Lyle Mays and friends explore music based on physics equations, Feynman’s speech patterns and more, using improvisation, algorithmic composition, live video mixing, and a custom designed linked laptop network while Jon 9 performs live video mixing on a souped-up Hippotizer… Part of the TedX CalTech event in Pasadena, CA in 2011.

EQUIPMENT:
Hippotizer HD with an HD-SDI input card
Panasonic digital image mixer
Panasonic remote control camera (1080p)
Barco ScreenPro II
Samsung Blu-Ray
1080p digital signal path throughout

“One of the most intriguing events in jazz this year…”

LINK TO FULL ARTICLE:

Jazz, Math, Tech & Lyle Mays

Joseph VellaFounder, Vella Interactive, Jazz Online & boomitude

What do you get when the IT Department is the band? Jimmy Branly (drums) is a recording engineer. Andrew Pask (woodwinds) is a programmer who works for Cycling 74 (the company which makes the brilliant MAX software), Bob Rice (guitar and sounds) is a sound designer/engineer/synth programmer, Tom Warrington (bass) is a math wiz, Jon 9 (visualizations) designs, builds, and provides content for video installations, and Rich Breen could build (and nearly has built) recording studios MacGyver style. And what kind of music should one make when Stephen Hawking is in the audience at CalTech? Jazz alone doesn’t cut it.

(excerpt)

…All through this, our sixth band member, Jon9 on video, was improvising using photos from the Feynman archives at Caltech, live feeds from my computer and midi piano, and a robot camera over my left should he could control with a joystick. He had his own algorithms running which allowed him to switch between, merge or fantabulize (yes, he talks like that) it all.