Anya M. Wassenberg's Blog: Art & Culture Maven, page 37
December 15, 2020
Electroacoustic: Wesley Fuller: Seven by Seven (Neuma Records / December 4, 2020)
Wesley Fuller: Seven by Seven
(Neuma Records / December 4, 2020)Buy it at Neuma RecordsDigital street date: Jan 15, 2021
American composer Wesley Fuller passed away at the age of 89 just as this album was going to press. It's a fitting tribute to his body of work as a pioneer in the field of electroacoustic music.
His music combines acoustic instruments and fixed media (formerly known as tape), and illustrate the development of electroacoustic music over the decades - from 1970s-era analog synthesizers housed in institutions to living room digital studios.
He is quoted on his approach to composition in a media release. “…the computer is being used as a composer, and it is, if you will, a kind of collaboration between composers. This is extremely important to this composer, as he does not wish to repeat a structure of an earlier piece.”
Time Into Pieces begins with a whimsical mood as the piano and computer engage in a kind of dialogue through various moods. At times discordant, it turns moody, then querelous, finally sombre and distant. There are passages that sound, albeit fleetingly, like a conventional instrumental ensemble. The bell-like tones of the piano and the machine sounds juxtaposed has an interesting effect.
In Concertpiece (1982), the interaction between the violin and computer is fraught with drama. They dance and sputter around each other. There is delicacy and subtlety in the performance, including some very challenging phrasings.
The Camaro Trio is a standout piece, performed by piano, percussion and computer. It's a kinetic composition that incorporates some gorgeous electronic sounds.
Two of the pieces were composed for computer alone. sherds of five is a minimalist work tha texplores tones and range. details/lines is, in contrast, atmopsheric and evocative. In Four phases for Three, it's the flute that weaves together percussion and computer with its lovely tone.
The most recent piece, phases/cycles, was composed in 2009 for viola and computer. Here, the viola has an almost human voice that encounters the computer's throbbing electronic vibrations.
Some of the pieces make literary references, including Jean Genet’s Our Lady of the Flowers, marine biologist Sylvia Earle’s Sea Change, John Ruskin’s The Stones of Venice, and Ezra Pound’s Cantos. Performers on the album include the composer’s spouse – Jacques Linder –, daughter Catherine Fuller, and other longtime friends based in New England and South Florida such as the McCormick Duo, Nancy Cirillo, and Maria Lambros.
Four Phases four Three
for flute, percussion and computer
(Kim McCormick, flute; Robert McCormick, percussion)
December 11, 2020
New Video: Alicia Waller's 'Soul' Is A Celebration of Black Women
Alicia Waller's 'Soul' Is A Celebration of Black Women
Just released on December 9, Alicia Waller and the Excursion's new video for her song Soul is a celebration of Black women, as she puts it, "inspired by the heightened cultural tensions of 2020."
It comes from her February 2020 release Some Hidden Treasure. The video uses images that document scenes in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. The diverse Black women featured in the video are among Waller's friends.
She describes the track, and her desire to portray Black identity in her music, in a media release.
"It was my aim to create a bluesy celebration of Black sound. I wanted it to sound unapologetically soulful—unapologetically Black—and to feel like an expedition that traveled through time as it weaved through different periods of Black American music.
More specifically, I wanted to celebrate myself and my people. I wanted to uplift our passion, our nuance, and the incredible love that we share between us—all of us who experience so much by being born Black in this weighted world. The video reflects my effort to show all of these things while centering, above all, the Black woman in a way that is without fetishization or the male gaze. I wanted to share us in the way that we see ourselves, which is exactly as we are—powerful, strong, beautiful, and free."
The track begins with a groove that is undeniably bluesy, with a sonically satisfying grit to the guitar and overall feel, and a sophisticated take on classic blues rhythms. That theme weaves itself in and out of explorations into other iconic Black American musical genres. Waller's big, rich voice is perfect for the music, accompanied by a rhythmic chorus. Her voice melds the styles together into a single musical journey.
Check it out for yourself.
November 29, 2020
Jewellery With A Conscience: Kind Karma
Kind KarmaCheck Out The Collection
Kind Karma blends timeless jewellery with a social conscience. Founded in Toronto in 2017, the company makes classic jewellery pieces using a unique business model - the artisans who produce the handmade pieces are at-risk and homeless youth.
