#conga composer

[migueldelaguila]

🎶 September is packed with exciting performances of my music around the globe! From Calgary and Seattle to New York City and Brazil. Swipe for the full schedule and join us in celebrating these amazing musicians! 🌍🎻 #MiguelDelAguila #LiveMusic

9/6: SAMBEADA* with Windsync, Honens Festival, Calgary, Canada.

9/7: SUBMERGED* with Archipelago Collective, Brickworks, Friday Harbor, WA.

9/8: BARROQUEADA* with Trio Sanromá, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

9/15: WIND QUINTET No.2* with Winds5, The Royal Room, Seattle, WA.

9/18-19: CONGA* with Louisiana Philharmonic, Covington, LA.

9/18: SALON BUENOS AIRES* with DSoM Ensemble, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.

9/22: MALAMBO* with Atlantic Collective, New York, NY.

9/26: PACIFIC SERENADE* with Domino Ensemble, Knoxville, TN.

9/26: SUBMERGED* with Radius Ensemble, Cambridge, MA.

9/28: SEDUCCION DANCE* with Antonio Eduardo, Festival Música de Ibero-America, Santos, Brazil.

See you there! 🌍🎻 #MiguelDelAguila #LiveMusic #composer #september #2024 #performances #concers #events #CONGA #LouisianaPhilharmonic #orchestra #MatthewKraemer #CovingtonCenter #SAMBEADA #Windsync #HonensFestival #BisonNoire #Calgary #Canada #SUBMERGED #ArchipelagoCollective BARROQUEADA #TrioSanroma #SanJuan #PuertoRico #WINDQUINTET2 #Winds5 #Seattle #SALONBUENOSAIRES #DSoM #OldDominion #Norfolk #MALAMBO #AtlanticCollective #Christ&StStephens #Church #NewYork #NYC #NY #PACIFICSERENADE #DominoEnsemble #KnoxvilleChamberMusicSociety #RadiusEnsemble #LongySchoolofMusic #Cambridge #MA #SEDUCCIONDANCE #FestivalMusicadeIberoAmerica #Santos #Brazil

www.migueldelaguila.com

[pankowcrumbs]

Karaoke Confessions X Austin Butler (Requested)

MasterList

I’ve always known there was something dangerous about karaoke. Maybe it’s the cheap tequila. Maybe it’s the way it makes otherwise composed adults sing like they’re auditioning for The X Factor. But tonight? It wasn’t the off-key singing or the conga line through the Wetherspoons that got to me. It was Austin. My flatmate. Drunk, sun-kissed, California-born Austin Butler.

And now he’s currently half-collapsed on the sofa, still humming Wonderwall like he’s Liam Gallagher reborn.

I’m sitting cross-legged on the floor, nursing a glass of water and trying not to smile too obviously.

“You’re really going to keep singing that?” I ask, tipping my head back against the edge of the coffee table.

Austin opens one eye. “I’ve got a good voice, right?”

I snort. “You’ve got something. Whether it’s a voice or a hernia, I’m not sure.”

That earns a lazy laugh from him, one of those low, raspy chuckles that always makes my chest fizz a bit. He’s lying on the sofa like he owns the place legs spread, one arm flopped over his eyes, golden fringe a mess across his forehead.

He’s dangerously pretty, even like this.

“’S not my fault,” he mutters. “You put that song on. What did you expect me to do?”

“Maybe not scream it at the poor bartender,” I say, glancing over at him. “You owe her an apology tomorrow.”

He grins, peeking at me. “I’ll bake her a cake. You’ll help.”

“Will I?”

“Yeah. You like being domestic.”

I roll my eyes but laugh anyway. “Only because you can’t figure out how to use the washing machine.”

“Okay, that’s slander,” he protests, lifting his head. “I can use it. I just don’t know what half the settings mean. What’s ‘cotton eco’ even supposed to do?”

“Save the planet, probably. While cleaning your socks.”

He groans and lets his head fall back down. “Too many decisions.”

It’s quiet for a few moments, the kind of easy silence we’ve fallen into since moving in together four months ago. We weren’t exactly strangers when he moved to London for a few months for a movie we were mutual friends, flirty DMs, a couple of nights out before we signed the lease. But since living together, something’s shifted. Something’s building.

He’s been more… touchy lately. Soft glances, casual hand grazes in the kitchen, brushing hair from my face when I’m trying to cook. It’s subtle, but not nothing.

Still, I don’t know if I’m making it up in my head. I overthink. I spiral. I write romcoms in my imagination when really, I’m probably just his “mate with a spare room.”

I steal a glance at him now. His hand’s resting on his chest, fingers twitching to some invisible beat. There’s a pink flush high on his cheekbones. Whether from the drinks or the heat of the flat, I’m not sure.

“Y’know,” he says suddenly, breaking the silence. “You’re kind of stunning.”

I blink. “I’m sorry?”

He rolls onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow. His blue eyes are glassy but sincere.

“I said you’re stunning.”

“Okay,” I say slowly. “How many drinks did you have?”

“Too many,” he admits, then grins. “But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

I laugh, but it’s awkward now, heat crawling up my neck. “You’re drunk, Austin.”

