Tag: Brooklyn Academy of Music

Posted on

Darcy James Argue’s ‘Real Enemies’

My wife and I have discussed the possibility of selling our home, downsizing what we own and getting an apartment in New York City. We would love nothing more than to retire to the life of great food, art, music, and museums that is New York City.

Speaking of great performing arts, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) has the 2015 Next Wave Festival  underway (Sept 16-Dec 20).

The work that has caught my interest is ‘Real Enemies‘ which has its last performance today at 3 p.m. at the BAM Harvey on 651 Fulton Street.  Darcy James Argue has a depth and music vision that is unparalleled.

‘Real Enemies’ is a mammoth, thought-provoking production. I love the timeliness of the subject and I hope one day to see a multimedia 3D production of this performance available on video and high-resolution audio.

Bandleader and composer Darcy James Argue’s 18-piece big band Secret Society melds minds with filmmaker Peter Nigrini, writer/director Isaac Butler, and designer Maruti Evans to investigate  America’s fascination with conspiracy theories. On projection surfaces teeming with found footage, live video, and historical texts, the narratives behind the Red Scare, the Illuminati, Edward Snowden, and alien sightings are meticulously examined and interrogated. Musical motifs from Argue’s exuberant score mimic the byzantine “everything is connected” inner workings of mass collusion to plumb the grassy knoll and give paranoia itself the probe.

Read the NY Times Review here.

Posted on

Atomic Bomb! The Music of William Onyeabar, David Byrne and Others ;)

The world of music is infinite and that’s a positive vibration for the planet. Speaking of positive vibrations have you heard of William Onyeabar? I just learned about his unique rhythmic music this morning . William Onyeabar was a funk musician from Nigeria. According to the Luaka Bop record label, Onyeabor “self-released 8 albums between 1978 and 1985 and then became a born-again Christian, refusing ever to speak about himself or his music again.

Onyeabar’s music speaks volumes by itself and more explosively through the interpretation  of others. David Byrne who knows how music works has assembled the Atomic Bomb Band. They made their major network debut on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Put on your ten-gallon hat and groove to “Fantastic Man“.

David Byrne, the Atomic Bomb Band and other fervent Onyeabar stalwarts are performing in Los Angeles and San Francisco this week.

The US Premiere took place on May 2 & 3 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Howard Gilman Opera House.

Give them a listen, you will be happily astonished at how good a groove they generate.

Related articles
Enhanced by Zemanta
Posted on

Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society – Brooklyn Babylon

The music of our heart’s road continually leads  me back to Brooklyn, New York. It has been said that Brooklyn is “The Music Capital of the World”. Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society is an 18 piece steampunk big band that hails from Brooklyn and presents us with interesting dimensionality of sound.

Their second CD, Brooklyn Babylon is a collaboration between the Secret Society leader, Argue and graphic novelist, Danijel Zezelj. Zezelj created the visuals that served as the backdrop for the 2011 Brooklyn Academy of Music world première and conceptualized the fictional story it tells.

I love engaging productions that tell significant stories that expand the consciousness. The babel construction forms a unique visual and aural sound-scape as this video attests.

Related articles
Posted on

Jeff Magnum and Neutral Milk Hotel

Sometimes I am late to the party when it comes to discovering musical groups.  Such is the case with Jeff Magnum and Neutral Milk Hotel.  I like how lo-fi indie groups create rich textural and sonic landscapes. This genre of music helps my intellectualism. Subsequently I process this sound engaged in new-found meaning and delightful interpretation.

I was thankful to stumble upon Jon Pareles NY Times article about  Jeff Magnum’s concert at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. It has given me the opportunity to add Neutral Milk Hotel to my Spotify playlist today. So I sit in my home office this morning, witnessing the marvel of the snow falling across the cul-de-sac, back dropped by Neutral Milk Hotel.

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Related articles
%d bloggers like this: