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Editorial
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Global Rhythm, Editorial >>
As someone whose musical taste has always been all over the map, I'm constantly attempting to figure out if there is a formula for explaining which music appeals to me and which doesn't. On any given day my playlist might dart from Appalachian mountain music of the 1920s to punk rock of the 70s, from challenging improvisational jazz to funky New Orleans R&B, hippie-era classic rock or topical folk songs. Add to that the panoply of world music varieties: Latin, reggae, African, Brazilian, etc. Within each of those broad categories there will be individual subgenres and artists that become favorites and those I don't often return to.
My conversations with friends and colleagues will often begin with "Hey, have you heard the new CD by...?" and lead to an exchange on the musical pros and cons of said CD, as well as other recommendations and musts-to-avoid.
I've often contemplated the reasons for this: What is it about a piece of music that hits the target for me but drives others away screaming, and vice versa? I doubt if there is a scientific test that can be applied, but I've realized that one factor that makes me take notice is the element of surprise. I relish, more than just about anything else, hearing something I didn't expect to hear.
This became clear to me once again in April, when I caught a stunning concert at New York's famed Carnegie Hall starring the Kronos Quartet. Sitting in were the world-class tabla master Zakir Hussain; Wu Man, a virtuoso of the Chinese pipa; and, on vocals, the incomparable Asha Bhosle, the renowned Indian "playback" singer whose voice has been an essential component of countless Bollywood films. (Ms. Bhosle will grace the next cover of GLOBAL RHYTHM.)
Both with their guests and on their own, the string quartet rarely went in expected directions that their interplay was complex and the musicians were constantly turning down avenues in which I did not expect them to head. In contrast with so much of the predictable mainstream music of the day, the concert served as a reminder that the most creative artists are quite often those who are willing to challenge themselves and their listener. Artistic growth depends on that desire to try new things, even at the risk of failure. I'll take that over cookie-cutter music any day.
07/01/06
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