Repetition in Music: What a drag?

Seems like the nature of some media requires more than a single statement for its meaning to be communicated and fully appreciated. At least in the re-creative ones like musical performance the playing action itself is finite in time, a song lasts 5-10 minutes a concert 60 minutes and is over. Thus the musical experience is only present to the listener while the notes sound. That experience is resurrected only by playing the music all over again--from the beginning. This is unlike the visual arts for example wherein a painting can hang on a wall indefinitely after the first creative act is done. Which BTW is precisely the contribution provided with the invention of the camera. Here one could for the first time freeze in time a scene to be viewed subsequently independent of time of day, lighting, indoors or outdoors, weather, or the presence or absence of viewers at that scene. The experience of music on the other hand is not consumed in a fixed moment but rather occurs over a period of time and when the music is not recorded, enjoyment of sound is hardly dulled but rather enhanced with frequent live performances. This feature unique to music has many examples: 1,255 local performances of Tchaikowski's Nutcraker Ballet by third horn player Brian McCarty (see article below); solo pianist Eric Shifrin presiding in the Fairmont Hotel's Laurel Court for seven years (just laid off), or violinist David Reffkin playing Salon Music throughout the 1980's with his trio in what was then the St Francis Hotel's Compass Rose Room.

How is this different from any other form of mechanized labor say for example working a 'stamping machine' in an athletic shoe factory? Might want to ask the laborers involved about their state of mind at the end of a work shift. While Siddhartha famously said "one can never stand in the same river twice" with music the mental state required provides an opportunity for infinite variety of attention and expression. That's why we pay top dollar for favorite performers who bring a unique interpretation to the very same material. Can't say that about the machine operator or even a traditional Disc Jockey. And this is true for performances of  'carved in stone' classical manuscripts as well as Jazz improvisations using chord charts. "Play it Again Sam" each time can take us on an entirely different journey.

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/garchik/article/Sugarplum-fairy-just-keeps-twirling-5107120.php

Is what you see what you get?

As musicians we are trained differently than other people. Our uniqueness is to make quite detailed distinctions with our ear. This informs our own experience of the world with meaning. And it's brought to us through what is our dominant sense organ: the ear. Turns out however that what we think we hear, its significance and the interpretations we give to it, are often quite distorted by another sense organ: the eye.

The article below explains this phenomenon in more detail. Take just one impression, that of age. In this area many of us musicians might relate to what I'm talking about. However inaccurate, fact is older looking musicians appear to be less capable of fine music making in the market place. As a music booking agent I notice this happening all the time. Add to that, preconceptions about gender. An example of both age and gender is that many dance band leaders today are acutely aware of finding a front singer who is both young and female in order to appeal to a younger demographic making wedding plans. And, key to my comments here is how what we see can actually color what we hear.

As recently as 1980 there were only a few female members of the Munich Philharmonic least of all one who passed the 'blind' trombone audition and turned out to be a woman. Similarly until just a few decades ago the London Philharmonic had no Japanese until one stunned the audition jury with his soulful playing (of Western Music) from 'behind the screen'. While these cases eventually had to be adjudicated in a court of law, sensory displacement is still a problem even today. I often see some performers of my own instrument, the cello, and have to wonder how on earth can they produce the beautiful tone I am hearing while seated in that playing posture which is "all wrong". Glen Gould with his low piano bench is another case in point.

Before you protest, read this short essay: "Listening with Your Eyes: The Lessons of Blink by Malcom Gladwell.

http://www.e-reading.co.uk/chapter.php/85953/44/Gladwell_-_Blink__The_Power_of_Thinking_Without_Thinking.html

Requests for New Year's Eve Entertainment can be challenging. Thats because clients often want to differentiate the experience from what they had the year before or from what everyone else is doing.  Even if they succeed in settling on a unique theme, to then complement that with music often becomes an additional hurdle. Foreign Cinema Restaurant in San Francisco presented these exact conditions this year. Here their very innovative chef Gayle Pirie, no stranger to creating the unexpected palette, chose a Hawaiian theme in winter! Of course she wanted music 'from the islands', all acoustic, of small size and strolling or at least portable no less. The combination of an experienced music agent coupled with flexible and seasoned performers delivered the winning formula. Repeated texts received throughout the evening from the chef herself indicated a thumbs up. 

