice" Mike Tyson

1988 seems like so long ago...

Concert tonight! Cross-Cultural Improvisation ensemble

2011-05-10T16:21:00.002-04:00

Come hear the good work my students have done this semester.

Cross-Cultural Improvisation:

http://www.newschool.edu/eventdetail.aspx?id=64288

follow me

2011-05-05T13:54:00.001-04:00

@cubotic

You're gonna learn!

2011-05-04T10:07:00.002-04:00

Uhhhhh...

Lecture: "Bukharian Jewish Music in New York City," Center for Jewish History, Wednesday, April 11, 7 pm

2011-04-11T16:11:00.003-04:00

I'll be discussing Bukharian Jewish music as part of the Center for Traditional Music ten-part lecture series: "Sounds of Immigrant New York."

From the CTMD website:

Wednesday, April 13: Sounds of Immigrant New York: Bukharian Jewish Music in New York City featuring ethnomusicologist Evan Rapport (Eugene Lang College at the New School). Sounds of Immigrant New York is a ten-part series of free public lectures by leading scholars on the continuity and development of diverse music and dance traditions in New York City's immigrant communities. Programmed in conjunction with CTMD's An-sky Institute for Jewish Culture. At Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street in Manhattan. Admission free. (7:00PM)

Savoring it

2011-04-04T10:31:00.001-04:00

Buck is back!

2011-04-01T21:30:00.001-04:00

Happy Opening Day!

Sweatshops

2011-03-25T16:55:00.003-04:00

sweating, n. 2. b. spec. (a) The practice of doing piece-work overtime; (b) the practice of exacting hard work from employees for low wages, esp. under a middleman by sub-contract. (See sweat v. 5c, 6b)

[OED]

As you probably know, today is the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Fire, which happened just down the street from where I work. Unfortunately, those conditions are still with us...

new tune-yards video

2011-03-25T16:30:00.005-04:00

Beginning part reminds me of that weird Renaldo and the Loaf video from back in the days. Go full screen...

tUnE-yArDs "Bizness"

SKI in the NY Times

2011-03-25T11:26:00.006-04:00

Look what I found!

An article on debates over what it means to be pro-Israel featured this picture, taken in Sderot ... (by Rina Castelnuovo)

http://www.paintisrael.org/

Elevator conversation

2011-03-15T15:36:00.003-04:00

ER enters elevator, with cart full of recyclables. Two neighbors have already boarded.

NEIGHBOR ONE: Doing some recycling, huh.
ER: Yup.
NEIGHBOR TWO: So, you have four people living in that one-bedroom now, huh.
(Pause.)
ER: You two are real detectives today.

Enough Said

2011-03-04T11:39:00.001-05:00

Rob Swift documentary premiere!

2011-03-03T15:09:00.001-05:00

Friday, March 4, at the Jackson Heights Triplex!

DJ Rob Swift: Live! The Documented Movement debuts at the Queens World Film Festival

Premiere date: Tomorrow, March 4th. at 10:35pm

Location: Jackson Theater (Cinema #3) located at 40-31 82nd Street (off Roosevelt Avenue), Jackson Heights, NY 11379. http://www.jacksonheightscinema.com/

Directions: #7 Train to 82nd St./Jackson Heights

Admission fee: $6.00

More on ... let's not get carried away ...

2011-02-28T11:50:00.003-05:00

Hey there. So, another awards show. Was not feeling Bale in The Fighter (or the movie at all, for the most part). Is it just me, or did his Dicky Ecklund kind of make it seem like crack addiction was no big deal? I mean, is it possible for a crack addict to jump off the couch after getting high and then run halfway across a small city to train a boxer?!? ("The Wire" this wasn't.) Maybe his character was kind of comic relief, with that keystone kops routine as he kept jumping into the dumpster?

Speaking of boxing, what has happened to the Ring's website?!? First Eric Raskin and Bill Dettloff's columns were cut (support them on the Ring Theory podcast, though) and now, as Raskin mentioned, we have to read about alphabet titles in headlines and as major angles in stories. Sorry, guys, no disrespect to Rios -- great performance the other night -- but the man did not "win a major title." JMM is the real lightweight champ, even according to the WBA (ugh, that hurt to even type), so let's not fan the flames.

Great Singers: In Praise Of Mavis

2011-02-18T11:11:00.004-05:00

While everyone is going bonkers because a #1 Billboard album (some underdog) won album of the year, I think this speaks for itself: Mavis Staples, one of the greatest voices we've ever known, won her first grammy, while Eminem won his fifth "Best Rap Album" award. Let's not get carried away. What exactly does "best" mean according to the "academy"?!?

2011 marks the sixth decade that Mavis Staples has been singing professionally. With that, I bring you "I Had A Dream" (Vee-Jay, 1958), with Pops, Cleotha, and Pervis. Enjoy!

I Had A Dream

R.I.P. Remmy Ongala

2011-01-18T10:35:00.001-05:00

The Poor Have No Rights

Bettis + Rapport Duo : LISTEN TO IT ON YOUR DEVICE

2011-01-07T20:58:00.003-05:00

There's a "tape" of it on the internet already. And I do mean "tape."

You can also just listen here.

IMPROVISATION...

brought to you by King Cobra and the Mongoose

New Years' Singles Party!

2011-01-05T21:39:00.003-05:00

Here's what New Years' sounds like at our place. For at least ten years I break out my 45s and we have a dance party. Good times. Here's another perennial. Fatback, Sun, forget about it. I mean, when did musicians stop putting their Zodiac signs next to their names in liner notes?

"SOLAR NOMEN: Pax Amantis
TERRA NOMEN: Byron Byrd
SOLAR SIGNUM: Aquarius
RULING PLANET: Uranus
COSMIC COLOR: Indigo
STAR TONE: A (440 cycles per second)
SPECTOR RATING: A Indigo-9"

I've gotta bring that back.

(Not New Years' Eve, New Years' Day ... this year New Years' Eve ended at 10 pm. Hell, what's so special about staying up until midnight drinking alcohol? Might as well hit the old hay.)

Oh, and this is what the rest of the year sounds like. I don't care what you think. Alphonso Johnson makes me happy.

BETTIS + RAPPORT DUO -- JAN. 6, 20100100101001011

2011-01-05T10:35:00.001-05:00

Chuck Bettis - electronics & throat
Evan Rapport - reeds

+

Christian Pincock - trombone & electronics

+

C. Spencer Yeh - mouth & stuff
Brian Osborne - electronics

+

Grasshopper - trumpet & pedals

at

Silent Barn
915 Wyckoff Ave
Ridgewood, NY 11385

9pm
$8

transportation:
L-Halsey or M-Myrtle/Wyckoff

ALWAYS ALL AGES

Solo show recordings

2010-11-29T16:12:00.006-05:00

Live set from a recent solo show in the neighborhood. Thanks to Kelly + Paul, David, and Ben! Let me know what you think . . .

1. Cluj

A tune I originally wrote after going on tour to Italy, Greece, and France in 1995 with Ben Lapidus and Friends a/k/a Baldheaded Stepchildren. We met these crazy guys from Romania and I kept wondering about this one guy Virgil's hometown, Cluj-Napoca. Since then I recorded it with Companion Trio and Krill and I used it the other day as a little warm-up number.

2. Tasnifi Buzruk / Pilgrimage to a Distant Jewish Cemetery

Inspired by my recent trip to Uzbekistan. The opening motive is from the very beginning of the Shashmaqom Bukharan classical repertoire.

3. Spider Web (I am Chiasmus, Chiasmus am I)

4. He's Our Little Son / Alice is a Beautiful Person

Three improvisations for my two kids...

5. The Roadrunner (For Jonathan Richman)

Another "oldiebutgoodie" as my old upstairs neighbor Rod would say. This was a Companion Trio jam (on Our Customs) cum solo joint (on The Destruction of Evan Rapport).

6. I Looked at the Moon in Blue

"Moon in Blue" (née "Vernon-Jackson") is a ditty I wrote for my wife years ago. Me and Jerry used to jam on it a lot. The beginning has some new ideas inspired by Jonathan Kane's take on Fred McDowell's "I Looked at the Sun."

زاغی

2010-11-19T10:10:00.002-05:00

"We don't like this bird. We don't like his voice." --from A Magpie in Tashkent

Patti Smith's Just Kids

2010-11-18T12:34:00.000-05:00

Just Kids wins the National Book Award

New Dimlite mix

2010-11-17T09:25:00.001-05:00

Rocking Residents, Sun Ra, crazy prog rock ... !

Lit Paper Hats Forever

JUANMA

2010-11-09T22:37:00.000-05:00

Will we see Juanma - Gamboa next year?!?
and all hail Glen Johnson.

Become enthusiastic! (TGIN)

2010-11-05T09:01:00.004-04:00

Thank God It's November. (That's right, I didn't hyphenate it. Will I suffer the wrath of an angry deity? I hope not. On the other hand, internet posts seem to be eternal, so maybe I'm in the clear. Only time will tell. (It's OK to say "on the other hand" without "on the one hand" first, right?)) We--spectators of the sweetest of all sciences--finally have a few weeks to look forward to. Really, really look forward to. Huzzah!!! Lopez-Marquez. JMM-Katsidis. Khan-Maidana. Even Judah-Matthysse. The Ghost, Berto, Caballero, more Super Six, Canelo, Ricky Burns, Chavez Jr... Even some boxers that are older than me, and still great: Glen Johnson (will he school Allan Green?) and Bernard Hopkins (will he school Jean Pascal?). Hey guys, how about spreading it out a little bit? Could have used one of these back in October (shudder).

Oh, yeah! And what's-his-name, that congressman, I think he's fighting in there somewhere. Not sure about that. Help me out here.

Just want to take a minute to thank Sergio Martinez and Paul Williams. Got to hand it to these guys. First of all, fighting again within a year. Second, both unbelievably passionate, brilliant athletes who are willing to go to war, without compromise, for our entertainment. Third, a fight that matters, between pound-for-pounders, and not on PPV. In the current state of the sport, a bout like this is a real gift. Am I right?!? So thanks, guys.

Paul Williams Greatest Hits

Start with Springsteen...

2010-11-04T08:58:00.002-04:00

The Paul F. Tompkast just keeps getting better and better, and my commute gets easier and easier. Paul's stream-of-consciousness monologues are some of the funniest things I've ever heard.

In this episode: how to get your song about the usage of "sunder" from Springsteen to the Black Eyed Peas, through Bob Seger and Bruce Cockburn ...

Blast from the Past

2010-10-27T10:26:00.003-04:00

Chuck uploaded this gem from 1999.

DJ Rob Swift!

2010-10-22T13:39:00.003-04:00

Last night some of my students got a rare treat in the form of a lecture/demo with the legendary Rob Swift. A few pictures:

Thanks, Rob, and thanks, Will and Ivan at Scratch Academy!

