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 Susan Alcorn video (Page 1)
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| Author | Topic: Susan Alcorn video |
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Drew Howard Member From: Mason, MI, U.S.A. |
posted 11 September 2006 01:36 PM
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Bob Carlucci Member From: Candor, New York, USA |
posted 11 September 2006 02:29 PM
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wow.. thats a tad "out there"... a bit too "avante garde" for me personally, but I sure can't do it, so thats certainly not a critique... She is extremely talented and innovative!!! bob |
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Roger Kelly Member From: Mount Carmel, TN. 37645 |
posted 11 September 2006 02:54 PM
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How would you like to see the Tab for that one. |
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Sherman Willden Member From: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA |
posted 11 September 2006 03:08 PM
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I love the sound of breaking stings in the morning. It is too difficult to break my Jagwires so I couldn't replicate it. Sherman |
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Donny Hinson Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A. |
posted 11 September 2006 03:59 PM
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That's an excellent introduction to thematic composition. Not that most of us would find that type of stuff entertaining at a steel show, but it's exactly what some motion picture producers might be looking for as background music for their "other-worldly" movies. (Louis and Bebe Barron did a theremin-based movie score for the SciFi movie "Forbidden Planet" that was along the same lines. Very famous stuff.) I predict ot's only a matter of time before Susan does some work in a movie score. |
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Pete Young Member From: Quebec, Canada |
posted 11 September 2006 05:26 PM
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I might go for that after I smoked five or six joints in a row I could see the flames dancing in a fire place No No That was thirty years ago |
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Twayn Williams Member From: Portland, OR |
posted 11 September 2006 05:54 PM
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Super cool!!!!! It warms my heart to know that there are people out there who are striking out from the beaten path with the PSG. Give me about 6-months with a straight band and I'll be ready to play that freely. The old "learn to draw a straight line before you draw a curve" thing. |
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ebb Member From: nj |
posted 11 September 2006 05:57 PM
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thanks for the heads up on this. i love this forum |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 11 September 2006 06:10 PM
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I think if you just listen to it without the distraction of watching the video, it's easier to hear the order of what she's doing. Yes, you gotta admit it's pretty far-out there if you're used to listening to trad country... For what it's worth, although I haven't had the chance to hear Susan play it, I have it on good authority that she plays trad country and everything from it to this experimental music as well as the best of them. In the art world there's room for artists from Rembrandt to Dali and Picasso, why not in music and the PSG? I agree with Donny, Susan will be doing movie scores soon if she hasn't already. |
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Mike Perlowin Member From: Los Angeles CA |
posted 11 September 2006 06:39 PM
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Susan has been playing this kind music for over 15 years, It's good that she's finally fetting recognised for the innovator she is. Ad it's true, she is also a killer E9 country player. ------------------ |
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Ben Jones Member From: Washington, USA |
posted 11 September 2006 07:21 PM
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Man i love her. That was some crazy Kyoto-esque scronk. But i really prefer that song on her website "louisiana..." that is a heart crusher. She's kinda like a Coltrane in that theres that scorchingly beautiful stuff like louisiana (coltranes alabama) and then there's stuff like that video above (coltranes live in seattle). |
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Ted Solesky Member From: Mineral Wells, Texas, USA |
posted 11 September 2006 07:26 PM
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Pete, you hit that on the head. That's a little too far out for me. I'm for new ideas. |
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Colm Chomicky Member From: Prairie Village, Kansas, USA |
posted 11 September 2006 07:41 PM
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Cool, but I'd be curious to see if Beetle Bob could do a dance interpretation also  |
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Jody Sanders Member From: Magnolia,Texas |
posted 11 September 2006 09:05 PM
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I have known Susan for many years and she has always been very innovative. And as Mike said, she is a killer E9th player. Jody. |
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Mike Perlowin Member From: Los Angeles CA |
posted 11 September 2006 09:49 PM
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I think she should play at steel guitar shows. it's true that 99% of the people won't dig her, but I think steel players need to be exposed to her and her music. Perhaps she should go on last one night so those who want to leave don't have to worry about missing any of the nore traditional players. If she were to play, who here would stay and watch her set? ------------------ |
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Twayn Williams Member From: Portland, OR |
posted 11 September 2006 10:25 PM
