The Friday Informer: End of the Innocence

Your Friday Informer is off to spend a couple of weeks on mandatory R&R, briefly escaping the ruthless taskmaster that is the blinking cursor. Remember not to swim for at least 20 minutes after you eat, and I’ll see you back here on August 18.—MS

Photo of the Week Sonic Graffiti is Chia-Ying Lee’s thesis on collaborative music creation in an urban space. This blog lays out innovations such as a paint can that allows users to record and “spray out sounds along with paint.” Other devices set up ways for the public to listen to the music when they pass by the graffiti.

• I hear dead people.
  [via artsjournal]
• No one likes a minimalist: Microsoft “dramatically improves” Apple’s design philosophy.
• Shocking advertorial secrets in classical music magazine revealed! (Gasp of idealistic music fans audible.)
• Your chance to get nostalgic for all the records you never actually made.
• Jazz blogger needs help: Name this dude’s new kitten.
• Vintage instruments now take up considerably less attic space.
  [via fredösphere]
• What’s cooler than a purple metallic horn-looking device hanging from the ceiling? Try 60…and permission to play.
  [via disquiet]
• For Philip Glass: Two hours long and nothing to do with Phil.
• This guy is obviously wacky, but I think this guy is actually padded-room committable.

***To be clear, there is nothing remotely funny about this entry, but it’s all over the blogosphere this week and your Friday Informer would have felt remiss not calling attention to it. Beirut resident and free improv artist Mazen Kerbaj recorded Starry Night on the balcony of his flat last week. You can find excerpts of the recording here. That’s Kerbaj on trumpet; bomb blast accompaniment courtesy of the Israeli Air Force.