Uzbekistan

2010-10-20T10:44:00.007-04:00

I returned from a two-week "ziyorat" (pilgrimage) trip to Uzbekistan with my Bukharian Jewish neighbors in Queens. Here are a few pictures:

Ezro Malakov singing in the Tashkent Synagogue

On the road to Samarkand

Cooking shashlik (kebabs) in Sangzor, outside the town of Jizzak

The Jewish cemetery in Samarkand

The grave of Levi Babakhanov (Levicha), court singer of the last Bukharan Emir, in Samarkand

The Gumbaz synagogue in Samarkand

The Sher Dor madrassa in Samarkand

Dancing at a concert in Samarkand

On the road to Shahrisabz, through the mountains

Entrance to the Jewish cemetery in Shahrisabz

Heading east, soon

2010-09-27T17:40:00.003-04:00

Testing Bias...

2010-09-23T14:09:00.001-04:00

In The Know: Are Tests Biased Against Students Who Don't Give A Shit?

LIGHTNING BOLT LIGHTNING BOLT

2010-09-21T12:53:00.003-04:00

I was inspired to let loose with the refrain after seeing a bolt in the sky from the stunning view from Wollman Hall. Little did I know it would turn out to be a tornado soon to be zooming through our neighborhood. Anyway, hooray for Homeboy Sandman.

Someone took the time to make this

2010-09-17T22:29:00.003-04:00

HOW DID HE KNOW?

2010-09-17T21:46:00.002-04:00

How did the dude on 6th Ave know I was a Cancer? And why was there a Hasil Adkins record amidst the Bohannon and Brothers Johnson?

Shanah Tovah and Eid Mubarak

2010-09-10T16:23:00.002-04:00

שנה טובה and عيد مبارك

Imaginary Band, September 27

2010-09-10T14:22:00.001-04:00

Monday, September 27, 2010, 9pm

New York, NY

Music for an IMAGINARY BAND

Music for an IMAGINARY BAND is a (real) 7-piece group led by Gordon Beeferman and comprised of some of New York's most uniquely creative musicians. The band explores the territory where classical 'new-music,' jazz and free improvisation intersect. Beeferman's compositions range from the gnarly to the operatic, and are both incredibly detailed and very free; the band's intensive improvisational explorations are tethered to highly structured frameworks. "[A] commanding avant-jazz ensemble..." Time Out New York

Gordon Beeferman - piano & compositions; Jacob Wick- trumpet; Jon Irabagon, Evan Rapport, Josh Sinton - saxophones; James Ilgenfritz- bass; Michael Evans- drums & percussion

Evolving Voice/Evolving Music
269 East Houston St (at Suffolk St.), New York, NY (F to 2nd Avenue)
Admission: $10 per set/ $15 for two / $20 for the night
student/senior: $7 per set/ $12 for both; RUCMA members: $5

More info: http://www.myspace.com/rucmanyc

Building on Faith...

2010-09-08T08:45:00.002-04:00

Read Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf's Op-Ed in the Times today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/opinion/08mosque.html.

BATTLE ROYALE II

2010-09-03T20:42:00.002-04:00

CHUCK BETTIS' NEMESIS

VS.

EVAN RAPPORT'S NEMESIS

Oh, man, would I pay some $habzib$$$ to see this...!!!

WORD-ASSOCIATION BATTLE ROYALE MATCHUP I

2010-09-01T22:18:00.006-04:00

B-HOP

VS

B-ROB

B-HOP. About to face newly crowned Light Heavyweight champ Jean Pascal. B-Hop: age 45. Pascal: age 27. "I hold no malice or bad feelings to those who are concerned about me, but I've always been a son of a bitch when it comes to rising up to the occasion."

B-ROB. The key. The cornerstone. The robust, turnkey solution. The leadoff man. The all-star. Age 32. Without him, putrid. With him, pulchritude (well, not quite, but definitely better).

SO... who are YOU picking?!?

A Special Comment from Olbermann

2010-08-17T10:29:00.000-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Nostalgia Thursday

2010-08-12T09:56:00.000-04:00

Hey!
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Unrest/Live_at_WFMU_on_Brian_Turners_Show_72010/

BLOBFISH

2010-08-10T18:46:00.002-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/08/10/science/20100810angier.html

Tuesday GRABBAG!

2010-08-10T10:10:00.004-04:00

City smells BAD today.
Office really hot and humid. Library time.
Hurray, a real title bout on Saturday: Bad Chad Dawson-Jean Pascal (Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight).
Send me your thoughts on best hip hop recordings of recent years.
ORIOLES!!! 6-1!!! NY Times made the accurate, if not ridiculously premature, comparison of Showalter with Earl Weaver, who also went 6-1 in his first seven games.
My LORD is it hot in this office. Bye.

Ups (BlogTweetsTM)

2010-08-06T10:08:00.000-04:00

Sarah made shoulder, Os sweep

Enjoy it now

2010-08-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

Buck: 1.000
[Os: .311]

Pirog!

2010-08-02T19:41:00.002-04:00

Open Letter to Floyd

2010-07-27T10:14:00.003-04:00

Dear Floyd,
41-0 is astounding, for sure, but even The Greatest lost the fight of the century. Anyway ... I knew this fight wouldn't happen in 2010 because back in Miami you referred to yourself in the first person. "I'm not really thinking about boxing right now. I'm just relaxing. I fought about 60 days ago, so I'm just enjoying myself, enjoying life, enjoying my family and enjoying my vacation." When "Floyd Mayweather" loses to "I", the fans lose too (and now Congressmanny's left at the altar for "No Room For The Groom, Part II").