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Me!!!! |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 11 September 2006 10:26 PM
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Good grief, Mike... I know you don't mean it that way, but would you want to play at a show if even your friends' support included "99% of people won't dig it", and ideas on scheduling so people could leave during her set and not miss the trad country guys?  Well maybe she would, I dunno.Yes, of course I would stay and listen. [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 11 September 2006 at 11:09 PM.] |
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Herman Visser Member From: Rohnert Park, California, USA |
posted 11 September 2006 10:36 PM
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ME TOO. Lot of her stuff is great. |
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David L. Donald Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand |
posted 11 September 2006 11:26 PM
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I would hang out to se what she might play. I do agree last set of the evening is right for this. I bet some of the hotter players would still hang out, She got some really great gong sounds out of it. Susan is a unique unit, more power to her. [This message was edited by David L. Donald on 11 September 2006 at 11:29 PM.] |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 12 September 2006 12:11 AM
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My thinking is just that if it would be right to schedule Susan as last, out of a necessity due to Mike's points of 99% not going to like it and allowing them to leave without missing their trad country faves, is just sad, and reason enough to wonder if she should even bother with it. |
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Mike Perlowin Member From: Los Angeles CA |
posted 12 September 2006 03:11 AM
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Point well taken Jim. It probably would not be worth it to her to play at a steel show. But it would certainly be worth it to those of us who would want to see her perform.
------------------ [This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 12 September 2006 at 03:12 AM.] |
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Richard Gonzales Member From: FITCHBURG,MA USA |
posted 12 September 2006 04:10 AM
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What key is it in???? |
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Gary Lee Gimble Member From: Gaithersburg, Maryland |
posted 12 September 2006 05:28 AM
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4 #'s |
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John McGann Member From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA |
posted 12 September 2006 06:53 AM
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It seems LOTS of people at steel shows have little tolerence for anything other than E9th country- it astounds me that people could be negative about the C6th jazz playing of people like Herbie Wallace and Doug Jernigan, but I have heard serious bitching and seen walkouts. I'd hang and enjoy Susan's stuff...got her CD a few years ago and enjoy it. Then again, I enjoy Conlon Nancarrow and Alban Berg (both of whom played with Ray Price in the 1920's). ------------------ |
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Charlie McDonald Member From: Lubbock, Texas, USA |
posted 12 September 2006 08:11 AM
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Drew, The site doesn't come up on my 'puter. Can you send me a link? I'll email you. Thanks. |
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Ben Jones Member From: Washington, USA |
posted 12 September 2006 08:13 AM
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I'd be front row center. Wanna get me to leave? play "A way to survive" AGAIN. Hey just kidding dont stone me! I love the old stuff but whats wrong with hearing something new and interesting? not all her stuff is so non melodic listen to this: http://www.susanalcorn.com/Untitled_46.htm |
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Dave Burr Member From: Tyler, TX |
posted 12 September 2006 08:39 AM
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Or listen to this... http://www.susanalcorn.com/Song.htm Another hidden gem on her website. Here's a post from over a year ago where she originally posted it. Respectfully, |
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Gene Jones Member From: Oklahoma City, OK USA |
posted 12 September 2006 09:01 AM
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quote: The other side of the coin...... LOTS of people who have little tolerence for anything other than the C6 neck, attend the Steel Guitar Jamboree Show in Dallas during March of each year! Steelers who earn their groceries playing E9, have an opportunity there to improvise and stretch as far out as they are capable of playing. |
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David L. Donald Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand |
posted 12 September 2006 09:39 AM
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Gene, that sounds like my kinda show. I do like E9, but C6 is just so hip, I can't help but prefer it. |
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Stephan Miller Member From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA |
posted 12 September 2006 09:41 AM
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I saw Susan perform in Baltimore last year and it was an unforgettable evening. She shared the stage with a percussionist and a cellist, with solo, duo and trio sets. Magnetic, inventive, weird and sometimes violent stuff. As a listener you have to deal with the fact that your appetite for familiar patterns of melody, harmony and rhythm is not being fed. That "tradition" is replaced by amazing & sometimes amusing ways of producing tones, and a sense of exploration and suspense strong enough to make you hold your breath. Plus Susan played a couple of "inside" original tunes that were beautiful. So yeah, I'd hang at a steel show to hear Susan, if I were ever at one...
