Gabe Gomez is a writer, radio show host & deputy director for the department of superfluous hyperbole (Southwest Office).
Topic: Diminished Fifth
I didn’t know what to expect from Sunday Service at the Church of St. John Coltrane in San Francisco. But it was there, at 27, that I first felt compelled to describe in words the cacophony of a 30-minute version of “A Love Supreme” into something equally meaningful.
There’s no definitive guidebook for music critique. There’s no blueprint or college course that can teach writers how to effectively capture a room full of noise without falling into an incomprehensible rant of expletives and onomatopoeia. The same goes for musicians who try to explain their music without any examination of their place within music history for fear of being labeled as derivative or stifled as part of some amorphous musical category.
Still, writing is at the core of music’s perseverance. Whether it’s librettos, liner notes, fan reviews on iTunes or converting a musical opus into a homily, writing about music is as instinctual as dialing up an ex-girlfriend after a long night of Jäger bombs. At best, the writing in this column will attempt to capture as much of the time and place that music inhabits as its ability to draw out our own character; the madness, the people, the places and the weather will play a part in this imperfect venture. From Norteño dives in southern New Mexico to bluegrass covens in the Four Corners, the sound that defines us will define the salvos landing on this site.
January 27, 2012 at 12:09 PM
Q&A
Reinventing Idol: An Interview with ‘American Idol’ Alum Crystal Bowersox
Live at Santa Fe Sol, Jan. 28
December 29, 2011 at 3:30 PM
‘These Go to Eleven’: Album Picks for 2011 and Hometown Accolades
"This list would not be complete without looking within our own music community..."
November 30, 2011 at 4:27 PM
Santa Fe Personalities
Trace Ingredients: Unadulterated New Orleans Funk from Milton Villarrubia’s Pollo Frito
"A drummer by training and trade, Villarrubia is among a cadre of progressive musicians in Santa Fe that question if not argue against the static underpinnings of music, its composition and consumption..."
November 28, 2011 at 12:48 PM
‘Crown of Coal’—A Sean Healen Album Review
"Healen captures our undivided attention...by working with some of the most important music producers currently in the industry..."
November 18, 2011 at 1:36 PM
Blow the Whistle: Vanessie Santa Fe Reinvigorates Live Local Music
Q&A with Jono Manson
November 14, 2011 at 3:16 PM
"...don’t we owe it to local musicians to be conscientious listeners?"
November 7, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Music Weekend: 64 Hours of Music In Santa Fe
"Baja Tacos selling Frito pies, santafe.com streaming the event live to the world, families and loved ones cheering on their favorite drummers…it was a great afternoon"
September 5, 2011 at 9:45 PM
Devil in the Details: Stephanie Hatfield & the Hot Mess
"Stephanie Hatfield and Hot Mess play a fascinating role in the theatre that is Santa Fe music..."
August 3, 2011 at 2:11 PM
DKB Fitness Boot Camp, Introduction
"Held on a Saturday, by Monday I was sore beyond any human measure thanks to the intro class..."
July 18, 2011 at 10:00 PM
Infamous: A review of Naiz Denae’s latest album
"The songs collected in Infamy, Denae’s first full-length album, vary in styles, tempos and degrees of complexity..."
July 11, 2011 at 10:13 AM
House On Fire: A review of Anthony Leon & the Chain’s forthcoming album
"Anthony Leon and the Chain’s new album is a collection of songs both broad in honky-tonk swagger and slick ambition."
July 6, 2011 at 1:04 PM
Commentary after "The Strange", Live on KBAC from El Farol
July 5, 2011 at 2:19 PM
Tiny’s and The Broomdust Caravan
"You can define a dive bar in hundreds of ways."
July 5, 2011 at 2:15 PM
An introduction to Oscar Hijuelos
"For a Latino writer there is little escape of an autobiographical chassis to build upon."