“So? Drunk people tell the truth.”

“Or fall asleep mid-sentence and wake up in their jeans.”

He shrugs. “Still telling the truth.”

He’s looking at me like he means it, though. Not just a passing compliment. Like he’s seen me the messy bun, the faded hoodie, the toothpaste stain on my sleeve and still thinks I’m worth noticing.

And that? That’s dangerous.

“Don’t do that,” I say gently.

“Do what?”

“Say things like that if you don’t mean them.”

“I do mean them,” he replies, more serious now. “I’ve just… been crap at saying it.”

I chew my bottom lip, heart thudding. “Saying what?”

He sits up fully now, leaning forward, arms resting on his knees. His voice drops, soft and steady.

“That I like you. A lot. More than I should, probably. And I know it’s messy, being roommates and all, but… every time I come home and see you sitting in my hoodie or singing in the kitchen or making stupid jokes when I’ve had a crap day I just think, ‘God, I’m in trouble.’”

The room tilts slightly. Or maybe that’s just my brain. I set my water down carefully.

“You’re being serious?”

“Deadly,” he says. “I’ve fancied you since day one. Tried to play it cool, y’know? Be the chill American roommate. But it’s hard to be chill when I’m losing my mind over how good you look in my t-shirts.”

A tiny laugh escapes me, nervous and disbelieving. “That’s ridiculous.”

“You’re ridiculous,” he counters. “And brilliant. And funny. And I really, really want to kiss you right now.”

My breath catches.

“So do it,” I whisper.

He leans in slowly, testing the moment. Our faces are barely inches apart, his hand brushing against my cheek. His fingers are warm, slightly trembling.

“I’m gonna blame the tequila,” I murmur.

“You can blame whatever you want,” he says, voice low. “As long as you don’t stop me.”

And then he kisses me.

It’s gentle at first slow, almost tentative. But then I’m climbing onto the sofa, knees bracketing his thighs, and his hands slide beneath my hoodie to grip my waist. My fingers tangle in his hair, tugging him closer as the kiss deepens, hungrier now. His lips move against mine with a desperation I recognise. A slow-burning want that’s been simmering for weeks.

He groans into my mouth when I grind down slightly, his hands flexing at my hips. The sound goes straight to my stomach.

“I’ve wanted this for so long,” he mumbles against my jaw, trailing kisses along my neck, my collarbone. “You’ve no idea.”

I gasp as he sucks lightly at the skin beneath my ear. “You’re not the only one.”

His hands slide up, tugging the hoodie over my head and tossing it aside. His eyes flicker over me, lips parted, chest rising and falling a little faster.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he says, reverently.

I laugh breathlessly. “You’re such a flirt.”

He smirks. “Only for you.”

His mouth finds mine again, and everything else falls away the telly still on in the background, the half-drunk pint glasses on the table, even the karaoke memories. There’s only this the warm press of his body, the taste of tequila and spearmint on his tongue, the way he whispers my name like a secret he’s finally allowed to say out loud.

And when we stumble toward my bedroom, hands roaming, clothes discarded like breadcrumbs, I know this isn’t just some drunken mistake. It’s been a long time coming.

I wake up tangled in sheets and limbs.

Austin’s arm is draped over my waist, his bare chest pressed against my back, legs knotted with mine under the duvet. His breathing is steady, warm against my neck. One of his hands is resting just beneath my ribs, fingers splayed like he’s afraid to let go.

The room smells like sleep and his cologne, and something about it feels right. Not rushed. Not messy.

Just... right.

I stretch slightly, careful not to wake him, but he shifts anyway, tightening his grip.

“Mm,” he mumbles groggily. “You’re not allowed to leave.”

“I was just stretching,” I whisper.

“Good. Stay.”

I smile to myself, heart fluttering.

He shifts again, nose nuzzling into the curve of my neck. “You’re warm.”

“You’re clingy.”

“Mm-hmm.” He kisses my shoulder. “You love it.”

We lay there in silence for a few more moments, the golden morning light creeping through the curtains.

“Did that really happen?” I ask eventually.

He lifts his head slightly to look at me, hair tousled, eyes soft. “Yeah. It did.”

“You’re not freaking out?”

“Are you?”

I think for a second, then shake my head. “No.”

“Good,” he says, dropping a kiss to my temple. “Because I meant everything I said.”

“Even the bit about my singing voice?”

He groans. “Alright, maybe not everything.”

I laugh, rolling over to face him properly. He’s grinning now, cheeky and sleepy and absolutely gorgeous.

“Y’know,” he says, voice still gravelly, “this might sound mad, but I think this...us might be the best decision I’ve made since moving here.”

“Even better than that dodgy burrito place you love?”

He snorts. “Especially that. I think it gave me food poisoning.”

I giggle, then lean forward and kiss him again, soft and slow.

And just like that, the hangover, the confusion, the nerves they all disappear.

Sometimes, the best nights start with tequila and end with confessions.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Percussion Instruments

The percussion family of musical instruments - consists of membranophones and idiophones.

