We continue our conversation with William Parker by further discussing his philosophy on music, Universal Tonality (Centering/AUM Fidelity, 2022) and lessons learned from Cecil Taylor. You can read part one here. PostGenre: You have also indicated that music is played for the earth and not for people. Does that relate to your earlier statement that […]
Some recordings are fun listening experiences. Things you can put on, enjoy the groove, and go about your day. William Parker’s Universal Tonality (Centering/AUM Fidelity, 2022) is not one of these albums. Do not misconstrue that statement. The album is enjoyable and enlightening. But those looking for something short and jaunty best look elsewhere. Instead, […]
We continue our conversation with Adam Rudolph with a deeper dive into his new book, Sonic Elements: Matrices, Cosmograms, and Ostinatos of Circularity (Meta, 2022). Sonic Elements builds upon the lessons Rudolph has learned throughout his career (which you can read more on in part one) to present two primary types of tools which can […]
Western musical notation dates back to at least the year 1025 when Benedictine monk Guido of Arezzo formed hexachords out of varied pitches. Over the following millennia, the system became more refined and ultimately developed into what one sees on most sheet music today. Given its long history, it is easy for many to assume […]
Nathaniel Hawthorne once famously noted that “Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.” While we all generally seem to understand an hour or a day, in a broader sense, what is time? Is it a static constant or a mere perception? Even Merriam-Webster’s definition of the term as “the measured or measurable period […]
In the second part of our conversation with Jeff Coffin (check out part one here) we dig deeper into the saxophonist’s album, Between Dreaming and Joy (Ear Up, 2022), including his use of an ice cream truck jingle, a bungee chord chair, and more. We also get into a theoretical discussion on the concept of […]
As this author sits at home recovering, it is impossible not to consider the immense downsides of the coronavirus. Almost six and a half million people have died worldwide from the virus. In such times, it is often thrust upon the artist to lift the populace’s spirits above their dire surroundings. As gigs dried up […]
We continue our conversation with Steve Lehman (part one here) with a heavy focus on his writing for the distinctive ensemble, Sélébéyone. We discuss his compositional process, spectralism – writing with an eye to the acoustic properties of sound- and the deeper meaning behind sophomore release, Xaybu: The Unseen (Pi, 2022). PostGenre: What was the […]
Throughout the ages, music has always been more than just notes or rhythms on a written page. Even the works of the greatest composers, when viewed solely in text, do not fully convey the power and wonder of their music. Similarly, to some degree, an instrument is nothing more than some metal, string, wood, or […]
Onyx has long been a mysterious substance. Many ancient civilizations used the mineral in ornate jewelry but upheld the stone for more than its attractiveness. The Romans believed a necklace engraved with the image of Mars, their god of war, would provide courage to soldiers in battle. The Persians believed onyx could help with epilepsy. […]
