Punkt 2013

[Chad]

Punkt 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ5_UB-Jkq4

Jazz Middelheim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhgtimll0a4

[missouriman]

Those clips are better, Chad, but the first clip still sounds like somebody throwing notes in because they can. The clip featuring Arve H is not bad at all.

Youth and dexterity often leaves people cold though.

[Chad]

hey Mo,

Did you see how infatuated the interviewer is with Tigran? She knows that she is in the presence of a prodigy superstar. She gets it. Jan Bang is wise in opening the punkt format to include artists like Tigran. Its exactly what the festival needs. It would eventually die off otherwise. Unsustainable. It'll be interesting to see what next years lineup looks like.

[inkinthewell]

Its exactly what the festival needs. It would eventually die off otherwise. Unsustainable.

[Chad]

these niche electronic arts festivals have been struggling. the moogfest 2013 was ditched for the more diverse mountain oasis festival. it does look like they are trying to to kick start it again next year but nothing solid yet.

[baht habit]

Its exactly what the festival needs. It would eventually die off otherwise. Unsustainable.

Are you really all that surprised, ink?
Not only do Chad's personal opinions and preferences allow him to simply close his eyes and see every single performance of every act that contributed to Punkt 2013 {how else would he have the confidence to state that this neo-classical/progressive jazz pianist Tigran was "the only one that brought the melody"?}, these personal opinions and preferences also allow him to see into the future. Shouldn't we have realized this by now? Chad is clairvoyant...Chad is an oracle. And he has envisioned that all those who do not hold similar opinions and preferences to his are destined to perish.

[Chad]

another petty argument over an opinion or a thought. you guys get tripped up over the littlest sh*t.

these niche festivals dont do well over time. you end up paying artists just to show up rather than wait for a normal touring cycle. what you end up with is a bunch of half baked performances. people notice. my prediction is that punkt will eventually fall into a every other year schedule at first... then die a slow death. or ... it could take the shape of something different to include what you guys would consider mainstream artists, much like the trajectory of the moogfest here in the states.

but whatever...you guys know it all. and ftr baht. Tigran was the only one that put any thought into his presentation. KH just showed up to collect the paycheck. its kind of sad to see the amount of complacency coming for David right now. but you guys keep on lappin it up.

so elbow up to the table for another plate of aimless wandering about. thats Davids modus operandi for now.

[inkinthewell]

but whatever...you guys know it all.

No, Chad, it's the other way round. I only know what I do or don't like. All the rest is a big question mark for me. That's why I'm always surprised by the supreme confidence with which you say "nobody likes this, only Thingy does that", never considering other possible points of view.
As for David Sylvian, will I relish his next course? In all honesty, I don't know; I would need to have a taste before I could judge. But I can assure you that, whatever his modus operandi, I'll be interested to see what he dishes out.

[baht habit]

I would tend to believe that most people are humble enough to form opinions based upon facts.
So I am rather amused when I come across certain people who attempt to create facts, based solely on their opinions.

[Chad]

Anytime you pay an artist to just "show up" you risk alienating the business. When David decided to take this on back in march, he should have started working immediately on the content. Instead he waited unil August to do anything about it. Just like anything else, the end result is exactly proportional to the effort you put into it.

"At the same time as I’d been speaking with Franz I’d also been discussing a spate of concerts with Stephan Mathieu and Christian Fennesz. It now seems inevitable perhaps that these two projects should’ve come together in what is currently a brief series of performances based on an outline for a composition I put together as recently as August 2013. "

its almost like he's telling you its gonna suck. Who would even have the balls try something thing like this?

So what that tour amounted to was a bunch of pretentious flatulence. Lets just have Franz read a bunch of old poems while I get payed to practice some piano bits. He could have at least offered up Transit or Fire in the Forest for the faithful. Instead he gave them all a big FU.

The bottom line is we should all expect more from him. Stop giving him the easy paycheck and demand more. Or maybe he should just call it a day like Mark Hollis or Sid Barrett. Or just do photography...I've been quite impressed with that.

[baht habit]

The bottom line is we should all expect more from him. Stop giving him the easy paycheck and demand more.

Please refrain from telling others what they should expect --- what nerve must one possess to have actually used the words 'we' and 'all'? Does this monumentally-sized conceit that you harbor for your own personal opinion and preferences preclude you from comprehending that some of us possibly enjoy an artist that goes far beyond that which is streamlined, palatable or easy to engage with? I have absolutely no problem with what you personally prefer and what you enjoy, but please do not profess that "we" should "all" prefer the same.

[Chad]

Please refrain from telling others what they should expect ---

yeah ...I'll get right on that for you baht.




tkh = wtf?

[Blemished]

The bottom line is we should all expect more from him. Stop giving him the easy paycheck and demand more. Or maybe he should just call it a day like Mark Hollis or Sid Barrett.

Sorry, but this is ridiculous. Expect more? Easy paycheques?! The guy has been a working musician for close on 40 years, making innovative, influential and emotionally-involving music throughout. How many others have achieved that? There will be things he does that some don't like and things that some do. He still produces beautiful songs and he still seeks sonic invention. What more could you realistically ask?

You might say, well, 10 lovely songs please - but that's not how it works for anyone. HIs method of following his instincts has kept him pushing into new ground, not treading water like so many others.

So far I've not been overly taken with TKH, but so what? It's a genuine attempt to find a new direction, not a cynical exercise. Singing 'Ghosts' for an 80s nostalgia tour would be an easy pay-cheque. I can't think of anything worse.

And careful what you wish for. I'd hate to think he might stop and am glad he doesn't pay too much attention to criticism or praise. Mark Hollis achieved what we wanted to achieve and is happy with that. That's deeply admirable in many ways, but such a pity in others. He still composes music but the public will never get to hear it. Do we want David to go down that path?

[Chad]

Hey Blemish

Its just seems (to me) like his hearts not in it anymore. Even the new single doesn't have the same richness of his earlier works. Although a step in the right direction, it sounds flat to my ears. The vocals sound like single take apathy. Just a few years ago he would have worked it to absolute perfection. Listen to World Citizen and DYKMN back to back and see what I mean.

I've been completely bored with his stuff since NH which I consider his best of this century. I just wish he would get happy and sing from the heart again. Not a bunch of dead guy poetry w/ bullshit improv. Theres no challenge in that.

[Quiet Visitor]

I recently obtained the C D of the soundtrack to the film Victoria which features Tigran and Jan (with Erik Honore and Arve Henriksen). This also has some lovely playing in a more traditional film score context.

Indeed a lovely soundtrack, although more traditional than one would expect with these composers and musicians. This is partly caused by the use of an orchestra, but don't worry, there are plenty of typical trumpet-sounds, programming and samples. Here's the offical trailer, which gives a good idea about both movie and music.