The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #113747   Message #2426147
Posted By: Jack Blandiver
30-Aug-08 - 05:26 AM
Thread Name: '5000 Morris Dancers'
Subject: RE: '5000 Morris Dancers'
(IB)...you don't worry that, if everyone fused musics to the extent that you do, the world would be less diverse and interesting..?

No I don't. On the contrary - I think it would be more diverse & more interesting. To me music is about the celebration of humanity in terms of individuals rather than the vile racist volkish segregations that you promote & believe in. I am but one individual, doing what I do for whatever reason which isn't about any sort of cultural shit at all, but my own perception of things and my right as an individual human being to do whatever I want to do.

And I'm not really fusing anything, just looking for practical (and aesthetical) solutions to practical (and aesthetical) problems. The Dumbeks I use a) because they have plastic heads and are, therefoe, generally weatherproof; b) they're entirely tuneable; c) they sound good; d) they're relatively inexpensive, unlike a Genuine English Tabor, made by some specialist maker of Revived & Early Folk Instruments which would cost an arm and a leg and sound no better than hitting a Corn Flakes box. The dumbeks also look beautiful. Likewise the Kemence, which I use because I wanted a fiddle I could use for al fresco storytelling, out in the woods, at night, wherever - something lightweight, with a good sound etc. so it answered that need perfectly. That I then found it was the ideal thing for accompanying the singing of of Traditional English (speaking) Folk Song & Ballads was serendipitous in the extreme. I don't play Turkish music on it, not yet even try to do what traditional Turkish Kemence players do; although I might study their technique, the music I do is either entirely traditional in terms of English (speaking) Folk Song & Ballad, or else entirely improvised.

As Harry Partch said: This is my trinity: Sound-magic, Visual Beauty & Experience Ritual