Latch Music's Ezine #4
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* "The Zine" content is contributed by Dave Latchaw and colleagues who use the Internet to promote their musical projects. You can check out previous issues at "The Zine" Archives.
- Article: "The Musically Motivated" by Dave Latchaw
- Guest Artist: Adam Smith - Very cool and multi-talented.
- Featured Web Site: Forevernow.com
- Featured Web Video: Robert Fripp
- CD Pick: The Keith Jarrett Trio "Whisper Not"
The Musically Motivated
by Dave Latchaw
As a professional musician and music educator it is necessary for me to keep musically motivated, increasing my knowledge and ability base. Knowledge is power and increases ability. The more I know about a broad range of musical topics and styles, the better my quality and diversity of work is. The process of study for any musician should be constant and on-going. The music field is competitive enough that if one wants to make a living then they need to know a lot about a lot of things. The more diversity a player and educator has, the more potential they will have to control what they do and connect to a greater amount of people.
As an educator you have choices as to which topics you want to teach. You can teach information, but the student may or may not receive that data. For private educators the greater challenge is not only to teach what you think is cool, but also to take into consideration what the student wants to learn, and make that combination educationally sound. Being limited in scope as an educator also limits the student. What is to be done with the student who wants to play only a certain kind of music? Is one to belittle what the student currently digs? For me, the interesting challenge is to teach musical fundamentals using whichever musical style will motivate the student. This is important in order for the private music educator to sustain a student base, especially in smaller communities where the opportunities to teach contemporary music are limited. Private music educators sometimes get all lofty in their judgment of music outside of their own comfort zone. They think that what they are into is the only thing there is. This will put off a lot of potential students. They will either find another teacher or be so disillusioned that they give up music all together. If a private teacher can connect with a student, the student can be inspired to move beyond playing only what they are currently into. If it is not successful, the worst thing you have is someone who is knowledgeable about what they are interested in, and not just a wanker on their instrument. Not so bad.
If one wants to work as a professional player, the more musical choices you can offer, the more potential you have for work and creativity. It's as easy as that. If a person doesn't take the time to learn music outside of the direction they are into, they are greatly limiting their work potential and even their creative potential. There are all kinds of musicians, from the happy gigster to the genius. Every musician needs to expand their abilities. It seems all too often a musician will stay in their comfort zone, either because of ego or insecurities. There are many gifted musicians of varying abilities, and how one compares to another does not even matter. If one can keep perspective, make honest assessments of their own ability and do the work, growth and musical maturity should be the result. If one makes the commitment to be in music, they should always be a student of it. You can be the most burning gifted musician or a beginner, there will always be something more to learn. Always. That is the beauty and the curse of music.
The Internet has opened up new avenues for the musically motivated. It is an unbelievable source for musical diversity. With the vast amount of music available to check out and study for free on sites like MP3.com, it's like a gigantic music candy store with every flavor imaginable. Nothing is more sad than when the educator and the player stop learning. If one wants some new and different ideas on improvisation it's easy to find sources like "A Jazz Improvisation Primer" by Marc Sabatella. Indiana University School of Music has sources for Jazz here.
Adam Smith
#1 On which sites can a reader find your bio and more information about your projects?
Right now you can find this information at my geocities site as well as on mp3.com.
adamsmithmusic
mp3.com/adamsmith
#2 Describe your newest project.
I recently just finished a 2CD album entitled "Where Time Goes". It features Dave Caggiano on Drums, Clarinet, Flute, & Percussion, Will Crighton on Upright Bass, Daniel Kelly on Trumpet, Percussionists Andy Hall, Andy McVey, Ali Pearce, Matt Smith, Julia Lee, Shawn Gregg, Andy Nicholas, as well as myself on various instruments throughout the disc.
This recording is a great exodus for me, It is a plunge into blending very small & very large scale compositions.
The shades of styles on it cover so much ground. There are straight ahead jazz, jazz-fusion, avant garde & atonal forms of composing. There are classical electronic & music concrete, lots of film music as well as heavy metal.
This recording was also a great opportunity to do something I've never done before. Something very new and free. This disc moves & journeys much like a film, with many contrasts and colors. Many shades of emotions and observations.
This disc was originally designed as a soundtrack for an art exhibit for Callie Schmeltz & Gary Desavlo.
Two very special and talented mixed media artists. There are a few pieces on the disc that are directly influenced by the imagery & essence of their work. It had been quite some time since Callie & Gary had displayed their work publicly and it has been over a year since I have produced an album of fusion music of my own. So together, the three of us generated a very special artistic spirit and energy that I feel really transcended what we do with our craft.
The album will be available on my site by the beginning of November. Also, you can listen and download quite a few select cuts from the disc at mp3.com.
If you are the kind of music lover that loves to take a journey on a tapestry of sound I really think "Where Time Goes" can take you to places deep inside, and outside of yourself that are very rewarding and revealing.
At least that's what I am striving for.
#3 How has the Internet changed your approach to your musical endeavors?