Membranophones - (or drums) are instruments that make sound when a player strikes a membrane that is tightly stretched over a frame.

Idiophones - instruments that produce sound when the entire instrument vibrates in response to being struck.

Percussionists play their instruments with their hands or with beaters, a collective term describing drumsticks, mallets, rods, or wire brushes.

Types of Membranophone Percussion Instruments

Nearly every genre of music features some form of drumming, and there are innumerable types of drums across world cultures, including:

Congas: Congas are tall, deeply-pitched hand drums that stand on the floor or on study chrome hardware.

Bongos: Bongos are tall hand drums that are smaller than congas and produce a higher pitch.

Timbales: Timbales are small metal-frame drums that are mounted on a stand and played with beaters. A timbale player usually has two drums, plus cowbell and perhaps a woodblock, as part of their kit.

Mridangam: Thought to be the oldest type of drum still in use, the mridangam has two drum faces—a left face and a right face. Traditional mridangam players apply a mixture of flour and water to the left face to lower its tone when playing.

Tabla: The tabla is the most common percussion instrument in traditional Indian music, typically paired with a sitar. Tablas consist of two drums—a "male drum" that produces a bass tone and a "female drum" that produces a tenor tone.

Djembe: A djembe is a goblet-shaped African drum that a player holds between their knees and plays with their hands.

Talking drum: A talking drum is an hourglass-shaped drum with drum heads on either end. Talking drums get their name from the notion that they can mimic sounds of human speech.

Ngoma: A ngoma is a barrel-shaped African drum that sits on the floor. The drummer strikes it with large wood beaters.

Orchestral bass drum: Similar in origin to the bass drum found in a standard drum set, but much larger in diameter, the classical bass drum hangs from a frame. The percussionist strikes it with handheld mallets.

Tenor drum: Higher-pitched than a bass drum but lower pitched than a snare drum, a tenor drum is round and of medium depth. The drummer plays it with a mallet or a drumstick.

Side drum: The term "side drum" is used in classical music to describe a snare drum, usually with its snare disengaged. Side drums feature prominently in most contemporary classical music, whether or not they're part of a standard drum set.

Bodhran: A bodhran is a traditional Irish drum that sometimes finds its way into orchestral music, particularly when composers hail from the British or Irish isles. A bodhran resembles a tambourine without any jingles. The player strikes it with a small beater. Most bodhrans still are made with real goat skins.

Timpani: Also known as kettle drums, timpani sets consist of massive drums that stand on the floor in front of the player, who strikes them with felted mallets. Timpani pitches can be adjusted using a foot pedal, which loosens and tightens the drum head.

Kick drum: Also known as a bass drum, a kick drum is a large, deep-sounding drum that sits on the floor and is played with a foot pedal.

Snare drum: A bright, trebly drum that features metal snare wires running beneath its lower drum head. Typically, a drummer plays the snare with their non-dominant hand. Larger, body-mounted snare drums are a mainstay of marching band music.

Floor tom: A deep, low-pitched tom-tom drum that stands on legs near the drummer's dominant hand.

Rack toms (sometimes called a hi tom and a low tom): This pair of tom-tom drums hangs above the kick drum. They produce a higher-pitched sound than the floor tom.

Tambourine: Tracing back to the Middle East, a tambourine can be part of a drum set, either mounted as a standalone instrument or placed atop a hi-hat. A tambourine can have a drum head or it can exclusively produce sound via its zils (or jingles), which are metal discs mounted around the tambourine frame. Some players opt for a pandeiro, which is a close relative of the traditional tambourine.

Surdo: An unpitched Brazilian variant on the bass drum, played with handheld beaters.

Types of Idiophone Percussion Instruments

Idiophones produce sound when a percussionist strikes them, causing the entire instrument to vibrate. There are many enduring idiophones throughout the world of music, including:

Cymbals: Most cymbals are curved brass discs appearing in a wide array of sizes. Drum kit cymbals include a hi-hat, ride cymbal, crash cymbal, and splash cymbal, each mounted on a cymbal stand and played with beaters. Orchestral and marching band crash cymbals appear in handheld pairs; they produce sound when a player slides one cymbal past the other. Finger cymbals, as their name implies, are small enough to be worn on the player's fingers.

Crotales: Also known as antique cymbals, crotales are made up of a collection of small pitched cymbals and may be found in everything from classical music to 1970s progressive rock.

Claves: Wooden sticks that click together to produce an unpitched sound. They are a mainstay of salsa music.

Temple blocks: A series of pitched woodblocks popular in classical ensembles.

Agogo: An unpitched metal bell (or pair of bells) often featured in samba music.

Ganzá: An unpitched metal rattle developed in Brazil and popular in Brazilian samba.

Headless tambourine: This instrument is a tambourine without a membrane. It produces sound via the vibration of the frame and jingles.

Slit drum: Also known as a log drum, the slit drum is not a membranophone despite its name. Rather, a slit drum is an idiophone made from a hollowed log.

Udu: An untuned idiophone resembling a hollow jug.

Cajón: Originating in Peru, a cajón (or cajón de rumba) is a hollow wooden box that usually features internal snares on one side. A player sits on the cajón and strikes it with their hands (and occasionally beaters).

Gong: A suspended metal disc found in both Western classical and Eastern traditional music. Orchestras particularly favor a type of gong known as a tam-tam.

Maracas: Originating in Venezuela but popular throughout Latin American music, maracas are wooden shakers with handles.

Castanets: Castanets are handheld wood idiophones that come in pairs. They make a clicking sound when the player snaps two of them together.

Güiro: An idiophone made from a dried gourd. Typically, a percussionist plays güiro by rubbing wire brushes against it.

Shekere: A dried gourd covered with a netting of beads. Originally from West Africa and popular in Latin American traditions, it produces sound when shaken.

Tubular bells: These are pitched chimes that a player strikes with beaters.

Mbira: Also known as an African thumb piano, a mbira contains individual keys that a player presses and releases, causing them to vibrate.

Cabasa: A type of African shaker made by wrapping metal chains around a wooden cylinder.

Xylophone: A pitched percussion instrument made from wooden bars laid out like a piano keyboard, which the player strikes with felted mallets.

Marimba: A musical instrument much like a xylophone but with a greater range and resonators beneath its wood bars.

Vibraphone: An adaptation of a xylophone, the vibraphone has metal bars and a built-in electric resonator that projects the instrument's sound. A vibraphone is essentially a plugged-in metal marimba.

Glockenspiel: A smaller member of the xylophone and vibraphone family, containing small metal bars that produce a definite pitch with numerous overtones.

Steel drum: An idiophone made from a concave metal drum. The player can attain different pitches by striking different parts of the drum.

Cowbell: A hollow metal idiophone named for a similar device hung around the necks of some domestic cows.

Source ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[sonicandvisualsurprises]

1972

Continuing the exploration of Ethiopia's musical past, this mesmerising instrumental by Mulatu Astatke caught my attention.

Biography from Discogs :

Mulatu Astatke (Amharic: ሙላቱ አስታጥቄ; also written Astatqé on French releases) is arguably one of the most influential and legendary musicians from Ethiopia. During the 1960’s, he studied music abroad in London, Boston, and New York. He then returned home to Ethiopia armed with a love for jazz and Latin music. There he blended Ethiopian traditional music with the Latin-jazz he was so fond of to create a unique hybrid he called “Ethio-jazz”.

Mulatu Astatke is first and foremost a composer but also a multi-instrumentalist, playing the vibraphone, keyboards and organs. He is further credited as having established congas and bongos, instruments normally central to Latin styles, in Ethiopian music.

However, as Ethiopian songs traditionally focused on vocals his greatest contribution to the music of his country was introducing a new focus on instrumentation.

[nicholas-law]

Artwork for Tantra by @jonathanpinson + @jps_boomclap. Out now on all platforms! Really beautiful track, super grateful for the opportunity to work together - highly recommended listen!

Composers @jonathanpinson @mariocastromusic @tonytwenty2

Musicians @mariocastromusic flute/piano synths/ congas @tonytwenty2 Guitar/ Bass @pogo56 Trumpet @tabesthegabes Piano @cellobritt Cello/ Violin @jonathanpinson drums

Recorded @captureacid

[kemetic-dreams]

Champeta, also known as terapia, is a musical genre and dance that originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia in the early 1980s. It developed from an earlier style termed chalusonga, which originated in Palenque de San Basilio in the mid-1970s. Chalusonga was a combination of Colombian chalupa and Afro-Cuban percussive music popularized by Estrellas del Caribe. When their music reached Cartagena de Indias, it evolved into champeta, which became a movement and identity among Afro-Colombians. It shows influences from African colonial settlements and from contemporary African culture, particularly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The word champeta originally denoted a short, curved, monkey-killing knife of the same name used in the region at work, in the kitchen, and as an offensive weapon. The word is first known to have been used as a cultural identifier in the 1920s. Socio-cultural researchers and sociologists have established that at some time before the 1920s the term champetudo started to be applied to residents of the more outlying districts of Cartagena, who tended to be poorer and of African descent. The term was applied by the economic elite with the intention of disparaging this surviving culture, with associations of vulgarity, poverty and Africanness. Thus champeta refers to a culture whose history is marked by slavery and mistreatment.

At the start of the 1970s, champeta culture became better-known in Colombia due to the development of a set of complex dances set to the rhythms of salsa and jíbaro and later reggae, as well as progressively more foreign or novel dance genres as providers competed for exclusivos, records other groups did not have in their library. This music was played at full volume through big loudspeakers known locally as picós (from the English word pick-up) by troupes of the same name. These early dances were called "therapy" for their relaxing nature, a distraction from the economic problems of the country.

