Avi Amon | Musician

I’m sure he didn’t come up with this, but still….

C, E-flat, and G go into a bar. The bartender says, “Sorry, but we don’t serve minors.” So E-flat leaves, and C and G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished, and G is out flat. F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough. D comes in and heads for the bathroom, saying, “Excuse me; I’ll just be a second.” Then A comes in, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and says, “Get out! You’re the seventh minor I’ve found in this bar tonight.” E-flat comes back the next night in a three-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says, “You’re looking sharp tonight. Come on in, this could be a major development.” Sure enough, E-flat soon takes off his suit and everything else, and is au natural. Eventually C sobers up and realizes in horror that he’s under a rest. C is brought to trial, found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of D.S. without Coda at an upscale correctional facility.

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I’m sure I’ll be posting photos and stories along the way (when I’m not in the wilderness) so check back if you’re into that kind of thing!

Have a healthy July/August, friends.

I’ve been trying to expand the breadth my musical experience lately, with the hopes of finding inspiration in things I’m not used to and learning from “the masters.”

I can’t think of a genre that I don’t listen to, but I’m talking about active listening.  Really understanding the music as an entire process. (side note - don’t you hate when you ask someone what music they’re into and they just say “oh you know, everything?” No I don’t know, actually.  Nothing wrong with liking everything, just be able to name a few artists or genres within that.  OK!?!?) Until high school, Classical music was just about the only thing we listened to in my house.  That and NPR.  And also I had an amazing rock collection.  Isn’t it weird that I didn’t have a girlfriend? 

Since I started playing jazz and listening to other stuff, I’ve unfortunately let that component slip beneath my radar, so I asked my Dad to help reintroduce it.  Here’s how the conversation went.  Roughly.

Me: Hey dad.  If you had time, I’d love if you could send me a new album once a week.  You know, music that YOU think is fantastic or important.  I’ll listen and analyze all week and then we can talk about it before you send me the next disc/file.

Dad: That sounds great.  I’ll send something over right now!

This week’s selection: Dmitiri Shostakovitch, Symphony No. 11
Go listen to this piece of music.  Immediately.  It’s absolutely brilliant.

And from my friend, Lyle: Alexander Borodin, Symphony No. 2
A beautiful, thematically driven work.  Nothing better than Russian Romantic composers….  Who also happen to be chemists.

Writing music is such a personal endeavor, but what makes me MOST “me” are the people in my life.  So I think I’ll open this up to everyone.  If you have any suggestions of music you think I should be listening to for my own personal development, send me an e-mail at avi.a.amon@gmail.com (with your tumblr name, if applicable) and I’ll add it to my study-list for the week!