"I always wanted to be an entrepreneur," explains founder Laurinda Lee-Retter. "I wanted to give back."
She combined her passions in Kind Karma. Laurinda serves as designer for the jewellery line, with pieces that are classic and minimalist, and that can be worn with anything. "I made jewellery as a hobby when I was young," she says.
The jewellery is then crafted by hand by the young artisans from sterling silver or gold fill, a durable construction that uses multiple layers of real gold over jeweller's brass. The result is much more resilient than gold plate. All the pieces are hypoallergenic, won't tarnish, and are designed to last for years of everyday wear.
The artisans come from all over Toronto. "We work with shelters and organizations in the city," Laurinda explains. The organizations send qualified candidates to Kind Karma. At times, Kind Karma has also done its own outreach to find the artisans it employs. During the pandemic, projects and supplies are mailed to the artisans, who work at home.
Why jewellery? It's a timeless and portable vocation that can be practised virtually anywhere in the world, giving the artisans specialized skills.
"I also think it's really therapeutic," Laurinda says of the meticulous art.
While she's doing all the designing for now, she also acts on feedback from the artisans, and is open to the possibility of creating micro-collections for artisans who may want to get into the designing side in the future.
Electric RnB: Tropic Return With New Single 'Down'
From a media release:
Rising Brooklyn-based duo Tropic have made an impressive return with new single “Down”. Tropic, which is formed of electronic producer/DJ Phuse and R&B singer-songwriter Jo-B Sebastian, once again showcase the stunning lyricism and sensual vocals that have garnered support from industry tastemakers and helped them amass millions of streams across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and more since their 2018 debut.
Blending R&B textures, electronic landscapes, pop hooks and funk rhythms courtesy of Phuse's slick, luscious production and Jo-B's poetic lyrics and irresistible melodies, "Down" looks set to be another hit to add to the duo’s striking collection. It follows previous 2020 releases "Lights Out (Redux)", "Always Be My Baby", "Secret" and "Paradise".
Speaking on “Down”, Tropic explained, "‘Down’ is a coming of age story, written from the perspective of someone forced to grow up too soon. The transition of summer to fall always leaves us with a lingering melancholy, and with ‘Down’ we mirror the changing of seasons with a song that laments the memories and people we try so hard to leave behind but can’t seem to let go of."
Keep up to date with Tropic:
Website Facebook TwitterInstagramYouTube
Fashionable Fabrics For A Cause: Vlisco Raises Over $500K For DRC's City Of Joy
From a media release:
The donation will fund the building of a creative and textiles school in the City of Joy
Vlisco to relaunch collection targeting $1M in donations
November 2020 – Dutch wax textile fabric company, Vlisco, is donating a total of $512,000 (USD) to fund a new fashion school and production workshop in the City of Joy, a women’s transformational sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The announcement marks one year since the company launched a special collection honouring the “world’s strongest women,” symbolising their recovery from rape and trauma, and their journey from pain to power.
City of Joy collection by Oritsegbubemi Ogisi - Photo by Atong Atem for VliscoThe original collection was showcased to a global audience by the women of the City of Joy at a gala event in Kinshasa on November 25th 2019. Five female, African fashion designers were asked to make garments for 15 of the graduates from the City of Joy, including Tolu Coker, Aisha Ayensu, Oritsegbubemi Ogisi, Rebecca Zoro, and Abiola Adeniron-Olusola.
To mark the 2020 UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and raise further donations and awareness for the centre, Vlisco is releasing an exclusive new collection of fabrics that is available to buy now in Europe and the USA. All profits from sales will be donated to support the ongoing needs of the City of Joy.
The City of Joy is a transformational leadership community for women; survivors of brutal rape and mutilation by soldiers and civilians, who use women as weapons of war. Located in Bukavu in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, it provides a place for them to overcome pain and stigma to emerge as confident leaders, ready to go back to their communities and pass on the message that power can come from pain. The partnership with Vlisco aims to put an international spotlight on the issue of sexual violence in the region.
The new textile and creative school will empower the women going through the rehabilitation process to learn new skills that will help them to reintegrate into society. They will be coached by members of Vlisco’s network of creative talent, including Brand Creative Director and Director of Vlisco&Co, Gabriela Sánchez y Sánchez de la Barquera and design experts from Africa and the rest of the world.
Up to 30 Congolese women each year will undergo training at the school, which will house dozens of industrial textile machines and a hangar for the production of traditional Batik fabrics. Students will be taught the craft of African textiles but with a creative, forward-looking perspective. Once established, the City of Joy aims to build commercial partnerships for the school in a bid for the sanctuary to continue its efforts in helping women not only from the Democratic Republic of Congo, but across Africa and the rest of the world.
“The spirit of creativity will be the motto for our fashion school. Our global objective is that one day the City of Joy can become financially sustainable and it is therefore important to be able to create products that could be sold on the international market and around Africa. Through this new school and creative opportunity and with the help of Vlisco, the City of Joy will have longevity and help the lives of so many more women,” said City of Joy Co-Founder and Director, Christine Schuler Deschryver.
A brand-new lookThe new 2020 collection features the five bold and bright printed super-wax fabric patterns reprinted in different colours, giving them a completely different look. Each of the new designs will comprise five colours instead of the three – a first for Vlisco in its 174-year history of traditional wax printing.
The fabric designs, created by Gabriela Sánchez y Sánchez de la Barquera, depict a journey from pain to power and sorrow to joy and represent the vagina as a beautiful flower; a powerful statement against the stigma of sexual trauma and mutilation suffered by over one thousand women in the Democratic Republic of Congo every day.
Vlisco CEO, David Suddens, said, “It was thanks to the women of Africa who bought these designs that we were able to donate the profit of $512,000 to the City of Joy. We hope now that the new version of the collection will be bought by people in Europe and the USA, and we are calling on everybody to donate to and support this amazing and critical project.
“When we asked the women of the City of Joy how they wanted to spend the money raised, they were unanimous in the decision to build a school. We hope, like them, that it will create opportunities and help rebuild lives.”
Travel By The Glass: Seven Cocktails From Around The World
Seven Cocktails From Around The World
We may not be able to travel, listen to live music or eat in restaurants, but we can always drink. Here's a look at some famous cocktails, and the stories surrounding their origins from all over the world.
The Bloody Caesar (Calgary, Alberta Canada)
The story goes that back in 1969, the Calgary Inn asked bartender Walter Chell to create a new cocktail to celebrate the opening of a new restaurant inside the hotel. Taking his inspiration from the restaurant's Italian cuisine, it took him fully three months to ocme up with the Caesar - as inspired by spaghetti alla vongole, which is essentially pasta with clam sauce.
Chell crushed clams for their juices, mixing it with tomato juice and spices. The classic version includes clam nectar - nowadays more often substituted by Clamato juice - Worcestershire sauce and celery salt. In an interview, Chell said he also added a dash of oregano.
Image by Alexas_Fotos (Pixabay) The Mojito (Cuba)
It's no surprise that Cuba, a major producer of sugar cane from the 18th century, would choose rum as its national spirit. It's not clear who created the mojito, with crushed mint leaves, lime juice, and a bit of sugar, but its origins are historic. Some stories say that English pirates created it to make rum more drinkable. In some accounts, it is linked directly to Sir Francis Drake, the British naval captain, who sailed to the Caribbean in the 1500s to recolonize the Spanish colonies in the region. With the lime juice, it was said to ease seasickness, and prevent scurvy.
Others claim it was crafted by African slaves who worked in the sugar cane fields. Ernest Hemingway was said to be a huge fan of the mojito. Local legend has it that in 1939, on a visit to Havana, he declared his love of mojitos in the form of graffitti scraled on the walls of his fave bar.
Pimm's Cup (London, England)
Pimm's Cup is a very popular summer drink in the UK. It was invented by James Pimm, a fishmonger and owner of an oyster bar in London. His birthday is unknown, but he died in 1866. He created a gin-based liqueur not as a cocktail, but a digestive aid for the patrons scarfing down his oysters. Nowadays, a Pimm's Cup includes chopped fruit (typically blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or seasonal fruit like apples and pears, with orange slices) with mint, lemonade, and of course Pimm's liqueur.
Singapore Sling (Singapore)
The Singapore Sling was created by Ngiam Tong Boon (嚴崇文), a Hainanese bartender working at the tony Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The hotel was a favourite of luminaries in the Colonial era, and was once described by writer W. Somserset Maugham as standing “for all the fables of the exotic East.” The classic recipe calls for gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau, Bénédictine, Grenadine, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, and Angostura bitters.
