…so I think it might be a good time to BLOG a little bit.

Since I’ve been in LA and SF, I’ve taken it a lot of music … The Album Leaf, Devendra Banhart, Gilberto Gil, Stevie Wonder, and Matmos. The best concert was … wait for it … STEVIE WONDER. I was in the presence of a real living music god. I haven’t felt that way since I was around Ella Fitzgerald back in the day or Rostropovich - you get the idea. Please don’t miss seeing him live if you get the chance. He sounds perfect, his band and orchestra is hella tight (the string players DANCE for a good part of the show), and he somehow manages to play three hours of happy songs without being tedious. That is not easy. In fact I don’t know of any other living musician who has explored so many iterations of joy and happiness with such success. The other concerts were great too but … STEVIE … wow, how fortunate I was to have seen that.

I was in KW last week doing some VISIONARY PLANNING for the orchestra, and one thing we discussed is how to be innovative, I mean really innovative. One thing that always comes up is programming. Heck there was even a BIG ARTICLE about this in the New York Times recently. I, for one, didn’t find any of the programs mentioned particularly innovative, but I did find most of them good, artistic, musical experiences. I’m looking for more. It’s not the food that’s bad, it’s the the room, the vibe, the tired, non-inclusive, ritualistic, society-oriented presentation of music that the orchestra biz hangs on to for no good reason and which does them no service. Now there are some hardcore chowhounds like me who will go eat great food in an unappealing setting, ’cause the food’s just so damn good. But if I were a chef (and I am, d’orchestre), I would want my meals served in an attractive, modern place with good lighting and a hot wait-staff. The atmosphere of an orchestral concert is generally similar to the kind of stuffy restaurants Monty Python used to make fun of (with “waffer-thin” mints). I know some of the halls are old, but the vibe could still be spiced up quite a bit. With programming, I think there’s nothing new under the sun. It just has to be good.

I just got back from Chautauqua which is a strikingly unusual place. It’s a retro-utopia for intellectual white people. These folks (and there are thousands of them in this gated community) will go to a foreign policy lecture in the morning, then go water skiing, then see the symphony, opera, or ballet at night. This happens every day. It’s full of Victorian houses shoved really close together which goes against my personal idea of a summer retreat (which is to be in the woods far away from most people). All this being said, it’s an inspiring thing to see so many people willing to give up their personal space to spend the summer with ART and IDEAS … at the same time. I’ve never seen anything like it.

While there I had a long chat with a conductor friend who has a different take on music and programming than I do. He’s fiercely committed to a few pieces he really believes in — at the expense of many others. He was very proud of how small his repertoire was. I was kind of put off by that (Symphonies of Wind Instruments is BAD? Copland only wrote one good piece?), but I also admired how much he loved works he loved. I like lots of music, but sometimes feel I’m being stretched thin as a result of my broad tastes. I guess we all commit sins as artists, either by liking too little music (like him), or too much (like me).

Damn — I’m still stuck at O’Hare, even after all this blogging.

Last week I went to Amoeba Records again and picked up a rather edgy set of CD’s … it’s all pretty dark stuff.

Black Flag - Damaged (an old favorite — recently covered on an amazing record by the Dirty Projectors)

Portishead - Third (creeeeepy and cooooooool)

Justice - Cross (”as seen on MTv,” appparently. Nat Stookey and I got excited about this at the listening station. It’s fun dance music, and Nat is researching such music for his new piece of musical erotica, Zipperz, coming soon to an orchestra near you.)

Sparks - Lil’ Beethoven (a minimalist masterpiece)

Motörhead - Ace of Spades (cause I’ve never heard it)

BONUS: Michael Tilson Thomas gave me a recording of Schubert by Javier Perianes which is beautiful and haunting. I’d never heard of this pianist before but I’d like to hear more … it’s from another world which is how I like my Schubert.

You might want THIS.

Another session of beer & sausages followed by an Amoeba run.

New CD’s:

-Peramanent (a Joy Divison collection)

-Scritti Politti - White Bread Black Beer (forced on me by D. Handler, but it was only $4.99, and he also gave me a free copy of the new McSweeney’s — listening as I type — hmm –very Brian Wilson! — nice!)

