Sun Worship XI at BUOY Gallery; 12/17/2011

Last night concluded the quarterly series I've curated for the past three years. For three years every three months I have accumulated some of the most inspiring performers I've had the honor to know and call friends in New England. For this final installment I brought together some really special people. The night started off with Id M Theftable. Just two days off the plane from a tour of England, tired, disoriented, jet-lagged, he was fantastic. Voices came from him that seemed impossible from such a body as his.

Second was the trio Los Condenados. A firey fury of electronic sounds melded with the vocalizings of Andrea Pensado and the horn playing of Jules Vasylenko. Walter Wright provided controlled electronic chaos via his various circuit boards of noise. Third round was Eric Dahlman and Eric Nugent of the Auddity trio, performing as Eric and Eric or Audd. Next up we had bunq present a film strip about little boy who wanted to be an artist. Then Crank Sturgeon. Next I performed with Dei and Marc Bisson, an homage to my first show in Manchester, at the old M.A.P. gallery. With only three people in the audience we decided to just perform together as one set. That started a lot of things for me in the New England free improvisation community. Greg Kowalski projected on the wall behind us and all that was missing was Steve Norton, our horn player/percussion guru who couldn't make it as he was performing in Somerville at the time. After our set came Skinny Vinny. They are always a crowd pleaser and are able to cross boundries and offer something people can relate to. And unlike many of these performers whom the uninitiated may not be able to discern whether or not they are educated in their line of performance, or whether they are novices or seasoned veterans, Skinny Vinny is easily identifiable as two performers who know their chops. Another demonstration by bunq defining the Winter Solstice and describing some of the traditions around it, as well as sacrificing a stuffed dog and distributing beef jerkey from amongst the synthetic fill. The evening concluded with 2/3 of Mystic Out Bop, Kit and Frank Turek. It was one of the best Sun Worship events I could recall, the Winter Solstice always being my favorite and seeming to involve some excellent performances. I look forward to visiting in the future and setting up the occasional Sun Worship show. And who knows, somebody might carry on the tradition once I'm gone. But I don't think it will be quite the same. Thanks to all who have come to perform or witness this special event. It's really meant more to me than I can put into words. The series has been a way I was able to participate both in the free improvisation community and the local community in Kittery, melding the two, trying to present art to this area that has been inspiring me. And now it is time for another chapter.

Sun Worship VII on the Horizion

   Sun Worship no. 7 is coming up in less than four weeks!  I have to admit, the Winter Solstice one is my favorite.  And just days after this event, we will be treated to a full moon on the solstice.

The Sun Worship is going to be a bit more work than usual but I'm looking forward to the results.  Based on the collaborative participation effect Laura Lulof's installation had on the previous Sun Worship event, it seemed like it just wouldn't be the same to go back to the same old Buoy Gallery for the next one.  So I have enlisted area artists Peter Donovan, Al Mead, and Greg Kowalski to help transform the space once again into another collaborative installation.  Performers  that evening will include Peace, Loving from Jamaica Plain, after a very heavy year of touring.  Also appearing will be Maine's veterans of improvisational sound, Mystic Out Bop Review, Walter Wright's Loup Garou, Lou Bunk and Lou Cohen from the Open Sound series in Somerville will bring 2Lous, and of course, an installation of the Offset Needle Radius.  Greg Kowalski (previously of Qfwfq Duo) will be returning to add beautiful improvised projections throughout the evening.  Come one come all to another convergence of the Sun Worship! 

Copies of the poster on heavy semi-gloss paper will be available for purchase at the event or get in touch with me.

Balloons, Bicycles, and Bodies::: Offset Needle Radius opening for Judy Dunaway Dec. 4th

  When::: Saturday December 4th, 8pm

  Where::: Andrew's Loft, 381 Congress Street Boston

Andrew Eisenberg has extended a great invitation to me which I thankfully accept.  I'll be performing on a bill with internationally known  Judy Dunaway at Andrew Eisenberge's loft on Saturday December 4th.  The theme of this event is "Balloons, Bicycles, and Bodies".  Fulfilling the Bodies portion will be Bodydrama - movement by Joe Burgio , Rachael Rosner, Betty Wang; sound by Lou Cohen, Matt Samolis, Walter Wright. 

   Judy Dunaway has explored New Music utilizing balloons as primary sound source since the late 1980's.  She's perfomed with many vetrans of New York's New Music movement since the late 80's and has written over 40 pieces of music for balloon.

Find more artists like Judy Dunaway at MySpace Music

  Judy is currently a visiting lecturer for the Massachusetts College of Art in the Art History department. 
   Andrew's loft is at 381 Congress Street in Boston.  This space used to be the Mobius offices.  Show up around 8.