Around 1981, "creole therapy" emerged as a musical genre to be performed and sung. Among its sources of inspiration was recorded music brought into the port of Cartagena from Africa and from other African settlements. Its first composers were people of African descent from Cartagena and Palenque de San Basilio, later joined by songwriters and entrepreneurs from Barranquilla and other parts of Colombia. It consisted in a fusion of African rhythms (soukous, highlife, mbaqanga, juju) with those from the Antilles (ragga, compás haitiano, also influenced by music of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian origins (bullerengue, mapalé, zambapalo and chalupa). This style of music came to be known as "Colombian therapy" and finally took on the name of the champeta culture. During the 1990s champeta underwent further changes in its musical and other content, with the introduction of digital techniques and placas (interruptions counter to the rhythm). Despite its social origins, champeta came to be as much appreciated as rejected by the social elite.

In 2000 Champeta music had a breakthrough in the Colombian Caribbean region's market with John Sayas "El sayayín" leading the movement

In champeta music, the rhythmic base dominates over the melodic and harmonic lines, producing a music easy to dance to and marked by its strength and plasticity. The instruments used include the voice, percussion, electric guitar, bass, conga drums, and the synthesiser, which contributes rhythmic effects. This musical form is characterised by a division into three sequential parts: the introductory music, the chorus, and el Despeluque, marked by powerful repetitive rhythms and usually accompanied by placas, interruptions counter to the rhythm. Song lyrics often display the rebellious attitude of Cartagena people of African descent, challenging social and economic exclusion or relating their dreams of change and progress

[projazznet]

Rabih Abou-Khalil – The Sultan’s Picnic

The Sultan’s Picnic is an album by the Lebanese oud player and composer Rabih Abou-Khalil, fusing traditional Arab music with jazz, which was recorded in 1994 and released on the Enja label.

Rabih Abou-Khalil – oud, bass oud Howard Levy – harmonica Kenny Wheeler – flugelhorn, trumpet Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone Michel Godard – tuba, serpent Steve Swallow – bass Mark Nauseef – drums Milton Cardona – congas Nabil Khaiat – frame drums

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 11.4

Beer Birthdays

Gottfried Krueger (1837)

Carl Sedlmayr (1847)

Pat Boyd, Miss Rheingold 1945 (1922)

Alfred Heineken (1923)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Art Carney; actor (1918)

Walter Cronkite; television journalist (1916)

Chris Difford; rock musician, singer, songwriter (1954)

James Honeyman-Scott; rock guitarist (1956)

Will Rogers; humorist (1879)

Famous Birthdays

Alton Adams; composer (1889)

Martin Balsam; actor (1919)

James E. Brewton; painter (1930)

Larry Bunker; jazz drummer, percussionist (1928)

Sean "Diddy" Combs; rapper, producer (1969)

Charles Despiau,;French sculptor (1874)

Harry Ferguson; Irish engineer, inventor (1884)

Bethenny Frankel; television chef (1970)

Charles Frazier; writer (1950)

Kathy Griffin; comedian (1960)

Dick Groat; Pittsburgh Pirates SS (1930)

Gail E. Haley; author, illustrator (1939)

Audrey Hollander; adult actress (1979)

Kyōka Izumi, Japanese author, poet (1873)

Marlène Jobert; French actress (1940)

Charles K. Kao; Chinese physicis (1933)

Klabund; German author and poet (1890)

Peter Lord; English animator (1953)

Ralph Macchio; actor (1961)

Robert Mapplethorpe; photographer (1946)

Delbert McClinton; singer, songwriter (1940)

Matthew McConaughey; actor (1969)

Cameron Mitchell; actress (1918)

James Montgomery; Scottish writer (1771)

Eden Phillpotts; English writer (1862)

Markie Post; actor (1950)

Doris Roberts; actor (1930)

Loretta Swit; actor (1937)

Taylor Tomlinson; comedian (1993)

Carlos "Patato" Valdes; Cuban-American conga player (1926)

C.K. Williams; poet (1936)

Gig Young; actress (1913)

[i-listen-to-music-sometimes]

Genre: big band(?) jazz

Bassline funness: 8/10

Crazy strings: yes

Overall rating: 9/10

Bit of a long one, I won't apoligise

I was going to do Come On, Come Over for this but I couldn't resist doing this piece instead because it is probably my favourite off this whole, amazing album.

It starts with a very cool conjunct rising quaver line on the strings, which ends abruptly. The rhythm section takes over with some fun percussion and, obviously, a very funky bassline from Jaco. This section continues with a very disjunct and rhythmically interesting piano solo and an impressive conga? bongo? solo, punctuated by lines on the strings, which is occasionally joined by Jaco. The piano solos again, this time with less silences.

The second section is in half time, transitioned to with a unison line and crescendo, which drops down to just strings, minimal percussion, and features some great bass playing (read: cool bends). The string part feels reminiscent of Willy Wonka to me, and has some lovely uses of chromaticism and chord building throughout the parts. The texture of this part is really cool.

What could be called a third section continues the pianists very talented soloing, adds Jaco's too, but with the strings on the background playing a stripped down version of what was being played before. There's some really interesting rhythmic moments with the percussion and very fun melodic moments when the bass, piano, and strings all together form some weird chords. There is a moment of unison, the strings swell again and the piano drops out, leading to...

The first section again!! The original tempo is back, funky bassline is back, the piano is back, that cool string line is back... but wait...

