Jesse Stacken on his Messiaen Project

Here's an interview with pianist, composer, and all-around music lover Jesse Stacken. He is currently involved with his Messiaen Project, where he writes a piece every week using the compositional techniques of the modernist master composer Olivier Messiaen. Recordings of the pieces are posted weekly on his blog.

The interview is great, and Jesse's honesty and openness about his creative process is really refreshing. I particularly enjoy his perspectives on musical influences, the effects of social media, and the struggle to stay true to your own creative instincts.

"At the end of the day, I guess I try not to worry about what others think or what others are doing, and just be myself, with myself, experiencing the beauty of nature, and allowing what I love to be apart of the music I create. It’s not always easy to do that, but a little struggle and discomfort is good."

Old Time Musketry at Pete's Candy Store tonight!

OTM is playing our first show in Brooklyn since our tour last month. The tour helped to solidify an album's worth of new music which we will hopefully be recording soon. We will be on a bit of a hiatus after this show, as I'm getting married next week, and our drummer Max Goldman is on tour with dance music legends Midnight Magic for a while.

SO COME CHECK US OUT TONIGHT!! That's at Pete's Candy Store at 9pm.

John Zorn at 60

Just listened to the Fresh Air interview with John Zorn. A glimpse into the mind of an intensely focused and driven individual.