With the success of last night’s Improvisation Night, it has been brought to my attention by Jeff Harrington (who has greatly helped out with the concept) that we need to release the limitation of the Twitter Improvisation “Night” and turn it into an all day event.  This is because the improvisers are spread across the globe.  So, I’ll be hosting the event at 6 pm PST, but anyone is free to host earlier and, just like any event, there can be multiple hosts (or no host at all, anarchy!).  This is a party.

Why Improvisation Friday?

To give the global classical community a place to perform, listen, and socialize.  This isn’t the 1840s anymore.  There is no Paris scene.  This also isn’t New York City, 1960.  This is 2009 and everyone is invited to this party.

I’ll be posting new radio sessions every week to every other week depending on how much time I have.  Here is a link to the first session.

Amaranth Radio

3.6.09 Program

Jeff Harrington – Gnomos

David Toub – Oblivions

Steve Layton – The Church of the World

J.C. Combs – Four

Misc. Corrections:  I want to note that I mispronounced David Toub’s last name.  Sounds like “Tobe” not “Tube.”

Centered around the network of composers over at NetNewMusic,  as well as  composers I associate with, will be the music on “Amaranth Radio” to be unveiled during Improvisation Night at Twitter (Friday night 6 p.m. PST).

I’m aware that this might not catch on at all, but I’m also aware that I am perfectly cool with sitting down for an improv at any given moment and if I’m all alone doing this, que sera sera.

In addition to posting an improvisation sometime after 6 p.m. PST, Friday night, I’ll be posting the kickoff to “Amaranth Radio,” featuring two mystery composers.  And this is mysterious, not even the selected composers will know until I post this.

The first few radio sessions will be highly amateur (with the exception of the music).  It will be a little while before I work it out, that’s for sure.  So remember, Twitter is the key to listening.  Sure, I’ll post a link to the radio session on FB as well, but Twitter is where everything is primarily based.  The link to “follow me” is in the upper right hand corner here.  We will also use blipfm, but this is a subnetwork of Twitter, so its not necessary to join that, although I think its a cool site.

I will be posting scores shortly for your perusal.  Special shout out to post-minimalist master, David Toub, for helping out with the notation software (a work dedicated to him is coming his way in the future).  But I’ll be honest, you have to bring it if you are going to play my material.  Its not for amateurs.

HOWEVER, I will also be posting scores for my more ambient works which an amateur (beginner and intermediate; I fit into this category) could pick up quickly.

I want to point out, though, that the scores aren’t going to pass the academic test as far as an academic composer could score it out.  But it will do the job, what else matters?  If I find the time (which is unlikely), I might even pen a couple by hand.

Because I’m not (ready that is).  I figured Tunecore would twiddle their thumbs ala CDbaby and release Bats in the Belfry (BIB) in a couple months, but two weeks after uploading I’m now seeing it online (Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody, etc.)  iTunes adds new music every Tuesday, so most likely BIB will be there this Tue.

Anyway, I’m not ready for this.  Paul Bailey sent me a great info pack on marketing which I haven’t been able to finish and I’m in the middle of another project, plus the outside the music world factor; have I mentioned I’m not ready?  Oh well.

Thanks again to Steve Layton for doing the cover work, Mary Jane Leach for offering a pic of the church she lives and records in for the album cover, NetNewMusic (Harrington and Layton) for letting me pin their name on the cover to represent the new music movement, and (it just seems like I need one more item to make this flow).

Beyond the world of unrelated to music work and responsibilties, etc., I’ll be focusing on electronic works and intermittently writing for piano as well.

Click Here to Follow Me on Twitter

Twitter is kind of like crack, very addictive.  If you want to know what I’m up to, talking about, debating, theorizing, etc., in 140 characters or less, then you should “follow me” on Twitter!

Some of my guests have already joined me, like Holokinesis.  I told Marc Chan about it, but last I heard he’s still stuck figuring out Facebook.  Marc??  Really??

The good news is that its much easier to learn than Facebook.  If you know that one popular basic function in Facebook, which is JamesCombs is ____ (fill in the blank), then you already know Twitter, because that is all you do.  My best description is that its basically a turn-based chatroom.  Someone might say something to you and you can reply two hours later or 5 seconds later for that matter.

See you there!