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Joey Ace Sysop From: Southern Ontario, Canada |
posted 12 September 2006 10:24 AM
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The forrest would be a dull place if all the birds sang alike. |
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CrowBear Schmitt Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France |
posted 12 September 2006 10:31 AM
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her stuff is quite unusual to say the least when it comes to steelin' i won't say whether Susan's stuff is hip or not who am i to say so i'll leave it to those who cop her sides & go to her concerts like Bro D writes " more power to her ! [This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 12 September 2006 at 10:31 AM.] |
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Ad Kersten Member From: Beek en Donk, The Netherlands |
posted 12 September 2006 11:18 AM
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Front row. I bought UMA and I like it. It is a blessing to hear other than straight forward E9 (or C6) stuff. Ad ------------------ |
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Barry Blackwood Member From: elk grove, CA |
posted 12 September 2006 11:23 AM
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Wonderfully different. What a great soundtrack it would make for the 'right' movie! |
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Tony Smart Member From: Harlow. Essex. England |
posted 12 September 2006 01:17 PM
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Seems like we've got a severe outbreak of "The King's Suit of Invisible Clothes" here. In no way is this music, this is noise.(you may like to use another euphemism) Fair enough,if you like noise let me know, I'll send you my mother-in-law for a couple of weeks. [This message was edited by Tony Smart on 12 September 2006 at 02:47 PM.] |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 12 September 2006 01:43 PM
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I bet if we were watching a movie, one of those mysterious kinds and it had this as a soundtrack, people would be thinking, "wow, what fantastic sounds, how in the world did they come up with that..." but, because we're seeing a PSG we expect it to sound like what we know and expect a PSG to sound like, like Lloyd , Day, or BE. Familiar, "normal" PSG sounds. Some people can't accept such unusual sounds, sounds that don't sound at all like what they're used to hearing from a PSG. IMO what Susan does with her experimental music is use the PSG to make the sounds from inside her imagination, sounds nothing like trad steel playing, and why does it have to be? Her instrument just happens to be steel and with it she can create what she hears and feels in her mind. If you think a steel should sound like any of our trad country or jazz players to be "correct", then you won't like this and it will sound like "noise", but you close yourself off to new possibilities. Experimental music has to be listened to and judged for what it is by itself, not how it's not what we're used to hearing. I think that it has to be listened to with an open mind, without comparing to preconceived ideas of what music is or should sound like, born of being accustomed to listening to favorite players etc. Just MHO. |
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Tony Smart Member From: Harlow. Essex. England |
posted 12 September 2006 01:53 PM
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I appreciate what you're saying Jim, but in this context the steel is being used as a noise generator and not a musical instrument. |
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Jim Phelps Member From: just out of Mexico City |
posted 12 September 2006 02:06 PM
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I understand your position Tony, but one person's noise is another's music... I think heavy metal is noise, a lot of people disagree. Like Joey said, "The forrest would be a dull place if all the birds sang alike." To each his own. |
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Bob Hoffnar Member From: Brooklyn, NY |
posted 12 September 2006 02:14 PM
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I don't think the steel show crowd is as closed minded as people seem to think. I played at the PSGA a few years ago and played a semi composed, semi open improv set with a bass clarinet player. I even did one performance art noise piece along to an art video. It went over pretty well. Susan plays some powerful and evocative music on the steel. I admire her dedication and the sacrifice she has made to get her music out in the world where it belongs. The thing I love most about art/new music when it works is that it can open up new parts of your awareness and even have a healing vibe to it. Rather than the scratching the same old itch or the comfort of familiarity you get from more standard musical forms. I would be into Susan's playing even if she wasn't better than most everybody on the standard E9/C6 stuff. ------------------ |
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Jeff Lampert Member From: queens, new york city |
posted 12 September 2006 02:43 PM
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quote: You're not kidding!! I have to believe that if this composition was played on anything other than a steel guitar, most steel players would have zero interest in it. ------------------ [This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 12 September 2006 at 02:48 PM.] |
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