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.