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

[Damon Smith]

Bang on Can was a real yawn fest at their free Amoeba show.

On Feb 13, 2008, at 11:08 AM, matt wrote:

> 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@
>
>
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Damon Smith

http://www.balancepointacoustics.com
http://myspace.com/smithdamon
New solo project:
http://www.myspace.com/damonsmithsolo