Great singers: The Supremes

2010-07-26T15:05:00.004-04:00

And dig that crazy choreography! It's the most.

Buy the T.A.M.I. Show, finally available on DVD...

Great singers: RIP Shoista Mullodzhanova

2010-07-26T14:53:00.005-04:00

Шоиста Муллоджанова, нар. арт. Тад. ССР (1925-2010)

Fracture: The Music of Pat Muchmore

2010-07-19T14:53:00.003-04:00

Fracture: The Music of Pat Muchmore, the new CD from Anti-Social Music, is out! Collide Quartet (Jeff Hudgins, Peter Hess, Ken Thomson, and me) plays Pat's "brokenAphorism_15[-=] (Ghrmrooouctbiaknltegeete)" on it.

Be Like Mike

2010-07-08T21:01:00.002-04:00

Joe Angel just informed us, during the 4th inning of the Rangers-Orioles game (Rangers 4, Orioles 0!) that the news is in: LeBron is going to be playing baseball next year.

Remembering Wendell

2010-07-04T21:02:00.015-04:00

Eighteen years ago I began my college education at Oberlin as a jazz saxophone major. Wendell Logan was on sabbatical. During my sophomore year, after Wendell returned, I switched to jazz composition in order to study with Wendell during the rest of my time at school. He immediately struck me as the most serious teacher in the jazz department, and the person from whom I would undoubtedly learn the most. I still believed myself to be a saxophonist first and foremost, but I wanted to learn from this man. I don't know how many jazz composition majors he had before he passed away last month, but at the time we were only three (me, Dave Zoffer, and Scotty Vercoe). One of my proudest accomplishments, to this day, is the fact that I completed the program with Wendell as my private instructor.

Wendell was an amazing teacher. He was also one of the most intimidating people I ever met ... and I don't get intimidated too easily. He had no time whatsoever for bullshit. His bullshit detector was beyond compare. This man's knowledge was so incredibly vast and deep, and his bullshit detector so intense, that he had a tendency to alienate wide-eyed Oberlin undergrads. Learning to navigate the FORCE of Wendell was an education in itself. My heart still races when I think about going to knock on his door to show him the compositions I'd been working on. Or when I think of the poor (other) souls who would show up late for Afro-American Music History class, AFTER he'd locked the door. (Try again next time, pal.) That class, by the way, continues to teach me. The only class from which I saved my notes. I realize now, but I didn't then, what an unusual thing it would be to learn about not just Congo Square, James P. Johnson and James Reese Europe, sure, but Nathaniel Dett, Williams & Walker, William Grant Still.

Composition lessons with Wendell usually went like this. He would generally ask me to compose something for a specific instrumentation. That was about it. I would come the following week to show him a few pages. He would circle two bars and tell me to work on those--and throw out the rest. "The trash can is your best friend." If I played him something that I'd composed outside of lessons, especially if I was shooting for something avant-garde or experimental, he would immediately identify some precedents to shoot down my pretensions of originality. He had me study a number of compositions, which now seem quite an assortment. "Sippin at Bells." "The Three Marias." Oliver Lake's "Rocket."

I remember fondly his criticisms. Leading the big band through a chart of mine, he stopped at the end: "I ran out of paper!" (Write an ending, you idiot!) But when Wendell gave you a compliment, he meant it. He wasn't one for the empty words and platitudes professors sometimes offer students now to avoid hurting their feelings. The fact of the matter is that music is a brutal profession. Students in college are fortunate to have time and freedom to experiment and grow. But they also need to have thick skins for what awaits them. For Wendell, college was still part of the real world; even if that college might be a bubble for some students, it wouldn't be for his. He encouraged students to teach at Cuyahoga Community College. He brought the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble to the prison, reminding us that anyone of us could be in there one day. This also meant that he really treated us like adults. And at this point, it was hard to realize how much he had worked to carve out a space for jazz at Oberlin ... almost singlehandedly, it seemed. He loved his students and simply demanded as much from us as, now I realize, we demanded of him. Some of my best college memories are of the yearly Bar-B-Q's at his house, where we all relaxed and just enjoyed our community.

I was so happy to see Wendell a few years ago at a conference on Black music in Chicago. I had been hearing about some of his health problems and we had emailed a bit, and he looked good. I'm so glad that I had the experience of working with him and that I have so many rich memories.

Wendell Logan

2010-07-01T12:27:00.003-04:00

He will be greatly missed.

Wendell Logan, Legendary Founder of Oberlin’s Jazz Studies Department, Dies at 69

Wendell Logan, Composer of Jazz and Concert Music, Dies at 69

The Garden, June 12, 2010

2010-06-13T21:34:00.004-04:00

Thanks, Doc!

