Hamza El Din

A great World Treasure while he was alive.

A world of Nothing but Traditional Musics

Pictured is just section of our world music recordings.

In the past at our North American Embassy, or now at our Austronesian outpost, visitors have been surprised that our recording archives consist of far more ‘world music’ than contemporary western music. Likewise when we were sponsoring the radio show ‘The Wandering Medicine Show’ on KXLU for 8 years, many were surprised or offended I didn’t play the latter music (or their own).
Our own experiences playing within the LA punk scene infused a great appreciation of music that comes about spontaneously as opposed to being manufactured. Let it be known that it was the only option available to perform my music live, especially in front of an audience that did not need to be ‘educated’ in it to appreciate it. 70% of that music done at that time might not even fit with present days definitions of “punk” but that spirit informed it. It had less influence from the outside than one might conceive and should be seen as one of the indigenous music movements that occurred in LA, this one in the late 70’s up to the mid 80s. The important thing was it nature of it as a ‘spontaneous’ movement, a ‘free improvisation of a genre’ on a truly large scale. Such things happened and continue to happen in other places and times. Such spirits still continue to rumble under out feet often when we least expect it and in the most likely locales. The true history of music lies in the madness of such spontaneous movements.
When we think of traditional music we have finally gotten to a point we recognize that it is not a child that has been kept in a suspended animation without growing and changing. The amount and frequencies of these changes has come in every form one can possibly imagine. Each tradition its own history. What can be defined as being a traditional music though is in it being informed by its past and/or by the artifacts existing in the present of the culture. In this sense, experimental music is another traditional music, modern traditional or traditional modern (or post-). If viewed this way, it is the largest ethnic collection represented in our collection.
One might argue that it is the most varied but I would caution this might be from our cultural perception/prejudges. Jung pointed out that the lack of perceived differentiation is a sign of something being unconscious.
It does appear to myself that the west have a tradition of ‘schisms’,
Which seem to have increased to more and more rapid succession. With these often it is history itself that is often repressed. The repressed on the other hand often institutionalized omits what it cannot “explain” historically or possibly technologically. Schisms regardless “cut off’ information, from past and future, and even from the near and far. Never before have we had such a proliferations of genre labels that approach a higher proportion to the number of actual practitioners. Already we find that an artist might have to use 7 genres to define what they do.
The problem is what is left out, what walls are being constructed in the culture. It is a form of segregation and designates what one cannot do. The result often is a constant reinvention without much addition. While we may recognize that the spirit is different possibly this is a cultures’ way of assimilating the multiple meanings of actions. A time of reflection as opposed to growth. One should expect such periods but not by such means. It becomes a cycle one cannot escape
As much as one culture might say that anything is now possible, I am amused by just exactly what they do not and can not reach found somehow. That culture has its inclinations no less restricted than many of the others. The concept of “evolution” is a dangerous one in regard to music, as if everyone will do what the west will or has done. A real understanding points how a music will develop along the lines that it can, but does do so regardless of the limited means. Someone paraphrased something I said that music is something that does

What all traditional musics offer is the result of a ‘collective cultural imagination’. It is for this a focus on all the various forms human imagination has fruitfulness

Francisco and the cosmic beam

Some stray Micro-rants

The rejection of anything results usually of what Jung might refer to as an enantiodromia. Something that turns into its opposite.

I will state that the movement that started off rejecting ‘ entertainment’ now might be relying on it. Not that I have any objection to entertainment.

Entertainment has been given a bad rap. Frankly if it wasn’t entertaining, I wouldn’t bother listening to it, especially twice, and there is much there is really is no reason to bother. It is the lack of superficiality that makes something entertaining to myself and will propose also to others. Dylan understood this aspect and claimed he was nothing but an entertainer. All the great filmmakers have no problem being entertaining.

There is something puritanical by basing ones direction by what one is not going to do. Whether beats, melodies, tones, chords scales, texture. humor, tonality, comprehension. It is absurd to pretend that good music hasn’t been done using these. What is interesting musically is what one does. There is already a history before that already left all the above out. Those who insist on the process of elimination, in the end don’t seem to like music at all. There are these individuals too it must be acknowledged. Psychologically stems from the fear emotions solicit as just something one cannot control. The escape is then toward scientific materialism. Safe but quickly exhausting of sustained interest.

It seems if one is going to use an instrument completely outside the scope of its historical use. Then there is absolutely no reason to us it at all. One then has the opportunity to invent instruments that make those sounds. Otherwise one is resorting to acrobatics which I have always found one of the lower forms of entertainment. Cleverness is one of the easiest things to degenerate into surface.

Too much attention is placed to fulfilling a genre, modern. This is a form of partisanism and outside the surface is conservative in defer all to a group mind. Let us remind our selves of Popper’s observation that the group ego has done more harm than the individual one. There are those who refuse to step outside it boundaries to be themselves. The world has changed tremendously in the last 40 years. How is it the spirit behind it can remain the same.

