JEFFERY KYLE HUTCHINS, SAXOPHONE
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What are you listening to?

3/5/2014

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It has been a while since I've posted a "What Are You Listening To?" so I thought I would share a few things that are on my playlist currently. All three of these artists below have been a big inspiration to me lately, and I am completely digging their music! Give their stuff a listen, and if you dig it too, support them! 
Lorde has been on repeat in my house for a couple weeks now. I am super impressed with this young artist - so refreshing to hear some real talent on the radio for a change. I am also in love with how weird she dances. I dance the same way... 
I recently had a friend introduce me to CocoRosie and instantly fell in love with their exotic musical style and the different vocal textures they create in their music. Classically trained musicians who venture out to make their own non-classical music often push the envelop the most! I'm a big fan!  
A Wisconsin native, Bon Iver is completely LEGIT. Buy their stuff immediately. Then buy it again. Then listen. On repeat. 
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What are you listening to?: Bob Reynolds Edition

9/11/2013

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In the last few weeks, I have been listening to quite a bit of Bob Reynolds. I first heard Bob play on a concert with John Mayer in 2007 and was really blown away! I wrote down his name at the concert so that I would remember to look him up when I got home; I have been a fan ever since. I have several of his albums, but Can't Wait for Perfect from 2006 is the one I have come back to the most often. In the last couple of weeks that I have returned to this album, I have been working my way through each chart transcribing it along with the solo and having a blast getting to know some really great music. I wanted to share some of Bob's playing for anyone interested. Buy his stuff here and support him! It is seriously groovin. 
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Rite of Spring 

5/29/2013

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Happy 100th Birthday to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring! Go celebrate with a riot! Also, check out this amazing video!
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What are you listening to?

4/24/2013

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Rzewski is one of my favorite composers, and this piece De Profundis is one that I find to be particularly moving. It is based on the work by Oscar Wilde of the same name, and this is a recent (2009) performance of the work by Rzewski himself. It is a shame that there is no video, as the work has some performance elements, but this recording is one of my favorites of this great piece!
I recently performed Mark Oliveiro's piece Baayami: From the Sky again (and have another upcoming performance in a few weeks) so I have been listening to quite a bit of Aboriginal music to get into groove of doing that work. The didgeridoo is an awesome instrument, and there are many great clips on YouTube of some awesome players killin it.
Moondog (Louis Hardin) is an interesting character and composer. He was blind, deliberately lived on the streets, and used to dress as the Norse God Odin. I think this album is awesome, and worth having a listen to! 
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What are you listening to?

3/21/2013

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I have been on Spring Break from school this week, and since I did not have many commitments it gave me lots of time to listen to some great things while I attempted to clean my house. On a side note: turns out you can not buy CD players anymore at stores like Target, Wal-mart, etc. Since my car and computer both crapped out, I have had no way to play CD's, which apparently does not matter to mass consumers anymore because that technology has a foot in the grave. Resorting to a pawn shop to find a basic CD player/boom box makes me feel old. And also slightly confused considering Target had record players? "Hang on to those CD's kids! Some day they will be worth something!" Said no one. 
If you have not seen Meredith Monk's film Book of Days yet, you need to GET. WITH. IT. If anyone wants to perform this piece with me, let me know ASAP. (In full costume, obviously). I call dibs on the tall black and white guy with the pointy fingers... and head.

Also check out Monk's piece Dolmen Music. It is some fantastic stuff.... And believe it or not, part of my regular playlist. I have subjected dozens of people to listen to this in entirety with me over the last six months or so. Bjork has also covered one of her songs, Gotham Lullaby which is pretty awesome as well.
...if you are paying attention, you will now begin ascension of the mind.
True words, Amy. This is a great song I first heard about seven years ago when Amy Steinberg played a show in Denton, TX. I still remember that show, it was a small venue and we got to hang out afterward which was fun times. I bought her CD. Support local music! 
I particularly like this orchestral piece, La Navette by James Dillon. It is such a shame orchestra's do not program new music very often (other than "pops" concerts, which are mostly not worth attending). I suspect it is unfortunately not in many concert goer's or performer's repertoire in the US. Totally worth checking out!
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What are you listening to?

3/14/2013

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Here are a few more fun things I have been listening to recently. Let me know what you think, and feel free to share something!
MOON HOOCH! This is seriously pretty cool. And it is ALL about the contrabass clarinet.
This piece, Press Release by David Lang is pretty popular these days. If you have not heard it yet, listen immediately. It is one of the most interesting solo pieces I've heard recently. There is also a bari sax version here. I was introduced to this piece from the movie Untitled. Lang's piece was the soundtrack for the entire movie. Not only was it very effective, but the movie was fantastic as well. Every contemporary artist and musician should see this movie! You can watch the trailer here.
fumms bo wo taa zaa?!
I recently performed this piece at a Renegade concert and while practicing it at home, I was always afraid my neighbors would think I was having a stroke. But I must confess, it is kinda catchy, and I have since caught myself saying it out loud as I'm walking somewhere, only adding to the worry of all who overhear.
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What are you listening to? 

3/7/2013

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In the last few weeks, I have had almost the same conversation with every one of my students regarding what music they are currently listening to. Almost all of them were caught off guard by the question and would usually reply with something along the lines of "A few people." or "You've probably never of them." I even had a student tell me his favorite band was Nickelback.... I shudder at the thought of the rest of his playlist.

A few months ago, I would have struggled to answer the same question. After my hard drive crashed last year, losing over 50GB of music, I had a very limited selection when it came to my personal listening. Then when the CD player in my car and the optical drive on my computer both stopped functioning about the same time, I was left stranded in silence. While I do buy songs from iTunes, a 50GB library is just not going to happen on my budget, especially when I obviously need a new round of technology upgrades. For the longest time I would only listen to the radio in my car, but while Top 40 songs and Classic Rock are enjoyable and at times even desirable, they are lacking in musical depth. For myself, I found that listening to only Top 40 radio music was not as fulfilling and did not move me in the way truly great music has the power to do. So with my limited amount of personal music, I turned to YouTube.

Although I have always listened to music on YouTube, I never took full advantage of this excellent resource. With more and more people uploading their own performances including many recordings that are otherwise unavailable, it should be taken as a very serious resource for listening. What worries me about my students is that they are growing and learning in a world with unlimited music access and not taking advantage of their place in history because they do not know what to type in the search bar.

I think as a performing musician, or just a creative person in general, it important to continually be exposed to different expressions of art. I will post some more videos in the future of music (and other things) I have found particularly interesting as of late, but here is a sample:




Bhimsen Joshi, Indian vocalist in the Hindustani classical tradition. His use of vocal inflection paired with the traditional instruments makes for some pretty interesting music. This was recommended to me by my mentor James Dillon, and I quite like it.
Arvo Part's Magnificat
Although not as popular as some of his other works, this piece is it for me. I find it to be particularly moving, and it has a nice video. 
"The individual is always comparing himself or herself to the mass media, preventing the individual growth of that person..."
A short interview with Laurie Anderson. Wise words...
Hopefully you will hear something for the first time, and whether you like it or not, I invite you to let me know what you think and to share whatever you are listening to! 
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    JKH

    Saxophonist, Artist,  Listener, Thinker, Teacher, Performer, Curator, Veggie, Reader, Lover of Contemporary Music

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  • ABOUT
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