Invitation(s) 03/12/2009
Posted by cjmule in Session Invite.add a comment
The next Community Listening Project will happen on Friday, March 13th @ 8pm. We are lucky to have one of our favorite CLP members–Kathleen Minahan–making a special guest appearance. Free stuff at the CLP for those who attend the Lotus Blossoms event at the Mathers on Thursday, March 12th @7pm. Here is the invite:
You are invited to attend a performance and demonstration with KevinLocke, an internationally acclaimed Lakota hoop dancer, and story-teller, and NEH Fellow. On Thursday March 12, at 7 pm, at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, Kevin will present an interactive performance about music, art, dance and story-telling in the Lakota tradition. This event is FREE and open to the public.
I hope you can make it to these events.
Thanks,
Chris
Session Review: “Where’s the Music?” 11/03/2008
Posted by cjmule in Session Review.comments closed
The first Community Listening Project of the Fall 2008 season was held on October 17, 2008. With much anticipation, twenty people, including four new participants, showed up armed with music and stories. During our meeting, the themes of “anticipation” and “nostalgia” showed up everywhere. These days, whether we are looking into the past or into the future, maybe we are all looking for resolve–fighting for a seat in the game of musical chairs. Whichever direction you are looking, it was a great to participate in the present with all of you. Thanks so much for showing up and sharing your music and stories.
PRESENTER: Jim
ARTIST: Toots & the Maytals
SONG: “Take Me Home”
TALK: music on television-My Name is Earl-El Camino-”driving a low rider into the sunset”-ska-rocksteady-American soul-CLP anticipation-Jim has “been waiting all summer to play this song.”
PRESENTER: Arianna
ARTIST: Tim Grimm
TRACK: “Coyote’s Dream”
TALK: Local farmer’s market-Americana-environmentalism-Jason Wilbur-John Prine-”a long stretch of roads”-”rainy days”-sound as cinematic-coyotes.
PRESENTER: Jenna
ARTIST: Tori Amos
TRACK: “Silent All These Years”
TALK: Tori as a tool to connect with the opposite sex-”reeled in to Tori by the ladies”-”taking control of the noise”-Bonnie & Clyde-Nirvana-music as background-music as companion-”Y Kant Tori Read.”
Listening to Music With Your Whole Body 03/24/2008
Posted by cjmule in Session Invite.1 comment so far
As mentioned in the last post, an important part of this project is to explore how we talk about music. In addition, it is also important to discuss how we listen to music. The comments section of last week’s post provided some really interesting conversation. In particular, Karen wrote:
On one side of this dichotomy, I argue, is the experience of music (and life) through the mind. On the other is the experience of music (and life) through the body. And I believe that we in the West (Western ethnomusicologists included and academics in particular) generally favor experiencing life through the mind.
In response to this comment, I would like to point you towards the video posted above. It is called “Evelyn Glennie: How To Listen to Music With Your Whole Body.”
In this soaring demonstration, deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie leads the audience through an exploration of music not as notes on a page, but as an expression of the human experience. Playing with sensitivity and nuance informed by a soul-deep understanding of and connection to music, she talks about a music that is more than sound waves perceived by the human ear. She illustrates a richer picture that begins with listening to yourself, and includes emotion and intent as well as the complex role of physical spaces — instrument, concert hall and even the bones and body cavities of musician and listener alike.
If you have time, please watch the video and share your thoughts.
The Terrorist of Fun 03/19/2008
Posted by cjmule in Reflections.7 comments
I used to be fun at parties, but those days are gone.
It was a cold New Year’s New York City Eve in 2007. I was riding the rails from Brooklyn to Queens to celebrate with friends. The subway was crowded with dressed up strangers who were going to the same place, but in a different location. I hung both my hands on a strap and stood my ground and read the black marker commentary written on top of the advertisements. The windows were etched with the graffiti tags that I don’t understand. The placards above reminded me that “if I see something” I should “say something.”
It was good to be home. (more…)
The Twangiest Evening Ever 10/17/2007
Posted by cjmule in Session Review.5 comments
The 3rd CLP session featured a variety of “break up song” interpretations that were all intent on helping us deal with pain. Some songs were soundtracks of a certain break up time or place. Some were country waltz’s with a whining pedal steel . Some contained cathartic lyrics which sympathized with particular emotions felt during the break-up. Some songs served to help us escape those same feelings. The tremendous contributions you all put forward made for an excellent evening. Please comment on what you played. The set list is right after the jump.
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Break Up Songs 10/11/2007
Posted by cjmule in Session Invite.3 comments
Dear Friends of the Community Listening Project,
Our illustrious Master of Ceremonies, Chris Mulé, has given me the honor of selecting the theme and writing up the invitation for this week’s meeting. What is that theme, you ask? . . . Wait for it . . . Wait for it . . . Drum roll please . . . BREAK-UP SONGS!
Now before you decide to revert to Plan B for your Thursday night plans, hear me out on this. My idea was inspired by a recent episode (08/27/07) of the NPR show “This American Life” in which one of the segments is devoted solely to a fascinating analysis of break-up songs. TAL contributor Starlee Kine, who has recently suffered a break-up herself, sets out to with a little bit of humor to understand what makes break-up songs work and, more importantly, what makes them feel so good when you feel so bad. In search of catharsis, she decides to write a break-up song herself even though she has no songwriting abilities whatsoever. So she does what any one of us would do if we found ourselves in a similar situation: She turns to Phil Collins for help. Yes, /that/ Phil Collins. As you might expect, what results is a darkly amusing deconstruction of the music genre we all hate to love.
