Music For Doing

From his *Mehliana* project with Brad Mehldau to his ongoing *Beat Music* series, drummer Mark Guiliana (of David Bowie’s *Blackstar* band) has nurtured the electronic aspect of his art, even as he builds on the successes of his acoustic quartet (*the sound of listening*, *Mischief*). Though *Music for Doing* is full-on solo electronics (co-written and -produced by Pete Min, with guest saxophonist David Binney and violinist Daphne Chen), the album does incorporate Guiliana’s live drums, underscoring how much his playing and programming are in constant conversation. He remains influential in this regard, expanding the jazz drumming vocabulary with elements borrowed from hip-hop, dance music, and experimental sources. Guiliana plays piano as well, along with synths, Moog bass, varied percussion, and a set of bell-like Gamelan Strips. It’s a mood, an ambient soundtrack to the activities listed in the track titles, including the rhyming and perhaps related “Song for Critical Thinking” and “Song for Moderate Drinking.”