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JT: What do you think you're really trying to express with that, because we have been talking about how you are at it? But what do you hope comes out of that?
JF: (pause) I have to admit, what just popped in my head was: 'and there
was a holy excitement...' (laughter) It's true, there is something
spiritual to me about taking any sonic moment, any old NOW, and saying
okay well, this is everything, this is as good as our pre-planned
symphony. But I'm doing it very differently from the way that Cage would
do it. Cage asks us to open our musical ears wide, so wide that all sound
is included. I might be doing the opposite -- I'll take any sound and
funnel it down to the width that our ears are now. I'm extracting,
distilling and even just imposing more conventional musical values out of
it or upon it -- making it sound like the symphony which in a way is
backwards looking maybe. I am also trying to create rhythm and melody and
a groove that you could swim around in, harmonies that are affecting,
regular old music you could say. But the spiritual part comes in its
rootedness in the random moment, and it could be also in the way this very
scheme sets my conscious intentions aside and frees up my subconscious to
do its work behind the scenes.
JT: I think you got to it when you said spiritual. I'm not trying to prompt you, but that is what I was aiming at if you are willing to talk about that level of music, because some people are not.
JF: It's weird that I'm so technological, but that has become part of it, and more and
more. I do these pieces where I analyze down to the sample, the timing of a speech,
and then have my instruments play that rhythm or play that tune even. And I do get kind
of spiritual about it. I am slavishly faithful to that rhythmic pattern. Maybe if I
varied it, it wouldn't matter. It probably wouldn't. But that's not my method.
JT: Are there any comments, guidelines for listening, for understanding technology from a musician's standpoint or other info you'd like to pass on to our readers?
JF: Don't be cowed by technology. Just because it's techno doesn't make it good... but my stuff is good!!
JT: Yes, it is! Joshua, thanks from eMuse and Music & Vision! We look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
JF: Thank you!
Visit Joshua Fried's website:
http://www.echonyc.com/~joshua
A forthcoming performance in New York:
Vailala Madness
Choreography: Amy Cox
Music: Joshua Fried
Video: Kiki Smith
Friday-Sunday, 25-27 February 2000
Joyce Soho, 155 Mercer Street, NYC
(between Houston and Prince)
$15 - tickets/info +1 212 334 7479
The vocalists pictured in video screen captures in this feature are: Paula Cole, Rohana Kenin, Rinde Eckert, Marlene Tholl, Elise Kermani, David Figueroa, Aaron Landsman, Robin Goldwasser, Randolph Curtis Rand, James Urbaniak and Karen Ginsburg.
Copyright © 13 February 2000 Jeff Talman, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA