As a disciple of pop culture, I am an avid movie goer - museum patron - and I love to see live music. And occasionally, I like to blog about the stuff I do - see - hear.
There was a time when it seemed like I knew a lot of people in a lot of bands and I was attending a lot of gigs for... friends from school or work, friends' boyfriends - girlfriends - second cousin's roommate... etc. It's unlikely that you can live in LA for long without knowing a budding band or musician (don't even get me started on the acting and writing). But the older you get it seems these events grow less frequent over time and all those budding rock stars found careers in or around the music industry or... they became lawyers, publicists and real estate agents.
Tonight, for the first time in a long time I went to see a co-worker's husband's band. She showed me his myspace page and I thought the music was interesting - they are an instrumental only group - The Ghosts of Searchlight. I wasn't sure what to expect, but her husband is a very smart guy with a music degree and he works for Apogee - a digital audio manufacturer (whose demo events have real chocolate fountains!) The music sounds like a cool soundtrack from a Tarantino movie or even Cohen Bros. Anyway... I was pleasantly surprised. These guys are good - very good - musicians and the music was great. I think it's easier to appreciate their sound in person, but you can check their music out here.
When there's no lead singer with stage presence and antics... you find yourself listening more closely to the music and you can hear each instrument even more clearly. Anyhow, these guys are good, so good in fact that I am even thinking of hooking them up with some of my "music industry" friends - which means they'll be set for a living will and a condo.
Check 'em out.
3 comments:
One of my favorite instrumental/jazz songs ever is "In a Sentimental Mood" by john coltrane/duke ellington.
Nice!
I work with a guy that comes from a classical music foundation (his dad is head of music curriculum for a school district). It is interesting to talk music with him and guitars, his main instrument. As you know, I compose/write songs, but I don't do instrumentals much. Listening to this guy's stuff has turned me on again to instrumental as well as classical stuff.
As far as my song craft, I have no idea where I will be going with it. My desire to write new songs went away some time ago. You think that it is gone forever, but I know I will probably get hit by that lightning bolt sometime soon.
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