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falcongumba · 4 years ago

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Lesley Mok

Photo by Luke Marantz

Lesley Mok is an immensely creative drummer, percussionist and composer who works in a wide variety of collaborative ensembles as well as writing music for her own projects. She is also part of Polyfold Musical Arts Collective, a really wonderful group of musicians who have been curating a concert series for musicians to present new works of music as well as running a small record label that already has a sizable catalog.

I’ve only known Lesley for a couple of years, but we have played together a few times in informal sessions and I always admired her original drumming and her strong voice as a composer.

In this discussion we talked about her entire trajectory as a musician as well as some of her upcoming projects and plans.

JT: You’ve told me before that you are originally from the Bay Area but I’m a bit curious about your family’s background. Where are your parents from? What did they do?

LM: Neither of my parents are creative professionals, though I'd consider both of them creative people. I'm a first-generation American, and like many immigrants at the time, both of them had an intense desire to climb the social ladder and make it for themselves in the United States. I think uprooting one's life and moving to an unfamiliar place takes a different kind of creativity--figuring out which bus to take, what to eat, how to communicate...they're cultural challenges that require creative thinking.

JT: And, were they the first ones to steer you into getting music lessons? Or was that something that you wanted on your own?

LM: My mom forced me to take piano lessons, but drum lessons were something I asked for.

JT: Before we get onto the drums. I read on your bio that you also played the flute, correct?

LM: Yes! In my elementary and middle school concert bands.

JT: I imagine studying flute and piano was likely helpful, no? You write a lot of music now.

LM: Definitely - it gave me a good sense of tonal harmony, or at least what it sounded like and how it might move. It wasn't until recently that I started writing music, but taking lessons at a young age gave me a lot to work from. It's like learning a language at a young age..you can't really forget it.

JT: That’s amazing! So how did you arrive at the drums originally?

LM: I don't really remember, to be honest, but I took lessons for a few years before joining the middle school jazz band. I would invite friends over to work on songs we learned in school. I was terrified of soloing and I remember wanting to work on trading 4’s so I wouldn’t embarrass myself during rehearsal.

JT: And was it already pretty geared toward a jazz thing? Or were you playing other kinds of music?

LM: I was drawn to jazz from the beginning - it always felt like the music I wanted to play. I wanted to be in a backing band for a singer - my favorite records were with Ella, Billie Holiday, and Nancy Wilson.

JT: What kind of form did that listening take?

LM: One of the first drummers I met, Scott Lowrie, introduced me to a bunch of records like Sonny Rollins Quartet, Sarah Vaughan with Basie, Miles Davis’ First Quintet...He would point out certain things that captured him, like how swinging Philly Joe’s ride cymbal was, or the vibrato in Sarah’s voice, or how relaxed Paul Chamber’s beat was. He would sing along to the drum solos and try to figure out what sticking Philly Joe would more likely play. He introduced to me a listening culture that made me more interested in the music.

JT: What was the transition to Berklee like?

LM: I had started to meet a bunch of other high school musicians in my junior year of high school through programs like the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Everyone could really play, and it inspired me to know that people my age were already so committed to music. I remember Cory Cox and Caili O’Doherty were mentors at the program at the time, and just hearing them play encouraged me to apply to music school.

JT: That’s cool because that's kind of a common thread for a lot of people that I know from the Bay Area. There were all these music camps, and a lot of people went and even if a lot of them didn't end up playing music professionally, they still would end up playing an instrument pretty well and having a really strong appreciation for music.

LM: Yeah, I studied with Akira Tana at the time and I remember he even recommended that I not go to music school; he was like “you should check out these other things”.

I think a lot of my hesitation about going to music school didn't have to do with music itself but how to make a living in music. At that time, coming from a more traditionally minded family, music wasn’t a legitimate practice or career. It wasn’t until college when I built up more confidence and commitment to music.

JT: I remember you telling me that you had a pretty good experience at Berklee.

LM: The first two years at Berklee were a little unstructured and I was sort of confused about how to move forward. I felt lucky to play in a few ensembles that I really enjoyed, including Jason Palmer’s ensemble (my first foray into odd meters and original music) and Ralph Peterson’s Art Blakey ensemble, but I didn’t have high enough ratings to get into some other ensembles. (Those of you who are familiar with Berklee’s rating system can maybe empathize!). I felt a bit discouraged with navigating what felt like a bureaucratic system.

In my third year, I applied to this program called the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, led by Danilo Perez and Marco Pignataro. I didn't get in my first time around, but then I think it was in my sixth semester or something I auditioned again and got in. That program was really significant for me.

Global gave me some clarity in my practice and I was able to prioritize my learning. It was also during this time when I started to think about bigger questions, not just how to play the drums and music, but you know...how to play music in a culturally and socially informed way.

JT: And what were some of the breakthroughs? Was there a teacher that was particularly empowering? Or was it just the benefit of being in the program?

LM: The program itself was very empowering, but Danilo, Terri Lynne Carrington and Ben Street were the three teachers that really influenced me. Bob Gullotti was also enormously influential as a teacher. We would work on playing Bird heads around the drums. He was so thorough with the way he thought about dynamics, articulation, and tambor, and if he didn’t feel like you played the essence of the melody, he would ask you to work on the same thing for the following week. I hadn’t thought much about drumming outside of a rhythmic and linguistic context up until that point so those lessons were super transformative. Bob would play every Monday night at the Fringe--I remember hearing him take a solo on sticks on a ballad at like 40bpm, and being like, “Holy shit, I want to be able to do that.” Bob passed away just last year--he was a completely dedicated teacher and I will always treasure our time together.

JT: When did you move to NY?

LM: I moved in September of 2017.

JT: Okay. And did you move because you felt that New York was a center for this music? Or was there another reason?

LM: There was never much doubt in my mind about moving to New York after school. I travelled between Boston and New York pretty often while I was in school to take lessons or see shows, so after I finished my final year at Berklee I moved here.

