FUSION: Food or Music?

[Catrina]

There was once a time when fusion meant 13/8 and heavily distorted guitars and wah-wah trumpets. That it signified a new genre of music.

Nowadays I say 'fusion' to people and they say ' food'. East West food. Chinese fried Italian spagetti in Indian spices, that sort of thing.

Wouldnt you prefer if people called such food 'crossover' instead, or even, 'smooth jazz'?

'nu food'?
'global beats' food?

[John Watt]

Those are interesting comparisons and playful uses of language.
I must be marinating, because I'm not coming up with anything.
Redefining menus in global terms.

I'm Canadian. The new hero sandwich has to be what Terry Fox liked.
Changing some ingredients to South African flavors makes it a Mandela.
Using lots of oil and coffee seeds with no American content is a Chavez.

nu food is okay, digital diets... nah,
electronica types call using contrasting music together a mash-up or a mash,
you could have a food mash.

I'm not helping you very much, am I?
I'm not that hot in the kitchen, and I can't stir things up here.
I guess I'll just have to stick to my diet from The Testament of The Third Millennium.

[Catrina]

We're truly astonishingly mad, aren't we, Mister Watt? I love the way your guitars look.
Art itself. I wonder how they play, how they sound. I m left handed, I have not tried many guitars - somewhat awaiting that lefty guitar buffet-orgy to happen, miracles do happen.

Digital diets you say? 24 bit croutons is what this country needs. I am in Singapore. Americans think it is near Ontario. Or China. Same difference to them.

[Montefalco]

Maybe if you want to multi-task, you could try a quad-core energy drink...

[John Watt]

Catrina! Singapore? Before we get into bashing a certain country some more,
how aware are you of the Scottish presence in Chinese and Japanese history,
for two examples?
Politically and historically, I'm of Scottish Highland descent, to let you know.
Other than that, thanks for your compliments. My guitar makes me a better player.

We might have more in common than you think.
Malaysian manufacture of electronics is seen as upscale, like my Canon camera.
And that's as close to Singapore as I can get.
Thank you for learning English, or we wouldn't be getting into it.
Too bad my friend Cristeta isn't here or she could give me some words for you.

Oh! I turned on my Altec Lansing computer speakers and....
I listened to "The High Road" and got right into it, eventually being very impressed.
Please let me be open and honest here.
At first I thought it was going to just be a cultural, ethnic thing, hearing your instruments,
thinking it's all acoustic, but the dynamics changed.
This made me think it's soundtrack music, something to represent your countries heritage,
that could be used in a movie. That's very sophisticated, being up there with cinematic.
But then it changed again, and believe it or not, reminded me of Miles Davis "Bitches Brew",
a seminal late 60's jazz album with every player becoming a superstar by himself.
Beautiful, just beautiful! And definite electronic sounds in the background show it's not all acoustic.

And let me address your line about madness, between us both being here.
I can't say that about you after hearing such sensitive and demanding music,
but's it's madness for me to be sitting here typing for free when I've got so much to do.

I first developed an interest in India when I was a teenager, the Bhagavad-Gita, Upanishads,
many Vedas, learning from Bhudda too. So I know tablas and raga, playing it myself.
Your percussion doesn't work up a lather as fast as they do. What's the difference?
Did you use a machine to add them? Is there one drummer playing all the percussion, overdubbed?
That's how unsure I am about how you put this together. It sounds like musicians playing, but it changes.

One other thing I like is what sounded like a guitar. At first I thought the bass was moving up front,
hearing what sounded like an upright bass, a little lighter in tone, sounding like it's going to solo,
but as it moved over another passage and got higher in pitch it sounded like a murky nylon string classical.
But I'm not sure. It changed again.

You are totally subtle. Miles was jamming his trumpet, the sax, that crunchy sound of the first Fender Rhodes,
right into your ear. You found the same sonic atmosphere and musical energy with a softer tone and feel.

If you don't mind me typing this, I might be able to help you.
I've read you quite a bit, but your music speaks out more than your use of English.
I'm going to comment on your line about half the proceeds going to charity and how it looks to read.
It's not good. I'm sure you've heard about the financial difficulties the States is having.
Charity groups have been coming under fire for corruption for a long time now, new laws being passed,
and people only donating to established groups they have confidence in.
So there's a high level of distrust already, and look at your paragraph.
It's messed up, not even reading properly, like you're not serious about it.
And not being serious can make you look more fraudulent.

Listening to you I felt calm, like I was sitting there, meditating.
I could almost smell some incense, chandan.

Catrina! I hope to hear from you again and I'll be back to listen to your next recording.

[Dean Watson]

John, Catrina,

I'm enjoying the show ....

[John Watt]

Mr. Dean Watson! Did you listen to Catrinas' music? What a subtle flow!
She's right about hearing parts of your playing that would be a texture for her.

The fact her instrumentation started off sounding acoustic ethnic,
made it easier to be standoffish with the lack of ordinary sonic references.
But when adding instruments continues to change tones and elevate the intensity,
it kept drawing me in, as much as the narrative it inspired from me.

You know I described your music in sections, and that's not a musical slam,
it's just that having the softer acoustic instruments as part of the mix,
allows a little more acoustic ambience.

I can see you adding some organ-synth sounding riffs towards the end,
a big upgrade over the Rhodes, the part that reminded me of Miles "Bitches Brew".
You'd probably just want to stand there and jangle some bangle you got,
like some exotic keys, into the microphone, at the start.
Then you'd get into it.

[Catrina]

John,
In all seriousness, I wrote to several charitable orgs and got no replies. I am finding it hard myself to believe there is one that is on the level. If you found my wording of my intention to help via profit sharing (none so far I add as an aside), then please do let me know which sentences or words you found seem insincere. Certainly I am on the level here. I have gone through so much poverty and other kinds of hell and I cannot imagine how much worse it is for the ones I wish to help.

And let me know your suggestions for a more appropriate - in your view- set of wordings for my intention. Perhaps you will suggest I scrap this altogether, I would not know. I won't jump to any rash conclusions. But know this: We live in a world where $3 worth of food is being sold at $25 + + and marketed as 'fusion' to the upper middle class and millions starve.

Should not **** be done? (In a manner of speaking)

PS
Thank you for liking my music. If you had not like my music I would not be thanking you.
Hmmm. Social conventions sure are strange.... =)

[Catrina]

John,
In all seriousness, I wrote to several charitable orgs and got no replies. I am finding it hard myself to believe there is one that is on the level. My intuition tells me the one I chose does some good to the target group. So I m going with that for now.

If you found my wording of my intention to help via profit sharing (none so far I add as an aside), then please do let me know which sentences or words you found seem insincere. Certainly I am on the level here. I have gone through so much poverty and other kinds of hell myself, and I cannot imagine how much worse it is for the ones I wish to help.

And let me know your suggestions for a more appropriate - in your view- set of wordings for my intention. Perhaps you will suggest I scrap this altogether, I would not know. I won't jump to any rash conclusions. But know this: We live in a world where $3 worth of food is being sold at $25 + + and marketed as 'fusion' to the upper middle class and millions starve.

Should not **** be done? (In a manner of speaking)

PS
Thank you for liking my music. If you had not like my music I would not be thanking you.
Hmmm. Social conventions sure are strange.... =)