Far be it from me to pronounce my own offspring (the violinist here) perfect. You be the judge.
Music in Focus: International Program Artists from Music@Menlo on Vimeo.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Eric Harland
The drummer doesn't seem to be moving much. His head is rolled back a little... could be meditating. Every once in a while he looks out and flashes a winning grin, or pauses, shakes his head gently. Then back to work. But what exactly is he doing back there? Most of the focus is on the snare and toms... not a lot of cymbal work, not even a lot of high-hat. Not much flailing about for impressive effect. The beat is propulsive, but where exactly is it in that fascinating, swirling rumble of sound? None of the big back-beat or hip-hop glitch effects that seem popular among top jazz drummers these days. More implicit than explicit. He is in perfect sync with the rock-steady bassist, Larry Grenadier.
Chris Potter is the headliner, and he takes most of the solos. Technically, he may be the most impressive jazz saxophonist I have heard. Although he definitely gets into the zone, I do wish his playing went outside a little more... he'll deliver a squawk once in a while, but then it's back off into his liquid modal arpeggios and runs. But who else can play arpeggios and runs like that?
Potter is great, but he gives the final solo to Harland. For not the first time, the bandleader stands off to the side and observes with a bemused expression, as if just as mystified by this subtle virtuosity as the audience is. The climax of the solo is a drum roll on the snare, which seems to last for three or four minutes. If you are Eric Harland, you can squeeze the whole world into a drum roll.
(Stanford Jazz Festival, 8/7/2013)
Chris Potter is the headliner, and he takes most of the solos. Technically, he may be the most impressive jazz saxophonist I have heard. Although he definitely gets into the zone, I do wish his playing went outside a little more... he'll deliver a squawk once in a while, but then it's back off into his liquid modal arpeggios and runs. But who else can play arpeggios and runs like that?
Potter is great, but he gives the final solo to Harland. For not the first time, the bandleader stands off to the side and observes with a bemused expression, as if just as mystified by this subtle virtuosity as the audience is. The climax of the solo is a drum roll on the snare, which seems to last for three or four minutes. If you are Eric Harland, you can squeeze the whole world into a drum roll.
(Stanford Jazz Festival, 8/7/2013)
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Sam McDonald County Park
Peaceful and shady on a Sunday afternoon in early August. Some old-growth redwoods, impressive douglas firs, tanoaks suffering badly from SOD, exposed meadows atop the ridge.
I was pleased to find this cozy wood rat nest tucked into a hollow redwood... unusual to find the critters living in these groves, in my experience:
This artist's conk (Ganoderma applanatum) was lying on the ground, detached. I felt compelled to make an artistic statement:
You might easily walk right by the tiny, delicate California harebell (Asyneuma prenanthoides):
And yes, there were some nice lichens on the oak just outside the Sierra Club hiker's hut...
One more, why not?
I was pleased to find this cozy wood rat nest tucked into a hollow redwood... unusual to find the critters living in these groves, in my experience:
This artist's conk (Ganoderma applanatum) was lying on the ground, detached. I felt compelled to make an artistic statement:
You might easily walk right by the tiny, delicate California harebell (Asyneuma prenanthoides):
And yes, there were some nice lichens on the oak just outside the Sierra Club hiker's hut...
One more, why not?
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Blue Jasmine
Woody Allen in bitter, moralizing, Old Testament mode... a la Crimes and Misdemeanors. The movie is relentless and cruel, and could easily be accused of misogyny in its treatment of the title character. Except that Cate Blanchett, pushing it past the limit at times, commands your attention and grudging admiration every moment she is on screen. Woody consigns her to the depths of hell, but you know she will keep clawing her way back up, gulping xanax and swilling Stoli all the way. Recommended.
Can Music Be Perfect? Vol. 3a
I already plugged the album a while back, so I can't give the song a new volume number of its own. I'd describe his voice as more butter than honey, but it does stick with you.
Friday, August 2, 2013
I have mixed feelings about this
It's nice to know that there are some self-proclaimed Republicans who accept that anthropogenic climate change is a reality. On the other hand, they fail to name names. Such as... the names of the deniers who seem to dominate the entire GOP leadership. They could also have showed some gumption and advised Republicans who care about the future of the planet to vote Democrat. All 10 or 12 of them.
Precautionary security policy
Whenever someone mentions yet another horror story about internet identity theft, or the bad consequences that have come of some kid posting stupid or mean things on facebook, or google's tracking our every move and trying to sell it right back at us, my reaction (to myself) is usually something like, "Yes, bad, bad, but the technology is still brand new, and we are still finding our way, in terms of social norms, the law, technological fixes, and common sense. It will be a little chaotic until we figure it out."
Eventually, this unsettled period will shake out into a system of more stable institutions and rules. Once that happens, patterns of behavior will become self-reinforcing and rigid; change will become a lot more difficult. In my field (economic history), we call this lock-in, or path dependence. You really don't want to lock in bad rules. But during a period of flux systems are sensitive to "small perturbations." In our era, it's an unfortunate coincidence that one of those perturbations was 9/11, which has afforded political advantage on security and communications policy-making to those with authoritarian inclinations, or those who find it expedient to feign them. What's happening right now is a struggle over the set of rules that may be locked in.
All the more reason to err in the direction of skepticism, libertarianism, and resistance when it comes to government surveillance and the security state. It seems that many Americans, and even many Congresspeople, agree. So, Mr. Putin, even though you are a tyrant, and your motive is as childish as thumbing your nose at Uncle Sam, thanks for keeping our whistle-blower (yes) Mr. Snowden safe and sound for a few more months, while we try to figure it all out and protect the freedoms that you disdain.
Eventually, this unsettled period will shake out into a system of more stable institutions and rules. Once that happens, patterns of behavior will become self-reinforcing and rigid; change will become a lot more difficult. In my field (economic history), we call this lock-in, or path dependence. You really don't want to lock in bad rules. But during a period of flux systems are sensitive to "small perturbations." In our era, it's an unfortunate coincidence that one of those perturbations was 9/11, which has afforded political advantage on security and communications policy-making to those with authoritarian inclinations, or those who find it expedient to feign them. What's happening right now is a struggle over the set of rules that may be locked in.
All the more reason to err in the direction of skepticism, libertarianism, and resistance when it comes to government surveillance and the security state. It seems that many Americans, and even many Congresspeople, agree. So, Mr. Putin, even though you are a tyrant, and your motive is as childish as thumbing your nose at Uncle Sam, thanks for keeping our whistle-blower (yes) Mr. Snowden safe and sound for a few more months, while we try to figure it all out and protect the freedoms that you disdain.
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