Imaginary Band, May 18

2010-04-29T10:43:00.001-04:00

MUSIC FOR AN IMAGINARY BAND
Tuesday, May 18, 8pm
Douglass Street Music Collective
295 Douglass Street (between 3rd and 4th Aves.), Brooklyn, NY

R to Union Street (or a slightly longer walk from the B/D/M/N/R/Q/2/3/4/5 at Atlantic Av/Pacific St)

Tickets: $10 at the door
info: www.295douglass.org

Music for an IMAGINARY BAND, led by composer-pianist Gordon Beeferman, is a (real) 7-piece group comprised of some of New York's most uniquely creative musicians. The band explores the territory where classical 'new-music,' jazz and free improvisation intersect. Beeferman's compositions range from the gnarly to the operatic, and are both incredibly detailed and very free; the band's intensive improvisational explorations are tethered to highly structured frameworks. The music spans varieties of melody, rhythm, and sound.
"[A] commanding avant-jazz ensemble..." Time Out New York

Gordon Beeferman - piano & compositions
Jacob Wick - trumpet
Evan Rapport - alto sax
Jon Irabagon - tenor sax
Josh Sinton - baritone sax, bass clarinet
James Ilgenfritz - bass
Michael Evans - drums

more info:

www.gordonbeeferman.com

Portrait of a Legend

2010-01-15T11:37:00.003-05:00

Repeaters: Sam Cooke - Portrait of a Legend, 1951-1964

Touch the Hem of His Garment

Peter Gordon returns

2010-01-14T12:13:00.000-05:00

Subscribe to Fireball Crosswords

Tierney: The Madness of Crowds and an Internet Delusion

2010-01-12T21:14:00.003-05:00

Gentle reader,
I thought this interesting:
The Madness of Crowds and an Internet Delusion
"'The basic idea of this contract,' he writes, 'is that authors, journalists, musicians and artists are encouraged to treat the fruits of their intellects and imaginations as fragments to be given without pay to the hive mind. Reciprocity takes the form of self-promotion. Culture is to become precisely nothing but advertising.'"
Sincerely,
Evan

Will Redman - Book

2010-01-08T19:19:00.005-05:00

Free download or streaming:

http://music.willredman.com/

Gordon Beeferman, Jeff Arnal, and me on track 5.

Repeaters

2010-01-08T17:06:00.006-05:00

Doing lots of thinking about the "album" lately, probably as Mudang gears up to go in the studio. I love albums. Love them. Especially the record kind. I love to put a record on a record player and then listen to it. Never liked CDs that much. Always felt cheap. Too much plastic. Not a big plastic fan. Always seemed lame when they tried to spruce up a CD with slick packaging. Box Sets and what not.

Repeaters: samplings of those albums I listen to over and over, for whatever reason.

Andy Partridge (XTC) and Harold Budd, Through the Hill. CD, but it looks nice. Enjoyable unfolding card doohickeys inside. Petite, surprising, sometimes mysterious compositions that avoid new age nonsense. Sum is greater than the whole of its parts, but here's a sample anyway.

Through the Hill

Martha Colburn + Mudang Rouge @ DROM

2009-12-28T14:17:00.000-05:00

Remembering Ilyas Malayev: Tonight, Monday, Dec. 14, Center for Jewish History

2009-12-14T12:08:00.004-05:00

Our Collide Quartet show on Friday in Philadelphia with Tim Berne, Marc Ducret, and Tom Rainey was a blast. It was really exciting to be a part of this weekend dedicated to Berne's compositions. Nice room, great music, engaged audience: can't beat that. After sweating through Berne's quartet Repulsion and the sextet Quicksand, when we were joined by Berne and Ducret (who completely mesmerized me with their improvisations -- almost missed my entrances!), I was able to relax for the fantastic second set by Big Satan. A wholly enjoyable night.

Tonight is another celebration, this time honoring the art of Ilyas Malayev. Below is a clip from Malayev's recording of classical maqom, At the Bazaar of Love, featuring one of his poems. The singer, Ochil Ibragimov, will be singing tonight at the event. Hope to see some of you at the Center for Jewish History at 7 pm!

Talqin-i Uzzal (poem: "Sohbat-i Dono," by Ilyas Malayev)

From Tim Berne to Ilyas Malayev ...

2009-12-09T12:37:00.005-05:00

This Friday, December 11:

Collide Quartet (Peter Hess, Jeff Hudgins, Ken Thomson, and me) are playing on a very exciting night in Philadelphia. For Ars Nova Workshop's Tim Berne: Works for Saxophone Quartet and Trio, we'll play Berne's quartet Repulsion and then Tim Berne and Marc Ducret will join us for Quicksand. Big Satan (Berne, Ducret, and Tom Rainey) will play a set.

Rehearsing with Berne and Ducret has been incredible! Berne's music has been hugely important to me, and it's just a real thrill to be playing with these guys. And it's given Collide a chance to get back together, and we always have a great time.

Details:
Tim Berne: Works for Saxophone Quartet and Trio
Composer Portrait: Tim Berne
Philadelphia Art Alliance
251 S. 18th St, Philadelphia

8:00 pm
$15 General Admission
http://www.arsnovaworkshop.org/events/tim-berne-works-saxophone-quartet-and-trio-12-11-2009

Then on Monday, December 14:

My alter ego, Dr. Rapport, will be joining Walter Zev Feldman to discuss the wonderful music and poetry of Ilyas Malayev, the "poet laureate" of the Bukharian Jews. Ochil Ibragimov, a longtime friend and musical collaborator of Malayev's, will be performing. Malayev sadly passed away last May and the Center for Traditional Music and Dance is hosting this night at the Center for Jewish History to honor his contributions.

Details:
December 14 at 7:00pm
CJH, ASF and Center for Traditional Music and Dance present:
Ilyas Malayev: Remembering the Poet Laureate of the Bukharian Jews

Ilyas Malayev (1936-2008) was an immensely popular musician across Uzbekistan, deeply loved by the Bukharian Jewish community. He was a master of the Central Asian classical music cycles known as "Shash maqam," and a major innovator of traditional forms through his musical compositions, poetry and theatrical works.

