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EDWARD JACOBS

Author: Ed Jacobs

  • Thursday, April 8, 2021

    Still struggling to catch up with lots of things, and this blog is falling way behind. First, a little mosaic of Jackson and his reading progression…

    • checking my chart
    • a little relaxed reading
    • screaming…
    • planning the next vacay
    • looking to the future!

    Very exciting news for us, to say the least.

    The other news involves a move for Pattie and I. Lots of components to the story, but the bottom line is that we’ll relocate to Raleigh in early/mid-June, with Pattie’s mom to join us in the months following. Lots to do between now and then, of course, not the least of which is packing up this Greenville home and preparing it for a sale. We’ve begun the process over the past weeks, emptying a few rooms now, patching/painting as needed, moving lots of boxes out to the garage so that the house is not filled with ’em while we show the place. This weekend will likely work on emptying out the attic…

    Really very pleased to report that a few good friends and younger colleagues are having deservedly great success on the job market this year. The market is so very tight, but I’m happy that these two fine teachers, composers, are getting offers. Good news when good people move ahead a bit; the schools that hire them, the students that get to work with them, will all be so rich for this move they’re making.

  • Friday, March 26, 2021

    So very much to update, but today we’ll just go with the most important element.

    First, our Jackson (and his folks) is loving the spring temps, enjoying lunch with his best buddies at the Bronx Zoo.

    Then, a great way to make an announcement…

  • Monday, March 22, 2021

    A day at the Bronx Zoo for this animal lover!

  • Friday, March 19, 2021

    So nice to hear from friends, colleagues, and former students in response to posts about the recordings coming out. Chris Grymes doing a great job of getting the word out, largely using FaceBook and his OpenGRecords.com site, where he’s a beautiful design to attract the reader.

    Perhaps one of the best treats was a phone call from a student from my first years here at ECU. Bill’s a bass player and just a guy who’s curious about lots of things. He’d taken some classes with me, then wanted more so signed up for an independent study in electronic music–to learn, but also to just hang and talk. He lost his dad while in school, and it was very difficult for him; I was able to easily relate. He still plays, but it’s all part of a wonderfully balanced life; his work is with the DEA, his play is music, and he’s married, with a toddler and an 11 year old step son. It was such a pleasure to hear from him, to catch up, and to hear him reminisce about his days here, and the wonderful relationships he formed.

    More changes coming to our world (Pattie/me), but I’ll save that for another post. But no post complete without some Jackson–

    Loves his animals, this guy
    Tall enough to get into trouble now!

  • Thursday, March 18, 2021

    It’s been a bit of a long stretch, and a very busy Feb-March bringing this project to the finish line, but new recordings of my music are now available on Open G Records.   “Addressing Wonder” is the title of the collection (and one of the pieces), with fabulous performances by wonderful friends and incredible artists: Sharon Harms (soprano), Steven Beck (piano), Hannah Levinson (viola), Chris Gross (cello), and Amanda Gregory (soprano), recorded by Adam Abeshouse, produced by Chris Grymes.  The artwork is by Chris Glass—I’d not realized how much the ‘look’ sets the scene for a listening, and I just love Chris’s imagery and design.  The four pieces included span from 1996 to 2017, and I’ve found this entire process an interesting means to learn about my own development and growth.

    So, here’s a eye/ear peek:  www.opengrecords.com/addressing-wonder

    We’re going all-digital on this release, though in a few weeks I’ll produce a few dozen physical copies and send around until I run out—I promise.  It won’t be a CD (does anyone still use ’em?), but it will be a physical artifact. Send me a note if you want one. If digital’s ok, then cdbaby, Applemusic, Spotify, i.e., the usual suspects, will all have it available by tomorrow, I believe. (CDBaby’s the only outlet allowing highest fidelity recordings, I’m told.)

  • Sunday, March 14, 2021

    A podcast with Chris Grymes from 2014, just after he began doing lots of interviews.

    And another from a week ago.

  • Saturday, March 13, 2021

    Big news; but first, the images of the morning; a grey sky, and dolphins fishing…

    Each day brings its own artwork, doesn’t it?
    Dolphins doing their morning fishing

    ____________________________

    And finally we’re nearly at finish line of getting the recordings of “Addressing Wonder” out into the world. Chris Grymes, my dear friend who founded and makes Open G Records function, has kicked into high gear over these past few weeks, pushing us over the line about a week from now. While Adam Abeshouse puts the finishing polish on the recordings, we’ve finished all the notes for the collection, the artwork is complete, and we’re almost there.

    The artist/designer, Chris Glass, has just been a joy to work with. Creative, open, responsive, and sensitive to lots of different input; I could not imagine a better partner in this part of the process. Chris Glass and Grymes have worked together since the beginning of Open G, and I understand why Grymes keeps this relationship central to the image of the label.

    Below is the ‘cover’ of this collection of recordings:

    Each of the squares represents one of the four pieces in this collection; The notes about each piece beginning with this image. The design of each of these pages is also so appealing because of the s p a c e he uses throughout. Just so easy on the eye.

    This entire project has really been a wonderful part of a long relationship with a dear friend. Years ago Chris recorded a few other of my pieces, on Open G’s first release, “A Function of Memory.” He’s since released four more recordings, and “Addressing Wonder” will be the label’s sixth release. Chris, throughout the span of this project, from conception over two years ago through next week, has been so supportive, such a booster when I needed it, such a dear friend. Friends are really the best gift, no?

    Here are the general notes for this collection:

    More to come in the days ahead. For those with Facebook, Chris is putting things out bit by bit on https://www.facebook.com/opengrecords

  • Friday, March 12, 2021

    The pleasant relief of being back in Surf City for a few days.

    So much has been going on my little corner, lots to digest. All good, just feeling a need to rest and process a bit. TGIF.

  • Wednesday, March 10, 2021

    Always getting the day off to a great start with Jackson

    serious cute, right there, no?

    _________________________

    Yesterday I gave a presentation on some of my music to the young composers at UMass/Amherst. A few undergrads, a few grad students, and two faculty. One of those faculty was Sal Macchia, my first composition teacher, and someone who was an enormous influence. As I came to realize while speaking to these folks, UMass was really a huge influence for me, with many kind, supportive, and gifted faculty and colleagues there to nurture, encourage, and teach me important lessons of all types.

    The session went fine, I think. I did try something a little bit new for me, arising out of my dissatisfaction with “zoom” conferences, and the ways in which the meeting leader has control over things that could engage audiences more effectively if given over to them. So I created a webpage with links embedded to materials, and also questions for participants to answer (in the hope of engaging a bit more–fail), and a general outline of what I’d cover. edwardjacobs.org/umass is that page; it’s a good first shot at improving things.

    I wasn’t able to share any of the recordings which are forthcoming, as they’re not yet ready. But here is the “cover” of the four-piece collection we’re calling “Addressing Wonder.”

    I really love the colors, the imagery, and the general design created by Chris Glass. I find it warm and inviting, and I’m so happy to have it associated with my work. The idea expands, which each of the blocks above associated with one of the tracks on the collection. Will offer more soon…

  • Monday, March 8, 2021

    Yesterday was just beautiful; sparkling and crisp. Gerald, my neighbor here in Greenville, has a new bike and, as a rider for many decades, now wants to use this bike as much as weather permits. So I get lots of invitations to join him and his School of Arts compadres for rides. Yesterday there were six of us, and we rode out to “little” Washington, NC, strolled the waterfront, and returned. A great afternoon ride and social spell.

    ________________

    The balance to this afternoon of sunshine was the arrival of news that a dear teacher/mentor has passed. Marty Boykan was a long time prof at Brandeis, and a visiting prof at Columbia during my second year there. I worked with him that year, and he was a truly unique person/musician/influence. It’s clear from the many remarks and testimonials on Facebook that many agree, and many generations have felt his influence.  His musicianship and teaching were eerily akin to what I experienced with Andy Imbrie at Cal—just astounding levels of ability, hearing, perception, and perspective on macro- and micro-levels.  Marty, was also so personally engaging and outgoing, and I so appreciated every smile, wry comment, slice of sarcasm, that accompanied generally musically-centered conversations. 

    A dear friend noted that Marty’s passing made him feel strangely abandoned, a sentiment I understand.  All of my teachers from Columbia and Berkeley are now passed, and one remains from UMass (he’s now 74).  Perhaps interestingly, he was my first teacher.  I’m more grateful than ever that we’re still in touch.  Actually, tomorrow night I am to present some tunes to his studio up there.  It feels more important than ever to express my gratitude for the things he taught me.