JT: There's usually all these logistical and life challenges moving here the first year. How did that affect you? Were you able to get to music right away? Or was there an adjustment period?

LM: It was a tremendous life change. I applied for a bunch of jobs the first week I moved here, and ended up working at a small entertainment law firm for about four months..that's how long I lasted! (Haha) It was super gruesome and I was pretty miserable. I was in the office for nine hours a day, and would head to my studio every day at 6pm and practice until 10pm or so. I would plan sessions on weekends or weeknights after work. Oddly enough, I think I practiced the most when I had that job just because I knew I had to structure my time really well.

It was an emotionally tough time, but it really made me question what was important to me. I think I was scared of what it meant to be a working musician but after working at the law firm, I knew it wasn't something I could do--my body and mind just rejected it. After I quit my job I felt like I had control over my own time and free will, and it was then that I really started pursuing music more fearlessly.

JT: Yeah, I feel like there’s a huge character building that happens in that first year and then the following years almost get easier by contrast or something.

LM: I’m definitely less stressed out than I was that first year. There are always challenges and self-doubt, but I feel like I can return to familiar rooms in my mind and trust that I’ll overcome the moment.

That said, I still worry all the time if my music’s any good, if anyone resonates with it, and if other people like playing with me, etc. (Haha)

JT: And in those first couple of years were you already able to find some people to play with or did it take some time?

LM: I was playing with a lot of really great musicians, but the more I questioned my own artistic values, the more I was able to also find a community of people I resonated with emotionally and artistically. I also moved to Bushwick in November 2018 and started playing with people with completely different value systems. To be honest, I couldn’t relate at first. I heard Weasel Walter for the first time and remember thinking how weird and overwhelmed and intrigued I felt. There’s a record he’s on with Mary Halvorson and Peter Evans, and there are long stretches of time where he doesn’t play anything I can identify as a sound from the drum set. Hearing him along with other musicians like Brandon Lopez and Matteo Liberatore made me think consciously about all the musical choices I can make in any given moment. My first year living in Bushwick felt like everything I had known and felt about music was flipped upside down. I had to learn to engage with creative music beyond the ride cymbal being the main timbral focus...beyond jazz.

JT: I remember you telling me that you didn't start writing your own compositions right away.

LM: Yeah, I didn't really start writing until the end of 2018 with my band The Living Collection. It's funny to think that my first foray into writing was for a large chamber-like ensemble because I feel like I still have huge gaps in my knowledge of harmony and traditional compositional methods.

But it's something that also I think freed me from thinking I had to do a certain thing or compose in a certain way. I learned so much through trial and error...I'd have the flute in one octave and then have bass clarinet in another octave only to realize that the flute was barely audible. I had random mistakes in my chart, or very inconvenient ways of writing things, or literally impossible parts to play, so it was really trial by fire. But I think I learned through having a supportive group of friends for a band who would share their thoughts with me, and criticisms as well.

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JT: I think I listened to everything there is currently available from that band. The music is really beautiful. I was wondering what is your concept for the music of the group?

LM: I think it's changed a lot. Some of the first compositions we played had many independent, moving parts. I was drawing a lot of inspiration from Henry Threadgill at that time. I was writing entirely notated music at one point, after listening to more contemporary classical composers like [Helmut] Lachenmann. Recently I’ve been thinking more about the idea of musical democracy and non-hierarchical ways of playing, improvisation being a vehicle for these social-cultural processes involved: spirituality, community-as-oneness, and communal joy. I hope to establish a context in which everyone can participate in music as a necessary ritualistic function.

JT: That brings me to the work that you've been doing with Polyfold Musical Arts Collective. How did it come about and how did you all start fleshing out these ideas?

LM: Well, I'm the newest member of Polyfold. The collective originally started in Detroit and consisted of 20-something musicians. It took on a new shape when a few of its members moved to Brooklyn in 2017, so the current membership includes myself, Yuma Uesaka, Alex Levine, and Ben Rolston. The idea is basically to expand opportunities for improvisers to create original music. That usually takes the form of a monthly concert series, something we call Polyfold Presents, but we’ve also put together these “Sunday Salons,” informal workshops where people can bring their music or share ideas they’re exploring. The idea comes from something Geri Allen used to do with her students. We recently have been working on our record label...your record was actually the first we put out in awhile! So thank you for all your work on that.

*Lesley adds: (Juanma’s band was originally scheduled to perform at the April concert series, but when COVID hit, we commissioned him along with the other artists that we scheduled to perform, to perform a creative work of any kind. He ended up recording four full-length compositions remotely with his band. It was so well recorded and the process was so representative of the moment that we decided to put it out on the label. Check it out - ‘Folklore’ by Juanma Trujillo.)

JT: How, would you describe the role that you have in the collective?

LM: It's hard to say, the structure and the nature of the organization has changed over time, our roles kind of shift as we go. I just worked on writing the last grant. Trying to put into words what exactly is it we do and making sure we're holding ourselves accountable for those things.

JT: Has being part of this initiative been rewarding in a way that you didn't expect? Has it helped you see things in a different way?

LM: Yeah, for sure. It’s made me realize how important and powerful organizing is for the improvised music community and how we all sort of depend on each other.

JT: Yeah, I think I wanted to get your input on that because I’ve been kind of pleasantly surprised to see that you guys as a group of artists who are already playing together and are good friends are also welcoming people from outside your circle. In my time living here I can confidently say that this is somewhat rare.

LM: Yeah..I hope it becomes less rare. I've met some people that have really made it feel like home here.

I think it’s hard to feel a sense of community in a place like New York, where artists-entrepreneurs are constantly up against so many things. It seems like everyone’s competing for the same opportunities.

I think community building starts on a personal level...who you hang out with or talk to, who’s in your band, what kind of bills you’re curating if you’re a bandleader. All of these things are part of what makes a community. The 501c3 is just a status.

JT: So we’ve talked about your main projects, but I can also see that you're doing quite a bit of one off gigs with people just improvising. How has that been helpful in your development?

LM: I often feel like there's a lot of pressure to play written music or to present something really polished, which I also enjoy, but it’s nice to get to know someone intimately without the pressure of following a specific musical format. It’s really invigorating getting to know their musical perspective in an open space and forming a connection.

Depending on the improvisational context, I sometimes feel that there’s nothing I wish to contribute on the drum set. It’s encouraged me to work on different techniques that might produce different sounds and timbres and to search for percussion instruments that might give me a broader range of expression. My dream is to build a drum cage like the one in that iconic photo with Roscoe Mitchell!

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JT: Are there any of the other projects that you have that you would like to talk about or mention any other experiences that have been meaningful to you recently?

LM: I recently spent two weeks in Newton, MA with my good friends Maya and Akiva. We had no agenda other than to play music if we felt like it. It was one of the more intimate and spiritually fulfilling experiences I’ve had in awhile. The music felt like an extension of our cooking together, our swims in the lake, our humming. I listened back to some of the recordings we made a few days ago...it feels both personal and non-precious. It reminds me of these words by Nicole Mitchell--

“If you practice your connection to the stars enough, you can go anytime you please. The Dogon mastered it, but the shoebox architects sold kids on rap videos over stargazing. Doesn’t matter how much pollution, or how many ceilings or drones are flying above, the stars are there. I promise. No wonder Lightin’ Hopkins, Jeff Parker, Jimi Hendrix and all the bluesmen made their own vessel guitars to communicate here. And ever better, I’m tellin’ you, there are no consequences, no punishments and no side effects except joy and more strength. Can you imagine? I’m thinking, maybe we can build a bridge from pain to hope and insight and take all our families there.”

JT: Thank you Lesley!

LM: Yeah, thanks so much for doing this.

You can learn more about Lesley on her website: https://www.lesleymok.com/

Lesley has all her releases available on: https://lesleymok.bandcamp.com/

#lesley mok #drums #The living collection #Polyfold #composer #interview #jazz

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techlearnings · 4 years ago

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The Best Home Theater Systems of 2020

1. The Smartest Home Theater System: Sonos 5.1 Beam Surround Set with Voice Assistant

Sonos Beam 5.1 System

Why it won

It would appear Sonos is resolved to clearing the field. At first thought about the upstart among industry monsters, Sonos is currently accomplishing for home theater what they accomplished for multi-room music – and the outcomes are great. read more

The Sonos Beam 5.1 Surround Set is all that you'd anticipate from the world's #1 remote sound organization as per CEPro magazine. Highs are completely clear, lows through the Sonos subwoofer punch with power, and exchange through the framework's highlight, the Beam Sound Bar, is both famously reasonable and reliably up front.

Furthermore, the framework is whip shrewd and accompanies a great list of capabilities. It's absolutely remote put something aside for the force line and HDMI yield. (Bye tangled jumble.) The Sonos application remains the best/most astute application in the business. Apple Airplay 2 comes included. It streams pretty much everything by means of the in excess of 50 music administrations upheld by Sonos. Include Amazon Alexa as well as Google Assistant voice control, in addition to a look that is inconspicuous, jazzy, and made to mix in – and you have a great decision. For genuinely vivid 5.1 encompass sound, however for incredible sounding music, as well. Indeed, it's somewhat expensive, however worth each penny as we would see it. Likewise note: Sonos resembles LEGOs (which we expounded all on in our Sonos Buying Guide here).

Reg. Cost: $1,456.00

Coming Soon - Call to Order: 1.866.961.7781

#2. The Best Wireless Home Theater System: Bose Soundbar 700 with Bass Module 700 and Surround Wireless Speakers

Bose Sound Bar 700 5.1 System

Why it won

In our "Best Sound Bars of 2020" article, the Bose Soundbar 700 won best-of-show for encompass sound. Presently here as the center segment in the Bose Smart Wireless 5.1 home theater framework, Bose does it once more. The Bose SB700 won since we turned it on and were immediately overwhelmed by a sound field that An) appeared to be a lot more extensive than some other 5.1 pre-bundled framework we tried, B) made discourse – even delicate or murmured exchange – completely clear, and C) was similarly compelling regardless of where we sat.

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Features

Turn it up, and Bose's Bass Module 700 subwoofer will throw a pleasant left hook without contorting.

Given the Bose Lifestyle 650 won most attractive, we're giving "second place" to this framework. The excellent glass top and punctured fold over metal grille on the Soundbar 700 is a pleasant touch.

To mix in with any home's style, Bose offers this framework in white, as well.

Reg. Cost: $1,797.00

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#3. The Best Surround Sound System for Small Rooms: SVS Prime Satellite 5.1 Package

SVS Prime Satellite 5.1 Package

Why it won

Throughout the most recent twenty years, SVS has developed into one of the most regarded brands in the business. At first known for their sternum-vibrating/room-shaking/grant winning subwoofers, the present new SVS frameworks can rival anybody – and the SVS Prime Satellite 5.1 home venue bundle is an incredible model. Its conservative and simpler to fit in a littler room however turn it up and blast: your little room turns into the Hollywood Bowl.

Each SVS Prime Satellite speaker is about the size of a portion of bread and contains a 4.5-inch midrange driver and a one-inch tweeter. Little, truly, yet they punch like Roberto Duran. The 12-inch driver in the effectively amazing, 300-watt fueled SVS-1000 subwoofer will, then again, make them clutch your seat. It's little, as well, and perfectly tucks into any corner. The framework is wired instead of remote, however at the cost, the SVS Prime Satellite 5.1 Package may simply be the greatest "little" 5.1 framework available. (Need something somewhat greater? Look at SVS's "Ultra" arrangement line of speakers. We convey those, as well.)

