Susan Alcorn

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 4 Jan 2007 8:04 pm

I hope I word this post correctlyThe only "piece " I have heard of Susan Alcorn was on youtube ,a performance she did in france I believe, where she was playing the pedslsteel in a "modern fashion". Sort of like abstract art on steel guitar. I didnt get it. Does anyone know if she plays steel in a more std fashion . Im not knocking her...... 'cos this instrument is capable of many "sounds" Im not sure if she could duplicate sound for sound and note for note what was on youtube though. I wasn't really a tune if you see what I mean. What Im saying is has she made any CDs with the steel .
Im puzzled with this style of playing 'cos most steel players want clean notes , no buzzes , zings, pops, bangs etc and it seems a very expensive instrument to have in order to play the noises we all try to avoid. It obviously works for her as she seems to be fairly well known, but I remember as a small boy nailing a few strings over a cricket bat pretending to play along with my dad on his lap steel and getting similar sounds. (I Still do !)
I AM INTRIGUED BY HER VIEW ON THE STEEL GUITAR , AS I SAID EARLIER ITS LIKE ABSRACT ART IN "SOUND" RATHER THAN VISION. Has anyone seen her in concert , what do you think? Is this another performer that could bring pedal steel to a wider audience?

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 4 Jan 2007 8:25 pm

well heres the link........it's a little over 7 min... long....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bh9US2oikE

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 4 Jan 2007 8:25 pm

Should Susan desire, she can hold her own on country, rock, pop, or whatever comes around. Her current style of playing is a different approach to the steel guitar. This is what will keep the steel guitar alive, is the different styles of different players, such as the great classics of Mike Perlowin. Keep on pickin' and I will see you down the road, Jody

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 4 Jan 2007 8:33 pm

The avante-guard has a miniscule audience, so no, playing that style is unlikely to broaden the appeal of PSG to the general public.

As for Susan's playing ability, you might want to check this out:

Louisiana 1927 Louisiana 2005

And while you're there, peruse the rest of the site to get insight into her approach.

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 4 Jan 2007 8:44 pm

Twayn, I have just checked out the link, that is real nice playing, lovely touch. Im off to look for more now.

Alan Miller · Post by **Alan Miller** » 4 Jan 2007 9:00 pm

David , that is the seven minutes out of an hour long performance, I still cant get my head round that... BUT look at the link Twayn posted that "sound" fits the mood of those pictures perfectly . Id like to hear more. Any more links anyone?

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 4 Jan 2007 9:11 pm

Susan is indeed a unique artist with a musical vision totally unlike that of any other steel player. I think she's a true genius.

But as Jody said, if she chose to do so, she could play country as well as any of the top Nashville players. (She studied under Jeff Newman.)

As Twain said, there is not a large audience for her music, but there is one, and she is slowly gaining recognition among the avant guard music and art community, and exposing them to the pedal steel guitar as well.

Of course, most steel players are not interested in the kind of thing she does, but I would hope that we would all support her efforts to do something new and different with our instrument.

I am extremely flattered to be mentioned in the same thread as her, (thanks Jody.) but in truth I am not fit to shine her shoes.

Eric McEuen · Post by **Eric McEuen** » 4 Jan 2007 10:39 pm

Thanks for the link, Twayn. I went looking around Susan's site, and found another beautiful sound sample here.

There was a recent thread on the old forum discussing the same YouTube video. After a variety of responses to it (some very dismissive), Susan wrote an eloquent description of its context and what she set out to do in that particular improvisation. It's all still viewable here.

I haven't heard her CDs, but I'm planning to get one soon. (As well as one of Mike Perlowin's, incidentally.) In the thread I linked to, b0b said her CD Curandera seems more structured than the improvisation on YouTube.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 5 Jan 2007 7:20 am

Certainly, Mike P. and Susan and doing things quite different from each other. But they express a wide range of possibilities for pedal steel. For that reason I'm a big fan of both.

I'd go see Susan in a minute if she came to town. Not likely in Lubbock, but there ya go....

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 5 Jan 2007 9:10 am

Big fan here. especially that louisiana peice...just stunningly beautiful. I dig the avante garde skronk too, just cant take large doses of it on any instrument. I prefer "A Love Supreme" to "Free Jazz" in other words. The "out there" stuff I enjoy on a more cerebral level, whereas "louisiana" is enjoyed on a more emotional level for me. Its head vs heart for me. the heart stuff engages me more than the head stuff (maybe my brain is too small?).

what a fabulous player/composer tho..cheers to Susan!

Giorgio Robino · Post by **Giorgio Robino** » 18 Jan 2007 8:11 am

Susan
posses a superb tecnique on pedal steel guitar,
but what is most important, in my point of view,
is her vision as composer and free music performer; see also:
http://207.234.140.108/ubb/ultimatebb.p ... 683#000000

Last but not least, she's a friend.

cheers
giorgio

Adrienne Clasky · Post by **Adrienne Clasky** » 19 Jan 2007 10:08 am

Susan has the most beautiful tone. Her compositions seem like something out of nature, chaotic, breathtaking.

Thanks for bringing up the subject! I love all steel players, but I love the weird ones most of all. I feel so grateful to them.