TIMELESS

Timeless: Mulatu Astatke
May 17th, 18th: 10pm

Timeless: Suite for Ma Dukes
May 25th, 26th: 10pm
Tickets: $10


Timeless because a heart beat is always more important than a clock tick.




Timeless: The Composer/Arranger Series is the name of a concert series that was created in homage to the composer/arrangers who have influenced hip-hop in the most literal and profound ways. Timeless was conceived by production house Mochilla in Los Angeles during February and March 2009 and included the performances of over 150 musicians in front of ecstatic sold out crowds. These three historic events were recorded and filmed in exacting detail with Mochilla’s unmistakable style.





Composer/arrangers work with pencil and paper; there, among the tiny slashes and dots, sound exists in its most rudimentary form. Rhythm, harmony and melody begin in this process as graphite strokes that in the hands of virtuosos become sweeping tornadoes of emotion. Todays beatmakers also produce music on a grand scale: the graphite strokes have been replaced with artifacts, minutiae gleaned from the history of recorded sound, automated and then supplemented by thumps, glitches and artistry.
In short beat making couldn’t exist without its long handed older sister.
Timeless brings these two seemingly unlike worlds together by honoring the legacies of three of the greatest composer-arrangers ever. Mulatu, Dilla and Verocai may not be household names but their contribution to contemporary music is unrivalled.
Timeless celebrates their works in the context they should be heard—with full orchestras.