What does basketball sound like? From the simple squeak of a sneaker to the chaotic roar of a championship parade, the sounds of sport carry profound sociocultural and economic stories.
In this episode of The Power of Music Thinking, we speak with Jordan Zalis – an ethnomusicologist, sound artist, singer, and songwriter. For the past decade, Jordan has dedicated his academic research to the soundtrack of sports, focusing heavily on the NBA and the Toronto Raptors.
Together, we explore the incredible layers hidden inside the squeak of a basketball sneaker, revealing how it signifies both real-time improvisation on the court and the global circulation of capital. We also discuss how the strict boundaries of a basketball game mirror musical constraints to unlock infinite creativity.
Furthermore, Jordan introduces us to his practice of ‘Just Listening’. This acts as an aural Rorschach test to turn everyday objects into profound emotional memories. Finally, we discuss how Nick Nurse, the championship-winning coach of the Toronto Raptors, successfully implemented a strategy called the ‘Monk Offence’. Nurse, who actually studied jazz, believes great basketball is just like great jazz: a fundamental structure that allows for true freedom and spontaneity. By treating his team like a permanent jam session, his only job as the band leader is to make sure everybody who sits in knows the tunes.
Enjoy this deep, immersive, and surprising conversation!
Listen now to: What does Basketball Sound like
You can also listen to it on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Show Notes & Links:
- Connect with Jordan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanzalis/
- Jordan Zalis website: https://jordanzalis.com/
- Read Jordan’s paper investigating the sociocultural implications of basketball: https://revistas.um.es/reg/article/view/716281
Also, I would love to invite you to join my new monthly email newsletter. Each month, I will send you the latest release alongside a complementary episode from our archive. Plus the Jam Card of the month, fascinating papers I am reading, and other thoughts worth pondering.
👉 https://musicthinking.substack.com/
And there is more; related podcast episodes
Episode Chapters
00:00 Opener and Nick Nurse quote
03:57 First Sonic Memory: A Lullaby in Harmony
09:06 Ethnomusicology and the Soundtrack of Sports
10:33 Grassroots Soccer Chants vs. Corporate Spectacles
19:24 NBA, Basketball and Popular Music
23:00 Recording with Binaural Microphones
30:39 What Does Basketball Sound Like? (Creativity & Constraint)
39:40 Deconstructing the Sneaker Squeak
45:30 Deep Listening and the Aural Rorschach Test
47:47 The Just Listening Workshop & The Bouncy Ball
54:10 Workshop Exercise
01:01:07 Global Basketball Cultures and NBA Expansion
01:07:36 The Monk Offense: Leaders as Jam Session Directors
01:09:42 Outro and Show Notes
