Michael Brook - The Official Website

Wiggirrheum

Michael — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:02:26 +0000

Dark, brooding bass and strings with percussion

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Stoneking

Michael — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:05:23 +0000

Acoustic guitars lead the way in this catchy tune.

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Feite

Michael — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:56:04 +0000

A sad, reflective guitar piece.

Obligato

Michael — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:02:07 +0000

Bass provides the melody in this one, and a wash of delayed guitars interact to provide the rhythm.

Regal

Michael — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:31:54 +0000

Regal is an interesting mix of delayed guitars and strong melodies.

Launch of new website

michaelbrook — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:17:39 +0000

Welcome to my new website. Some of you may observe that it doesn’t look a whole lot different than the old one, which is true. Behind the scenes, however, things have quite radically changed. The main goal, artfully implemented by Nir at 2-Brains.com, has been to make the whole site more open and convenient for contributions from both you and me.

A big part of this is to allow people to hear some of the music that doesn’t fit the mold for typical release options, e.g. cds, film scores etc., but seems to have some interest to others. So the free download of the week will mostly have short pieces that are kind of the germ of a musical thought. Some of these have evolved into larger compositions that have been released and sometimes that is evident, but not always.

This is partly a “soft” launch in that we haven’t implemented all of our changes yet. So check in every once in a while, or subscribe, for updates.

Also, over the years I’ve had much valuable and helpful input and feedback from people I didn’t know, so please feel free to make suggestions and comments. It really is very useful.

Thanks for visiting the site,

Michael Brook

Books

Michael — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:19:51 +0000

The following is an incomplete, list of books that have either inspired me or I just think that the world would be a slightly better place if more people read them. They are in no particular order. By “inspired” I don’t mean that they triggered or compelled me to write a piece of music. A great book, for me, is a bit like a really nice room that feels good to be in. Often just the way a good author expresses something reminds me in a non-specific way about what things are important, provides perspective or just creates a mood that hadn’t been happening before. In the way that sometimes a perfume or smell can do this. For this reason, although most or all of these books are nonfiction and to varying degrees involve the transmission of information and ideas, in my experience many of them can be read more than once. It is the immersion in the author’s mindset that is a big part of what is enjoyable for me.

The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton. De Botton is one of my favorite writers around. This book is an inspired book about architecture that evolves into a general theory of visual aesthetics. Definitely worth reading for the relaxed, open minded, writing style as well as the contents.

Equally true about two of his other books The Consolations of Philosophy . It’s a thumbnail history of western philosophy that is very readable and informative. I think that there is a tv series made in England that de Botton narrates with the same title that is supposed to be good.

Status Anxiety explores the idea that modern anxiety is different than previous because people didn’t used to have as much choice in their lives, which was mostly bad, but they also didn’t feel as responsible for their fate/status because there wasn’t much that anyone could do to move up or down the status ladder.

Eduard Tufte also has inspired me in his three books on how to present information visually.The first one that I saw is The Visual Display of Quantitative Information which investigates and theorizes about what is a good or bad way to present information visually i.e. graphs, charts maps, etc.
The other 2 are worth having if you feel like treating yourself to make a really great guide to a kind of visual grammar. Envisioning Information and Visual Explanations

The Progress Paradox by Greg Easterbrook is a look at why people in the developed world, who are materially better of than humans have ever been, are quite possibly genuinely less happy. This was partly the inspiration for the title song of RockPaperScissors. This book complements much of Status Anxiety. I liked it because it also supports and illuminates something that is increasingly important to me personally and intellectually, which is the fundamental human need for community.

In an slightly Epicurus inspired way, I have interpreted this to encourage having wine and food with people I like as much as reasonably possible.

The Birth of Plenty by Peter Bernstein is an investigation into why the West got way richer starting about 1820. This an absolutely fascinating, readable book by a very smart guy that in the final couple of chapters ends up covering some of the ground that Progress Paradox does in a very satisfying way. Bernstein’s main point is that the conditions for radical prosperity that came together in England, around 1820, were property rights, (an idea I first came across in Hernando de Sotos excellent “The Mystery of Capital” a rational science based belief system, effective communications and capital markets.

Slightly tempering my enthusiasm for both these books, and books like them is that they partially, in my opinion, are presented as waterproof theories about how something works. But it often seems that a few years after someone publishes something like this, someone else comes along and says, ah yes but really there’s another factor that explains it all much better. So I always feel a bit embarrassed about how I’ve told everyone who would listen a few years previously about some great book I’d read that really nailed an explanation of something. Although, I suppose that is science in a nutshell.

Ana

Michael — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:40:33 +0000

Ana features a wide stereo image of overlapping guitars with evolving guitar riffs, over a layer of subtle pad.

Coffee Emergency

michaelbrook — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:40:44 +0000

A random discussion between Michael Brook and his webmaster, regarding coffee.

Nir (Webmaster) Michael - my espresso machine broke down — this could effect the website creation ;) I remember that at some point you mentioned a good machine under $1000 but I can not remember the brand! help!

Michael: In my opinion, The Rancilio Silvia is the best machine you can buy under $700. The biggest boiler in its class. Solid construction throughout. Heavy, solid frame. Brass lines everywhere. Ample steaming power and more. Huge following and lots of information is available about this machine online.

A good grinder is very important, don’t skimp. The Rancilio Rocky is by far the best grinder on the market in this price range. It produces an excellent, even grind and is built for longevity - the Rocky has been on the market for 10 years now. Some negatives include poor fitting lids and a rather cheap doser assembly, but most of the money on this grinder was spent on the motor and grind plates and inner assembly. Very worth the money, but only if used as an espresso grinder. Using for non-espresso is a bit of a hassle for many.

Good luck - Michael

Penumbra

Michael — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:48:15 +0000

Penumbra [release date September 23, 2008], the new work by Djivan Gasparyan and Michael Brook, is many things: East-meets-west, ancient-meets-modern. The album is, by turns, familiar and new, comforting and jarring, sly and moving. Imagine Otis Redding singing Bollywood melodies backed by a surf band. Inventive at every turn, full of surprises and delights and anything but predictable, it is everything implied by the title, a play of shadows and light, mysteries and revelations. Listen »

Buy The CD ($15.99 + S&H)

Download MP3 Album ($12.99)