High Bias #11

NAME: Jessica Pavone
HOME: Brookyln NY
BIO: "Jessica Pavone is one of the busiest young performers on the city’s creative music scene,” declared Steve Dollar in a 2008 feature in the New York Sun, “lending her strings and a direct, personal style of playing them to all kinds of settings.” Jazz Review’s Philip Clark writes, “We learn things from her music that we didn’t already know. [Her] harmonic openness turns the microscope on herself and she responds with lines of honest clarity, an oblique perspective on the familiar.” AllMusic.com’s Charlie Wilmouth adds, “Her work possesses an uncommon amount of elegance…each piece is perfectly formed, expiring just as its tiny collection of melodic materials cycles through to its logical conclusion.”

Active in New York for the past decade, Ms. Pavone is best known for her work with the iconic Anthony Braxton, and a cadre of his former students that includes guitarist Mary Halvorson and cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum. In addition to leading her own bands, such as The Pavones, she has also performed in improvising ensembles led by Jeremiah Cymerman, Laurence “Butch” Morris, Matana Roberts and Eliot Sharp, as well as such collective groups as the Mary Halvorson/Jessica Pavone Duo and The Thirteenth Assembly.

As a composer, she has earned grants and commissions from the Aaron Copland Recording Fund, the American Music Center, The Kitchen, MATA and the group, Till By Turning, which recently presented the European premiere of “Quotidian” at Faust’s Klangbad Festival 2009 in Germany. Her discography features more than 30 recordings, including recent releases from the Anthony Braxton 12+1tet, Taylor Ho Bynum & SpiderMonkey Strings and William Parker.

WEBSITE: www.jessicapavone.com


Do you read reviews of your work?

Sometimes. I tend to pay less attention to them in more recent years. I always give it a look, but I tend to skim depending on how the review is written or which band it is about.


Do you reread them? Save them? Quote them?

Yes, I have read, saved and quoted them. I save them less these days, because I can usually find them on the internet if I need to reference them.


Have reviews ever had an effect upon the way you approach your work? For better or worse? How?

No. I still work the way I am going to work, but I appreciate the feedback weather positive or negative.


Are there writers you hope will (or won't) write about your work?

There are a few writers that I feel like "get" me more than others and I am happy to read their opinions because often I learn something new about myself from their summary of my sound. I have never dreaded a writer to write about my work.


Have you ever written to a reviewer or publication in response to a negative review of your work? a positive one?

No


Are there reviewers who you consider to be your friends? Do they write about your work? How does that make you feel?

Yes, there are two writers who I have become friends with. They were writing about me before we were friends and that is how we met. If they had positive things to say about me, it was not because they were my pal, because that came second. They still do write about my work. I don't feel like there is unfair favoritism but I do think they usually take more time to do the work justice. Or since they are familiar with my work already, they catch things that I am evolving more than someone hearing my work for the first time. It makes me feel safe actually, to know my review is in their hands, because more thought will be put into the review instead of just blank description with no insight.


Have you ever been told by a writer that they feel too close to you personally to write about your work? What was your reaction?

No


Have you ever felt that a writer was trying to get something out of you, or get back at you, or had some other ulterior motive in what they wrote about you? Please explain.

No


Have you ever published anything you wrote about someone else's music? How often? Do you continue to write about music?

No, but I wrote some extensive papers in graduate school about some of my peers work. I really enjoyed it and I learned so much from it. It was a new experience for me and a different approach to thinking about music. I definitely became more interested in the art of writing about music after this experience.


Do you think there was a time in the past when music journalism was better or worse than it is now? Why or why not?

I don't have an opinion about this


Anything you want to ask me?

Are there musicians you prefer writing about? Ones you dread? How much freedom do you have in choosing the artists you write about?


(Photo by Erica Magrey)

High Bias #10

NAME: Lindsey Horner

BIO: Bassist Lindsey Horner is one of the more versatile musicians in jazz and modern music. He has most often been heard with musicians on the cutting edge recording and performing with artists such as Greg Osby, Bill Frisell, Bobby Previte, Dave Douglas and Muhal Richard Abrams, to name but a few.

As a leader, he has recently completed the initial stage of a recording project called UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY through the innovative company ArtistShare whereby listeners and fans of the music can participate directly in its realization. He has also produced four previous recordings, NEVER NO MORE, MERCY ANGEL, BELIEVERS and DON'T COUNT ON GLORY.

He was a member of the co-operative group JEWELS AND BINOCULARS which focused on improvised takes on the music of Bob Dylan. Their final recording, SHIPS WITH TATTOOED SAILS, found its way onto many critics' "best of the year" lists.

Through the ‘90’s he performed as a member of the Myra Melford trio, an association which yielded four highly acclaimed discs.

He also has deep roots in Irish music having toured and recorded extensively with singer/songwriter Susan McKeown, Scottish fiddle master Johnny Cunningham and traditional Irish music legend Andy Irvine.