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Sun Worship V, The One That Almost Got Away

   Feverishly trying to keep up with springtime work volumes at the bike shop took precedence over creative endevers.  That meant that planning for the fifth Sun Worhsip event suffered. So I was even more grateful for the performers who were able to rally with only two weeks notice.  Eric Dhalman was able to enlist a friend on guitar and bass to accompany him on horns, whistles, and various light treats. Although Joshua Jefferson was not in the area to join in, Steve Norton and Angela Sawyer were up for a performance and brought their elaborate collection of bird calls, horns, electronics.  They performed an extensive and dynamic set moving through various textures and intensities.  Birdorgan was complete again with percussionist Mike Daley who incorporated his crutches in the first performance since he crashed his scooter.  Lighting up their set was Greg Kowalski from Qfwfq Duo, projecting real time abstract images across the group and wall behind.  I brought along the bicycle wheel, electronics, etc., for a performance of Offst Needle Radius that was somewhat eclipsed by bunq's implosion of various objects, crumpled paper, balancing sticks, toys, etc.
   In all, the evening was another great night of free improv performance.  September will bring Sun Worship VI, will be the first Sun Worship event to take place on a Saturday, and will no doubt be great.  So write it on your calender, September 18th: Sun Worship VI!

Sun Worship IV IS Coming: Sunday March 21st

   Thriving on the deadline, the flier is in the works. A great line up once again with diverse sets from New England Phonographers Union, Warewolf, Crank Sturgeon, Marc Bisson, bunq, and of course, Offset Needle Radius.

   The New England Phonographers Union
is a fluid congregation of sound artists and field recordists who work with untreated and unprocessed recordings of the rich and varied sounds around them. Through the exploration and documentation of urban and rural public spaces, sound objects and events, the Union captures auditory phenomena otherwise lost, and re-interpret the particularity of individual places as a newly idealized sonic environment. Within a focused listening environment the members present their recordings, both individually and as collaborative improvisations.  Performing at Sun Worship IV will be Rick Breault, Mike Bullock, Linda Aubrey Bullock, Ernst karel, and Jed Speare.
  
   Crank Sturgeon
has been freaking out audiences around New England and the world for longer than I can tell you about. His combination performance art/noise creation is always unique and completely unignorable.  Utilizing during various performances, nudity, inflatable sculptures, masks and costumes, contact mics, intense square wave generators and high volume.  Crank Sturgeon was unable to participate in Sun Worship III having just come off yet another European tour and down with a case of the travel bugs.  I'm really excited to bring him back to Kittery this time around.

 Loup Garou (Warewolf)
is collaborative group consisting of Walter Wright of Apocalypso Trio on electronics, Setheyny Pen of Ralph Eats Dynamite on toy pianos and objects, Mike Daily of birdorgan on prepared guitar and whatnot, Kit Demos of Mystic Out Bop Review on electronics.  The pairing of sound sources can at first seem unlikely or perhaps unsettling. The introduction of melody from the damaged primitive sounds of the toy piano jars some peoples idea of free improv sound.  The result is playful and disarming at times, conflicting and challenging other moments.  This event will see Mike Daily hurting his drums, accompanied by Walter Wright and Kit Demos on electronicas.  Sadly, Setheny and her toy pianos won't be able to make it...

   Marc Bisson
is one quarter of birdorgan, utilizing prepared guitar, electronics, synths, wind up toys, and many other objects to create sort of a one man improv band of unique sound that moves easily through varying textures and intensities.

   bunq
has been appearing at area free improv sound events for some time, usually accompanying sound performers with his creative stacking and balancing performances.  Always with different elements to create teetering towers with, challenging his own sense of balance and the limits of structural gravity resistance, until the inevitable climax of a crash scattering objects across the floor.  Each time David's performances are an exercise in tension building, structure rendering, release, and rebuilding.

   This is happening at Buoy Gallery at 2 Government St in Kittery just over the bridge from Portsmouth.  We'll get things started around 7pm.  Donations requested.  Please bring $$ or gas cans full of petrol to help offset the cost to performers and the gallery for bringing you this event.  It is truly a labor of love and oobe.

Coming: XFest 2010 at 119 Gallery, Lowell

   Walter Wright has assembled an incredible event once again!  The time will soon be upon us once again to gather at the 119 Gallery in Lowell, Massachusetts for the Two THousand Ten XFest. 
   Wright assembles small groups of movement and sound artists to collaborate in 1/2 hour sets, 10 per night, for four nights.  Plus great food, workshops, and general communal socializing.  It'll be fun as hell whatever and whenever you get there.  But I'd say try and spend one night in town, catch at least two nights of this crazy event that won't come around again until Two Thousand and Eleven.
When::: February Twenty Sixth to February
Where::: 119 Gallery 119 Chelmsford Lowell, Massachusetts
What:::  Improv sound and movement arts festival///collaborations, food, workshops, etc.
Who:::Tons of people
LinK:: To performers, times, etc...

