BEIRUT

Every once in a while I mention music and politics. Well, here comes again. I don't know if you're aware of what's going on in Palestine, but Israel has taken over almost all their territory. If you take a look to a picture of Palestine and the Israeli occupation, this is what you'll see

Anyway, the relation with music comes here...very abstract, or maybe not?
Last Thursday (May14) a new hospital for Palestinian refugees was inaugurated in Beirut (Lebanon), and as a coincidence, I just got a great concert of the band Beirut. They performed in February @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg and I missed them because it was sold out, but things come to me when they're supposed to, and I'll share them with you, so here's a part of Beirut's beautiful concert, but before you click, think about all the interesting things they do with fusion (to give you an idea, here's a quote from their myspace: "a trumpet from Paris, farfisa organ, accordion, piano, ukelele, mandolin, glockenspiel, violin, cello, tambourine, The air powered organ I bought on twelth street, Congo drum donated from the neighbors....A broken microphone stolen from the university of new mexico...."), in this concert they even covered "Brazil". I wish the same would happen in real life

Watch the full concert at baeblemusic.com

HUMMING ANNULS LOUDNESS

So here's the deal. I'm obsessed with New York's loudness. It really affects me, and I think it's probably affecting my hearing. The train, the sirens (ambulances and firetrucks), trucks, motorcicles, people, jackhammers, etc... Everything's loud, and although it's almost unbeliaveble that we can still hear the birds singing, I've got a tip for you; hum when it's loud.
"Humans have a small muscle in the middle ear that contracts upon hearing loud sounds. Pulling that chain of bones makes ears less efficient sound conductors. humming causes this contraction inside the ear, so sounds from the enviroment aren't as potent, providing a natural defense. If you are walking past a loud construction site or find yourself under a low-flying airplane, hum until the noise is over."
This is a quote from an article featured this month in "Making Music" magazine.