Music is filled with some wonderful craftsmen who have accomplished much without ever having once to think or experience sound like an artist.

Those that pride themselves on not having to no longer rely on the ear might resemble what Aliester Crowley referred to as a ‘blind person trying to gain sight by becoming blind drunk’.

That postmodern dictum = a work is to be a comment on the field itself is a formula of works to have no interest outside of practitioners. Hence a form of segregation instituted by the very language it attempts to describe.

Having my First Poem Read

It is funny to have ones first poem read out loud by another. But this is what is happening as Mark So includes one of my experiments with goggling phrases in a composition of his. I don't know if this also qualify as 'lyrics' but i doubt he is singing it. for those in LA it occurs.......

01.24.09 (sat) 8pm
tavolacci/hildestad/chen play wolff/thut/so
the wulf.
1026 s santa fe ave #203 (entrance on sacramento st)
la ca
$0

christine tavolacci, orin hildestad and carolyn chen perform my new piece 'readings 28—is google hiding something?' [after kraig grady] (2008)
(w/mark so - reader)

in a program of music by christian wolff, stefan thut and myself

http://thewulf.org

here is the poem regardless
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Is Google Hiding Something?
Are you hiding something?

But are we hiding something?
How long until you're hiding something?
Are Your Documents Hiding Something?
Hiding something after it is printed but not before
Was Shakespeare Hiding Something?

Are you hiding something in the Cabinet?

Did you ever want to hide something from prying eyes, yet were afraid to do so in your home
Are you hiding something about yourself you are ashamed of revealing? Are your neighbors hiding something?
What is this? Your Spouse Hiding Something?
Is my husband hiding something?
Is he hiding something or am I just paranoid ?
wait i love you but I feel like you are hiding something from me.
YOUR HIDING SOMETHING CAUSE ITS BURNING THROUGH YOUR EYES

Is Obama hiding something from his college days?
IS SARAH PALIN HIDING SOMETHING
Is The Government Hiding Something?
I imagine they're hiding at least as much as any government on the face of the planet and for similar ...
Is the CIA hiding something about 9/11?
They're Hiding Something
Of course they're hiding something.

Are Chemtrails hiding something about our war with Planet X ?
the administration is Hiding Something
I agree - they are hiding something - in the open.
Hiding something in plain sight is a variant of the invisibility defense

Something is hiding in my iPhone.


"He Who Yells Loudest is Usually Hiding Something"


Yes, your friend is hiding a lot of things. There’s stuff boiling there that she is trying to ignore.
Jessica Simpson is Hiding Something

Hiding from something dangerous, or dangerous things hidden:
JOHN AND CINDY McCAIN ARE HIDING SOMETHING FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BEWARE: these same cockroaches are running and hiding as if someone has switched on the lights.
The Snakes are hiding Something!'

The creep is hiding something and we as the PEOPLE of this country demand action. Two-thirds think Bush administration hiding something because he's hiding something and we wanna know.
As good as he is at hiding things you would think he could never get caught doing anything, and whatever they do happen to find must only be a miniscule fraction of what is really there

Bush Denies ‘Hiding Something’ From New Spy Czar; public gestures, voice patterns, facial characteristics scream out,
He's hiding something, make no mistake about it. And it's BIG.
But our new National Intelligence Director’s office in the White House, “Mad mullahs hiding something”?

Is John Edwards Hiding Something?
I heard that he was hiding the sausage.
but Blizzard's hiding something
“Blair’s hiding something from us”
Could Bill Ford Jr. be Hiding Something?
Those statements pretty much scream that he is hiding something
Lack of evidence could mean Iraq's hiding something.

Is the Catholic Church hiding something?
If they are truly hiding something, it will eventually come out and we'll be crucified.

Are the Masons hiding something or is this fake?
Men who have beards are hiding something!
The Organization Is Hiding Something .

Davao Medical School Foundation Is Hiding Something.
"It looks like they're protecting someone or they're hiding something,"
The Surgeon Is Hiding Something!!!!
BlueTie is hiding something
Hell yes he was hiding things
Lil’Wayne is hiding something
Nancy is Hiding Something

I knew Hello Kitty was hiding something. something's hiding in here. black layer hiding something

I honestly think that Sam is hiding something. Wal-Mart is hiding something and is striking back by hiding other discounts until Thanksgiving day.


The Librarians are hiding something.
The Deception one-sheet may be hiding something.
No one is that 2-dimensional.


I wish I had something worth hiding.
To hide something in multiple contexts, "Something worth hiding," he clarified carefully. "Something to make all the hiding and repressing worth it." The unwilling-unable distinction is like the difference between purposely hiding something from others and unconsciously hiding something from yourself
If they came up against a barrier, however effective, I would already be guilty of hiding something - which I'm not. There is no reason for someone to lie, unless they are hiding something.
I've noticed that hesitation is one of the early signals to me that I'm hiding from something or behind something. "I'm hiding something very, very scary about me. About what I am and who I represent and what I did."I think Peter is hiding something and it has absolutely nothing to do with poker . something's hiding deep inside.

