Jason Rosado

One of the unexpected pearls of knowledge and wisdom I’ve come across since being at ITP are all the new alternative music controllers/creators being developed out there.

Some part of it certainly has to do with the Program’s NIME class which is very popular and downright entertaining (mindblowing, even).

Lots of fellow students are playing with the Monome (see below) which is a much cheaper version/concept of the Tenori-On also below. Check out the alt. guitar type devices, one of which was created for the NIME class by Paul Rothman.

Then, of course, to top it all off is Nullsleep, at forefront of the vanguard for new music controllers and musicianship. One of the fathers(?) of 8 bit music (also known as ChipTunes), NullSleep (aka Jeremiah Johnson) hacks into the sound cards of old Nintendo Gameboys in order to create new music. Check it out!

MK 1 MIDI Guitar at ITP NIME 2009 from Aaron Cael on Vimeo.

Here is my all time favorite Salsa jam. This song, “Lloraras” by Oscar D’Leon of Venezuela is sure to pull me to the dance floor every time the first few few bars play through the speakers… Written in 1975, the brass section of this song has been a formidable influence in the history of my salsa dancing. But it’s the lyrics, without a doubt, that have been just as compelling to my enjoyment.

por tu mal comportamiento te vas a arrepentir
y en vano tendras que pagar todo mi sufrimiento
lloraras y lloraras sin nadie que te consuele
asi te daras de cuenta que si te engañan duele

This song is replete with the self confident braggadocio of a man telling a woman how she is going to cry when she realizes what she had, how she is going to regret her bad behavior and her deceipt. “Lloraras” literally means “you are going to cry,” and D’Leon clearly is reminding his woman of his resolute belief that what goes around comes around. D’Leon’s lyrics exclaim his current worth as a man and the darkness of this woman’s future without him. “Lloraras” is the good Latin man’s version of “I Will Survive.” Check it below.

Here are some more of my favorite salsa jams in YouTube format for your viewing and dancing pleasure!

The Stealth Project at ISEA 2009 from NOVA on Vimeo.