Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
All's Well
So, in the 90s I was in a band, 2.5D. It was a great band, full of odd meters and sophisticated harmonic passages, and had a conceptual premise fueling it -- Video Games meet Music. The idea rested on an engine I developed that enabled designers to create highly emotional characters based upon Jungian archetypes. The onscreen characters would interact with a user over time, and would reveal new music, and the music's emotional origins, based upon the user's level of intimacy with the onscreen character. (I was a game developer back in the day...)
2.5D got pretty far, considering how hard it is to do anything in the music business. We had a development deal with Capitol Records, a large following in NYC, and a pretty slamming demo exhibiting the concept that got noticed by Wired Magazine, Peter Gabriel, and Gary Gersh.
As a vocalist, 2.5D was a great medium. I got to sing rock and roll, but also had opportunities to use other types of voices as well, from ethnic to jazz to opera. One of the things I loved the most was the vocal workout that I got at every rehearsal and gig.
Cut to, well, now -- I haven't been in that band since 1995, and have been completely out of technology since around 2001. I never ever thought I would return to either the music performance world, nor the world of games. I'm now singing in Video Games Live -- a concert of music from Video Games. The ultimate Video-Games-Meet-Music forum. It's not what I envisioned in the 90s, but it still meets all the central criteria I was after: video games/technology, music, multimedia, touring, wild audiences, operatic, rock and ethnic singing, and family.
Not sure how this life arc happened, but I'm pretty happy about it!
2.5D got pretty far, considering how hard it is to do anything in the music business. We had a development deal with Capitol Records, a large following in NYC, and a pretty slamming demo exhibiting the concept that got noticed by Wired Magazine, Peter Gabriel, and Gary Gersh.
As a vocalist, 2.5D was a great medium. I got to sing rock and roll, but also had opportunities to use other types of voices as well, from ethnic to jazz to opera. One of the things I loved the most was the vocal workout that I got at every rehearsal and gig.
Cut to, well, now -- I haven't been in that band since 1995, and have been completely out of technology since around 2001. I never ever thought I would return to either the music performance world, nor the world of games. I'm now singing in Video Games Live -- a concert of music from Video Games. The ultimate Video-Games-Meet-Music forum. It's not what I envisioned in the 90s, but it still meets all the central criteria I was after: video games/technology, music, multimedia, touring, wild audiences, operatic, rock and ethnic singing, and family.
Not sure how this life arc happened, but I'm pretty happy about it!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Past Present
The New York show is coming up. I'm singing a big piece for it. Not big in the sense that it's a grand show-stopper, nor in the sense that it's terrifically long, it's just a bombastic, wonderful, if a little high, piece.
My high school choir master and theory teacher is coming. He was a major influence in my musical life, and in my thinking style in general.
My friend Maggie from my early days in New York will be there. My friend Jack will be there. Not that Jack. Another Jack. He's a smashing musician, and I'm so looking forward to seeing him. My friend Brian from the really old, pre-New York days will be there. It's some pressure, but will be a great party...
Passover is coming up, and I'm hosting this year. I'm taking a culinary detour and making baked black cod (in addition to the de rigeur gefilte fish and brisket). I found an amazing and simple recipe for baked black cod that rivals the best that we've had in restaurants.
This Sunday, Carter gets his Hebrew name. I've been working fevorishly on the service and the program, and I'm pretty excited to get the programs printed out.
I've gotten in touch with a lot of people whom I haven't seen nor talked to in a while. This has been satisfying.
All in all, things are great. Utah was incredible. Great shows, and the best skiing of my life.
My high school choir master and theory teacher is coming. He was a major influence in my musical life, and in my thinking style in general.
My friend Maggie from my early days in New York will be there. My friend Jack will be there. Not that Jack. Another Jack. He's a smashing musician, and I'm so looking forward to seeing him. My friend Brian from the really old, pre-New York days will be there. It's some pressure, but will be a great party...
Passover is coming up, and I'm hosting this year. I'm taking a culinary detour and making baked black cod (in addition to the de rigeur gefilte fish and brisket). I found an amazing and simple recipe for baked black cod that rivals the best that we've had in restaurants.
This Sunday, Carter gets his Hebrew name. I've been working fevorishly on the service and the program, and I'm pretty excited to get the programs printed out.
I've gotten in touch with a lot of people whom I haven't seen nor talked to in a while. This has been satisfying.
All in all, things are great. Utah was incredible. Great shows, and the best skiing of my life.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
See, Cathy?
I'm showing Cathy some bloggy stuff, and treating all of my many many readers to pictures of my nieces and nephew! Enjoy, everybody!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
In Maryland
Hello gents,
I'm in the greater DC environs right now, avoiding Oceanography homework (which I have now succesfully staved off for more than two days in a row!) and waiting for a woman I do not know to go into labor so that I can assist my beautiful sister and her husband in caring for their newborn.
I vacillate between contentment and discomfort these days. Most days go well, although there are still pitfalls. PTSD will do that to you. Look it up. This disorder can be tough to live with, but is definitely getting better as time passes.
I am working hard on my studies (well, not the last couple of days, but in general) and things are going great Oak Meadow-wise with Gracie. She is becoming a real thinker and scholar, and I'm so proud of her.
We spent ten lovely and relaxing days in Hawaii -- a great vacation competely planned by Jack, and which we all enjoyed immensely. It contributed to the ongoing process of knitting our family back together again.
If you are reading this blog, would you let me know?
Thanks...
I'm in the greater DC environs right now, avoiding Oceanography homework (which I have now succesfully staved off for more than two days in a row!) and waiting for a woman I do not know to go into labor so that I can assist my beautiful sister and her husband in caring for their newborn.
I vacillate between contentment and discomfort these days. Most days go well, although there are still pitfalls. PTSD will do that to you. Look it up. This disorder can be tough to live with, but is definitely getting better as time passes.
I am working hard on my studies (well, not the last couple of days, but in general) and things are going great Oak Meadow-wise with Gracie. She is becoming a real thinker and scholar, and I'm so proud of her.
We spent ten lovely and relaxing days in Hawaii -- a great vacation competely planned by Jack, and which we all enjoyed immensely. It contributed to the ongoing process of knitting our family back together again.
If you are reading this blog, would you let me know?
Thanks...
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