Curation is the summation...
Curation is the summation of evaluation, filtration and more “-ations”. I had that revelation yesterday as I was writing my book on music curation, but I can’t keep it to myself until publication. It rhymed too good so the spirit pulled me back to Substack. And in my head, it’s set to the melody of “Let The Drummer Kick” by Citizen Cope.
I want to be careful not to overmethodize curation with that thesis. Curation is way more alchemy than algorithm. Yes, it's combinations, which is technically math. And ask any A&R at a record label, it's permutations too (sequence matters). However, it's done with the same juju a witchdoctor uses when combining ingredients for a spell. Trust me, they are not using measuring cups. Its about the right ingredient at the right moment.
Let me be clear on one more thing, music curation and music programming are not the same thing. In curation, you are telling a story through a unique combo of songs (or music videos) whereas in programming, you are formulaically inputting music to get the output of the largest possible audience. Think of it like the difference between a chef and a cook. A chef’s concerned about preparation, presentation and gustation. A cook is making a meal. Of course, the cook cares if the food tastes good, but they’re not trying to tell a story or create an experience.
I’ve heard similar analogies about the difference between a beat maker and a producer, who are curators in their own right. A producer is trying to catch the vibration with his/her bare hands and ziplock that shit into a classic. As Drumma Boy once explained to Don Cannon on the TmoroNetwork, a producer is doing whatever it takes to bring the record to life. That’s manifestation (another -ation).
Personally, my favorite music curators are DJ’s because they do what they do in real life and in real time. I don’t drink alcohol so when I’m “outside”, I’m paying a whole lot of attention to the energy between the DJ and the dancefloor. Jamaicans call them “selectors” for a reason. Cuz they have to pick the right tunes (filtration) and “lively up di place” (stimulation). And shout out to the the DJ’s who still dig in the crates, that’s a whole nother ‘ation: excavation!
Not everyone values curators for the same -ations. Labels value curators because of amplification. Artists value curators for contextualization. When I was coming up, I always used to hear the saying “CONTEXT CHANGES CONTENT”. Being able to introduce new music (or break a record), you have to do it within the current capacity of a fan’s palate. The same way a chef doesn’t serve you something that your palate isn’t ready for. Introducing a record a fan doesn't know they need yet (speculation) is like a tasting menu. You have to nestle it in between the music they already like and if it's sandwiched right, the right song at the right moment can change culture. That’s the revelation…the summation of ations.
Bonus paragraph. Here’s a listening link to the Citizen Cope “Let The Drummer Kick” record that rang in my head during the first paragraph:
Good ish Tuma! I like how you continued to carry the “ations.”