Required reading

Gary Burton, the bold conservative. No musician, aspiring musician, music lover or jazz aficionado in particular, should skip reading this book. 

Gary spares no words...

Arts funding, Europe and America

The European crisis is old, probably as old as Europe itself. The euro crisis is but one of its most recent signals. However, amidst its long trail of debris, "for quite a few American jazz musicians," as Gary Burton writes here, "it can often seem that they are more appreciated in Europe than they are at home." On the other hand, as Gary further recognizes, "European society also makes a greater commitment to supporting the arts". 

What went wrong with us after all?

Tomorrow I’ll be at the Estoril Jazz Festival attending your concert, Gary, also conscious of its political message...

David Torn

Sometime around 1999 I discovered this interview with David Torn. Later his example helped me a lot when I became partially deaf due to an internal ear infection. He will probably never know what his example meant to me and I will never be able to thank him enough. 

I know how much guts it takes to overcome a situation like this and admire David for his courage in an infinitely more serious situation. Not to mention his music. 

And now he plays the multiac oud too!

Discord

If you believe sound matters and noise harms but are unsure why this is so and want to find out more about the reasons for your concerns this book Discord: The Story of Noise by Mike Goldsmith (former Head of the Acoustic Group at the United Kingdom's National Physical Laboratory) is for you.

We are not alone, believe me. And noise is not a consequence of modernity.

Read a NYT review of this book here and more reviews through the author’s site.

The front cover was NOT designed by Munch, I am sure...