Good reason not to change the music agent too along with next years event theme!

The State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance conventioneers were thrilled with the entertainment my agency provided this past Sunday, June 23. This after over a dozen suggestions during the planning phase to impress this well travelled group. Its nice to get an e mail from the Planner late in the evening at the nights conclusion: 

"Hi Peter, just wanted to let you know the Doo-Wop singing group did an awesome job!  Everyone just loved them, and very concerned when Bud (staged) his fall with the spoons.  One of our attendees rushed over to him and wanted to help him up, and was super concerned.  Then when he sang and thanked our person, it was a relief for our person.  They just did an outstanding job (as "Singing Waiters").

Same for the Jazz Quartet.  Our group loved them!!!  Both were fantastic and thank you for helping me have a wonderful evening.

Thanks, Laura! 

The performers also went the extra mile recording on site this little refrain:

 "State Farm is There" : https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B50ZYif5F5ZpdWRMNk1qcVFXdXc/edit

Last weekend June 8, the aforementioned 450 person Indian/Scottish wedding my Music Agency helped produce was a smashing success. 

Logistics issues included a building freight elevator that went out the week before the event and gusting winds day of at the San Francisco Metreon's City View, outdoor Terrace. But we made it happen! 

The Scottish and Indian Dancers were captivating and engaged the attention of the assembled guests all armed with their iPhones. And here was a case of being tasked by the clients to find a local band that sounded like an international 'rising star' : Morcheeba. This is the kind of service that only a Music Agent will take the time and quality research to provide. My solution was the enchanting Ms. Scheherazade Stone.

https://vimeo.com/68631540

Use Code Word: song

Entertainment Planning

Planning entertainment for Corporate functions brings into play a different dynamic that for Social functions. The politics for one thing are much harder to understand. June 23 of this year we will provide an entertaining after dinner Show for State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. in the Gold Room of the San Francisco Fairmont Hotel.  Planning this event, client considerations included; 1) what was chosen on past occasions; 2) what fit best with the company culture; 3) how dominant and frequent would the entertainment be experienced. In such situations when predictions are anything but certain patient and consistent followup with the client serves to produce the best possible outcome. In this case after half a dozen suggestions with web site samples and a decision making process lasting several weeks it was decided that 'The Singing Waiters' would work best for this company event. 

My agency offers a twist on this typical operatic production. The five performers are disguised as waiters who dabble at table service during the meal only to reveal their true selves around desert time stepping up onto a stage for a rousing vocal harmony Doo-wop styled 45 minute show complete with an acrobatic rap number. Brings the diners to their feet every time. 

The year to date has seen its usual variety of events needing our agency entertainment: some early weddings, one at the new Fairmont Heritage Place in Ghiradelli Square; a few 'wedding proposals' from a new York Planner specializing in staging these surprise moments at unique locations in San Francisco complete with music; Boulevard Restaurant with an exuberant  group of Spanish diners; The Western Athletic Clubs member's socials at a new location in Ross; The Disney Museum with their themed open houses; The Nat'l Parks Conservancy with music at various 'trail heads'; and of course the San Francisco Fairmont Hotel with half a dozen corporate events. 

We will again be supplying an audio Soundscape in June for a local DMC company with inbound bused groups to a private ranch in San Geronimo.  Their theme is 'Cowboy' as expressed through music of all kinds to be played on each bus.  Duck for cover.

Planning weddings with music can be a fun process (for this agent anyway) knowing that in the end sound brings so much pleasure to an occasion like this. Challenges are never in short supply with both wedding and corporate events given unique personal taste (not always discernible), logistical hurdles and the decision making process which depending on the number of participants can be quite unpredictable. Looking forward to the rest of the season with music.