Corey Mwamba

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Entries for Dec 2013

Anton Hunter in the house for One Note Sunday! *

Really sad that I had to run home on Anton Hunter for One Note Sunday—was sounding beautiful in the space.

It is all too easy to have all-star players in a team that essentially doesn't work. This is known in all fields which require a creative outlook to collaboration, like sports, business and music. It isn't enough to be good at what you do in those situations: you have to be able to work towards a vision, to listen and respond to others around you, as well as the flexibility to take things to another place.

Luckily, Glasgow Improvisers' Orchestra has these skills [and the drive to use them] in abundance through all its members. Seeing a large ensemble where you don't notice its weight—where you hear considered improvisiation—where there is a real sense of joy in the music making—these things are rare: and GIO should be celebrated for that. Their work with Marylin Crispell, Gino Robair, Maggie Nichols and Gail Brand was stunning: I think Jazz on 3 will broadcast it at some point; catch it when you can.

Similarly, Maggie Nichols and Marylin Crispell—improvisation at its very best! I was totally blown away by this set—it was thoroughly inspiring. As for Sonsale, well that was just the usual drink-fuelled laugh fest that I particularly enjoy. We had a few small ideas that we plucked out for each gig of the "tour", and our working together is so much quicker than last time: I really hope we can do again sooner than later!

Here's a simple jazz question. Is Lennie Bird by Tristano based on How High The Moon or Ornithology?

As you may have guessed, I like maximal information problems: so here's a score.

Download or share this score

A contrafact of a contrafact—can't be a subcontrafact. Intracontrafact; or infracontrafact?

Anyway. The distinction allows us to trace a song genealogy—a family tree of a song.

Oh—and just in case you've not heard Lennie Bird before:

And in fact, I've made an assumption that people know what Ornithology sounds like. Sorry...

Here's my personal favourite rendition:

from 60otaku4

But some joy today. Dave Kane, Joshua Blackmore and I hit Bath for some of this:

from Steve Crocker

Currently watching Bath awaken from a bar/hostel.

Another great time with Dave Kane and Joshua Blackmore. It doesn't happen often enough, really.

And had an interesting workshop with the students from the university, which [when I'm not typing on a phone] I'll write about.

Received a text about Stan Tracey last night. Sad news.

once again, nice and early for my nice and late train.

Sad to read that Jim Hall has passed away. He was a real formative influence on me in terms of his use of space; and his work with Paul Desmond and Art Farmer was inspirational.

You may have to be swift to watch this but: Jim Hall documentary.

from devraweb

Webkit.Whichever version you are. Why won't you do what I want?

Displaying head elements using CSS is old: so why doesn't Blink DO IT?

Admittedly, not the most scintillating of updates, but that's where I am right now.

Anyway, I finished writing up my presentation on contrafacts yesterday.

I designed some very simple slides, which you can see here: https://www.coreymwamba.co.uk/mres/contrafacts/

And if you're using a mobile device and are using a browser that isn't totally brok- oh, never mind.

If you're on a desktop [or something with a physical keyboard] you should be able to change pages by pressing the space bar.

Coding up the presentation in HTML felt much quicker than using Impress/Powerpoint. I was more focussed on content rather than style.

Finally got the presentation working in mobile Webkit: but request the desktop site https://www.coreymwamba.co.uk/mres/contrafacts

I have my essay face on.

Yesterday I posted a puzzle... no right solutions yet! Here it is again:

You overhear a musician: "so, that's when I stopped and switched to the harmonica. I always felt held back by playing..." What? And why?

There's one clue: a bit of the old lingua franca will help. The answer is hinted in the question.

Presentation day today! If you like, you can see the slides here: https://www.coreymwamba.co.uk/mres/contrafacts/

I'll be adding the notes later, assuming I'm not crying in a corner at how badly it's gone.

Vast How High The Moon contrafact stacking:

Download or share this score

Game-changing site for disseminating Western notation scores on the web: http://musescore.com/

Might have to upgrade to unlimited space on Musescore.com next year: already reached my limit, but SO useful...

The connection between program and site is seamless.

Did I spend 2 minutes per slide as planned? Hell no. And THAT'S WHY I RAN OUT OF TIME. But it still went well. I think.

Rosemary tea, and thinking about all the great people I met and got to work with this year. The pockets are empty but the heart is full...

What a bundle of joy this is!

from michelsonmorley

Just marvelling at Darcy James Argue's excellent articles about Duke Ellington's sound.

http://musicalexchange.carnegiehall.org/page/sacred-ellington-jazz-arranging-project

I've also updated my contrafacts presentation slides with resources/notes at the end.

I said before that writing the slides in HTML "felt" more efficient than other methods: but there are other advantages too...

As each slide is a web page, they can be updated, archived, and repeatedly accessed in an open sense.

HTML5 wasn't that important: <audio> element for the slides was nice, but the same could have been done with SVG 1.2 Tiny, 3 years ago.

Currently listening to The Centaur and The Phoenix. RIP Yusef Lateef.

New gig: Martin Archer's Engine Room Favourites—https://www.coreymwamba.co.uk/gig/general-1394393400

New Ramble: Coltrane's way of seeing (II)—https://www.coreymwamba.co.uk/rambles/1388289138

Thanks and much more to all who have been good to me this year: I've felt blessed by your friendship. All the best for the coming year!