"'Ah! Poetry makes life what lights and music do the stage. Strip the one of
its false embellishments, and the other of its illusions, and what is there
real in either to live or care for?'
'Very true, sir,' replied Mr. Snodgrass.
'To be before the footlights,' continued the dismal man, 'is like sitting at a
grand court show, and admiring the silken dresses of the gaudy throng - to be
behind them, is to be the people who make that finery, uncared for and
unknown, and left to sink or swim, to starve or live, as fortune wills it.'
'Certainly,' said Mr. Snodgrass: for the sunken eye of the dismal man rested
on him, and he felt it necessary to say something."
Charles Dickens - "The Posthumous Papers of The Pickwick Club"
Texts
Streaming
June 24, 2022
the shape of the wind, the shadow of time
Seattle Modern Orchestra, Michael Lewanski, guest conductor
(famous pre-mission
better than many
as pre-missions go
lights!!)
better than many
as pre-missions go
lights!!)
percussion as high priestess
orchestra as extension of soloist
percussionist's layout
is the Chekov's gun of instrumental theater
everything will be used
similar to but on a different structural level than
a keyboardist's fingering
percussion and its repercussions
percussion travels
further and further
from the harp
reprise
re-journey
suddenly a spring
from the right
orchestra as extension of soloist
percussionist's layout
is the Chekov's gun of instrumental theater
everything will be used
similar to but on a different structural level than
a keyboardist's fingering
percussion and its repercussions
percussion travels
further and further
from the harp
reprise
re-journey
suddenly a spring
from the right
(infamous intermissions)
Now is Forever, for soprano and chamber orchestra - Kate Soper - Maria
Männistö, soprano
wearing a dress of orphic flowers
Indígena - Tania León
sentient toy orchestra
wanders
in
and out
and through
and beyond
a Latin feel
wanders
in
and out
and through
and beyond
a Latin feel
From Recent Arrivals
Understand - Christina Aguilera [from Back to Basics]
song as a synthesis
of language content
and para-language context
of language content
and para-language context
In The Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) - Dolly Parton [from
In The Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)]
ah the country life
Seven Day Fool - Etta James [from The Second Time Around]
that's the pitch
but my guess is
but my guess is
he won't appreciate her
Recorded
June 18, 2022
Your Feets Too Big - The Beatles [from First Live Recordings]
body shaming
garbage rock
garbage rock
Mary Anne With the Shaky Hand - The Who [from The Who Sell Out]
notes from someone's little black book
Janine - David Bowie [from Space Oddity]
Bowie goes country
the purpose of a band
socially
socially
can include
raw tribal identity
the band
the scene
the sound
raw tribal identity
the band
the scene
the sound
the attitude
the look
all of it must plausibly mesh
in order to attract a crowd
to whom beer can be sold
the look
all of it must plausibly mesh
in order to attract a crowd
to whom beer can be sold
Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye [collected from Dave Marsh's
The Heart of Rock & Soul]
on call
therapy provider
all about him
therapy provider
all about him
June 19, 2022
Banned Rehearsal 107 - Karen Eisenbrey, Keith Eisenbrey, Anna K, Aaron
Keyt, Neal Kosály-Meyer [assembled April 6, 1987]
assembled from Telepaths 8
which had been made on the previous New Year's Eve
the Greenwood contingent
is washing dishes
eventually
the glass salad bowl will break
a suit made of blue paper
far beyond the ken of man
the time being buds like yeast
virtual floor here
If I Should Fall Behind - Bruce Springsteen [from Lucky Town]
the should
makes it sound old fashioned
and country
the hokey accent is a bit much
makes it sound old fashioned
and country
the hokey accent is a bit much
Wonder Wine - Shonen Knife [from Brand New Knife]
is there any other music tradition
besides American song
and derivations
wherein the instrument in hand
is used as a virtual companion
to the vocal line
commenting
answering
echoing
guitar to blues singer
as though
the song
is sung
by two separate individuals
besides American song
and derivations
wherein the instrument in hand
is used as a virtual companion
to the vocal line
commenting
answering
echoing
guitar to blues singer
as though
the song
is sung
by two separate individuals
between the rapper and beat
the clothes of the rap
the clothes of the rap
Consider the Birds 28 - Keith Eisenbrey [February 3, 2007]
a probe sent into the sound
reports data back in pulse packets
it must have gone behind something