Jan. 3rd:::Underground Sound Series #2 at House of Goings On, ManChestHair, NH

The House of International Goings-On : Underground Sound Series #2

January 3, Sunday, 7PM, $5 donation mightily suggested.
301 Laurel St (intersection of Wilson), Manchester NH
603-377-9300

Potluck @ 5: spirits and victuals please feel to bring kindly.

For this evening's event we have for you straight from the Netherlands:

BRAM STADHOUDERS: freak/free ambient jazz! Guitar! Composer! Wrestling with the yoke of a youth damned by classical guitar (blue ribbon stuff), manipulating that acclaim to his deft advantage by surprising all and sundry with some jazzed out air formality.

  WOUTER JASPERS: experimental! metalbaby! drone psyche! More fertile than a crescent! Noise + xperimental folk. Active tour and release cycles - 2009 release with a.o. Emil Nikolaisen (Woven Hand), + Euro-USA-Asia tour earlier this year. To his vision, music has to spread to everybody who wants to hear it, so he plays from hi-brow artfestivals to garages in Russia, sometimes soft and laidback and sometimes killing for the ears, but always with a great passion for his only love: good music.

BAS VERBEEK: Whether he  sits down in a corner producing minimal introvert dark soundscapes or he’s raging around out loud intimidating his audience, Bas Verbeek (b. 1983) finds deep intensity in every extreme of experimental music and performance. Beauty, absurdism, dirt, minimalism, over the top, pitch black nihilist darkness; whatever he feels like he will use to go all the way to tingle your senses.

Opening will be assorted birdorgans plus Kittery, ME's Offset Needle Radius and Lowell, MA's Walter Wright (www.119gallery.org).

(This post originally sent by Marc Bisson)

Awesome Basement Event in Man CHest hair

Marc Bisson and Dei Xrist host this great event with Wouter Jaspers,  Bram Stadhouders & Bas Verbeek touring from the Netherlands.  Offset Needle Radius will be performing possibly as part of a yet unknown collaboration, parts of birdorgan and Walter Wright.  This show will be beautiful in its presentation of world class performers in the secret speak easy basement that is the House of Goings On.  A very intimate evening that should NOT be missed...  For directions, post contact information in your comment below...

Portsmouth Area's Experimental Improvisation Event of the Year

Coming soon, it's Sun Worship III event on December 20th at Buoy Gallery in Kittery. Here's the flier. This is going to be a really fun event. You will be very sad if you choose not or are unable to attend.
Click on the flier for a printable image. THen go to your favorite local coffee shop and tape it to the window. This is how we spread the word.

Nov. 10 "Strings N' Things" Recap, Manchester, NH

The 'theme' of this event sounds like a craft night to take place in a church basement, which in an abstract way, I suppose it was. I was having a difficult time getting out of town and ended up at Marc and Dei's house around 6:45pm, only an hour and 45 minutes later than I'd planned. Their basement was cleared out and strewn with strings of little lights. They had made black beans, brown rice, cornbread and provided beer, which was nice. I was starving and stressed out by the time I'd made it there.
The show started with birdorgan, Mike on bass, Mike on guitar, Marc on guitar, and Dei with her vocalizations. It sounded pretty wild, a great alternate invocation of birdorgan.
I think Offset Needle Radius performed next? Vertical guitar into two split signals into two amplifiers. Lots of the usual bowed strings with steel rod finishing up with microcassette mutterings. It didn't come off as I'd hoped. Something wasn't happening.
Next Walter Wright with a friend on toy piano and Marc Bisson on guitar was next. I didnt' get his friends name who played the toy piano. The sounds were nice, three vary different textural sounds blending, contrasting, and conforming together.
Last was Layne Garrett, who began his set on a steel guitar, improvised latin strumming style sort of a classical gypsy sound. The tunings changed as did the mood of the improvisations. Layne concluded his set with light sensitive sound generation synth and effects, more noise to contrast with the melodic nature of his guitar work.
Layne was touring via Greyhound Ameripass which is daring and brave. He had two CD's for sale, one of which he had sewed covers for on the bus between stops.
It was a great show to be at let along perform at.

Autumn Equinox Happened, and We Were THere

Fun night at Grain Surfboards September 20th. Eli made butternut squash soup, cookies, cornbread. Marc Bisson and Dei Xrist of birdorgan brought the beans and rice. Great performances happened from Mystic Out Bop Review, birdorgan, Adam from Peace, Loving created an innovative installation with surround sound and edited Star Trek video. Offset Needle Radius kicked off the night with new perspectives on the musical wheel harp bike wheel performance. Walter Wright collaborated with Kit Demos for some beautiful electronics duetness, and then sat in for the birdorgan session as well. It's too bad Grain Surfboards is so far from any town. It was a nice intimate space for such an event. Stay tuned for developing plans for winter solstice...