WEBSITE: www.lindseyhorner.com

Do you read reviews of your work?

Yes.

Do you reread them? Save them? Quote them?

Yes, usually, and I do quote them if they are favorable and well phrased.

Have reviews ever had an effect upon the way you approach your work? For better or worse? How?

The opinions of my peers have had a greater effect on my work both for better and for worse. I saw early on that trying to guess how to please critics was a losing proposition.

Are there writers you hope will (or won't) write about your work?

There are certain writers about whom it is well known they have various axes to grind and chips of varying sizes on their shoulders. I hope to avoid those writers at all costs. On the other hand, there are writers with well deserved reputations for being fair and open-minded. I welcome their opinions.

Have you ever written to a reviewer or publication in response to a negative review of your work? a positive one? 

I have thanked a reviewer when I felt he really “got it”.

Are there reviewers who you consider to be your friends? Do they write about your work? How does that make you feel?

Sometimes. I hope they can evaluate the work fairly.

Have you ever been told by a writer that they feel too close to you personally to write about your work? What was your reaction? 

Yes. I think they were right.

Have you ever felt that a writer was trying to get something out of you, or get back at you, or had some other ulterior motive in what they wrote about you? Please explain.

I once met a writer in Sweden who seemed to have some axe to grind that I didn’t agree with. We just didn’t hit it off, you might say. He went on to review a concert I played and said some things about my playing that I felt were unjustified and clearly influenced by the unfavorable interaction we’d had. In other words, he was an asshole.

Have you ever published anything you wrote about someone else's music? How often? Do you continue to write about music?

Only in reponse to a general survey (like this one). I’m uncomfortable writing critically about other people’s music. I’d be even more uncomfortable doing it for pay.

Do you think there was a time in the past when music journalism was better or worse than it is now? Why or why not?

I think the standard of writing was higher in the past - just in the use of the English language. I’m tempted to say the critical faculty was at a higher level as well, but I’m not sure if that’s true.

Anything you'd like to add? 

I always enjoy reading things written by Ted Panken. I think he is a true scholar of the music, has a wide open mind, feels passionate about the art form of jazz music and has no prejudices - at least none that reveal themselves in his writing. 

In general, I think a critic should evaluate something on it’s own merits and terms. If he/she can’t or won’t do that, then they should admit that they are unable to review the artist or concert or recording or whatever. 

I’ll give an example. Years ago, I attended a concert which was an intriguing double bill of The Art Ensemble of Chicago paired with the group, Oregon. Each band played a set on its own and at the end they played one long piece together. It was a fantastic concert, and something of a one time only event.

A certain well known reviewer wrote at length about how Oregon was unable to swing, wasn’t really playing jazz and didn’t belong on the bill with the AEof C. Now, leaving aside for the moment that AE of C would themselves never be mistaken for the Basie band in the swing department, this writer clearly had an agenda, chose to ignore the high level of musicianship all around as well as the obvious enjoyment of the musicians and the vast majority of the sold out audience. In other words, he was  unqualified to write about this event and thus should not have done so. It was a drag. In my opinion, that is.

Anything you want to ask me? 

What led you to start writing about music? What do you get out of it artistically? Do you feel that criticism is an art form?

High Bias #9

NAME: John Bisset

BIO: Born 1960 - Stockport, England.

John Bisset received early training on the piano, but from eleven preferred the guitar, on which he was left to his own devices.

 His teenage works were compositions and structures for improvisations on the piano, guitar, viol and assorted objects (paint tins, tent poles, etc). Also singer/songwriter with new wave bands. He attended art college and combined the musical and visual in various forms.

He has continued in the same vein - composing for large groups of improvisers - making songs and short films.

Lives in London.

WEBSITE: www.2-13.co.uk 

Do you read reviews of your work? 

Not if I can help it

Do you reread them? Save them? Quote them?

Used to - still use some quotes

Have reviews ever had an effect upon the way you approach your work? For better or worse? How?

They come up with intentions you never thought of, and then sometimes you start believing them, adopting these intentions, so you can end up doing stuff you never intended to do. Not a problem except that it can waste time and lead to disappointment when you fall short of said marker...

Are there writers you hope will (or won't) write about your work?

No opinion, but you, Kurt, were excellent, in that you seemed a genuine fan with a broad interest in me and the music - not after an 'angle'. Stewart Lee also.

Have you ever written to a reviewer or publication in response to a negative review of your work? a positive one?

Nope

Are there reviewers who you consider to be your friends? Do they write about your work? How does that make you feel?

Stewart Lee. Does same sort of business conjuring up stuff you never meant - but always a positive slant and usually boosts sales.

Have you ever been told by a writer that they feel too close to you personally to write about your work? What was your reaction?

nope

Have you ever felt that a writer was trying to get something out of you, or get back at you, or had some other ulterior motive in what they wrote about you? Please explain.

nope

Have you ever published anything you wrote about someone else's music? How often? Do you continue to write about music?

nope

Do you think there was a time in the past when music journalism was better or worse than it is now? Why or why not?

no opinion

Anything you'd like to add?

nope

Anything you want to ask me?

how are the woods this autumntime?

