The Art of the Crossfade

On a DJ mixer, the crossfader allows for seamless transition between two separate pieces of music. "The Art of the Crossfade" is a multimedia exploration of this master control for merging sound: its technical history, its role in shaping hip-hop, and its potential as a new metaphor for the "mixing" we all do in our increasingly diverse world. Combining an academic lecture with a live DJ performance, "The Art of the Crossfade" creates a unique and groundbreaking educational and entertainment experience: While USC Professor of Music & Culture Josh Kun lectures on the story and symbolism of the crossfader, award-winning DJ/Producer J.Period provides a potent musical backdrop - juggling songs, samples and scratches to illustrate the full potential of the crossfader. As technology shrinks our planet but expands our worldview, we are all exposed to a wider spectrum of influences: music styles blur, cultures intersect, ethnicities merge. In the age of the crossfade, we all live in the mix.