James Hurt-Thirty-Five-Sixteen New Music Video

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Rhythm cycles are another way of composing music that emphasizes the musician's ability to navigate a syncopated terrain. Such cycles have been popularized both in North Indian Classical and South Indian Carnatic Music traditions. More than just a string of the basic note/rest durations as present in Western Music Theory conventions and composition, this practice encourages expansion of the composition arena when coupled with the basic conventions of theory (i.e. melody, harmony, and metrics/non-metrics).

Thirty-Five-Sixteen is a reductive rhythmic cycle that is part of a suite that was composed eleven years ago.

Almost everyone that was asked to play this particular cycle abandoned me on live performances which left me with the task of calling personnel to come and fill in at the last minute in addition to playing the part on the Instrument(s) in question. One good example that comes to mind was a performance at the Blue Note Jazz Club in the City (NYC). The Bass player walked out on the gig, and the drummer simply did not show. After showing the drummer the basic groove I was obligated to perform the bass parts for the remainder of the evening's performance thus rendering any attempts at challenging the rhythmic cycle of the composition with demonstrative soloing pointless. This was the beginning of a music journey that informed me of those who were capable of accepting change away from their comfort zone and those who just wanted to be left alone to do more reserved less challenging music for whatever reason. This invaluable insight also allowed me the freedom to express myself in this fresh new forum ( new to western ears). A great example is a performance that was done in Chinatown at Walker Stage. It was a three hour long presentation in which the musicians all seemed to start to go into a trance. That is precisely what I was hoping for-a change in the environment. The longer one performs music that serves as a doorway the more one is likely to succeed in opening the doorway for the listener rather than shutting them out with intellectualism. The creative music I want to share with the listener is based on the fractal nature of the cosmos and the natural laws that demonstrate the elegance of it.

Art, from my view should push the listener to challenge themselves and also allow them to loose themselves in the artistic moment ultimately resulting in a four-way interfacing of art, artist, listener, and environment. Some of the most studied artist at some point in their trajectory infuriated and even offended with their art. This represents a measure of success in one's artistic endeavor to exist in the moment. When viewed from this perspective it makes the events of the musical journey I have embarked on thus far seem on point at best.

Here we are taking the cycle out for a ride with Chris for the first time.
More to come.

Chris Eddleton-Drumset
James Hurt-Guitar