My Home Town

High Bias #8

NAME: Jon Ginoli

BIO: singer, guitar, vocalist, founder of long-running gay rock band Pansy Division

WEBSITE: www.pansydivision.com 
 

Do you read reviews of your work?
 
yes 

Do you reread them?

sometimes  
 
Save them?

always, I try to archive anything I run across. Google Alerts helps.
 
Quote them?
 
yes, sometimes 

Have reviews ever had an effect upon the way you approach your work? For better or worse? How?
 
Not really. Sometimes I have noticed writers not really grasping certain aspects of our approach. I have noticed that when taking a more subtle approach it is more likely to be misinterpreted; a number of our songs are very blunt, and those seem to be understood better.

Are there writers you hope will (or won't) write about your work?

Not really, though there a couple of writers I make sure are kept off our promo list. I am not interested in giving writers who have no interest in us a promo copy they will instantly sell.  Just because someone is an "important" writer on every publicist's promo list doesn't mean they should get a copy.  

Have you ever written to a reviewer or publication in response to a negative review of your work? a positive one?

I've felt like responding a few times but I don't think I ever did. I think about contacting people when they've gotten something egregiously wrong, or are condescendingly mean, but I've also written reviews in zines over the years myself, so I know it's futile. Once it's written, it's over. 

Are there reviewers who you consider to be your friends? Do they write about your work? How does that make you feel?
 
There are some sympathetic reviewers, yes. Even if their viewpoints might be different than mine, I like reading them because many have followed us for a long time and sometimes have interesting insights. 

Have you ever been told by a writer that they feel too close to you personally to write about your work? What was your reaction?

I don't think so. Perhaps it would be an issue if we were getting coverage at a more mainstream level. 

Have you ever felt that a writer was trying to get something out of you, or get back at you, or had some other ulterior motive in what they wrote about you? Please explain.

Yes, I can recall various times where the interviewer was trying to lead me into saying something, to try to steer me in a specific direction, put words in my mouth.  No specific examples come to mind--it's not something I sit and worry about--but you have to be especially careful with the Brits, they love pitting musicians against one another. 

Have you ever published anything you wrote about someone else's music? How often? Do you continue to write about music?

I wrote in various fanzines and magazines from 1977 till just a few years ago. I often used a pseudonym after I started playing in bands, so I could do both without having it reflect on my band or my bandmates. 

Do you think there was a time in the past when music journalism was better or worse than it is now? Why or why not?

I think it used to be better, because in the past there were more bands worth writing about.  The coverage carries on regardless of whether the music is worth hearing or not. I mean, my god, there are a million articles on Radiohead, it's so fucking boring. Do you really want to read more about Animal Collective, or Devendra Banhart, or find out what Thom Yorke is doing today? zzzzzzzzzz... 
 

(photo by Michael Carmona) 

100 Carpenters and a Dancer

I'm toast excited about two things, or three depending on how you count, coming up this month. First, on Nov. 7 and 8, I'll be one of the section conductors in Doug Henderson's composition for 100 Carpenters. The official words go like this:

Music for 100 Carpenters
Performances: Sat. & Sun. Nov. 7 & 8, 8pm
Installation: Nov. 13 to Dec. 20
BOILER @ Pierogi, 191 North 14th Street, Williamsburg Brooklyn.


Music for 100 Carpenters is a theatrical surround-sound music performance, enlisting 100 skilled and unskilled tradespeople. Prying at Stockhausen’s convolution of rhythm and timbre, 100 hammers, 100 blocks of wood and some 10,000 nails of varying sizes are brought to bear in a real-time, real-world articulation of complex computer synthesis. Under the guidance of job supervisors, thousands of hammer blows become waves of tonal murmur, threaded with rustlings of nails and occasional snarls of righteous indignation. The performers are organized into work crews with lists of tasks and closely timed schedules, and arranged in a circle around the audience. Toolbelts, sweat and lunchboxes are part of the score. For the installation phase, a bird’s eye view of the performance is projected on the floor, with the debris from the show left in place, accompanied by a superbly detailed six channel surround sound recording.

Then, on Nov. 15, Vacant will make its possibly awaited return. It's Jen Mesch dancing and me playing guitar. We might be doing something like the Carter Family or The Doors or Lead Belly or Bob Dylan. Probably not Bob Dylan. Oh, god, no, remember that Twyla Tharp Dylan thing? Christ. OK, we probably shouldn't do Dylan, even though it would have worked in pretty well. Anyway, that one will be at ABCNoRio, 156 Rivington, in Manhattan, at 8. Sax looper Frank Wilson plays first.

10 Photos I Took This Halloween

Party at Devotion Gallery

Party at Devotion Gallery



Janet Pants at Issue Project Room

Suzzane Rogaleski and Growler at Issue Project Room

kissyface