Old Time Music, Libeskind, and John Zorn

While the Old Time Music Festival fiddles on in Berkeley, CA this weekend, across the billowing bay, composers and sound artists approach tradition at the new Contemporary Jewish Museum in the city of San Francisco in a very different way. In the 'yud' gallery, a "unique space featuring a 65-foot ceiling, 36 diamond-shaped skylights, and walls that converge at different angles," designed by Daniel Libeskind, John Zorn has curated a selection of new works by artists including Chris Brown, Z'ev, Lou Reed, Marina Rosenfield, Erik Friedlander, and Laurie Anderson (although Anderson's piece is situated in a different location from the other pieces). The laptop/electroacoustic pieces by Chris Brown and Marina Rosenfield were most engaging and made the best use of the spacial acoustics of architect Libeskind's fantastic space. They also seemed to attempt to make use of the spacializing possibilities offered by a the dimensions of the room. Others, like David Greenberger's narrative piece of music plus spoken word seemed to me as if they weren't especially exploring the specific problem of sound art. All in all, the exhibition is a rare work that focuses on the musical and sonic elements of the "sound" part of sound art. Traditional in theme, but contemporary in interpretation, micropop highly recommends a visit to the Aleph-Bet Sound Project, and has high hopes for future exhibits at the most exciting new museum in SF this year. And apparently, more works by Zorn himself are on the way...