I’m always hiding something. Shit I'm doing it right now.

he had once again thought of hiding something else in the same (unusual) place. a place suitable for hiding something (such as yourself)

Is Burma Hiding Something?
If you must hide something there, at least camouflage it. Think about where you would hide something if you were sure someone was coming looking for it, then hide it someplace else. I'm in agreement that hiding something might need to happen before you add it
Gitmo Terrorists Hiding Weapons in their ...Hiding something in their Quran probably happened about once or twice.
Security researchers note that simply hiding something doesn't make it a threat, but they are experts in detecting when someone is deliberately hiding something and are training machines to recognize human emotions. Police must be hiding something under the rug by physically hiding something from someone in our home like food, cigarettes, drugs, and money.


I don’t even think it’s a matter of hiding something.

The Bitrilobite/ New instruments

Here are two instruments, the top a continuation of the scale of the lower. Having to replace the stands left at our North American branch offered the opportunity to design a way in which they might work together besides separately by having them at slightly different heights. Still unpainted, it was built with the shipping cases ( and even the screws!) it came with. Possibly wheels will be added. I am quite surprised how it is quite playable still within a good reach in the low register. It satisfied my yearly pattern of working on New Years day on an instrument regardless of the before evenings celebratory experiences.
For those interested in such technicalities, the upper instrument carries out my Meta-Slendro scale out another 12 places, beyond the 22 tone point which one would normally stop at. This adds some options as keeping open the possibility of taking it out to 36 places if another like instrument is found. Such thing happens as Wilson's 22 Eikosany which now has the full 36 tones . An instrument began in 1963, there was finished in 2007

The meaning of the first 54 of 108 secret Anaphorian signs that cannot be shown to the uninitiate.

1. The extensions of ones vision beyond the horizon.
2. The name of the language of birds.
3. That which brings forth that which already existed in a different form.
4. What determines color, form and fragrances of fruits and flowers.
5. That which causes the warmth of exhaling and the coolness of inhaling.
6. The gap between two realms.
7. That which causes two to come together.
8. What causes springs to appear or to be replenished.
9. The source of breezes and winds.
10. The propulsion that opens holes in the earth.
11. A lightness that holds one in the air when flying.
12. The cultivator of clouds that imitate the shapes below.
13. The designing curvedness of the path that foils the unbending straightness of evil.
14. What give metals the power to remember their shape and determines the flow of melting wax.
15. The agitator of landslides and avalanches.
16.The password of the gateways found on the ridges of mountains
17. The abode of the spirits of laughter.
18. The glyph to the alphabets of stars.
19. The insignia woven on gloves allowing one to enter mirrors.
20. The whisperer that unbinds those universal conclusions.
21. The briefest period of time reversal accomplishable.
22. The intended locales of echoes and other resonances.
23. What is responsible for impurities to be extracted and consolidated elsewhere.
24. How the will of the puppet is revealed to the puppeteer.
25. A canopy that subdues the glare of the unfathomable.
26. The motion preserving freshness throughout an environ.
27. That which recruits supporting material to our endeavors.
28. That which nudges one toward the correct direction, which points out the overlooked, what hides as close as possible to the edge of discovery and can likewise reconstruct what is now lost.
29. Pertaining to the times of early evening and predawn.
30. That which partitions discoveries to manifest simultaneously in remote locations.
31. One of many points of inception of forewarnings and the suggestive
32. The challenger that prompts one to discard the easily attainable.
33. The messenger behind the visitation of unusual animals.
34. That which cause a sudden stillness to pass over one
35. To invoke plants to spawn in one’s garden unplanted.
36. That which informs by dreams.
37. The molder of the flowing layers in the earth and the arranger of stones formations or to tip them upright.
38. The ability to prevent things from burning and makes phosphorescent signs appear in waves
39. The distributor of constellations
40. That which fascinates the paths that others unintentionally shun
41. The imprinter in the bark and knots of trees of the image of the enlighten
42. The library of all that is knowable.
43. The giver of the signs that connect powers acquired by devotion and unselfishness.
44. The array of colors found only in auras.
45. The planter and maintainers of sacred groves.
46. That which allows the dead and living to converse and gives the ability to speak dead languages and to cause secrecies to be known.
47. The root of the powers of sacred solids and magnetism and the forger and instiller of the powers of gems.
48. The name of the assistant in the preparing of rituals and sacrifices.
49. That which can start and control fires and keeps an unshielded candle for going out in heavy winds.
50. The name of the calendar of long durations.
51. That which enables one to put together that which has been broken and reconcile opposing forces.
52. That which overcomes dispersion, dissipation and dissolve hindrances and to silence the obscene.
53. The voices of stirring brooks.
54. The craftsman of remedies