New Orleans-based jazz performer Jason Marsalis and his band recorded at the studios of MediaTech Institute in Austin. His set was nothing short of true modern jazz, with the young star playing both vibes and drum set. Local Austin favorite Kris Kimura of the Kris Kimura Quartet was also also on hand for sax and vocals.

[Images courtesy of Mac MacDonnell]

About Jason Marsalis
Shortly after graduation from NOCCA in 1995, Marsalis ascended to the drum throne of a new group lead by virtuoso pianist and former sideman for Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts. Despite a demanding touring schedule with Roberts, Marsalis furthered his educational goals by attending Loyola University in New Orleans, as well as studying composition with Roger Dickerson at Southern University.While Marsalis has worked with such international jazz luminaries as Joe Henderson and Lionel Hampton, he remains visible on the New Orleans scene as well, working with a diverse cross section of bands from Casa Samba (Brazilian) to Neslort (jazz fusion). He is also a co-founder of the Latin jazz group Los Hombres Calientes. In addition, he regularly hosts a local jazz jam where he plays vibraphone.The sense of style and tastefulness that Marsalis exhibits in his playing explains why is a highly sought after musician. This style has been well documented on recordings with artists such as the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Marcus Printup and Marcus Roberts to name but a few. He has also produced two albums under his own name, Year of the Drummer (1998) and Music in Motion (2000), as well as producing a reissue of his father’s earlier recorded work, Syndrome (1996). In addition, Marsalis is a respected clinician and an endorser of Fibes drums and Zildjian cymbals.

With each passing year Jason Marsalis continues to grow and develop as both a composer and performer. With a fire in his heart and a passion for the music, his will to swing has never been more resolute. The maturity of this young lion and the command he possesses over his instrument is clearly evident to those who have heard or seen him.

For more information about Marsalis visit www.JasonMarsalis.com

Double the stylus for double the fun, the R.A.K.E. allows you to drop simultaneously into two different grooves on the same record. Created by Randal Clayton (aka SaxManRan and DJ HornSolo) and friends from Dallas, Texas, the double stylus has been making it’s rounds among DJ sets including those by Questlove, Ghost, and DJ Spiderman. Hey Scratch DJ’s - don’t drool on the blog. Visit R.A.K.E.’s dedicated page for all the ooos and ahhs.

In other news, Mediatech Institute has recently announced that a Turntablism 101 class is being added to the course catelog for the Fall semester. Drop in at www.mediatechinstitute.com for more details.

About five years ago, I made my way through a crowded venue to score a good viewing spot at the Tortoise show. Being that the band had somewhat of an eclectic following, I expected the opening act to fall far from what would be considered mainstream. But during this particular show, the openers took the stage with only a fold-out table and two laptops.

I am a geek for the evolution of live music, but watching two people sit in sedation in front of a crowd of thousands seemed near criminal for a live setting. As much as I tried to focus my attention of the abstract sounds that took over the venue’s sound system, I couldn’t stop wondering if the duo was simply pressing the “play” button and nodding their heads in unison while sharing a online game of solitaire. Even if they were actually queuing up sampled loops, was that really a performance? Needless to say, I wasn’t very impressed. From that point forward my perception of the laptop performance would forever be skewed.

Flash forward to five years later and you’ll find a slew of software applications that make the laptop one of the most versatile instruments available on the market. Programs like Abelton Live, Reason, Traktor Scratch, and Serato Itch provide artists with live performance tools that rival the now seemingly antiquated two turntables and a microphone set-up.

Five years after first witnessing the awkward laptop performance during the Tortoise show, the evolution of digital music has found itself seated on the stage of New York’s famed Carnegie Hall. Eight students of Princeton University’s Princeton Laptop Orchestra (aka PLOrk) recently joined the American Composers Orchetra for a debut demonstration of a laptop performance that works.

Check out the PLOrk rehearsal footage, lead by composer Dan Trueman: