Writings about Music

Steph Curry, the Prophet of Basketball

The extreme rush of fluid counterpoint explodes from the beginning of an NBA contest whereby five (the number symbolizing Shiva) players from each team coalesce into a stream of thrilling energy informed by tension and repose, complexity and simplicity. Byzantine, living formal structures flow from the improvisatory actions of the players with wondrous unpredictability in a manner equivalent to the contrapuntal behavior of pure melody and rhythm found not only in Indian classical music, but also much of jazz. 

Stephen Curry unleashes a whirlwind of multi-directional gestures that may be likened to Tandava, Shiva's Dance of Destruction, and that is certainly what he accomplishes in terms of the opposing team's defense! Curry’s dizzying flurry of movements culminate with an unearthly smooth and high-arched shot that often gives the impression of only moving the net by virtue of the rush of air passing through without actually touching. In this context, the gracefulness of Curry's shot may be compared to Shiva's Laysa, a gentle form of dance.

This was a comment I made in The New York Times article, receiving 51 likes. Some others replied to my comment:

"Brilliant. I was going to attempt to describe Curry as art instead of basketball, but your eloquent portrayal has left me speechless. A thousand recommends."

"Hi praise for the article and the topper you so eloquently wrote." 

- Michael Robinson, March 2016, Los Angeles

 

© 2016 Michael Robinson All rights reserved

 

Michael Robinson is a Los Angeles-based composer, programmer, pianist and musicologist. His 199 albums include 152 albums for meruvina and 47 albums of piano improvisations. Robinson has been a lecturer at UCLA, Bard College and California State University Long Beach and Dominguez Hills.