It's in half time again!! There's another unison part to lead into a more chilled piano/bass solo. No strings this time, but a more solid drum beat/percussion than the last time we were in half time. Jaco's soloing as always is on point, including very well placed and weird bends, harmonics and a incredible use of rhythm to build and realise tension with the pianist. (we are now a little over half way, the length of this piece is why I wasn't going to do it originally)

And just like that we're in the original tempo again, with what is essentially the head. After the string line the drums do something weird but cool, it feels like two triplets or maybe a quintuplet?? I can't tell.

Another, different unison line leads us back into half time, where the strings are a part once again and Jaco plays a harmonic for the sake of it. It's the Willy Wonka part again (yessssssss). The drummer continues to play some more crazy interesting -tuplets (or something, honestly it just sounds like they're doing whatever they want, and doing it very well).

Aaaaaaand back to the head!!! No strings though, just a very intense piano solo. I love how this piece gets more and more frantic everytime it returns to the head, it really shows the contrast between the slow and fast parts. The piano continues to solo, Jaco and the percussionists continue to play whatever they want pretty fast as the quaver line on the violin is played over and over, slowly crescendoing until it is the only part. It plays a once more and then ends abruptly, ending as it started.

I love this piece because of the incredible musicianship on display, and how well-composed it is on Jaco's part. The contrast between the tempos and the instruments is really interesting choice, and executed very well. Jaco is well-beloved for a reason!

[twistedsoulmusic]

‘Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves’ is a powerful and spiritually Rich album from Jembaa Groove, a multicultural band founded in late 2020 by bass player and composer Yannick Nolting and singer-percussionist Eric Owusu. Whenever artists attempt to dive deep into their ancestry and their roots with a somewhat honest and innocent curiosity, you know something great is on the way for them. Jembaa is on that exact path of glory with this album. Deep ancestral flows, between Ghana and Europe, powered by enthralling conga-led rhythms and luscious horn work in their new album bring out the immaculate sense of familiarity and originality in the contemporary jazz scene. In the heart of Berlin, the young and senior generation from Ghana and its diaspora came together for this album. Vocal masterclasses come via Sheffield-based K.O.G and original veteran of the 70s and 80s highlife scene Gyedu Blay Ambolley, with Ghanian multi-instrumentalist and producer Kwame Yeboah also inspiring. 

[justbeingnamaste]

Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord · Carlos Santana · Mahavishnu John McLaughlin

Love Devotion Surrender ℗ 1973 Columbia Records

1973-07-20 Associated Performer:

Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu John McLaughlin Composer, Lyricist: Traditional Guitar, Piano, Producer: Mahavishnu John McLaughlin Drums: Billy Cobham Arranger: C. Santana Drums: Don Alias Arranger: John McLaughlin Drums: Jan Hammer Drums: Mike Shrieve Congas: Armando Peraza Organ: Khalid Yasin Bass: Doug Rauch Engineer: Glen Kolotkin

[burlveneer-music]

Fachada - Cidade Da Selva - Brazilian music imagined through a Washington, DC lens

Cidade Da Selva - There are a million stories in a naked city��� In this sequel to Fachada’s "Mundos Secretos," "Cidade Da Selva" tells 16 of these stories. After departing the secret world of "Mundos Secretos," this new album, "Cidade Da Selva," by Fachada, sets new tones, delving deeper into the afro-noir diaspora, re-interpreting soul, funk, afro, Brazilian and deep jazz. Each tune is a vignette - altogether examining and immersing into the margins of imagination and magic. This album goes on a journey of retrospection through multicultural and site specific sounds; evoking visions and the spirit of a time and place in a mysterious jungle city. Fachada is the musical persona of autodidact, musician, and visionary artist Rob Smith. A D.C. native, Smith grew up on the sounds of the local 70s radio, immersed in funk, R&B, jazz, hip hop, and the city’s trademark Go-Go music. By the late 70s and early 80s he found himself at the center of DC’s emerging punk/DIY music scene; going to shows, drumming in bands, and being an artist at the ground zero of the city’s zeitgeist. A chance discovery of a stack of discarded Brazilian records at the city dump one day proved to be a catalyst, offering him a fortuitous portal to a “secret world” of rhythm and sound. All songs were composed, played and recorded by Fachada, who is once again accompanied by Mundos Secretos personnel: Ty Hussell on electric guitar, Adrian Baxter on flute and Swamp Guinee playing congas on "musical chairs" and "second shot." Additionally, Fachada welcomes  Charles Road, playing bass, acoustic guitar, and piano on "outside the shadows," which he co-composed. Mer Boel plays violin on "one look" and "cold drinks hot nights." Fachada plays, drums, bass, fender Rhodes, RMI Electra-piano, synthesizer, congas, rebolo, pandeiro, shakers, bells, triangle, cuica. 

[jarenka]

Today I am here with another contemporary Mexican composer, Arturo Márquez. Maybe you already know his Danzón No 2, it's a quite popular piece of contemporary classical music. There is this famous version from 2007 performed by Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra with Gustavo Dudamel as a conductor, but let's listen another interpretation:

Arturo Márquez - Danzón No 2 performed by Orquestra Juvenil da Bahia (also the rare sight of modern orchestra playing without a conductor).

