Four Things #16
Four Things #16..
Welcome back to Four Things. Honestly, it feels like the previous newsletter was written 3 years ago instead of 3 weeks. What an odd time to be alive, the world has radically changed in a matter of weeks because all of its people are, well, basically sitting at home and watching Netflix? That absence of a daily/weekly grind has laid bare some interesting observations. There are those who are aching for continuous positive reinforcement, live streaming and social media'ing as if their lives depended on it (maybe they do). There are those who fail to see the magnitude of this situation and keep reverting to familiar tropes. And there are those who hunker down, get to work and I think wisely become much more selective with the information they consume and which they do not. My current motto is : Just enough Fauci to know what's going on and how to stay safe, then turn off TV when Trump gets behind the mic.
I would like to thank some of our new subscribers for joining, especially those who found me through Patreon. Your thoughts, observations and feedback is always appreciated! Let's get to the Things. If you enjoy reading this news letter, feel free to pass on the link to your friends, or check out the archive right here https://tinyletter.com/Martyn-Deykers. Stay safe and look after your parents!
Martyn
April 1, 2020
FIRST THING: MENTORING ON PATREON
While the current lockdown has completely disrupted a lot of artists' weekly rhythm of traveling and gigs, it's also provided some much needed headspace to assess our way of life, ambitions and goals. There has been some good writing about the state of the scene, and how (not) to get through this crisis, but on a personal level I thought now would be a good time to work on an idea I've had for a while. Over the years, I've had so many conversations with musician friends about how to deal with anxiety, expectations, 'the industry', setbacks, re-inventing yourself and how to channel creativity, and they always ended with: "one day I'll start a service where I can help young musicians with this". When my friend Soraya Brouwer from Truants announced she was helping people set up Patreon pages, I put two and two together and here we are, my own Mentoring Program for Musicians. Find some more information about it here.
SECOND THING: BONE THUGS-'N-HARMONY
In 1993, an unknown Cleveland, Ohio rap group called B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e was desperately trying to get signed by auditioning over the phone to Reckless Records in LA. They were promised a call back from Eazy-E (from NWA), when that didn't happen they decided to hustle the money together to buy Greyhound bus tickets for the three day (!) journey to L.A. For four months, living on the streets, they tried to get hold of Eazy-E only to find out he was touring and in fact scheduled to play a show in... Cleveland, Ohio. Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone and Wish Bone managed to make their way back home to audition in Eazy's dressing room and were signed on the spot, and renamed Bone Thugs-'n-Harmony. In 1996, the group dedicated their hit single "Tha Crossroads" to their mentor, who had died of AIDS the year before. Bone Thugs-'n-Harmony is the only hip hop group to have collaborated with Eazy-E, Biggie and Tupac while they were still alive. Tha Crossroads on Youtube.
THIRD THING: IN DEFENSE OF KENNY G
The other day my daughter and I watched the trailer of the forthcoming Trolls: World Tour movie and it introduced a brand new character named Chaz Smooth, the Jazz Troll. The long flowy hair, his seductive gaze, the silky smooth soprano sax tones - perfectly modeled after our own real world jazz troll, Kenny G. I was reminded of this excellent article by the pianist John Halle in Jacobin about the Kenny G dilemma. Obviously not rated by any self-respecting jazz enthusiast, what exactly makes Kenny G's playing 'wrong' and the completely out-there wrong notes of, say, Eric Dolphy 'right'? Interesting analysis of high and low culture, the musical equivalent of the 'basket of deplorables' discussion. Read. Bonus feature: 10 Hours Youtube of Chaz Smooth!!
FOURTH THING: THANKSGIVING IN MONGOLIA
In these anxiety-ridden times I find it very difficult to appreciate the beauty in things. I listen to music that would've soothed me a couple months ago, but now it just sounds uneasy and restless. I try to read things that would normally lift me up and motivate me, but now those writings are just more stress-inducing. I went on a walk last week because my chest felt so tight I couldn't breathe, and it was only after the third mile that I was finally able to enjoy the act of walking outside. This long-read from the New Yorker by Ariel Levy was saved in my bookmarks for ages, and, in much the same way as my walk, it really took me a good 15 minutes of immersing myself in it to shake off this daily anxiety and appreciate it for what it is, a really beautiful story. Read it, you have time for it! :)