In my interview with Darcy James Argue, he emphasized the imperative of individual rhythmic authority of each musician who plays his music. All horn and reed players must have the same relationship to rhythm as rhythm-section players. This aspect of his work is really tough to deal with, the musicians of the Missouri State Jazz Studies Ensemble told me when I interviewed them last month.
[I mean “tough” as in “a good challenge,” as opposed to “tough” like a heart attack.]
The fascinating thing about complex music is that it doesn’t sound complicated to the listener. It just sounds great. [I am referring to “complex yet elegant” music, not music deliberately odd or incomprehensible. Of course, these values are in the ears of the beholder.]
So, I listened once again to Infernal Machines in hope of understanding why it gives players fits.
“Zeno,” as performed in the video above, stood out for me as a challenge of individual rhythmic authority. From the start, I don’t think the piano pattern and the guitar pattern are in synch; the rhythms are separate. [It goes without saying that I could be entirely wrong.] When I tried to nod my head with the guitar and listen to the accents of the piano, I confused myself by about 0:30.
2:15-2:50: The horns elaborate on the original theme and the piano and guitar join forces with the drums for a more conventional interlocking rhythm.
4:30: Supporting a trombone solo, horns are broken up into different groups expressing long tones and a couple of staccato patterns. I think this is the hornets’ nest of individual rhythmic authority that I have been looking for.
Your thoughts?
[I mean “tough” as in “a good challenge,” as opposed to “tough” like a heart attack.]
The fascinating thing about complex music is that it doesn’t sound complicated to the listener. It just sounds great. [I am referring to “complex yet elegant” music, not music deliberately odd or incomprehensible. Of course, these values are in the ears of the beholder.]
So, I listened once again to Infernal Machines in hope of understanding why it gives players fits.
“Zeno,” as performed in the video above, stood out for me as a challenge of individual rhythmic authority. From the start, I don’t think the piano pattern and the guitar pattern are in synch; the rhythms are separate. [It goes without saying that I could be entirely wrong.] When I tried to nod my head with the guitar and listen to the accents of the piano, I confused myself by about 0:30.
2:15-2:50: The horns elaborate on the original theme and the piano and guitar join forces with the drums for a more conventional interlocking rhythm.
4:30: Supporting a trombone solo, horns are broken up into different groups expressing long tones and a couple of staccato patterns. I think this is the hornets’ nest of individual rhythmic authority that I have been looking for.
Your thoughts?
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