briefly
if a single pulse packet
packs two distinct sounds
it imitates a second pulse packet
until synthesis is complete
the probed sound reveals its structure
as a pulse packet piece
a new structure
existent
only as pulse packets
might be experienced
reports data back in pulse packets
it must have gone behind something
briefly
if a single pulse packet
packs two distinct sounds
it imitates a second pulse packet
until synthesis is complete
the probed sound reveals its structure
as a pulse packet piece
a new structure
existent
only as pulse packets
might be experienced
Your Mother Should Know had played
so I recorded everybody
I didn't trust my ability
to sense
socially
when
after a sound check
the set might be about to begin
so I recorded everybody's sound check
this one was quite extensive
they had a lot of equipment
so I recorded everybody
I didn't trust my ability
to sense
socially
when
after a sound check
the set might be about to begin
so I recorded everybody's sound check
this one was quite extensive
they had a lot of equipment
Huge Guy in the Mosh Pit - Your Mother Should Know [recorded live at
The Sunset Tavern, April 18, 2017]
too bad the vocals are so low in the mix
the guitar and the snare sound good
the guitar and the snare sound good
Laras Chopin - Gamelan Pacifica, Stephen Fandrich [from Vessel]
bowed bells I think
making with them
a virtual bell
by means of
its invented sound
a very large virtual bell
cast in the sound of smaller bells
making with them
a virtual bell
by means of
its invented sound
a very large virtual bell
cast in the sound of smaller bells
bowed
the
bell is the song it sings
A Grounde, Fvb 130 - Thomas Tomkins - Claudio Columbo [from
The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book]
if the ground is plain
it can disguise itself anywhere
and be on full display
if it ends where it began
it doesn't force motion
but a motion notion
can be imparted to it
it can disguise itself anywhere
and be on full display
if it ends where it began
it doesn't force motion
but a motion notion
can be imparted to it
Sonata in F minor, Kk. 186 - Domenico Scarlatti - Pieter-Jan Belder
a sequence of time spans
measured by their meter
i.e. by count
by numbers of pulse tokens
measured by their meter
i.e. by count
by numbers of pulse tokens
Don Carlos Act V - Giuseppe Verdi - Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla
Scala, Claudio Abbado, Placido Domingo, Katia Ricciarelli, Lucia Valentini
Terani, Leo Nucci, Ruggero Raimondo, Nicolai Giaurov
begins in solitude
as Elisabeth works things out
fears enter in from the strings
interesting sound
with her high voice
matched closely by pianissimo winds
is Elisabeth relieved
or chagrined
that Don Carlos has overcome his desire for her?
but there's trouble brewing in the orchestra
as Elisabeth works things out
fears enter in from the strings
interesting sound
with her high voice
matched closely by pianissimo winds
is Elisabeth relieved
or chagrined
that Don Carlos has overcome his desire for her?
but there's trouble brewing in the orchestra
the window of
focus is much narrower in Verdi
than in Wagner
Wagner is all about the repercussion of the whole
on each moment
and of each moment
on the whole
the characters are distant from us
here
they are right there
in our heads
moment by moment
than in Wagner
Wagner is all about the repercussion of the whole
on each moment
and of each moment
on the whole
the characters are distant from us
here
they are right there
in our heads
moment by moment
suddenly the King
mad as hell
James Alley Blues - Richard "Rabbit" Brown [from
Anthology of American Folk Music]
the guitar is the stand-in
for the world in which
the blues persist
or
the experience of the world
as seen through the eyes of the complaint
for the world in which
the blues persist
or
the experience of the world
as seen through the eyes of the complaint
Yours and Mine - Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra - from
Lady Day, The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia]
likewise here
the world in which the sung words
are made to scan
lighting
and camera angles
as well as the blocking
and choreography
the world in which the sung words
are made to scan
lighting
and camera angles
as well as the blocking
and choreography
Donna Lee - Charlie Parker [from
The Complete Savoy and Dial Master Takes]
a ferocious melody
threaded throughout
threaded throughout
Partitions - Milton Babbitt - Robert Taub
pushing through a thorn bush
it fights back
it fights back
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody - Aretha Franklin [from
The Electrifying Aretha Franklin]
did she choose this song?