The story goes that the cocktail was created as a socially acceptable cocktail for the bored wives of rich colonials to sip on during the long hot afternoons - openly drinking liquor being a non-starter for upper class women of the era.
Image by Luis Wilker Perelo WilkerNet (Pixabay)Caipirinha (Brazil)Some people say that the caiprinha was first develop on the farms of the state of São Paulo, where it was enjoyed during large parties and gatherings. Other stories claim it was created during the Spanish flu outbreak of the earth 19th ccentury in Brazil, since the limes in the recipe provide a super dose of Vitamin C.
Whatever its origins, the Caipirinha is composed of cachaça, a rum-based liquor, muddled limes, and raw sugar, which gives it a golden colour. Sometimes, as in the image, it also includes passion fruit.
Image by Alexas_Fotos (Pixabay) Pisco Sour (Chile? Peru?)The origins of the Pisco Sour have been the subject of an international dispute between Chile and Peru for more than a century. In Peru, where the cocktail has was popularized at the Gran Hotel Bolívar in Lima during the early days of the 20th century, it has become the national drink.
There, the preferred history is that it was created by bartender Victor Vaughen Morris, an immigrant from Utah, who first crafted it as a riff on the whisky sour. The drink is made with Pisco, an amber-coloured brandy made in the wine growing regions of both Chile and Peru, along with egg white, bitters, and lime.
Tom Collins (New York City, USA)
Some credit the classic cocktail to bartender John Collins of the London Hotel in NYC back in the early 1800s. A more colourful story - and one that is backed up by newspaper accounts of the day - says it was created as the result of a popular hoax that spread throughout the Big Apple in 1874.
It goes like this: you're a young dude of the day, and you run into some friends on the street. They tell you someone's been bad mouthing you at the bar down the block - a guy by the name of Tom Collins. You march down to the bar to confront Tom, but the bartender, who's in on the joke, tells you he just left for another bar around the corner. So you keep going and going all over town, while your good friends snicker at you and have a drink.
As one newspaper reported, the hoax caused “frantic young men to rush wildly through the streets of the city on Saturday hunting for the libelous Tom Collins.” It seems that eventually, one or more of those savvy bartenders thought of a better answer than to send them to another bar - the classic gin and lemon drink we still know and love.
November 17, 2020
Blues Single | Bushwick Blooze Band: Waiting (Independent / 20 October 2020)
Bushwick Blooze Band: Waiting
(Independent / 20 October 2020) Stream It From Your Fave Service
Waiting is the latest in a string of singles released by Bushwick Blooze Band. The Brooklyn-based blues trio have been performing and recording the blues around the NYC area since 2018. Their first album "Cryin' for the L Train" was released in January 2019, and included covers of famous songs composed by their greatest influencers such as Little Richard, The Allman Brothers Band, Freddie King, and Eddie Vinson.
Bushwick Blooze Band is finishing up the production of their second album "Yes Dear" and unlike the previous cover record, this new album will be their first original contribution to the genres they love.
Waiting is an upbeat blues track with a party kind of veneer over solid musicianship. What begins with a classic blues feel transforms into an extended psychadelic flavoured trip. Inventive guitar licks almost make you forget about the virtuosity - almost.
It's an instrumental party track for discerning blues lovers.
Personnel: Brother Dave, guitars and vocals; Chas Rio, bass; David Cornejo, drums.
Websites:
Official Website: www.bushwickblooze.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bushwickbloozeband/Twitter: https://twitter.com/bushwickbloozeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bushwickbloozeband/
Folk Rock | Eric H. F. Law: Better Angels (Grace Margin Music / 1 October 2020)
Eric H. F. Law: Better Angels
(Grace Margin Music / 1 October 2020)Stream It On Spotify Or Buy It From His Website
From electrical engineer to a priest of the Episcopal Church and the founding of the Kaleidoscope Institute for Diverse and Sustainable Communities, author of 12 books, music was always present in Eric H.F. Law's life. For the last five years, it's become a bigger and bigger part of the picture, and he was inspired to write after the 2016 U.S. election and its divisive results.
He calls his new release, Better Angels, "the spiritual soundtrack for a fear-filled uncertain world".
Musically, the songs range through a number of genres. Don't Be Afraid is RnB infused pop with a strong groove. The one quibble I have is that the vocals sound a little too separated from the music - no point in having all that lovely musical texture if we can't hear it.
