Art Experiment with Merging of Biological and Natural Forms

Isosurface molecular representation

NIH VMD Tool for Molecular Visualization

source:
Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group
NIH Resource for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Inspiration for art experiment:

Concept:  Merge the molecular representations with sketches and create a visual art play on biological forms (micro and macro forms coming together).

Sketch:  (Sketch made while listening to music and attempting to create musical icons, impressions, wave-forms, tree-structures, etc.)  4/19/12.

This looks very organic to me, and seems to capture some "natural forms".  I created two letter forms, "C" and "D", and contemplated moving between the two chords in simple I-II pattern.

Sketch made while listening to Levon Helm, Pat Metheny, and Peter Kater

Next: Merge in Photoshop and play with various adjustment layers (trace outline, rotate, etc.)

Result:  The picture looks very organic and I can conjecture seeing the letters as "eyes" and some of the other isosurfaces as internal organs. This evokes to me a micro-macro mystery; it seems to be a peering directly into a completely imaginary biological world.

Levon Helm - In Memory

I heard that Levon Helm had passed away today. (4/19/2012). Another great musician passes through the portal.
"The Weight" is one of my favorite songs. Here John Hiatt is singing with Levon, on "Rumble at the Ryman" album.

Levon Helm on Spotify - from my "Grammy Preview" playlist from February

Link:
USA Today Article on Levon Helm

Summary of New Album Style - Invite for Collaboration

I'm excited about the new album "Passing Through The Portal", as this album brings to fruition better quality mixing techniques, that, I believe, delivers a better quality mix from my previous albums, and continues the further development of an experimental composition style that I like to call "neo-classical fusion". This style, in my mind, is a blend between jazz instrumentals, jazz chord progressions, modern rhythmic elements, and swelling soundtrack ideas.

The violin has been a somewhat neglected instrument in modern popular music, as the methods of constructing songs by taking lyrics and common chord progression patterns and then "jamming" into a useable tune, will create obstacles for many lyrical instrumentalists. This is because the vocal tracks will almost always take precedence over any other lyrical or melodic instruments. In short three minute song forms, this usually only leaves room for some quick licks from the guitarists. In competition with the guitar and violin for those licks, the guitarist will usually win. Nashville style songs will allow the violin to sneak in a few licks, but the violin usually does not contribute much to the overall melodic development.

In any event, I'm trying to give voice to the modern electric-violin style while blending with synthesizer sounds. I have always loved the synthesizer, but have rejected the mediocre MIDI "string" sounds. What I'm searching for is the balanced blending of the "natural string instrument" sound and the synthesized string sounds. This will hopefully become the accepted level of quality for the future. I believe the blending of analog and digital instrumentation will give us some more energetic and interesting music. I would like to hear this blending from more natural/traditional instrumentalists as well.

I'm always looking for music collaborators, so if you are willing to jump into a composition project, or even a remix project offered by Indaba Music, then please go to www.indabamusic.com and join me on an online collaboration project!

Album Purchase Available on Indaba Music

If you would like to purchase the new album, it is available from Indaba Music store, and will also be available on iTunes in a few days as well.

Thank you for your interest in this music, and I hope you enjoy it.

If you are interested in working with me on an online collaboration project, then please join Indaba Music and send me a message!

Royalty Free Music - Stock Music Library | Jamendo PRO

Play the new album here....

New Album to be released soon on iTunes and Indaba Music Store

Here's the artwork for the new CD Album "Passing Through the Portal" The release on iTunes and Indaba Music is pending will be available very soon. I'm excited to share this with everyone, and will be working on much more music this year. The western-folk trio that I perform with is also working on a recording, and I will be posting some new samples for this collection as well. This blog will become more active this year to keep track of everything that is going on, and hopefully everyone will enjoy as much as I do this music.

"Passing Through The Portal" digital cover

Jewel-case front and inside page

Jewel-case tray card

CDROM art Preview of the Album can be listened to now at: http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/109329