[NewMusic] underwhelmed @ Mills

[weasel walter]

perhaps there's a new sensibility coming from the newer generation of
players in terms of space? I dunno. maybe that will make up for the lack
of melodic and harmonic sensibility i see coming the same generation . .
. 

on the other hand, sometimes this predilection with "space" a little too
contrived in a lot of people's playing, i.e. "i'm going to prove just how
restrained i can be, you cavemusician with your playing all the time." i
think kowald said something to the effect of "in improvisation, there
needs to be more playing and less listening." (clarify please, damon) 
pussyfooting is just pussyfooting, but actively chosen silence and space
can obviously be as dynamic as any sound. 

i know that from a personal standpoint, i love not having to play during
improvisations, but i can only do that when i feel there's something else
going on that warrants my silence. if i think what what's going on begins
to flag, that's usually when i come back in. or i might fuck with
somebody and not come back in and let them fail (haven't done that since
chicago though - i pulled that one on kyle bruckmann once and it was
pretty hilarious). 

i still enjoy dense improvisation, but even then i believe there has to
be levels and degrees within it or it's just a dull roar. (having
mastered the dull roar already, i don't really need to do that much
more.)  

and then, one person's dull roar is another person's nirvana. 

ww 

On Tue, 6 Nov 2007 10:44:03 -0800 David Slusser <slusser at pixar.com>
writes:
> It is clearer for the audience to follow 
> the ideas when there's more variation in density, though.  Damon got
> the personal responsibility part right.