DBDBD NY – cross-cultural on-line magazine – believes based on the view that music and community are indivisible that a social awareness can be fostered through music.
MFM Presents: “Music Is Essential” ZOOM Talk Event #4 with Keith Levenson and David Belmont Speaking about how to be the Music Director/Conductor of “The Who” and retain your sanity.
Report by Dawoud Kringle
On Wednesday, August 17, 2022, MFM presented its fourth Music Is EssentialZoom Talk. MFM vice president David Belmont facilitated a conversation with MFM Board member Keith Levenson. The focus of the Talk was on exploring the musical direction for the Broadway and Rock World, how to run your music as a business, and other aspects of Keith’s music life.
The fact that musicians also delve into other art forms is nothing new (Miles Davis and Yusef Lateef were painters, for example). So, in May 2021, when David Belmont released a book of poetry titled World Gone Zoom, it was clear that another dimension of a talented musician was brought to the light of day.
Artist: Ken Hatfield Title: String Theory Label: Arthur Circle Music Genre: Classical / Contemporary Buy CD:cdbaby Review by David Belmont
I waited for Sunday morning to listen to this CD by Ken Hatfield again and write this review. While I think this music is enjoyable at other times as well, it seems to me particularly suited for the start of a relaxing day. A time I often reserve for Grant Green, Adrian Legg or Julian Bream. From the opening notes, it’s clear you’re listening to a master string player. His tone is full, his articulation precise. And while Hatfield’s technique is impressive, what’s striking is the emotional nuance of these very personal performances. The CD is made up of four multi-movement works, recorded in 2002-05. “The Gospel According to Sam” contains three duets between nylon string guitar and dobro which Hatfield dedicates to his father. This artful cross-genre blend runs seamlessly from old time country through various forms of pop and back again, and conjures up Hatfield’s Appalachian roots. He plays both the guitar and dobro parts. Their blend sounds so organic, it’s hard to believe they weren’t recorded at the same time. “Snowhill Variations” starts with an expressive neo-classical, followed by twelve variations. A beautiful journey on the solo nylon string guitar. Hatfield is back to duets in String Theory, these between his nylon string and mandolin. The title is a multiple entendre of many things, including (yes) modern physics. Hatfield combines the sharper, brighter mandolin tone with the warmer nylon sound to great effect. The record closes with the seven solo guitar movements of Borges and I, each titled for a particular short story by the Argentinian writer (as is the title of the suite). While continuing in a mainly classical vein, Hatfield blends in some jazz and pop ballad tonalities. Overall, this is a fantastic introduction to Hatfield’s music as well as a wonderful program in its own right. You can check more of his music at kenhatfield.com. One last note. Even in this digital age of streams and downloads, I recommend buying this CD in order to get the liner notes written by the artist, which are informative and entertaining.
“I went to see the musician, Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi of SoSaLa a few nights ago, and I must say, that I was totally impressed by his honesty and sincerity. That’s perhaps one of the things that is missing in many practitioners of the music. It was quite refreshing to experience his concert presentation. Billy Harper
PS. It is sometimes good to get “outside of oneself” and see what someone else may be experiencing about his music.”
