NYTimes.com Article: Clash, Then Synthesis: Joys of a Laptop Jam

A story on Share, a very cool NYC laptop music event, from today's NY Times:

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Clash, Then Synthesis: Joys of a Laptop Jam

By JOHANNA JAINCHILL

IN his native West Virginia, George Cicci arouses curiosity
when he gets on stage at local open-mike events and turns
out beats on his iBook laptop between sets of bluegrass
guitarists and rockabilly bands. While the crowd is always
receptive to the innovative sounds he mixes, he says, he is
still the only laptop musician around.

Last month he found a community of kindred spirits in
Manhattan, where he was a featured guest at Openair, an
East Village bar where dozens of laptop artists play
together each week in an open jam session.

Openair is an indistinct lounge at 121 St. Marks Place with
tinted windows and no sign. The door is barely noticeable
but for a few smokers gathered outside. Yet every Sunday
starting at 5 p.m., the bar draws performers with laptops
in tow to share their musical and visual creations,
composed or improvised.

"It's not far from a traditional music jam where people
bring instruments and play together in a band," said Geoff
Matters, 26, one of the event's founders. "It's just that
the instruments people are using are software and hardware
tools."
…

complete article available online at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/10/technology/circuits/10jamm.html?ex58942500&ei=1&en