-Mahler 6 (Barbirolli / Berlin Phil) didn’t know it existed, but if it’s as good as the Mahler 9 that they did …

Of course I downloaded the new Radiohead album as well … love it so far … esp. the close-up sound of the instruments.

Michael Gordon …

Steve Reich (Tehillim) …

Squeeze …

Pinback (new album) …

Is a city in Mexico, in the state of Veracruz. An orchestra of almost 100 people, all professors at the university. Their musical schedule is similar to any major American orchestra — one big classical program every week. Last week was Sibelius 6, this week Sibelius 1, next week Sibelius 3 (yes, they’re doing the whole cycle). They have a brand new hall on the way. The city is beautiful, nestled up in what seem to be sub-tropical mountains. The amount and variety of trees, plants, and flowers are stunning. I spent a wonderful afternoon two days ago at the house of an old friend, Carlos Villarreal, who plays in the orchestra. He has a great audio set-up and we spent hours listening to great music. I just discovered the Mosaiques Quartet (they know the weight and value of every harmonic move in Haydn) and the symphonies of Rosetti. And since his stereo was serious there was of course some Mahler and Wagner.

I’ll be conducting the orchestra in concert in a few hours, and will be able to tell you more about the audiences, etc. I also have some pictures but I forgot to bring the connecting wire — so that’ll have to wait for a few days.

My airplane reading was The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, which is as good as everyone says it is …

Highlight of the week — walking around Louisville at lunch I came across a BBQ attached to the back of a truck. There seemed to be a good crowd, so I settled down for a pulled pork sandwich, which was amazing. In the meantime, the cashier’s radio was blaring some R&B that was as good as anything I’ve ever heard. “What’s on the radio?” I asked. “Johnnie Taylor,” answered the chef.

It was an incredible food and music moment. Words can’t describe it.

For the record, the songs were “Good Love” and “Last Two Dollars.”

Today was another meeting of the beer & sausage crew in the lower Haight. It usually happens on Thursday or Friday when the mysterious Secretary of Sausages sends out an email. Who shows up? Artistic types. Today we had two novelists, one composer, four conductors(!), a writer of instructional manuals, and a brief appearance by a translator of Persian Poetry. What do we do? Hang out all afternoon, drink beer, and eat sausages. There’s also some artistic chat. Back and forth about music, movies, books, etc. It’s fun to learn from the authors how novels are written, edited, published.

After that — some of us head over to Amoeba Music (one of the last great record stores), and pick up some music. It’s there that my ears get opened to some new stuff. Here’s what I picked up today.

Stuff I’ve been meaning to get …
Bjork - Vespertine (never actually heard it!)
David Bowie - “Heroes” (I love the Bowie/Eno Berlin Trilogy)
Prince - Dirty Mind (Prince is a genius)
HIF Biber - Batallia and Requiem w/Jordi Savall (Biber is a mad 17th Century composer)

And stuff my friends suggested …
Aphex Twin - Richard D. James Album
Matmos - The Civil War
John Zorn - Masada Live in Sevilla 2000

Back in San Francisco, on one of those crisp, clear, California winter days. Headed down the coast in a few days to celebrate the Holidays with my family in Santa Monica. I always look forward to the drive. I’ll take the longer, but more scenic, route 101 through Monterey and San Luis Obispo (maybe Gilles Apap will be home), stop for coffee with some friends in Santa Barbara (after a stop in the Santa Ynez wine country), cut through the strawberry fields in Oxnard, and drive down the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu to Santa Monica. Yes, the drive is as nice as it sounds, it’s a part of me and always fuels my dreams and my music making. I wonder what will be on the car radio? Two new composers I’m getting to know, perhaps: Avner Dorman and Nico Muhly. And some very sharp high school students in Kitchener Waterloo recently reminded me how much I like Sigur Ros (and if you like them, have you checked out Mum?). Also, an incredible mix CD from Clovis Lark, the plugged-in librarian of the Utah Symphony, featuring Kraftwerk’s “TransEurope Express” (thanks Clovis). And somewhere around Rincon or County Line the obligatory (and much anticipated ) Beach Boys Moment. Have you ever noticed that if you take the “e” out of “beach” you get Bach?