A reception will follow the program.

Ticket Info: $15 general, $10 CJH, ASF, CTMD members
Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th St.
New York, NY

Day after Drom

2009-10-29T11:13:00.004-04:00

Thanks to all who came out to support the quintet last night. More on Martha Colburn's work can be found here at her website: http://www.marthacolburn.com/. Next up, rehearsals with Collide begin for the Tim Berne composer portrait at the Philadelphia Art Alliance on December 11.

Martha Colburn's films + Mudang Rouge at DROM, Oct. 28

2009-10-08T22:16:00.004-04:00

Really looking forward to this night:
http://dromnyc.com/home/index.php?option=com_gigcal&task=details&day=28&Itemid=37

Electric Literature presents:
Electric Nights featuring Miho Hatori and authors Michael Cunningham & Jim Shepard
7:00pm
$12 General Admission

Electric Nights

A night of creative cross-pollination, genre mixing, drink mixing, and message mixing to celebrate the release of Electric Literature No. 2

Electric Literature is a bi-monthly collection of five short stories that capture readers and leads them somewhere exciting, unexpected, and meaningful. Our mission is to use innovative distribution and new media to return the short story to a place of prominence in popular culture.

Wednesday, October 28th, 7:30pm – 10:30pm (doors – 7pm)

Electric Literature presents Electric Nights featuring Featuring Miho Hatori’s NEW OPTIMISM, authors Michael Cunningham and Jim Shepard, and the films of Martha Colburn with MUDANG ROUGE

Admission: $12, Drink specials all night long.

At DROM, in the heart of the East Village
85 Avenue A, (between 5th St & 6th St)
www.dromnyc.com. (212) 777-1157

7:30 - The films of Martha Colburn with live musical accompaniment by MUDANG ROUGE

Jerry Lim - kayagum & guitar, Evan Rapport - sax, Chuck Bettis - electronics & throat, + special guest Josh Blair - percussion.

8:30 - “Reading That’s Bad For You”

Featuring: Michael Cunningham, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Hours, and author of A Home At the End of the World, and Specimen Days.

Jim Shepard, author of six novels, including Project X, and three story collections, including Love and Hydrogen and Like You'd Understand, Anyway, which was nominated for the National Book Award and won The Story Prize.

9:30 Miho Hatori’s NEW OPTIMISM

Featuring Miho Hatori, former vocalist of Cibo Matto, aka “Noodle” in Gorrilaz.

Mudang Rouge at The Stone uploaded to WFMU Free Music Archives

2009-10-03T20:37:00.003-04:00

Access and download the album at the WFMU Free Music Archives now:
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Mudang_Rouge/live_at_the_Stone_91509/

a mirage garage production

Mudang Rouge at The Stone, 15 September 2009

2009-09-22T12:48:00.003-04:00

Played an especially enjoyable set at the Stone with my pals Chuck Bettis and Jerry Lim last week. Posting it here in its entirety.

Mudang Rouge at the Stone, 15 September 2009, #1
Mudang Rouge at the Stone, 15 September 2009, #2
Mudang Rouge at the Stone, 15 September 2009, #3
Mudang Rouge at the Stone, 15 September 2009, #4

Gordon Beeferman's Imaginary Band tonight at Roulette. Should be a blast. Two great new tunes: Pop-Pop-Pop-Pop and Hemispheres (Southern Summer). Starting to turn into quite a book. Gordon's pen knows no bounds!

New music from Maine, part three

2009-08-06T12:02:00.000-04:00

Final solo jam from Maine, 10 June 2009 ...
Maine solo (3), 10 June 2009

Budd Schulberg (1914-2009)

2009-08-06T10:36:00.001-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/movies/06schulberg.html

Mudang Rouge at Death By Audio, 25 July 2009

2009-07-27T11:16:00.003-04:00

The second and last improvisation from our show at Death By Audio on Saturday. We recreated the apartment-hang vibe: Lim and I shared the love-seat and Bettis sat on a comfy chair across the way ... although, befitting the atmosphere, the chair was a tiny bit soiled and my case was sitting in some funky mess. Lim's kayagum received the lion's share of the attention, and quite a few unprovoked strummings before the set.
BETTIS - laptop | LIM - kayagum | RAPPORT - alto
MUDANG ROUGE at Death By Audio, 25 July 2009

New music from Maine, part two

2009-07-27T11:05:00.002-04:00

Another solo jam from Maine, 10 June 2009!
Maine solo (2), 10 June 2009

Upcoming show: Saturday, July 25

2009-07-19T14:28:00.001-04:00

I'll be playing with my long-time pals Chuck Bettis and Jerry Lim on this upcoming benefit on July 25 for You Are Here: A Maze.

TROUBLE presents
A 12 HOUR CONCERT FOR $12 @ DEATH BY AUDIO SATURDAY JULY 25

A BENEFIT FOR FALL 2009 YOU ARE HERE: A MAZE
(INSTALLATION & PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL)

SATURDAY JULY 25
4 PM - 4 AM, $12
@ DEATH BY AUDIO
49 SOUTH 2ND ST, BROOKLYN

Performances by: Ninjasonik + Aa + Nine 11 Thesaurus + Knife Hyts + Vaz + Mystery of Two + North Highlands +Sam Mickens Sings & Plays Shaolin Soul + Regattas (Sam Hillmer of Zs) + Dave Longstreth (of Dirty Projectors) + Charlie Looker (of Extra Life) + Unicornicopia + John Fell Ryan (of Excepter) + Chuck Bettis/Jerry Lim/Evan Rapport + Mega Calderos

DJs: Marty McSorley (of WFMU) + Lord Easy + Rich Zerbo (of The Social Registry)

Xtras: Delicious Beverages + Dome Theater + WorldDanceAround

July 1, 2009: You Are Here: A Maze is a performance festival in a sculptural maze taking place at Williamsburg's Death By Audio from September 10 - October 2, 2009.

