Sergio!
This is hysterical. Man, I love Jon Hamm.
Sounds Like Now
A blog by saxophonist Brian SacawaArchive for Video
It’s a Werner!
Visuals at new music shows can be a slippery slope. There’s the danger that the visual component is so prominent that it overshadows the music or that it’s done so poorly that it ends up detracting from the performance. I’ve seen it go both ways. Yet, when done well, adding a visual element to a performance can do a great deal to enhance the total concert experience. At least that’s what we believe at Mobtown Modern.
We’re fortunate to be in good visual hands at Mobtown thanks to video whiz-kid Guy Werner. Guy’s work is so effective because of the way it compliments the performance rather than dominating it. Nothing is ever pre-set in terms of what’s going to be happening when. Prior to each show, we send Guy recordings of the pieces that will be performed, which he uses to get conceptual ideas for his presentation of each piece. For some compositions, like Jacob TV’s Lipstick (performed by Katayoon Hodjati shown above), the thematic material is obvious. But in other cases, like Wendy Richman’s performance of Manto III by Giacinto Scelsi, the inspiration for the visual element seems to come from unexpected sources while remaining ultra-effective. During the performance, Guy draws on the samples he’s prepared and mixes a visual layer in real time as the piece unfolds, lending an improvisatory quality to the work as well as making the video layer an integral part of the experience rather than a simple “visual soundtrack”. It’s this type of engagement during the playing of the music that makes Guy’s work so compelling.
P.S. Guy also curates an annual video event at the wonderful Metro Gallery called Videopolis. And guess what? They’re currently accepting submissions! Go here to find out more.
Obit
It’s common knowledge that obituaries of well known figures are written well in advance of their demise. It’s from that bureau that we have the following video obit for Andrew Lloyd Webber.
FOX news loves me
This year’s performance of Unsilent Night in Baltimore generated a great deal of interest, especially in the media. There was the CityPaper feature, the article in the Sun, and day-of morning interview on the FOX45 Morning News. FOX also saw fit to send out a mobile cameraman/reporter to film the event and produce a story for their evening newscast. The story, shown above, was shot, written, and edited by Josh Miller of FOX45.
(N.B. Clip info: Unsilent Night – FOX45 News Story on Vimeo)
Unsilent Night: the video
Last Friday’s performance of Unsilent Night—Baltimore’s first annual—was a great success. Braving sub-freezing temperatures, folks came out to make it a very decent turn-out all things considered. We had an extremely diverse mass of people, including old acquaintances, new acquaintances, young, not young, and even a visit by Phil Kline’s brother, Michael, his wife Carolyn, and their two children, who each came equipped with a colorful “My First Tape-Recorder” boombox. FOX45 news cameraman/reporter Josh Miller was also on hand, following the morning’s interview on the FOX45 Morning News (more on that later) and put together a piece that ran both Friday and Sunday evening (I’ll be sure to post the clip once Josh sends me a copy). We timed the Meyerhoff crowd just right but were asked to “keep moving” as we made our second pass by the front door. Once again, a good time was had by all and judging by people’s excitement, next year’s event will be even bigger.
(N.B. Clip info: Unsilent Night – Baltimore 2006 on Vimeo.)