Law's voice lends itself to the drama of the lyrics in a mix of eclectic pop that reminded me of show tunes now and then. His nicely flexible tenor shines in the soft pop rock of Vicious Circle and the jazzy Braver Space.
Out of the Closet is a standout track with funny, clever lyrics and an irresistible rhythm, along with a great churchy organ sound.
NB: One thing I'll note - if you want to stream it on Spotify, the release seems to have been typo'd to "Better Angles".
Personnel:
Lead Vocal – Eric H. F. Law; Guitar and Musical Director – Dan Cole; Organ and Pedal Steel Guitar – Max Hart; Drums – Steve Hass; Bass – Dan Lutz
Tracklist:
Don't Be Afraid; Vicious Circle; Braver Space; Better Angels; Out of the Closet; Bountiful Sky; Fill Me with Your Spirit
Websites
Official website - https://erichflaw.hearnow.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eric.law.165
Alt Rock | Paul Maged: Culture War (Independent / 3 November 2020)
Paul Maged: Culture War
(Independent / 3 November 2020) Stream It On Spotify
"This is my most personal collection of music, both politically and emotionally," says New York City-based alt rocker Paul Maged. Released on November 3 - election day in the US - it's clear the personal is political in this collection of driven alt rock songs.
Cult 45 and Lose Your Privilege are two more tracks where Maged puts his beliefs on his sleeve.
"Nobody writes protest songs anymore. Major artists used to write protest songs. Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan. You just don't see that anymore because all popular artists today are so neatly packaged to appeal to the masses and no one wants to ruffle any feathers. I may not be a big artist but I have to speak my truth and I know I'm not alone in how I feel."
As a songwriter, he explores various rock and pop idioms, from the straight ahead rock sprinkled with ambient sounds in Culture War, the title track, to the progressive rock vibe of Lose Your Privilege. We Are slows down to a piano ballad with an almost operatic feel. The mood switches to guitar god rock on tracks like Shine On Your Light.
Jeanie Is A Rockstar is a standout track, with a heavy metal heart and earworm hooks.
Just one quibble (and I think I said this about an earlier release of his): a better graphic designer is needed for the album cover. One person can't be good at everything.
Tracklist:
1.Culture War; 2. Simplicity; 3. Lose Your Privilege; 4. We Are; 5. Shine On Your Light; 6. Cult 45; 7. Jeanie Is A Rockstar; 8. Illusions; 9. The Saturday Scene; 10. When Dreams Don't Come True
Websites:
Official Website: https://paulmaged.com/homeTwitter: https://twitter.com/themagedmanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulmagedmusicSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3OQeVQ1gXzZP9y2nrD69yM
Electronic Ambient | Vipid: Memories (Independent / 2 October 2020)
Vipid: Memories
(Independent / 2 October 2020) Buy It On Bandcamp
Burbank, CA based musician and graphic artist Jared Simmons is the one-man behind Vipid, an ambient electronic band you may not have heard of - but who's had over 250,000 streams across Spotify and Apple Music after participating in the record-breaking #iVoted Festival 2020.
Vipid plays with tones and melodies, with some tracks on the release very short, and none much over the 4-minute mark. Bell-like tones resonate through Home, the first track. In Night Train, they're set to a danceable rhythm, with interesting harmonic and melodic changes. In Internity, the vibe turns hypnotic.
Vista is a highlight of the release - all moody and dramatic as it introduces a rhythm that stutters and builds to a tense peak. In Dawn, the mood is trippy and spacey.
Fracture is another standout track, one that builds a groove that turns round and round on itself. As a composer, Vipid is nicely variable and never seems to revisit the same groove twice.
He talks about the album's inspiration in a media release. "Memories is an album that draws inspiration from early points in my life. As you look back on memories and recall the way life used to be, it's often informed by all the things you've learned since then. Memories really was a way for me to channel those experiences and see them in a new light."
Tracklist: 01 - Home , 02 - Night Tides , 03 - Vista , 04 - Dawn , 05 - Internity , 06 - Six , 07 - Late Night , 08 - Lavender Sunset , 09 - Fracture
Websites:
Official Website: vipidband.comFacebook: facebook.com/vipidbandTwitter: twitter.com/vipidbandInstagram: instagram.com/vipidbandSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1wBjOcSCbNTm95I9blrXyqMemories by Vipid
Art & Culture Maven
- Anya M. Wassenberg's profile
- 5 followers
