where have you been paul bailey?

that is a good question, my blog posts have been few and far between for the last few months. (thanks to the fredosphere for nudging me out of my van down by the river) . After reading Ayelet Waldman's article in today's Salon i realized that i also fit a similar pattern (although without the suicidal and bipolar tendencies). blogging has been good for my soul, but working the details of your art online has some limitations. she captures the essence of this with:

At the same time, I was becoming convinced that all this blogging was having a deleterious effect on my writing. It was more than the hours I was spending posting to my blog, reading my comments page, reading other blogs, and checking my site meter. As a novelist, I mined my history, my family and my memory, but in a very specific way. Writing fiction, I never made use of experiences immediately as they happened. I needed to let things fester in my memory, mature and transmogrify into something meaningful. The fictionalized scene I ended up with was often unrecognizable from the actual event that had been its progenitor.

i think a big part of the process of creating is observing. i have spent much of the last few months getting back into touch with what my goals are. what do i what to write? perform? what do i really care about? its been great just hanging out with my wife, dogs and friends. this week its time to finally get the group rolling again. i've been plotting out the next couple years of pieces i would like to write, some original, some transcriptions. right now i'm transcribing two of lloyd rodger's pieces for upcoming concerts(bonedance and exit music). besides having other music to play (i never really think that concerts of single composers are really interesting) it allows me to work out orchestration ideas with my group. its always easier when its not your music and i'm not worried about the notes, or form, just what is the best way i can activate through my instruments. i'm also interested in doing some baroque transcriptions, i've been listening to a lot of locatelli's concerto grossi and i'm also thinking about arranging a pezel or pucelll chaconne. also we will finally get around to play my setting of weezer's sweater song! i heard the new album is coming out soon. if you have copy already, send it my way. i have other things to send back.

blogs are a great way to passively participate in the world and comment if you like. there are so many more voices that make me feel much more human. they also connect me to great new things like...

edmund wells (bass clarinets playing radiohead, duran duran, and spinal tap) i still need to check out their original music i just cannot stop playing creep! the multiphonics are f***ing great!!!!!!!!!!

other notes

thanks again to the fredosphere for the nudge.... the pbe is kind of a string ensemble, except with trombone, clarinet, vibes, electric guitar, electric bass and keyboard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbe/5568463/,

i cannot take credit for the stokowski quote, it's alex ross via the chansins biography

shit... it's monday at 6:00pm 6:30pm 6:45pm, i need to start my daily comp routine that usually consists of some or all of the following;

eartraining/transcription, counterpoint, piece construction (tonal planning, form, elements, orchestration, crying, begging and stealing) on most days i'm lucky to get an hour or two, weekends 3-4 depending on what is happening.

final gossip

i also heard that the diametric ensemble(no discernible website, they must be soo hip to have a secret one only the cool people who wear kilts while playing can join) and eight blackbird performed at cal state fullerton this weekend. i didn't go, tickets were pretty expensive and i'd rather see mikel rouse this weekend at royce hall. anyway... i heard both groups played all the greatest modernist hits from the 60's, 70's and 80's. my friend especially liked the performance of crumb's voice of the whale, but was puzzled by the rock concert style sale of t-shirts, temporary tattoos and stickers after the concert. i guess that's what made the concert cutting edge.

back to my van down by the la river