Blog 2

I suppose I could start this entry with a bit of what I've been listening to recently. Taking this class has given me the opportunity to discover and rediscover a lot of different music. Being honest I have changed my listening habits a small bit to incorporate a bit more electronic music this semester. Listening to new music as well as music I used to listen a while ago. I recently rediscovered one of my favorite albums the other day, fat boy slim, "You’ve Come a Long Way Baby." In my eyes Norman Cook, aka fat boy slim, has to be considered one of the best DJs of this generation. Listening to "Right Here Right Now" really made me remember how much I loved this guy and still do even today. The video is also pretty sweet.




I also picked up Bloc Party’s new album. Despite not being strictly electronic and considered more alternative a lot of their newer stuff has shown a new wave of electronic improv in their music.

Listening to "Intamacy", Bloc Party's new album got me thinking about one of the sound unbound articles on improvisation. Vijay Lyer's article, "On Improvisation" got us going on a good conversation about the essence of improv the other day in section. We talked briefly about Miles Davis and his improv techniques before live performances but how today these so called "improvisations" have since been written down and tabbed for others to mimic. There was a lot of different opinions as to whether or not a live performance of improvisation should be documented and recorded or should it just be left alone only to be appreciated by the lucky few who were present to hear it. I took the view that the recording and documenting of these improv performance was actually a good thing. Music is something that should be shared whenever possible so why not have these performances documented. I know from listening to albums of live music that there is nothing better then hearing a group improvise on stage, even if I couldn't be there to hear it at least if its recorded I still have the opportunity to appreciate it.


Looking forward to working on our next assignment, radial seems like a lot of fun. Even if I have to work with these clowns.