Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Potentially Interesting Places.

This is one of several challenges I'm placing before myself this year: Once a week, I'm recording a performance for anyone who comes here and presses the play button. I make a lot of music, the vast majority of which never leaves my home. I'm about to loosen the spigot for the first time in a while, probably alone, probably unplugged and certainly in places where performances do not typically occur. Being on stage tends to be comfortable; it's the rest of the world where I feel ridiculous. My hope is to find a new location every week that is beautiful or awkward or scary and a way to be resourceful about recording a single take. That's it. One song, one take, once a week, a new place each time.

Please send feedback, requests, ideas, anything short of explosives, really. As far as I'm concerned, this is a fun art project, and I'd love if it was interactive.

... And on that note, here's my first go at Potentially Interesting Places. A new song of mine called, "The Opposite of Love" recorded in a place more beautiful than scary, a driveway in Closter, NJ. It's the first one... no major challenges, just a pretty place.


Songs in Potentially Interesting Places #1 from Cristina Bautista on Vimeo.

5 comments:

  1. Love it!!!, About the only improvements I can suggest is to try to crop it a little tighter with less car noise. As intimate as this performance is....perhaps add a little more comentarty on the song selection, and location.

    Great job Cristina!

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  2. Thanks, Bob! Regarding the cropping and noise, part of the project for me is about location, so I tend to want to keep a wide a view where possible. The other part of this project meant to shake me is having to be resourceful, making these videos "quick and dirty" - one take, one camera, no additional equipment, no tripods or friends to hold the camera or anything. As such, I have a feeling the noise thing will be a continual challenge. I want it there as part of each setting, but I will always have to battle it to some extent, too. However, as locations and situations become more varied, I'll be sure to have more commentary regarding each place! What sort of song info would you like? I'd love to throw that into future installments for sure.

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  3. I think a quick comment or two about the song and the feelings / mindset that existed during its composition would be fascinating......

    This project is a great idea.

    On a bit of a tangent...Remember the film "The Jerk"?
    "You belong to Me" was the duet sung between Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters... I had a bit of a daydream today of your voice and ukulele doing this song.... it was priceless.

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  4. Approved.

    Quite soulful, Miss Cristina. And it is indeed a pretty place.

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  5. I really like your version of the song "the space between". would it be possible for you to share the chords you use in it for us beginning uke players? Thanks.

    ~Dave

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