Z.BRYANT • Input/Output » Ideas

Monk’s Mood

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 02:52:30 +0000

Steve Lacy, undisputed sultan of the soprano sax, played with some of the greatest jazz composers who ever lived. He sat with the likes of Charles Mingus, Herbie Nichols and Duke Ellington. His most celebrated contributions to the world of jazz, however, took place under the watchful shades of Mr. Thelonious Monk.

Below are a handful of gems from the scrawled notes in Steve’s notebook under the heading ‘Monk’s Advice (1968)’. The pithy remarks have relevance across all creative work — whether at the keyboard of a Bösendorfer or a Macbook Pro.

1. Just because you’re not a drummer doesn’t mean that you don’t have to keep time.

2. You’ve got to dig it to dig it, you dig?

3. Don’t play everything (or every time); let some things go by… what you don’t play can be more important than what you do play.

4. When you’re swinging, swing some more!

5. (What should we wear tonight?) Sharp as possible!

6. A genius is the one most like himself.

7. Stop playing all that bullshit, play the melody!

8. Always leave them wanting more.

Thanks to Hope for sending this along

Building for Tomorrow

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:21:26 +0000

I have long thought that a mark of true craft was the ability of an object to endure — and perhaps even flourish — with the passage of time. Baseball gloves, fine furniture and violins become more distinct and reveal the hidden genius of their construction as they age. Your experience with them is richer for their having been used before. It’s troubling to think that those of us who build objects for the web don’t share in this tradition.

I want this to change and I’m not sure how it can, but this seems like it might be a step in the right direction: Future Friendly.

The Business of Creativity

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:11:20 +0000

Three questions before taking on a project:

Can we make money from it?
We’re a going business. We have mortgages to pay. We have tuitions to pay for our kids. We’re not ashamed of making money.

Are we gonna be proud of it when we’re done?
There’s nothing that will break your heart faster than working three months on a project and then, when it’s all done, you’ve sold your soul and compromised and you don’t even want anybody to see it.

Can we learn something new?
That allows us to continue to grow in the skills that we have. It allows us to be better filmmakers and writers and coders and art directors. And it keeps things interesting.

From Bootstrapped, Profitable & Proud: Coudal on Signal vs. Noise