Cool Thing of the Week: La Pâte à Son

The nice folks at Music Thing (a very worthwhile addition to your RSS accumulator, by the way) found this "Fantastically strange French Music toy."



Yes, it is strange, and it is very musical and quite addictive. Check it out!

Changes...

I've decided to give notice on my gig with the 7th Street Jazz Band. I've enjoyed playing with this traditional big-band the past two seasons, but I've found that I just don't have the energy to keep up with the pace of the band any more.

So, if you're a bass player looking for a fun big-band gig, drop me an e-mail!

Podshows

I've recently been introduced to the terms podcast and podshow. I'm sure most of you reading my words are already familiar with those terms, but for those who are a little behind the curve, here is a definition from Wikipedia (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast):

Podcasting is a method of publishing files via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed and receive new files automatically. It became popular in late 2004, intended largely for downloading audio files onto a portable audio player. However, listening to podcasts does not require a portable device and it is not traditional "broadcasting" to a mass audience at a fixed time.

The word "podcasting" was coined in February 2004, combining "broadcasting" with the name of Apple Computer's iPod audio player (although podcasting was not invented by Apple, nor do podcasts require a portable player or Apple software).

It is distinct from other types of online audio delivery because of its subscription model, which uses the RSS 2.0 file format. Podcasting enables independent producers to create self-published, syndicated "radio shows", and gives broadcast radio programs a new distribution channel. Listeners may subscribe to feeds using "podcatching" software (a type of "aggregator"), which periodically checks for and downloads new content. Some podcatching software is also able to synchronise (copy) podcasts to portable music players. Any digital audio player or computer with audio-playing software can play podcasts. The same technique can deliver video files, and by 2005 some aggregators could play video as well as audio.

I've been introduced to this new media primarily through guitarist Darren Littlejohn, who is the host of the highly successful Portland Jazz Jams series, and publishes a regular podshow on jazz topics. The PJJ podcasts can be found at:

http://portlandjazzjams.libsyn.com/

Darren also includes edited versions of the weekly jazz jam sessions in the podcasts. You may be interested in PJJ episode #11, which features excellent local jazzbos Jack McCreary and Hal Cooper on alto sax, Jesse Feinsetein on piano, Darren Littlejohn and Matt [sorry - I didn't get the last name] on guitar, Joe Hoyt on drums, and Michael Paul on trumpet. Oh, and yours truly on bass.

Also from out of the blue, I got an e-mail from a podcaster from Canada who wants to use a song Paul Bass and I recorded a few years back in his podshow. I'll post more details when available.