This 12-hour event on Saturday July 25 from 4pm - 4am also at Death By Audio will help make You Are Here: A Maze possible. Spend $12 for 12 hours with bands like Ninjasonik, Aa, and Nine 11 Thesaurus; special solo performances by members of Dirty Projectors, Zs, Extra Life, and Excepter; DJ sets, projections, guerilla theater, B-girl dancers, and delicious beverages served up by the ladies of Delicious Beverages!

David Byrne also has a shrine

2009-07-01T09:35:00.005-04:00

Wow. For once the Orioles create a buzz that I'm happy about. That was awesome. And what the hell was this?!? Anyway.

Those of you who have been to our apartment know about our shrine. (I'll update this post with pictures once I get a new digital camera ... ours took a fatal dip in Maine.) Well, David Byrne has one too. So there.

New music from Maine

2009-06-30T11:10:00.004-04:00

Just got back from a month in Maine and Massachusetts with my family, thanks to my in-laws' generosity. I made some recordings up in Maine and will be posting a few of them. Here is the first ... enjoy (?) ...
Maine solo, 10 June 2009

Upcoming show: Saturday, August 29

2009-05-11T16:51:00.002-04:00

It's a ways away, but mark your calendar: I'll be playing with Gordon Beeferman's Imaginary Band as part of the Generate Records festival on Roosevelt Island.

Gordon Beeferman's Imaginary Band

2009-04-02T19:25:00.001-04:00

Check out more information about the Imaginary Band on Gordon's site, with mp3s of excerpts from our recent show at Freddy's.

The Imaginary Band

Companion Trio - Baikal

2009-04-01T16:20:00.004-04:00

From Our Customs (2002), Mass Particles MP008
Evan Rapport: clarinet
Jerry Lim: guitar
Bob Wagner: drums
Companion Trio - Baikal (2002)

Upcoming show: Saturday, May 2

2009-04-01T15:58:00.005-04:00

Saturday, May 2, 2009, 9:00pm
with Microkingdom at Death By Audio, Brooklyn

Microkingdom is Marc Miller and Will Redman. I'll be performing with them.

Death By Audio
49 South 2nd St.
Brooklyn, NY
www.microkingdom.com
http://www.myspace.com/microkingdom

Video with Zach Layton and Michael Evans, February 3

2009-02-25T21:14:00.003-05:00

The beginning of our trio show on February 3 is on YouTube as an episode of PUNKCAST.

Ken Thomson - "Rut" for nine saxophones

2009-02-20T16:22:00.006-05:00

I played in Ken Thomson's saxophone nonet on Tuesday, February 17 at the Living Theater. I'm the short one (I look like I'm the same height as Pete Hess, but that's just because he's far away -- it's like one of those optical illusions, but in reverse).

We'll be recording it tomorrow for an upcoming Anti-Social Music release.

Best part of the New York Times

2009-01-26T21:43:00.004-05:00

Riding the F train home at night I love to read the movie listings at the back of the Arts section. I think it really says something that most movies really can be completely covered in a handful of words. Title (year). Stars. Summary. Review. (Rating)

Here's a sampling from today (not even a really good day, actually), including the reviews:

"Insecure schoolgirl extrovert. Doesn't hold together." Why, it's Superstar (1996), starring Molly Shannon!
"Mavericks out to save earth from asteroid. Not a believable moment in it." (Armageddon)
"Bad-tempered spiders. Bold, cheery horror." (Arachnophobia)
"Young barroom bouncer. Absurd." (Road House)
"High school boy falls for ex-porn-star neighbor. Sleazy attempt at comedy." (The Girl Next Door)

Is there really more to Armageddon than "Mavericks out to save earth from asteroid"? Nope. That's about it. The review is just icing on the cake at that point.

And then there are the occasional combined summary/reviews:
"Funny but splattery movie about unique country club." (Caddyshack) Unique!!! Splattery!!! Such glorious choices.

The really harsh reviews are fun. Usually of movies I've never heard of:
"Stone in Wild West. Mistake." (The Quick and the Dead) [Sharon, I assume.]
"Two young men torture hostage family. Clammy and repellent." (Funny Games)
"Young slacker learns he can teleport at will. You'll wish you could." (Jumper). I mean, you really do feel like you've just watched that one after reading those twelve words. Like you really experienced it. Truly amazing.

Upcoming show: Tuesday, February 24

2009-01-09T14:40:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 8:30pm
Music for an IMAGINARY BAND
A brand-new project: Gordon Beeferman's IMAGINARY BAND, a real 7-piece group consisting of some of NYC's most remarkable and creative musicians. Featuring brand-new compositions -- gnarly, lyrical, whimsical, free-form -- an idiosyncratic mix of new-music, jazz, and free improv.

