[NewMusic] moe, rent, gino on SFCV cover story

[matt]

a long multi-authored on bay area's "bleeding edge" is on this
week's sf classical voice:

http://sfcv.org/

Kudos to Michael Zwiebach for giving some print to the local  
experimental scene - even though i wish he would have mentioned the  
Transbay and maybe some more groups/venues.. but i guess this was more  
about featuring Rent, which is fine..  i also don't agree with the  
premise that "modern classical musicians are often comfortable in  
other musical genres, even more improvisatory and alternative ones."   
--- i have a hard time believing that the life of a musician is that  
different now than any other point -- i'm not that knowledgable about  
history, but i do know about musicians touring "storefront" clubs in  
ancient greece, competing with one another who could play the fastest  
licks while circular breathing, beethoven getting his start as an  
improviser, chopin playing in bars, etc..  certainly the more "common"  
musicians - just like today - were taking as many gigs as they could  
in many kinds of music -- to earn more money and cover their many  
interests?


As for the rest of the article by the other authors, it touches on  
something that has been bugging me lately:  the idea that crossing  
genres is experimental and "bleeding edge".  personally, i usually  
don't find that too interesting, and it just reminds me of "3rd  
stream" -- nor do i really understand what that "gaps between  
established genres, between art and popular music" are.  first of all,  
isn't "genre" just some kind of music industry creation?

  Now i have absolutely no problem with musicians creating,  
performing, and promoting the music they enjoy and are passionate  
about  - in whatever "genre" -- but please let's not confuse  
instrumentation with musical content - if your string quartet is  
playing rock music then let's call it "rock" and not "experimental- 
cutting-edge" -- and as long as i can pick up on your enthusiasm and  
commitment to the music, then i won't care -- but unfortunately in  
most of these cases, the orchestration is being used as a face-lift --  
usually either dorky and/or burnt-out classical musicians trying to  
appear "hip" or rock musicians trying to appear "serious"

"bridging the gap" can backfire and you bring the worst elements from  
both worlds into one..


m@