The Roots of the Moment

Rating:
Summary: listening for your voice
Review: The title "Roots of the Moment" aptly characterizes the content of this book. Improvisation requires performing in the moment. Finding the root of each moment is part of a spiritual/philosophical quest of which sound is essential. Readers familiar with "emotional intelligence" will quickly realize the value of Oliveros' "Deep Listening" program as a powerful vehicle for tapping into the creative potential of emotional memory. "Roots" consists of: music "scores" or directions for improvisation by anyone (including non-musicians and children), graphic scores, poems, letters, and lectures on Deep Listening (e.g., sound and sounding, listening and hearing, power and healing), technology, women's rights, anatomy and physiology of listening, social commentary, among others. Not only is the content informative, but the format in which it is presented further illustrates Oliveros' idea of improvisation. Multiple writings are presented simultaneously on each page, with some continuing for 10 pages and others weaving into each other with different typefaces serving as keys for each writing---or is the linear presentation of ideas essential to the direct experience of reading descriptions of experience? The visual layout encourages improvisation by the reader, merging and moving among the different texts. "Roots of the Moment" illustrates Oliveros' unique sensitivity to listening and her commitment to facilitating the healing power of sound in others. Performing, creating, and teaching around the world, Pauline Oliveros is one musician, healer, educator, philosopher, and social commentator who walks her talk. Roots of the Moment is one book that will continually aid you, as an individual and in community, in listening and sounding creativity and healing. The only suggestion I have for the reprint is to provide the beginning and ending page for each writing, thereby helping readers unfamiliar with the mosaic format of the text.