So, I reach the end of the first calendar year in which I've been doing this blog. I started it because I wanted to add to the rather slim ranks of musicians who write blogs, and write about the music in terms of the inner workings of the music as well as the social landscape in which it finds itself these days. This social aspect of the music is covered very well also by many non-musician bloggers - the NPR's "A Blog Supreme" is a particular favourite of mine in this respect - but I still think there's room for a bit more in-depth writing about the technical aspects of playing this music. I know I particularly enjoy reading musician's thoughts on all aspects of their profession, and I hope others will enjoy this blog for the same reason.
It's been an instructive seven months or so, some posts got amazing reaction in terms of comments, and others didn't - and I rarely know which subjects are going to provoke the most reaction - the massive response to the bass solos post was a case in point...........
I'd like to thank all who read the blog in 2009 and especially to those who took the time to write and respond - it's been a really interesting and stimulating experience for me and one I hope to continue into 2010. I'm off to Syria next week, where for reasons best known to themselves, the Government have banned Blogger, so my impressions of that trip, (I know it's not strictly music related, but the blog is call Mostly Music - my get-out clause for writing about other interests occasionally), will have to wait till I get back.
In the meantime I wish all of you a very Happy Christmas and peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Keep up this great job, Ronan! I have been enjoying reading and learning from each one of your posts in 2008, I do not usually comment but I am always reading.
ReplyDeleteYours, Ethan Iverson's and Darcy Argue's blogs are at the top of my reading list on the internet. I really can't understand the lack of comments of some of the posts, I was expecting the internet would explode with the last art and craft article, but that did not happen. I think the main reason is probably the fact that you are european and do most of your work in Europe, and most of the jazz talk is about things that happen in the United States. It amazes me that many musicians do not know anything about your work, or your educational texts and videos about rhythm, or Nils Wogram's or Hayden Chisholm's work for example. Or an american musician like Rick Margitza who never was mentioned again in the jazz press since he left the states and moved to Europe. Since most of the talk is now internet based, this fact could be changing but really slowly.
Happy new year.
Leonardo Piantino.
Sax player and composer from Argentina
I enjoy reading your thoughtful and honest posts. Keep it up.
ReplyDeletePaul
(amateur) guitarist from Indiana USA.
Have a great 2010, Ronan!
ReplyDeleteThanks Leonardo - the American/European thing is an interesting one, I'll be writing something on this in the near future
ReplyDeleteThanks to you all for the comments and Happy New Year!
Ronan