unapologetic Hollywood glitz
unapologetic Hollywood glitz
childlike
an ode to creative flights
an ode to creative flights
Running Gun Blues - David Bowie [from
The Man Who Sold The World]
the blues here
such as they are
occupy only a narrow corner of the song proper
such as they are
occupy only a narrow corner of the song proper
A Consort of Choral Christmas Carols - PDQ Bach [from
Portrait of PDQ Bach]
how much does the whole of what PDQ was
rely on the introductions
they tend to amuse and annoy equally
they are mostly verbal jokes
rely on the introductions
they tend to amuse and annoy equally
they are mostly verbal jokes
That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate - Mission of Burma [collected from
Nancy's Mix]
monster truck
at high velocity
in rough terrain
in rough terrain
No One Takes the Train Anymore - Bonnie Guitar [from
Dark Moon and Other Country Favorites]
played as a slow oxcart lumber
or
all the ways to no longer make a new plan Stan
because they're too slow
or
all the ways to no longer make a new plan Stan
because they're too slow
Humans from Earth - T. Bone Burnett [from
The Criminal Under My Own Hat]
colonizers
but the message is too obvious
then he makes it worse
but the message is too obvious
then he makes it worse
Interlude: Speaker Phone - Janet Jackson [from The Velvet Rope]
slice of celebrity life
Serenade for Strings, 4th Movement - Pyotr Ilyitch Tchaikovksy [from
The Romance of Music Chamber Concert, Sedro Wooley, April 14, 2012]
the Romantic idea of a Serenade
Summer evenings in the park
at some elegant bath town
well dressed promenaders
taking in the flavors
of their self esteems
Summer evenings in the park
at some elegant bath town
well dressed promenaders
taking in the flavors
of their self esteems
The Pugilist - Peter Fedofsky [from The City of Good Neighbors]
this wanders off a bit
pretty enough tune
pretty enough tune
with respect to George - Benjamin Boretz - Keith Eisenbrey [November
16, 2012]
my first attempt to record this
I hadn't figured out how to record the clavichord yet
it's quiet
I like the sense of improvising into it I'm getting at
though I think that sense was preserved in my subsequent attempts
I hadn't figured out how to record the clavichord yet
it's quiet
I like the sense of improvising into it I'm getting at
though I think that sense was preserved in my subsequent attempts
Part 1 - The Seattle Phonographers Union [from
Georgetown Steamplant]
exploring the cadavers of industry
instruments of former progress
our big sounds
turned small
instruments of former progress
our big sounds
turned small
Nibelheim
Banned Rehearsal 1049 - Pete Comley, Karen Eisenbrey, Keith Eisenbrey,
Steve Kennedy, Neal Kosály-Meyer [assembled April 13, 2022]
punctuational shredding of bird tweets and bells
the multiple layers
going into the mix
result in
a complex synthetic environment
a space
in which no one was
but
which leaves this trace
our virtual porch
the multiple layers
going into the mix
result in
a complex synthetic environment
a space
in which no one was
but
which leaves this trace
our virtual porch
is to spend a certain amount of time
listening to ourselves
and to each other
everything else just gets in the way
(*for me)
(*or for it)
(*or as a project with its own agenda)
(*or for it)
(*or as a project with its own agenda)
we listen to each other
and to ourselves
by making sounds
for each other
and for ourselves
and to ourselves
by making sounds
for each other
and for ourselves
Barafostus Dreame, Fvb 131 - Thomas Tomkins - Claudio Columbo [from
The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book]
a melody
in polite company
requires
ribbons
bows
satin
and fascinators
to grace their bare mechanisms
in polite company
requires
ribbons
bows
satin
and fascinators
to grace their bare mechanisms
who made your gown
it is exquisite
a distraction
and an attention magnet
and an attention magnet
Ship of Glory - Price Family Sacred Singers [from
Goodbye Babylon]
pre-industrialized music
when music could sound like what it sounded like
guitar
fiddle
a harmonium
and a small cohort of mixed voices
when music could sound like what it sounded like
guitar
fiddle
a harmonium
and a small cohort of mixed voices
Drunken Hearted Man (DAL 3972) - Robert Johnson [from
The Complete Recordings]
traditional blues intro
is conceptually no different
than any of the traditional baroque cadences
mule team tempo
is conceptually no different
than any of the traditional baroque cadences
mule team tempo
Who's to Blame - T. Texas Tyler [from Allen Lowe's
That Devilin' Tune]
likewise
with the traditional guitar opening of this
c'mon porky
who I presume is playing electric guitar
voice grinds on "hang"
with the traditional guitar opening of this
c'mon porky
who I presume is playing electric guitar
voice grinds on "hang"
(Richard Rogers
Lorenz Hart)
Lorenz Hart)
I'm not yours for better but for worse
sleep & sleep & sleep & sleep
sleep & sleep & sleep & sleep
the music is a vehicle
for the clever lyrics
and the clever lyrics are a vehicle
for the singer
to cleverly phrase
for the clever lyrics
and the clever lyrics are a vehicle
for the singer
to cleverly phrase
Man of Constant Sorrow - Bob Dylan [from Bob Dylan]
lives in the blues
all troubles
all the time
all troubles
all the time
In Session at the Tintinabulary
June 18, 2022
Banned Telepath 88 Union Bay - Jennifer Chung
June 20, 2022
Banned Telepath 88 Tintinabulary - Karen Eisenbrey, Keith Eisenbrey,
Aaron Keyt
Banned Rehearsal 1053 - Jennifer Chung, Karen Eisenbrey, Keith
Eisenbrey, Aaron Keyt
June 22, 2022
Joshua Tree Prelude 23 - Aaron Keyt
June 24, 2022
Joshua Tree Prelude 24 - Aaron Keyt
Anybody's Fingerbook 7x7 (transpositional) A B C - Keith Eisenbrey
Postscripts
Skaldmud's Doodle Gallery
some listening journal doodles from 1989