Another enormous SVS advantage: gaming. A ton of our clients keep their gaming frameworks in little lairs and extra rooms. Also, on the off chance that you truly need to place yourself in a Gears of War or Call of Duty fight, sans earphones – and you would prefer not to spend a fortune to do it – the SVS Prime Satellite 5.1 Package is for you. SVS rocks.

This Package Includes: 5 Prime Satellite Speakers | SB-1000 Subwoofer

Reg. Cost: $999.99

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Alright individuals – folding tables up and fix those safety belts. We're pulling out all the stops.

Presently we progress from the littler, simple to-set-up home theater frameworks to the greater, take your breath away arrangements. The accompanying frameworks were hand-picked by our specialists, frequently blended and coordinated from various sound brands. Taking all things together, it resembles going from engine bikes to bikes: both are fun, both take care of business, yet the last is more about consummately repeating enormous, genuine, true to life sound at home. Further, these greater home theater frameworks are more adaptable concerning sound and structure feel.

#4. The Best Budget Home Theater Speaker System: KLH Kendall 5.1 Speaker System

KLH Kendall 5.1 System

Why it won

KLH's strategic been and consistently will be: audiophile-commendable speakers at moderate costs. What's more, KLH's most current line-up epitomizes that strategic to say the least. The two Kendall 3-way floorstanding speakers included speak to the organization's new lead models. Flawlessly completed in dark oak and American pecan facade, each contains custom drivers made of Kevlar, anodized aluminum and curiously large magnets. They're huge, they're delightful, and they sound incredible. The KLH Story Center Channel Speaker puts the most significant activity (and on-screen exchange) up front with hybrid hardware produced using top notch parts. The two Beacon encompass speakers are superior to most and work superbly with the framework's left and right back channels.

Balancing everything, KLH's 12-inch, front-terminating subwoofer = the John Bonham of the gathering. The high journey woven Kevlar driver inside, fueled by a 350 watt amp, is all that could possibly be needed to toss you back in your seat.

KLH's 5.1 home theater gathering is a great decision for large, artistic sound. Huge (or rambunctious) parties when added to your music framework. Valid, it's not remote, however it's difficult to beat this sort of sheer influence for the cash.

This Package Includes: 2 KLH Kendall Floorstanding Speakers | KLH Story Center Channel Speaker | KLH Beacon Surround Speaker Pair | Windsor 12 Subwoofer | Available in Black or Walnut

Reg. Cost: $2,796.95

Coming Soon - Call to Order: 1.866.961.7781

#5. The Best Dolby Atmos Home Theater System: Klipsch 7.2.2 Reference Premiere Home Theater System with Marantz SR7013 9.2-Channel AV Receiver

Klipsch 7.2 System

Why it won

Two notable, top notch, sound pioneers: One known for dynamite, pull out all the stops or-return home sound and excellent cabinetry, the other for top tier enhancement and driving edge innovation. Between them, two legends – Saul Marantz and Paul Klipsch, more than 100 years experience, and each grant in the book. Welcome to the best encompass sound all things considered.

A couple of years back, the sound masters at Dolby made sense of an approach to settle on what some decision "3D encompass sound" by means of another innovation called Dolby Atmos. (Atmos, as in environment.) What Dolby Atmos truly does is make a layer of sound that not just floats over the crowd, it drifts in various territories over the crowd. Also, it does it so well, you can really pinpoint explicit sounds in explicit spots – noticeable all around. The net impact: Thrilling, invigorating, stunning – in any event, stunning now and again. ("Try not to stress kids, those monsters aren't genuine, it's only a film.")

In spite of the fact that most AV recipients today come Dolby Atmos-empowered, numerous shoppers never include Dolby Atmos speakers. (Abnormal. Similar to living on a boat and never purchasing sails.) So we intentionally concocted a marvelous, yet generally reasonable home venue that really conveys on all fronts: left, right, focus, sides, back, beneath (by method of the subwoofer) and now, with Dolby Atmos, noticeable all around above, as well.

One more thing: If you pick this home theater framework with the parts we prescribe – and you're going to turn it on just because – start with a greater than-life, blockbuster film. The new Jurassic Park, Incredibles 2, whatever. Blockbusters are designed by sound specialists to exploit stature channels, so you're ensured to get the all out impact: pterosaurs and ancient bugs flying around your parlor, jump bombarding the couch, and so forth. You'll know why this specific framework so effectively wins our "Best Dolby Atmos" class.

Features

Mood killer the TV, and this Klipsch/Marantz home theater arrangement conveys an intense, audiophile-commendable, music framework – one that asks for a quality turntable. Despite the fact that with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Airplay worked in, in addition to HEOS remote multi-room music streaming, you can play practically anything from anyplace by means of any brilliant gadget.

The two Klipsch RP-8060 floorstanding speakers are not just fresh out of the box new, they're higher on the pecking list than Klipsch's for quite some time proclaimed Reference II arrangement. Likewise valid for the RP-504C Center Channel Speaker, which at right around 3-feet wide and 34 pounds is the Serena Williams of focus speakers. read more

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hifilounge · 4 years ago

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Accuphase Joins HFL's Portfolio!

Hi All,

So the next news we have in readiness for the lifting of retail Lockdown is that we are really proud to add Accuphase to our portfolio of brands and products, for those you don’t know Accuphase is considered Japan’s High end HiFi offering to the world.

I must admit that when I was first shown one of the integrated amps by my rep a few months ago I was tottally smitten by the looks even before it had made a single note , I mean what is not to love about the VU Meters and their very retro look but once you start using their products you realise they just ooze class, they are so beautifully made and extremely well engineered, every button and knob is a joy to operate, when you are next in please feel free to have a twiddle, Accuphase really are up there with the best when it comes to understanding that everything matters, I’m actually not using the remote so that I have the joy of using the manual volume knob, anyway enough of my perversions, oh yes and they only come in Champagne Gold, which I know may not be for everyone but it they certainly make a statement and actually look really classy in the flesh.