Gordon Beeferman - piano & compositions
Nate Wooley - trumpet
Matt Bauder, Evan Rapport, Josh Sinton - saxophones
Brad Kemp - bass
Michael Evans - drums

ON THE WAY OUT at Freddy's Backroom
485 Dean Street between Flatbush and 6th Aves., Brooklyn
2/3 trains to Bergen Street; Q to 7th Avenue
www.freddysbackroom.com

The Inimitable John Carter

2008-12-22T13:34:00.005-05:00

In the unsung hero department, John Carter looms large. He was a virtuoso clarinetist with a unparalleled ability to interpret complex historical events, transforming them into personal statements of complete artistic integrity. He never stopped evolving; in 1982 (at the age of 52), he released Dauhwe, the first in a five-suite series exploring African American historical experiences and narratives (Dauhwe, Castles of Ghana, Dance of the Love Ghosts, Fields, and Shadows on a Wall). I strongly believe that this large-cycle suite, Roots and Folklore: Episodes in the Development of American Folk Music, is one of the great musical achievements of the twentieth century, as well as a consummate example of the suite's versatility and power as a form. He died in 1991, two years after Shadows came out.

"On a Country Road" is from the fourth suite, Fields: Seven Vignettes Depicting Life During the Fields Period in Early America.
John Carter - On a Country Road (1988)

"Fast Fannie's Cakewalk" is from an earlier suite, A Suite of Early American Folk Pieces, for solo clarinet.
John Carter - Fast Fannie's Cakewalk (1979)

Krill - Cluj

2008-12-22T12:40:00.009-05:00

"Cluj," a piece that I've reworked a number of times, from Krill. Album released in 2000, me, with John Dierker, reeds; F. Vattel Cherry, bass; and Will Redman, drums.
Krill - Cluj (2000)

RIP Odetta

2008-12-03T12:14:00.010-05:00

Another great loss of an inspirational artist. Not that I want this blog to be a necrology. She was hoping to sing at Obama's inauguration.

In this interview at The New York Times, she gives some fantastic responses to some ridiculous questions, and delivers a few stirring performances. There is some striking historical footage as well.

Here's an excerpt that I particularly liked. In one section, the interviewer (not sure who it is) is speaking of Dylan's interest in her music.

INTERVIEWER: Bob Dylan put you in his early songs. And he took something deep from your work. What was it?
ODETTA: Well, he said my work influenced him, and he sold his electric guitar and got an acoustic guitar. That influence was just like a key that opened up something that was of his own stuff. So, I can't even take credit for that; I can't take credit for how he heard something.
I: I think he listened to The Anthology of American Folk Music too, 'cause he stole -- liberated --
O: --No, no. No, no, no ... we call it folk music, we call it ... what do we call it, we don't call it stealing--
I: --Appropriation?
O: Well, we could, but we don't. It is "passing on the folk tradition." [Laughs] It ain't what you say, it's the way you say it, right?
I: So in other words, the amateur imitates but the professional steals.
O: I don't--you know, we professionals have stolen an awful lot from amateurs, ha ha! Those guys working, singing those songs, they weren't professional, but us professional people got at them, didn't we, and learned from them.

(photo from May 1960, from the Life magazine archive)

In C

2008-11-19T10:35:00.004-05:00

Sunday night I participated in the annual Darmstadt performance of Terry Riley's In C, organized by my friends Zach and Nick. Raucous and feel-good, and well over an hour. Here's a trippy video from the end of the night.

Crosseyed and Painless

2008-11-15T14:52:00.012-05:00

Recently, in my Introduction to World Music class, we were discussing the relationship between music and identity. I mentioned that although we tend to each think of ourselves as complex individuals, we often paint others with broad strokes and put them into simple categories. The World Music survey itself is a class that usually links one—sometimes two—musical styles or genres to entire countries, supranational constructs ("The Middle East"), or even continents. Some of the chapters in our textbook have ONE SONG that represents a region. That's just crazy. (At the same time, is it that much better to have five or six selections? Ten? It's still nuts. Gotta figure out a better way to do this ...) As an offhand remark, I asked them to think about how hard it would be for each of them to represent themselves with just one song.

Later, a student told me they had been thinking about that remark and thought that we should try it as a class. I substituted this for another homework assignment, asking them to think about the decision-making process as much as the actual song. We had many interesting results: songs linked to family history and heritage, songs linked to ethnicity, songs linked to place and hometown, songs linked to adolescence. When we were done they asked me what I would pick. I had no idea. I said I'd think about it.

When I tried to do the assignment later, the most interesting thing for me was how quickly I started thinking in terms of authenticity, something I always ask students to be highly skeptical of. Several meaningful, favorite pieces of music came into my mind, but in many cases I'd imagine representing myself with it and then feel ridiculous. Another interesting part of the experiment was how quickly the "answer" came into my mind. Make you sure you stay for the kid getting down with the unicorn.

RIP Bill Finegan

2008-07-11T21:56:00.006-04:00

After returning from a multi-week vacation, I learned that Bill Finegan died on June 4. I've been finishing an article for The Journal of the Society for American Music on his arrangements of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F, and had just emailed his son Jamie who told me that he had been in the hospital. He passed away only a few days later.

I became interested in Finegan's work when touring (briefly) with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in 1997 as the second alto saxophonist. His stuff was by far the most engaging music in the book. It was a thrill to play "Wagon Wheels" and "Pussy Willow," to fit into these rich textures and play such striking lines—especially for the second alto. While we were in Chicago I found some Sauter-Finegan Orchestra albums at Jazz Record Mart. I wasn't disappointed when I finally got home and was able to play them.

Bill Finegan's passing is a major loss. He was a brilliant artist.