_ Everyone is in the throes of writing year-end lists (including lists of top 10 reactions to Loutallica), and complaining about them, but amongst it all there are some curious, important and non-holidays-related things going on. For instance, there’s been a rash of Tuba thefts lately in LA, the slightly vomitus term ‘alt-classical’ has popped up in regards to Portland (first west-coast sighting?), and John Zorn released a Christmas album. Also, in case you’re wondering, yes, last night in LA Jay-Z and ‘ye set a new record...have a look. Lastly, if you’re feeling as though your reviews are bad, try this one on for size.

On the composing front, at the moment I’m in the throes of working on a few different compositions of both the electro-acoustic and fixed media (i.e. ‘tape’) with live players variety. Ross Simonini and I are in the throes of doing an electro-acoustic work for choreographer Catherine Cabeen - in October we recorded hours of barely-composed and briefly discussed improvisations and now we’re in the process of slicing, dicing and mashing everything around to make the piece. There has also been some additional recording for the piece on my part which yesterday involved me becoming a five-part falsetto choir. Besides that I’m finishing the electronics half of the piece for electronics and indeterminate number of winds for a concert in New York in April and Seattle in May. Thus far the electronics part is mainly comprised of tea kettle, goat hoof shakers and conch shell sounds. My music, apparently, is not vegetarian.

Listening List
Wes Montgomery - The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
John Cale - The Island Years
Duke Ellington - Far East Suite
Brian Eno - Another Day on Earth
Arvo Part – Tabula Rasa
El Michaels Affair - Enter the 37th Chamber
Gang Gang Dance - God’s Money
Philip Glass - Glassworks