But obviously it is the sound that matters and needless to say they don’t disappoint here, for a company that is approaching it’s 50th anniversary I think it’s fair to say they know what they are doing by now, I first heard the 30 watt Pure Class A E-650 Integrated and we used it to drive the Magneplanar 20.7’s which are a very difficult speaker to get the best from but it really did make them sing, in all honesty I have never heard them sound better, I think it is fair to say with the limited listening I have had so far that the Accuphase house sound is honest but slightly on the warmer and full bodied side, very much a Class A sound but even their non Class A amps still carry that sound so they have all the detail but they are not bright or forward, just very natural and musical.

Accuphase Laboratory, Inc. is a Japanese, Yokohama-based high-end audio equipment manufacturer founded by former Kenwood engineer Jiro Kasuga in late 1972 who was unhappy with the direction Kenwood where going in so he took engineers from Marantz and Luxman and formed Accuphase. The name ACCUPHASE was adapted by taking the prefix ACCU from the word “accurate”, and combining it with PHASE which is a most important factor in audio technology. Accuphase are well known for producing extremely high quality products so if you are looking for a new amp and are taken by the looks of Accuphase then feel free to come into HFL to give them a listen as I’m pretty sure you’ll be very impressed as I was.

At the moment we have the new E-380 Integrated on demo which is to be followed very shortly by the new monster E-800 50 Watt Pure Class Amp, really can’t wait to get my hands on this, all their integrateds and Preamps can be fitted with either a digital DAC board as well as a Phono Board so they really can be a very neat solution for people who don’t want loads of boxes.

Please find the full range below, unfortunately Accuphase won’t let us publish prices so please do get in touch for more info, as an example the E-380 we have on demo is £6800 and the E-800 will be £15,000, if anything else in the range takes your fancy please also get in touch as we have access to the full range for demo that we can borrow at any time.

https://hifilounge.co.uk/product-category/brands/accuphase/

Cheers,

Paul.

Accuphase E-380 Integrated Amplifier

Accuphase E-800 Integrated Amplifier (Coming Very Soon)

#Accuphase

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thewidowworegold · 6 years ago

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Bianca Jagger riding in on a white horse - Studio 54 [2/3] :

In 1977, the theater was transformed into a nightclub called Studio 54 by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, with Jack Dushey as a financial backer. They operated the company as Broadway Catering Corp. It took only six weeks to transform the theater into a nightclub and cost $400,000 before its grand opening on April 26. Rubell and Schrager hired Scott Bromley as architect, Ron Doud as interior designer and Brian Thompson as lighting designer. Jules Fisher and Paul Marantz, two well-known lighting designers, created the dance floor environment and created moveable theatrical sets and lights using the copious existing TV lighting circuits and fly system, which allowed for a dynamic, constantly-changing, environment. Where formerly all clubs had been very dark, at Studio 54 the crowd could be lit brightly. The club was also known for its extravagance that often made headline news. Event planner Robert Isabell had four tons of glitter dumped in a four-inch layer on the floor of Studio 54 for a New Year's Eve party, which owner Ian Schrager described as like "standing on stardust" and left glitter that could be found months later in their clothing and homes. Or when, on her birthday, Bianca Jagger rode in on a white horse led by a naked man which has become one of the most famous parts of the Studio 54 legends.

Instagram: Thewidowworegold

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gravitascivics · 3 years ago

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AFTERMATH, III

[This blog is amid a series of postings that aims to share with the reader a history of the nation – albeit highly summary in nature – from the perspective of a dialectic struggle. That is the struggle between a cultural perspective that emphasizes more communal and cooperative ideals of federalism and the individualistic perspective of the natural rights construct.

The general argument this blog has made is that federalism enjoyed the dominant cultural position in the US until World War II, and after a short transition, the natural rights view has been dominant. Whether one perspective is dominant or the other; whichever it is, that fact has a profound impact on the teaching of civics in American classrooms.]

The last posting[1] relied heavily on the work of Andrew Marantz[2] and his study of social media. This posting continues that review, but the reader, if he/she has not read the last posting, is encouraged to do so. This entry also has a short commentary, as a last bit of information, about how one element of federal thought has been able to survive in a very important aspect, that of spending money – see below.

From that previous posting, one can see that social media has set up a new political stage and that every day, one finds more consequences as a result of this pervasive means of communicating by all sorts of people. Marantz points out that those who have delved into this new technology have entrenched themselves and share a community among its producers and consumers.

But to set the stage for the current state of affairs within that community, one can note that by 2014, it had been established. Of note, an early practitioner was former US Congressman, Ron Paul. He initiated a blog, interestingly called The Right Stuff. In doing so, he started what came to be known as “post-libertarian” sites. Opting a strident style, these sites generally serve up far-right political messaging.

And this messaging established itself as libertarian-to-far-right “fodder” that has fed the extreme right with, at times, bizarre images and content upon which it has come to rely. Marantz characterizes its political content as creating a pipeline by which far right messaging effectively is distributed to a waiting audience by encouraging a movement toward a “full radicalization” of those who consume what is being offered.

Among the techniques these outlets use to promulgate their propaganda are photoshopping images, parodied songs, and creative “countersignal memes.” These memes are characterized at times by depressingly cruel images or messages lodged against usually leftist targets or at other times an array of unsavory, self-serving images or messages. To date, one can judge these efforts as generally skillful and among their audience they are considered “must see” material. In short, they are effective propaganda.

Anecdotally, these outlets have replaced mainline news sources for the far-right segment of the citizenry to get its daily news. This is the case despite the fact they, the sources, have been readily proven to present misinformation and predictions that don’t come true. And this less than stellar track record has been going on for over a decade.

Highlighting this record has been the Trump led claim that his “win” in 2020 was stolen. And with that, given the seriousness of such a message, one begins to earnestly question whether what that social media is producing should be protected under the rubric of free speech. Given its worldwide “stage,” should online content be regulated as TV network programming has been for years? Yes, that would include the contents of Gravitas (this blog) – have at it.

This blogger’s only concern would be that any devised criteria for acceptable content is publicly sanctioned (through some public bureaucratic structure) and maintained its substantive concerns to content that would be found to be encouraging or resulting in violence (especially if the information can be shown to be untruthful), otherwise illegal activities, or defamatory messaging. This blogger is fairly confident the reader would agree that this blog falls far short of getting into any trouble given these concerns.

But more generally, what are the implications of social media in terms of the nation’s further fall into a view of politics based on natural rights thinking? Not only has social media been, to date, the ultimate means by which the individual has a megaphone to express him/herself not just on a local stage, nor a national stage, but on a global stage.

When one considers the implications, one’s breath is taken away. Through the various developments this blog has outlined since World War II, one can detect a continuance of ever-increasing forces bolstering already heady levels of individualism. This site has traced a furtherance of social/political forces that has undermined the qualities of collaboration, cooperation, and community across the nation.

In its wake, one has seen the interests of local life being sacrificed and the quality of meaningful democratic life being diminished. But there is one realm this blog has not addressed and that is money. And nothing reflects the feelings and commitments of a people more than tracing where their expenditures are directed or from where they are solicited.

So, to address this last factor – ever so briefly – here are some figures that address this concern. In the third edition of his book, American Federalism: A View from the States,[3] Daniel Elazar has a section entitled, “Financing the Partnership.” Given that that edition was published in 1984, this blogger thought it would be beneficial to, one, review his findings, and two, update, where possible, his figures.

More to the point, the question is how generous the American people are, through their government’s policies, to local governments? Here is how Elazar introduces his response to this question:

Part of the reason for the development of sharing as a means of maintaining the position of the states and their localities lies in the very real, if not explicit, supremacy of the federal government in matters of taxation and spending. Though the power to tax and spend is constitutionally concurrent, the federal government has been in a better position to use its share of the power over the years, for constitutional and political reasons. This position, strong in 1970, was further strengthened by the adoption of the federal income tax amendment in 1913. In fiscal year 1980, the federal government collected 61 percent of all tax revenue in the United States.[4]

Here is how tax collection breaks down currently[5]: individual income, 36%, corporate income, 11%, social insurance and retirement receipts, 23%, general sales, 8%, excise or selective sales, 6%, property, 10%, other, 6%. From these figures, one can get a sense of which governments are collecting these taxes since state and local rely on certain types of taxes and the federal government on other types. There are, though, some overlaps (e.g., both federal and some state governments collect income taxes).

In terms of overall tax collection, the breakdown today is as follows: federal, 67%, state, 20%, and local, 13%. While there is no denying the federal government has the predominant level of dominance in terms of taxing, certain programs have maintained an active role for state and local governmental decision making.

For example, grants by the federal government continue to place large degrees of latitude in the hands of more local governmental actors as to how public funds are expended. And those amounts have grown significantly in the years since 2013 (an enhanced projection that further expands increasing levels beginning in 1970).

In 2013, federal grants totaled just over $450 billion dollars; in 2021, the total was just over $1,092 billion dollars.[6] This reflects the ongoing respect the federal government exhibits for the prerogatives of local governmental entities, a bias this blog noted in how the New Deal dealt with federalist initiatives to fight the effects of the Great Depression back in the 1930s.

And with that, this blog ends its generalized view of the dialectic struggle between federal ideals and values and those of the natural rights view. The next posting will review the overall lesson this blogger draws from that history.

[1] Robert Gutierrez, “Aftermath, II,” Gravitas: A Voice for Civics (February 22, 2022), accessed February 24, 2022, http://gravitascivics.blogspot.com/2022_02_20_archive.html .

[2] Andrew Marantz, Anti-social: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation (New York, NY: Penguin Random House, 2019).

[3] Daniel J. Elazar, American Federalism: A View from the States, Third Edition (New York, NY: Harper and Row Publishers, 1984).

[4] Ibid., 63-64.

[5] “State, Federal and Local Taxes,” National Conference of State Legislatures (n.d.), accessed February 24, 2022, https://www.ncsl.org/documents/fiscal/statefederalandlocaltaxes.pdf .

[6] Federal Reserve Economic Data (n.d.), accessed February 24, 2022, https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/AFGSL .

#social media #political propaganda #far right #libertarians #governmental spending #taxation #grants-in-aid #civics education #social studies

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gurafiku · 7 years ago

Photo

Japanese Exhibition Poster: Paul Marantz / Arata Isozaki: The Language of Light. Yusaku Kamekura. 1962

#yusaku kamekura #exhibition #poster #1962 #1960s #亀倉雄策 #ポスター

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architectnews · 3 years ago

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New Davison Art Gallery, Connecticut

New Davison Art Gallery Design USA, Connecticut Architecture Images, Wesleyan University News

New Davison Art Gallery in Connecticut

August 3, 2021

Location: Wesleyan University, Connecticut, USA

Design: Peterson Rich Office with Newman Architects

Address: 252 Church St, Middletown, CT 06459, United States

Peterson Rich Office unveils design for new Davison Art Gallery in Connecticut, USA

New Davison Art Gallery Building Design

Middletown, CT, USA; August 3, 2021 – Today Peterson Rich Office (PRO) and Wesleyan University simultaneously unveiled and announced breaking ground on the new Davison Art Gallery. A significant and historic project for the 190-year-old liberal arts university, the PRO-designed 5,550 square foot art building will dramatically enhance Wesleyan’s student-serving facilities and integrate visual art into daily campus life as the first new art building in over 50 years, following the Center for the Arts completed in 1973 and designed by the late Kevin Roche. PRO is completing the project in collaboration with Newman Architects, a New Haven-based architecture firm working on other significant projects on campus, including the renovation of the connected Public Affairs Center.