If you ever wondered how much Danzones Márquez has... He has 9 of them, last one he wrote in 2017.

Couple of his other works (including other Danzones) are under the cut as usual:

Arturo Márquez - Danzón No 1 performed by Los Angeles Philharmonic

Arturo Márquez - Danzón No 6 performed by Pan American Symphony Orchestra

I recommend you to check their channel if you are interested in Latin American classical music by the way.

Arturo Márquez - Danzón No 9 performed by Children's Symphony Orchestra of Mexico

Arturo Márquez - Concierto de Otoño para trompeta performed by National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico

Arturo Márquez - De Juárez a Maximiliano performed by Banda Sinfonica Universidad de Guadalajara and Banda Sinfónica Facultad de Música de la UNAM

Arturo Márquez - Marchas de Duelo e Ira performed by Unió Musical de Torrent

This piece is written in remembrance of Tlatelolco massacre in October of 1968 when Mexico Armed Forces  opened fire on unarmed protestors.

Arturo Márquez - Alas (a Malala) performed by The Miami University Symphony Orchestra, The Miami University Chamber Singers, and The Miami University Collegiate Chorale

This piece is dedicated to Malala Yousafzai.

Arturo Márquez - Cantata Sueños performed by Alison Acord and Michael Preacely, soloists, Esther Claros Berlioz, narrator, The Miami University Symphony Orchestra, The Miami University Chamber Singers, and The Miami University Collegiate Chorale

This piece and quite long but interesting. It's called Dream and dedicated to different people who fought for social justice and human rights. You can read more about it here.

And let's finish with the liveliest (imo) piece by Márquez:

Arturo Márquez - Conga del Fuego Nuevo performed by National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico (conducted by author himself)

[thenightling]

I freakin' love this show a lot more than I expected to.

Wednesday is the Netflix series spin-off of The Addams Family. Unlike the original sitcom, this is more of a drama / comedy, dealing with an older Wednesday Addams (played by twenty-one-year-old Jenna Ortega) attending Nevermore Academy, a school for the "Gifted." And by gifted I mean supernatural.

It's a bit like Monster High. The students entail werewolves, vampires, Sirens (mermaids), and Gorgons, as well as some miscellaneous monsters like two faceless children.

Wednesday turns out to have some psychic / witchy powers that she inherited from Morticia so that is why she attends the school (That and she got expelled from ordinary school when she sicked trained piranas on the swim team for bullying Pugsley).

The showrunner is none-other than Tim Burton with music by composer Danny Elfman.

The first season is a murder mystery who-done it where Wednesday has to figure out who is the killer.

There have been some whiners insisting there was nothing supernatural about the original Addams Family but I urge those people to pay more attention to previous incarnations of The Addams Family because they have...

Psychic visions come up in multiple incarnations.

A disembodied sentient hand

Cousin It

The Broadway musical had a conga line with ghosts

Their front gate and house is self-aware

Uncle Fester is immune to electricity

Grandmama and Morticia were practicing witches along with Aunt Ophelia

Aunt Ophelia has plants growing out of her scalp.

Santa Claus is real in The Addams Family 1960s TV series.

Wednesday can read minds in the animated movies.

Uncle Flambe has flame hair.

Grandmama has successfully cursed people and brewed potions.

There's a sentient tree on their property named Ichabod

"Their Goth game is just that Good."

Anyway, here's the opening title sequence of the show Wednesday. I loved this show a lot more than I expected.

[2satonakakyonkoi]

Our last sunset

I started this piece on 9 December 2024, writing it for viola, sheng, piano and congas (which I changed to string quartet, wind quintet and piano much later on). I finished writing most of the harmony parts by 12 December.

The piece was mostly improvised to a chord progression that I wrote. It is a rather basic progression, made colourful by 9th, 11th chords and fast running lines. Frankly, I have no idea how I composed this piece, as the major harmonies were improvised with little changes and it is unlikely I would have written something like this given my existing style.

My process for composing this piece was somewhat different from usual, as I finished writing out elaborate harmony parts (in the piano and viola) as a result of my improvisation, before writing my melody. As a result, I did not have to worry about my harmony parts being too close to each other. For example, when writing for string quartet, I had a tendency to write low melody lines in the first violin and have to ‘squeeze’ my other lines together in order to prevent them from sounding muddy, and as a result I avoided writing flowing lines so my parts do not cross. While that is not a good compositional approach, not being fixed by a melody helped expand my horizons in writing flowing lines.

After writing the ‘bridge’ section, I felt that it would be good for that section to be empty, to contrast with the initial busy and happy section. The section represents the end of the sunset and the diminishing amount of time the two friends have with each other. The repetitive conga pattern represents the continuous passing of time.

This is the fastest I’ve finished a piece, especially one that I feel has character and am fond of. My guess for this is as I was working with instruments with different timbres, I was not concerned about crossing parts, thus I could write more freely and intricate lines, which was a refreshing way of breaking out of old habits. Improvising harmony lines (instead of just chords) is something I’ll try more often too. 

