MMD--Mental Musical Database

In our "offseason" time of transition, we've been doing what we can to grow both personally and professionally as preparation for ascending into the next phase of Kaleidoscope. Here are some sources we've recently been blessed by, and wholeheartedly recommend for your own body of creative knowledge:

Moving To Higher Ground--a book by Wynton Marsalis
This man's artistry is simply inspirational. From a jazz frame of reference, he makes a compelling case for musical expression as flowing through interconnected veins of character, creativity, and citizenship. When he was in town for a Bucksbaum lecture at Drake a few years ago, it was one of those evenings that I wished every artist I knew could have been present, both for his speaking as well as his band playing. I'm still impacted at the mere remembrance of it.

1000 Songs To Change Your Life/Lost In The Grooves
Another interesting collection of musical perspectives to examine and see what clicks...

Victor Wooten's Groove Workshop DVD
How lovely it is to sit side by side with the spouse in our living room taking notes together on this power-packed video session. Inspirational plus informational--this guy is a really gifted communicator both on and off the bass guitar.

Derek Trucks everything 1
Derek Trucks everything 2
Just saw him at Hoyt-Sherman the other night, and was fed a splendid feast of musical soul food. Derek is still so young, yet has already achieved so much. (And of course, my spouse and I are drawn to him and his wife Susan Tedeschi because of the unique life status we have in common!)

MMD--For your Mental Musical Database

Inspirational, informational, knock yourself out! Glean from our recent research vaults, and respond as you see fit. Or we should say, respond as WE see fit for you, by making fabulous new music!

Wired "Kaleidoscopic" Interview

Annual February Recording Challenge

MMD--Mental Musical Database

Hi FOK (Friends of Kaleidoscope) - not so sure about that acronym...
A reminder to you all that, amidst the backstage transitioning to Phase 2--The Upgrade, our services are still continuing in all other kinds of musical consulting and support. So we want to keep in touch with you, and make sure you are in on the ground floor of all the great things to come. We remain committed to being an equipping and networking source more than ever, right down to these little nuggets for your perusal with all that free time you've got. Seriously, take some time for Research and Development. It always seems to get ruthlessly swept under the rug, but as we can attest over the past year, it has been such a key for our growth in both musical and business savvy. So ward off the "tyranny of the urgent" and give yourself snippets of time here and there to just LEARN. For instance, how about these:

The Phoenix mag--50 states article
Believer mag--annual music issue
Marketing lessons from Guns and Roses

Let us info junkies know what you are learning...

MMD--Mental Musical Database

1. Another Bob Dylan item - an article from Vanity Fair called "Inside Dylan's Brain"

www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2008/04/dylan.html

2. A great new book by bassist extraordinaire Victor Wooten from the Flecktones called "The Music Lesson"

www.vixboox.com

3. A newsflash about the supposed upcoming obsolescence of recording studios (and for the record, I believe in the upcoming obsolescence of the word "obsolescence", but not of recording studios, for many many reasons--see if you react with the same healthy skepticism as I did)

www.mashable.com/2008/06/17/wemix-voodoovox/

Happy reading, thinking, feeling, and learning - let's keep our musical minds in a state of "growing knowing". Comments welcomed...

For Your Mental Musical Database--MMD

1. Bob Dylan's Day Job, and Terry Teachout's NYC arts blog
www.artsjournal.com/aboutlastnight/2008/06/tt_bob_dylans_day_job.html

2. The Business of Music
www.huffingtonpost.com/mike_ragogna/the-business-of-music_b_108449.html

Interesting, thought-provoking, eyebrow raising stuff...your turn to comment please: