HAIKU CONCEPT
Presenting haiku
In a way no one else has
PC Muñoz does
What happens when you take the traditional Japanese poetry form of haiku and fuse it with 21st-century technology? Well, you have to hear it — and see it — to really appreciate it.
In his latest work, ‘‘ twenty haiku,’’ San Jose native PC Muñoz weaves spoken word with improvised music, and, for those who buy his album, an accompanying Web site that transports viewers to Muñoz’s world. The site, which readers of this article will be able to access for free, uses Flash animation to display his work.
‘‘ Something I prioritize is trying to do something new,’’ said Muñoz, who has consistently redefined himself, sailing effortlessly across artistic categories. His voice and music can sometimes be comparable to Prince. ‘‘ I try to mix traditions and break through boundaries so people can balance things out, so a certain form can be done in a different way.’’
As a producer, artist and writer, he’s taken on such projects as Giant Step, a one-man electronic rap project where he did all the vocals and instrumental parts; Watercolor, where he both sang and spoke over funk beats; and the amen corner, a band that infuses funk and hip-hop with sermons about sex, religion and relationships.
‘‘ I’ve never heard anything like this,’’ said