I think it's pretty safe to say the Internet has completely turned the musical industry around for the betterment of all musicians and recordists alike. It has made me less concerned about tailoring my music for certain record label markets. At the same time, It has made me more meticulous in my production & recording techniques, because really it's now up to us to build ourselves as recording artists. We have the beautiful opportunity to play for "The People" now. Not the market. So I really try to give my absolute best and truest to my projects. For now we have the greatest gift of reaching an audience without having to wear a mask for the industry's sake. We can put the song of our hearts back into the music, not the song of the "times" or the current trends of the lowest common denominator. I really think more and more people & music lovers are tired of the same forms of music. I feel we have to become more "cliche-free", as Miles would say. If we want to have the zest of touching people in the same intensity as musical artists of the previous decades & centuries, we have to become more free inside ourselves to create that opportunity. With the Internet, we truly have that opportunity. But now, it's really up to us to put forth the intent, true effort, and the vision to build that bridge that we can all ascend from.
#4 What has been the most surprising thing about having a web presence for your music?
Finally getting the opportunity to have my music and myself connected internationally and hearing some of the greatest of reflections from people in Norway, Japan, Germany & The Netherlands. Their reflections of my music always seem to be more emotionally spoken as opposed to stylistically spoken.
#5 How do you see the future of downloadable music?
Now comes the time we as musicians & recordists must ask ourselves our reasoning & intent for why we do what we do. Are we creating music for our expression through art? For monetary or career advancement? Are we making music as just social intercourse? I see downloading music as a great duality, I feel it will open up great doors and skies for many very talented musicians & composers. They will have the opportunity to share their heart and imagination more vastly and directly with an audience. Which I feel will generate a fresh, new energy to create & compose new avenues of music. Something the music world has been lacking. On the other side of the coin, I feel downloadable music will spawn even more "imposter" artists and pre-mature recordists who base their "music" from other peoples recordings and means with less intent than those who put much more of "themselves" into their efforts.
One reason for this is that It looks to me that recorded music will all become public domain or basically free. Therefore, creating much of a profit from your original recorded music will be harder than ever. So those who put more attention and care into their work will suffer because being a "recording artist" is an expensive medium.
However, Those who can afford to be prolific will have the greatest opportunity to share themselves to others worldwide through their work than ever before.......and that is really the bottom line isn't it?
#6 How do you balance the various activities a musician does like practicing, composing and gigging business stuff?
That's a GOOD Question!! One thing for certain, I like to try and compose in phases. I like to try and build an emotional & reflective energy & awareness so I can compose with a stronger continuity. I make a point to play and practice everyday, especially right before & right after I sleep. Because that's when we can find that inner space that is closer to our hearts. So we can better focus on what it is we are trying to achieve. That way we can fuse all of the business and other elements in our lives that we know are trivial to the music.
#7 Which web sites do you travel to when you have a moment to surf?
I really enjoy mp3.com. I have had the chance to discover some really, really talented & gifted musicians like Mike Ianieri & Errol Rackipov as well as Brian Derek & Dave Latchaw to name a few.
I really love independent photographer sites, Like Lia Peters & Wyojake. They are some of the most gifted photographers I've experienced. I love organic coffee sites. Sites for films and writers. There are so many.
What's great is it's like the worlds greatest library. Except that it's even more intense and in depth than ever before. The Internet to me is a truly awesome way for us to connect who we are and who we strive to be and to discover where our world is going in correlation with our consciousness of our universe.
Forevernow.com
Forevernow.com is the music of Level 42 on the Web. Level 42 is an excellent radio-friendly band. Unlike many of the commercial groups of today, this band has always had great musicians. There is nothing wrong with music having mass appeal. The tedious fact about many of the bands (not all) that the music industry pushes, is that they are usually one-dimensional in their musical scope. This is often because the record compny can keep more control of the music being produced. Trends may change but great musicians keep growing, going and making music.
This site contains lots of information about the band and it's members. Check out the drum and bass duets with Mark King and Gary Husband. The real audio and video downloads are also cool. Click here to go to the Forevernow.com web site.
Related sites
Robert Fripp
**Update-May 2002**
Unfortunately, this video is no longer available.
An Interview With.........
This is an interesting 2-hour web interview. Robert Fripp is the leader of King Crimson and The Projeckts. On this video he is asked questions via e-mail and by people in the studio audience. Robert answers questions about the music business, being a musician, bands and other things. It's very entertaining to listen to this extremely respected creative force of the last 30 years share his thoughts.
As with any new technology, at times it's a bit glitchy, but still a great representation of the potential for artists to have direct contact with people around the world who appreciate their music. To the developing artist and student his insights and thoughts are worth the time to check out.
Related sites
The Keith Jarrett Trio
"Whisper Not"
Live in Paris July 5, 1999
Keith Jarrett: Piano
Gary Peacock: Bass
Jack DeJohnette: Drums
This has to be one of the greatest piano trios ever. The three of them have made music together in some configuration since the late 60's. In 1983 they decided to record standards. This was a bold move because at the time no one was really recording those tunes. Since all three are master improvisers they can just call tunes and play, which makes the music sound fresh and spontaneous. Their efforts brought new life to the classic jazz standards. Their first release was "Standards Volume 1". Their most recent release is called "Whisper Not". This is the trio's first recording since Keith was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The music was excellent 17 years ago, but this recording documents a new level of music making. Yes, they are all masterful players, but there is another whole level of creating music with friends and the passage of time. Check out "Whisper Not" and all of the other Jarrett Trio recordings. You will be glad you did.
Click here to learn more about "Whisper Not"
Related Sites
- Keith Jarrett at ECM
- A Sketch of his Life and Work by Lynn David Newton
- Jack DeJohnette
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