Pnuma Pnuma Pnuma

What exactly is a Pnuma? Is it the sound of a hungry cookie monster? This is a mystery even to the fan base of the jam band super group "The Pnuma Trio". Firstly, a jam band is an improvisation based band whose music is almost impossible to replicate. All fans go to concerts not knowing exactly what to expect, but the odd thing about jam bands is that the musicians go to their own concerts with the same feeling. This is what makes the jam band so phenomenal. They have the confidence to get on stage, play music off the top of their heads, and just go with the flow. The Pnuma Trio are in a section of the jam band scene that has been dubbed "jamtronica" because it is live improvisational electronic music. The group blends classical, funk, hip-hop, jazz, and electronic music into one swirling soup of musical experimentation. They are a group of three young men from Memphis who use their classical and jazz training to bust out powerful, mind-bending tunes. Normally, in the jamtronica scene it would take groups anywhere from five years to a decade to even get any recognition. The "golden boys of jamtronica" (The Pnuma Trio), however, rose to the top of the scene with incredible speed, and hold their place in popularity with relative ease. The group consists of a drummer, bassist, and keyboardist. On top of the three basic instruments, every member of the group is surrounded with laptops and DJ equipment. The group uses a technique called digital looping. This is made possible by a machine that records a short riff from the musician, and replays the recording repetitively without any assistance from the musician. This allows for the group to sound like an orchestra, but remain a trio. I recently had the pleasure of experiencing The Pnuma Trio live at Rothbury Music Festival. For a little taste of the live trio, check this out (my apologies for the sound quality). Ever since, I find myself browsing through the live music archive, downloading hours of live sets from the trio. I even bought their new compilation, "Character". I highly recommend this cd to anyone who reads and feels that they even remotely like the style of music that I have been bringing to the table. It is a very gentle, relaxing cd that brings innovative, sometimes even weird sounds to this ever-evolving music scene. Trust me when I say ever-evolving too. One of the things that makes this scene so fun is that is is not the same thing we have been hearing on the radio for years, its fresh, funky, party music that I think everyone can appreciate. The Pnuma Trio is an up and coming band. I would be surprised if anyone has ever even heard of them, but do not let this discourage you! This is something I, myself, am learning through my music blogging. Since my knowledge of music is not infinite, I am forced to explore the vastness of the musical world, and to try out new styles. Take my advice, experiment with new music!