So the Savalas Project winners have been chosen.

Congratulations to them, and all the best with the project!

I’m not sure how I feel about the whole thing. I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t put more work in. Bad timing, but that’s the sort of thing you need to push through. Listening back to my submissions, I’m mildly cringing at how rough and underdeveloped they are. I’m convinced everyone else’s were vastly superior!

It was fun to meet with Roddy and talk about his work. I’ll look forward to seeing the finished pieces, with the benefit of his impressive insight.

I think I’ll take 2 things from this experience:

Firstly:

My working preference used to very much be: talk-about-it-together, execute-it-apart. I think that’s changed somewhat over the last couple of years. As much as I enjoyed talking with Roddy, I failed to establish a connection with the project for myself. That’s maybe down to not meeting up with anyone else involved. The ability to maintain a distance-working relationship is obviously very important today but I don’t feel like I got into the spirit of that. Will need to look out for that next time, but I guess it’s also made me appreciate the intimate musical relationships I’m fortunate enough to have with people at the moment.

And secondly:

Blog, shmog.

Big Ta to Central Station, Roddy & Giles!

Comment by Gaia Meccuci [project producer]:

Very interesting points you raise Jonnie. The ever increasing distance-working relationship on collaborative projects is indeed very important these days but at the same time establishing a real, close connection with a project and the people behind it is still crucial for an artist to be able to use their talent and creativity in the most satisfying way.

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Let me just say that both your submissions were far from being rough and underdeveloped! They were in fact very interesting approaches and the idea of the unsynced flute loops seemed to reveal a new layer and something surprising with each listening. The decision was hard, all of you demonstrated very personal insights into the ideas behind each piece.

It would be great to keep having your input in the project as we go along, so I hope there is scope to reconsider your blog shmog stance!