Established in 1952, Wesleyan’s Davison Art Center holds an art collection of more than 25,000 works—including one of the finest print collections at any university in the United States, with works by Dürer, Rembrandt, Goya, and Manet—but had not had adequate or archival space to store it or to exhibit it to the nearly 4,000 students, faculty and staff on its 360-acre campus.

Nestled between the University’s Public Affairs Center (PAC), currently undergoing renovation and expansion, and the historic McKim, Meade & White-designed Olin Memorial Library, PRO’s contemporary gallery will be accessible through the PAC and library, as well as creating a prominent new entrance and campus presence facing a great lawn along Church Street to the south. The new building will facilitate the multi-disciplinary study of visual culture in a space designed to foster community while also better connecting the east-west flow between buildings and north-south flow to Andrus Field. It will provide the exhibition component to complete the art collection‘s new home in centrally located Olin Library, designed by Newman and constructed by FIP in 2019, a move to expand and improve collection storage and symbolize the intended use of the collection as a teaching and learning resource for all departments and disciplines.

On their design approach, PRO founding principals and lead architects Nathan Rich and Miriam Peterson stated, “The new gallery presents an opportunity to expand the visual arts from the iconic Kevin Roche-designed Center for the Arts to the very heart of the campus. The building is deliberately designed for interdisciplinary learning and to expose a range of students to this renowned collection.”

Paying homage to the Center for the Arts and complementing the library’s base material, the new Davison Art Gallery will be constructed with blocks of Indiana limestone. The main Church Street-facing side of the building features a sweeping roof and glass-walled lobby that elegantly distinguishes the art space from its more interior-focused neighbors. Upon entering visitors will immediately feel a sense of intimacy and community before entering an expansive gallery designed to display a variety of light-sensitive pieces from the Davison Art Center’s collection. The design puts equal emphasis on exterior space as it does interior, and is surrounding a teaching courtyard and forecourt gathering space to welcome outdoor learning and socializing.

Building on Wesleyan’s 2016-2021 Sustainability Action Plan, the new Gallery prioritizes energy efficiency and social sustainability. Features include a green roof, radiant floors, displacement ventilation, sensor-controlled LED lighting, solar panels, and low-maintenance native green space that will establish a new prototype for sustainable landscaping on campus.

Unanimously chosen through a design competition, the new Davison Art Gallery will be PRO’s first ground-up building for the arts and education, building on the founders’ experience as project architects for major cultural projects at firms Steven Holl Architects and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects.

With this project, PRO currently has three arts and culture projects underway, including the Rubin Museum of Art’s Mandala Lab, an innovative initiative that uses the mandala as inspiration for teaching social, emotional, and ethical learning, in New York City and a new live/work studio for the artist Nina Chanel Abney in Hudson Valley, both slated for completion this fall. The firm is also overseeing the soon-to-be-revealed transformation of a historic Catholic Church into a new gallery and arts center and housing design as part of a multi-phased neighborhood redevelopment plan in Detroit.

The targeted completion date for the new Davison Art Gallery is Summer 2023.

New Davison Art Gallery Design – Building Information

Client: Wesleyan University Location: 252 Church St, Middletown, CT 06459 Project Team: Peterson Rich Office (Design Architect); Newman Architects (Architect of Record); Michael Horton Associates (Structural); Van Zelm Heywood & Shadford (MEPFP); Fisher Marantz Stone (Lighting); Jonathan Leavitt Associates (Exterior Envelope); The Green Engineer (Sustainable Design); Langan Engineering (Landscape and Civil); FIP Construction (Construction Management) Size: 5,550 square feet Budget: Undisclosed

Status: Design Competition Winner, June 2019 Groundbreaking, June 2021 Expected Completion, Summer 2023 Expected Occupancy, Spring Semester 2024

About Wesleyan University—Davison Art Center

Website

The Davison Art Center strives to inspire ambitious inquiry of ourselves and our world by fostering research, knowledge, and enjoyment of art. Home to Wesleyan University’s art collection, the DAC is dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, interpreting, and documenting the objects in its care, as well as strengthening the collection itself. The Art Center collection spans over six centuries of art, from the fifteenth century CE to the present, principally in print and photographic media. It also encompasses drawings, paintings, and artwork in other media. Website: Wesleyan University

About Peterson Rich Office

Peterson Rich Office (PRO) is a Brooklyn-based architecture and design firm recognized for its cultural and residential projects at multiple scales. Founded by Miriam Peterson and Nathan Rich in 2012, the firm’s early work included an artist studio for Tula Telfair and New York City flagships for PERROTIN and Glossier. In recent years, the firm’s body of work has expanded to include a ground-up gallery building at Wesleyan University; a new gallery and arts center in Detroit; residential spaces for artist and design clients; and scalable design solutions for affordable public housing. Opening in fall 2021, the Mandala Lab at the Rubin Museum of Art will be PRO’s first museum project in New York City. Recent awards include being named a 2020 Emerging Voice by The Architectural League and part of Cultured’s inaugural Young Architects List. Website: Peterson Rich Office

About Newman Architects

Newman Architects is a renowned architectural and planning firm with offices in New Haven, Connecticut, and Washington, DC. Founded in 1964 by Herbert S. Newman, FAIA, the firm has received more than 150 awards for design excellence and has built a national reputation for the quality of its work and client service. Newman has designed academic, residential, and athletic buildings on more than fifty college and university campuses across the country. Website: Newman Architects

Address: 252 Church Street, Middletown, CT 06459, United States of America Phone: +1 860-685-2500

Connecticut Buildings

Recent Connecticut Architecture

Connecticut Architecture

Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Design, Newtown Design: SWA Group rendering courtesy SWA Group Sandy Hook Memorial Design

