More Modern press
Today, the day of Mobtown Modern’s maiden voyage, State of the Union makes headlines in the Sun with a nice preview article by Tim Smith.
Sounds Like Now
A blog by saxophonist Brian SacawaArchive for Baltimore
State of the Union
Mobtown Modern launches Tuesday (today, or tomorrow, depending on when you’re reading). All indicators are pointing to an exciting event. We’ve got some great coverage leading up to the show, including a CityPaper Critics Pick, 300 words in last Sunday’s Sun, and a Top-5 calendar pick from MetroMix. The politically-inspired program includes a Rzewski remix, Andriessen’s Workers Union, and Tim Feeney beating himself up. Art Jones will remix video from President Bush’s final State of the Union address as the music churns. Woof.
Unsilent feedback
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Unsilent Nighters may have noticed a mysterious man giving a play-by-play of the evening’s activities into a small handheld recording device. It turns out that our interloper was none other than Ed Schrader, whose Feedback article appears in this week’s CityPaper.
Unsilent Aftermath
Baltimore’s 2nd annual performance of Phil Kline’s amibient Christmas masterpiece Unsilent Night took place last night and was by all accounts a smashing success. We had a record crowd of nearly 100 totally awesome participants. New for the 2007 edition of Unsilent Night in Baltimore was the summoning of aliens as we gathered in a circle around the infamous Male/Femal sculpture in front of Penn Station; convincing the Amtrak police that we were the “carolers” they were expecting and we did indeed know where to stage—after sharing the joy with everyone in the train station; and making our way in and then out of the lobby of the Charles Theater. Many thanks again to all the folks who helped out and spread the word about this year’s event. We’ll see everyone again next year!
P.s. Some photos of the event can be had here. And, by the way, if you came out last night and took some photos and would like to share them, that would be great. Just send me an email!
Unsilent Eve
The batteries were all placed in the boombox with care . . . It’s the day before Unsilent Night in Baltimore and we’re ready to go. The press has been rolling in:
- Baltimore City Paper: Critic’s Pick
- Baltimore Sun: The Free Sheet
- Washington Post: The Scene (scroll down)
Though it won’t be as cold as last year, it’s still going to be a bit chilly. Those who brave the cold can look forward to warming up with some grog at Joe Squared at the Unsilent After Party following the event, where Hybrid Groove Project and DJ Dubble8 will warm things up as well. (We tried to get this guy on the bill, but he was booked already.)
Update: And many thanks to Baltimore bloggers Charissa, Box89e, and Broadsheet for helping to spread the word. Though I’m not sure what to make of this. At least the hipsters know that December 21 is Friday, not Saturday. Ahem.
Forget about BK…
This from an article about the Brooklyn music scene in the Guardian today:
The Maryland city of Baltimore plays a big role in Brooklyn’s musical renaissance. Sitek lived there, and is an old friend of Celebration’s singer, Katrina Ford, still a resident. Brian DeRan, the manager of Gang Gang Dance and Animal Collective, is a Baltimorean. So is Jason Foster, who now runs Yeasayer’s label, We Are Free (he and DeRan used to run another label, Monitor, together).
What is it about Baltimore, of all places, that inspires such curveball creativity? “There’s nothing there,” says Foster. “Absolutely nothing. So you can do what the fuck you want.”
New Baltimore slogans? Baltimore: Brooklyn’s Farm System. Baltimore: Making Music Too Cool For Itself. Baltimore: Helping Brooklyn Think It’s Better Than You.
Mobtown Modern
Question: What does Baltimore really need (besides better public schools, a lower crime rate, and a subway)? Answer: A new music series! That’s why Erik Spangler and I decided to start one. We call it Mobtown Modern. Our first concert takes place this January 29th, and will have a little something to do with our Commander in Chief’s final State of the Union Address. Needless to say, we’re extremely excited and grateful for the support and energy from Irene Hoffman at the Contemporary Museum. Stay tuned for more and be on the lookout for our spring concert too!
Unsilent Baltimore 2007
Phil Kline’s Christmas masterpiece, Unsilent Night, makes a triumphant return to Baltimore next month (Friday, December 21 at 8 p.m., to be exact). New for 2007: check out the brand new website and be sure to catch the Unsilent After Party, featuring HGP and DJ Dubble8. Stay tuned for more info as the date approaches.
High Jinx
For some reason, performing on the sidewalk is beginning to become commonplace for me in Baltimore. Pictured above is yours truly with Baltimore-based experimetal saxophonist extraordinaire John Berndt performing looping improvised soprano saxophone duets in front of Normal’s Books & Records as part of this year’s High Zero Festival’s High Jinx performances.
Ones of a kind
Every pursuit has its innovators, people who are synonomous with their field and without whom we couldn’t imagine that field existing the way it does today. This thought came to mind twice yesterday. The first time was while I was watching Dogtown and Z Boys, Stacey Peralta’s documentary about the birth of modern skateboarding. Would there have been a Tony Hawk without Tony Alva or Jay Adams? Similarly in jazz, would there have been a Michael Brecker—an innovator himself—without John Coltrane? Michael Jordan changed basketball. Jackson Pollock. Zeami Motokiyo. Andy Warhol. The Beatles. And so on.
The second time the innovation thought came to mind was during Dilettante’s set at the Red Room last night, where they were the second act on a triple bill that included local laptopper Myo as well as the crack duo of super duper original instrument producer Neil Feather and violinist and microtonal mistress Katt Hernandez. Dilettante was tight, excelling at focused short form improvisations, which were unpredictably busy and anxious. Percussionist Andrew Eisenberg played tastefully eradically. There seemed to be nothing that bassist Ryan McGuire didn’t hear. And alto saxophonist/bass clarinetist Josh Jefferson had a firm grasp on extended instrumental vocabulary. It was actually Jefferson’s playing that got me thinking about innovation again, namely one of the biggest innovators in free improvisation on the saxophone: John Zorn. You couldn’t not think of Zorn when Jefferson played because he was so into his bag. I’ve always had a bit of admiration for players that can mimic so well—I’m secretly jealous (well, it’s not all that secret anymore) of all the Kenny Garrett and Michael Brecker clones out there now—but at the same time I wonder how much fulfillment one feels playing a vocabulary that is so singularly associated with another player. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I didn’t really have any problem at all with the Zorn tribute. In the pursuit of a distinctive individual voice it’s imperative that we investigate and learn the vocabulary and style of those who have blazed the trail for us. Yet I believe there comes a point when one needs to shed that skin and synthesize all those influences into a unique voice that one can call one’s own.