8 January 2025

I started writing my first draft for ‘our last sunset’ for it to be performed at our Composer Concert. The instruments I had to compose for were piano, marimba, dizi, pipa and congas. Other than the instrumentation, I decided not to make many changes. The dizi played the melody line initially played by the sheng, while the pipa played the viola’s harmony line. However, as the pipa’s notes do not sustain well, I decided to have the pipa play tremolos in certain places where the viola would have played a long, sustained note. I decided to add vertical harmonies to the pipa’s lines as it could play those, unlike the viola. The main change was the addition of the marimba line, which was similar to the running lines of the piano, but with displaced accents, using 5 or 3 note arpeggios instead of the 4 note arpeggios played by the piano. This gave the piece a lot more rhythmic variety, and like writing the initial parts, was finished in a relatively short amount of time.

18 March 2025. Rearranging ‘our last sunset’ for the 2nd time

I am rearranging ‘our last sunset’ again for wind quintet, string quartet and piano. I wrote a basic arrangement for the beginning and A section of the piece, mostly writing new lines with the chords, however I didn’t feel satisfied with it, as compared to the previous arrangements that I wrote. I felt that I was writing intricate parts just for the sake of having vertical movement, but didn’t feel like there was any logic behind it. I took a break and arranged the B section (bar 24) the next day.

19 March 2025. Arranging B and C sections of ‘our last sunset’

When writing section B - the main theme of the piece, I decided to take a different approach and write in a much simpler manner. I split the initial dizi and piano lines between the instruments, adding only a simple pizzicato line on the violins. I was happy with how this section turned out.

21 April 2025. Going back to the ‘A’ section of ‘our last sunset’, ‘D’ and following sections.

I am well aware that wind instruments are not designed to play long, percussive sections, however they provided a specific sound that I was looking for. Thus, I divided the percussive parts across the different wind and string instruments, so one player wouldn’t have to blow too hard. 

[healthcare-updates-with-sns]

Healthcare Contract Management Software Market: Competitive Landscape 2024-2032

The Healthcare Contract Management Software Market is projected to reach USD 9.1 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 22.0% over the forecast period 2024-2032.

Market Overview

Healthcare contract management software is a specialized digital solution designed to streamline and optimize the management of contracts within the healthcare industry. These contracts encompass agreements with providers, suppliers, insurers, and various stakeholders, aiming to enhance efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and transparency in handling critical agreements.

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Regional Analysis

North America: Held a major market share, driven by favorable reimbursement policies and regulatory compliance requirements. The adoption of digital contract management solutions is increasing as healthcare organizations seek to improve operational efficiency.

Asia-Pacific: Expected to witness lucrative growth due to increasing outsourcing activities, rising demand for data security, and the adoption of digital solutions to streamline workflows and enhance patient care.

Market Segmentation

By Component:

Software (Contract Lifecycle Management, Contract Document Management)

Services (Support & Maintenance, Implementation & Integration, Training & Education)

By Pricing Model:

Subscription-Based

Others (One-time Purchase, Pay-as-you-go)

By Deployment:

Cloud-Based

On-Premise

By End-Use:

Healthcare Providers

Medical Device Manufacturers, Pharma & Biotech Companies

Others (Payers, Research Organizations)

Key Players

Key Service Providers/Manufacturers

Icertis (Icertis Contract Intelligence, ICI Healthcare Suite)

SAP SE (SAP Ariba Contracts, SAP S/4HANA for Contract Management)

Conga (Conga CLM, Conga Composer)

Model N, Inc. (Revenue Cloud, Model N CLM)

CobbleStone Software (Contract Insight, Healthcare Contract Lifecycle Management)

Symplr (Cactus Provider Management, symplr Contract Management)

Apttus (Thoma Bravo) (Apttus Contract Management, Intelligent Contract Lifecycle Management)

ContractWorks (Contract Management Software, Contract Repository)

DocuSign (DocuSign CLM, eSignature Integration)

Exari (a part of Coupa Software) (Exari Contracts Hub, Coupa CLM)

Key Market Highlights

The Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) software segment is expected to dominate due to its ability to streamline the entire contract lifecycle.

Healthcare providers are anticipated to lead the market, given their engagement in numerous contracts with insurers, suppliers, and service providers.

Cloud-based solutions hold a major market share, attributed to enhanced security and ease of access.

North America maintains a significant share due to stringent compliance requirements and cost containment efforts.

Asia-Pacific presents substantial growth opportunities, fueled by digital transformation initiatives and increasing healthcare investments.

Future Scope

The market is poised for substantial growth, driven by the increasing complexity of healthcare contracts, regulatory demands, cost pressures, and the need for efficient digital solutions. The shift towards value-based care models further necessitates robust contract management to monitor performance and outcome-based metrics. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into contract management software is expected to enhance analytics and automation, further driving market expansion.

Conclusion

The Healthcare Contract Management Software Market is on a rapid growth trajectory, fueled by the healthcare industry's move towards digitalization and the need for efficient contract management solutions. As organizations navigate complex regulatory landscapes and strive for operational efficiency, advanced contract management software is set to play a crucial role in achieving these objectives.

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