Bruce Museum, Greenwich Design: EskewDumezRipple image courtesy of architecture office Bruce Museum Building

Common Ground High School, New Haven Design: Gray Organschi Architecture photograph : David Sundberg New Haven High School Building

Philip Johnson Glass House News, New Canaan Architect: Philip Johnson photograph : Michael Biondo Philip Johnson’s Glass House

Morse and Ezra Stiles Colleges, Yale, New Haven Renovation + new-build in 2011: KieranTimberlake image from FD Morse and Ezra Stiles Colleges

Yale Arts Complex – Paul Rudolph Hall building renovation Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects photo : Peter Aaron Paul Rudolph Hall Building

Massachusetts Architecture

New York State Architecture

Comments / photos for the New Davison Art Gallery at Wesleyan University Connecticut USA page welcome

The post New Davison Art Gallery, Connecticut appeared first on e-architect.

#e-architect

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brooklynmuseum · 5 years ago

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Join us for a preview of Studio 54: Night Magic—the first museum exhibition devoted to one nightclub. Enter and Sparkle! Virtual tour created by Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture.

SETTING: NYC in the 1970s was rundown, almost bankrupt, and in need of escapism. Because rents were low though, many artists and musicians flocked to the city. It was during this time that three genres of music emerged: punk, hip-hop and especially disco.

THE CREATORS: Two Brooklyn-born entrepreneurs Ian Schrager (right) and Steve Rubell (left) created Studio 54 in 1977, the same year the I Love (insert red heart) New York campaign began and Saturday Night Fever was released--together they helped to re-brand NYC.

THE PLACE: The building at 254 West 54th Street first opened in 1928 as the Fortune Gallo Opera House, became a CBS television studio for three decades (What’s My Line), and in 1966 “The Velvet Underground and Nico” album, produced by Andy Warhol, was recorded here at Scepter Studios..

DECOR: In 1977, the designer Ron Doud and lighting wizards Jules Fisher and Paul Marantz transformed the theater/soundstage into a discotheque--replacing the stage with a dancefloor but keeping the balcony for viewing, and so that everyone could be seen and become a star for that moment. Voyeuristic architecture.

LOGO and MUSIC: LIFE magazine art director #GilbertLesser with Schrager created the iconic tilted 54 logo—one of the most widely recognized logos of the ‘70s. Later, 54 became the cover of the double-album “A Night at Studio 54”, mixed by DJ Roy Thode. Along with the album, Thode’s custom headphone, original reel-to-reel recordings, and “beats-per-minute” bible are also on display. Each gallery of the exhibition has a soundtrack based on original Studio 54 mixes.

OPENING NIGHT: On April 26, 1977, The Alvin Ailey Dance Company performed to a disco soundtrack, with choreography by Kay Thompson and costumes designed by the legendary illustrator Antonio Lopez for Fioirucci.

WHO GOT IN: Studio 54 soon became a must-see destination for celebrities, fashion designers, and New York’s most interesting residents--as doorman Marc Benecke described: “people who could bring energy to the room”.

One such person was performance artist Richard Gallo, who wore outrageous costumes designed by Phillip Haight and Ronald Kolodzie.

BUSBOYS: Kolodzie was also the designer of the “eye-catching” busboy uniforms composed of satin shorts one size too small, knee-high tube socks and sneakers. Many photographs in the exhibition are by @miestorm1 who himself was a busboy known as “Lenny 54”.

STARS: The exhibition features over 650 works, including twenty original paintings by Richard Bernstein of Studio 54 regulars featured on Interview magazine covers. Studio hosted the 10th Anniversary Party on June 7, 1979.

DIVERSITY: Truman Capote on The David Susskind Show, February 1979: Studio 54-- “Its everything the way it ought to be. Its very democratic. It’s all kinds of colors. All kinds of sizes. Boys and boys together. Girls and girls together. Girls and boys together. Poor people. Rich people. Taxi drivers. Anything you want. It's all mixed up together and that’s what I like about it.”

Truman Capote, 1979 by Roxanne Lowit

NEW YEARS EVE: The nightclub became known for extravagant décor by Renny Reynolds, Richie Williamson (Moon and the Spoon), and Tony-award winning designer Tony Walton (Neon Fan). Schrager’s most favorite party of all was New Year’s Eve 1978-79 which he described as “Standing on Stardust”. Reynolds brought in 4 tons of diamond dust: two for the floor, and two to sprinkle on the dancefloor throughout the night.

Background: Stroke of Midnight at Studio, 1978-79 by Dustin Pop, with dresses by Zandra Rhodes Giorgio DiSantAngelo and Kenny Bonavitacola in foreground.

DISCO FASHION: Fashion designer Halston installed disco lighting in his atelier, so that he could see how his designs would look at Studio 54 and other nightclub settings. His clients included Liza Minnelli, Elizabeth Taylor and Lauren Bacall.

ICONS: Elizabeth Taylor famously wore her Bulgari 62-carat sapphire necklace to Studio, for Martha Graham’s 1979 benefit honoring Halston. Other attendees included past Graham students: former First Lady BettyFord, DorisDuke and LizaMInnelli.

COMING SOON: Though it only lasted for 33 months, Studio 54 – known for its legendary parties that attracted the most diverse, famous and glamorous clientele of its day – is considered to be the most important nightclub of the Twentieth Century.

See why at the Brooklyn Museum. Stay tuned for more updates about Studio 54: Night Magic.

Thank you for joining us on our tour of Studio 54: Night Magic. Join us next Sunday for another virtual tour of our galleries!

Installation view of Studio 54: Night Magic. (Photo: Jonathon Dorado)

(Source: brooklynmuseum.org)

#virtual tours #virtual programming #virtual #brooklyn #Brooklyn Museum #art #art history #artmuseum #studio54bkm #studio #studio 54 #night magic #Disco #dance party #virtualtour

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