Ramapo Professor Seth Cluett to Give Lecture on Les Paul in Mahwah Oct. 9

Artist, composer and theorist Seth Cleutt will give a lecture on the Genius of Les Paul at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9 as part of the Mahwah Museum Lecture Series and will take place at Ramapo Reformed Church, located at 100 Island Rd in Mahwah.

Modern American music has benefited immeasurably from the innovations of Les Paul. In addition to his invention of the solid body electric guitar, Les Paul’s impact on music technology has revolutionized the recording process. Paul pioneered the development of multitrack recording and is credited with having invented the first eight-track tape recorder and the technique of overdubbing. Seth Cluett will discuss the wide-ranging influence of this self-made iconoclast who did much of his work from his home in Mahwah where he lived for close to sixty years.

Seth Cluett, a professor of Contemporary Arts at Ramapo College, teaches courses in audio engineering, and electronic and experimental sound practices. His work ranges from photography and drawing to video, concert music, and critical writing. The recipient of grants from Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Fund, Meet the Composer, and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Cluett has published articles for BYPASS, Shifter, Intransitive, The Open Space Magazine, Leonardo Music Journal, 306090, Earshot and the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

Admission for the lecture is $3 for non-members and free for museum members. Refreshments will be served and reservations are suggested. Email lectures@mahwahmuseum.org to reserve your spot.

The Mahwah Museum, located at 201 Franklin Turnpike, is open weekends and Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. and currently features exhibits on Les Paul and the Neighborhoods of Mahwah. A permanent exhibit, The Donald Cooper Model Railroad, is open weekends from 1-4 p.m. Entrance is free for museum members and children under 12, $5 for non-members. Visit www.mahwahmuseum.org or call 201-512-0099 for more information.