# David Torn



## Morimur

*Excerpt taken from Wikipedia*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Torn

*David Torn* (b. 26 May 1953) is an American composer, guitarist, and music producer. He is known for the organic blending/manipulation of electronic and acoustic instruments and performance techniques that have an atmospheric or textural quality and effect. Torn studied with Leonard Bernstein (within the "Music for Young Composers" series), as well as with guitarists John Abercrombie, Pat Martino, Paul Weiss and Arthur Basile. Torn works out of his personal studios, known as Cell Labs; occasionally, he uses the pseudonym "splattercell."

*Musical Samples*

http://player.ecmrecords.com/torn-2433


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## Morimur

No love for Torn? You guys are wacked.


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## millionrainbows

I've got some. I like the music. I consider him more as a guitarist than as a composer.


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## norman bates

Torn is one of my favorite jazz guitarists. I especially like the pieces where he sounds like a Jon Hassell (I've asked to him recently and he confirmed to me that he was influenced by him) of the guitar. This kind of stuff, that seems like a boat proceeding on a river through a mysterious jungle (this description sounds a bit like Aguirre)


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## Morimur

norman bates said:


> Torn is one of my favorite jazz guitarists. I especially like the pieces where he sounds like a Jon Hassell (I've asked to him recently and he confirmed to me that he was influenced by him) of the guitar. This kind of stuff, that seems like a boat proceeding on a river through a mysterious jungle (this description sounds a bit like Aguirre)


Do you have his latest album, 'Only Sky'? I am thinking of buying it.


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## Morimur

millionrainbows said:


> I've got some. I like the music. I consider him more as a guitarist than as a composer.


Come on, million, the guy is definitely a composer and he sees himself as such. He just happens to specialize in a specific instrument.


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## norman bates

Morimur said:


> Do you have his latest album, 'Only Sky'? I am thinking of buying it.


not yet because at the moment I'm listening to other things, but I will listen to it for sure.


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## millionrainbows

Morimur said:


> Come on, million, the guy is definitely a composer and he sees himself as such. He just happens to specialize in a specific instrument.


OK, I'll take him, and myself, more seriously. I'll reconsider him, and get out the albums and listen. A lot of it sounds like loop music, and I can do that. with an Echoplex Digital Pro or a Lexicon Jam Man. Maybe that's why I have a problem taking him more seriously.
It's the same for me with many other guitarists, since I am one. Like Robert Fripp: he's great, but I hestitate to consider him a "composer" in the same way I consider other Western composers.
Fred Frith is an exception, in this regard; he has done enough written scoring (even as far back as Henry Cow, in which many sections were through-composed) that he is becoming a legit composer in my eyes.
I suppose the ctriteria I'm using is written scores. Zappa scored. Does Torn have any scores?
This underscores the differences I see, and have discussed before, about the popular music vs. classical paradigms. To me, I define popular, folk, and ethnic musics as "ear" music, if they are performed as opposed to being written. They can be recorded, of course. This is also a "process" issue: if the composition or song was composed and then directly recorded, bypassing the written score. This makes it "ear" music.
Written scoring is similar, in that it is a way of 'recording' an idea, but it differs if it is controlling a large ensemble. This puts it in a different category from small groups or individuals performing folk or popular musics. Of course, there is always overdubbing, but that can't be done live in a performing situation.
Another crucial difference: written scores allow more 'density of ideas' than performing 'biological memory' will allow, unless there is extensive, extensive rehearsal, and this is too much of a time constraint, and costs money. Phil Glass combined this small ensemble idea with written scoring, but mainly because his was difficult to perform.


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