Post & Beam CD Countdown: Printing

Hot off the letterpress… Here’s a sneak peek at the cover art for my forthcoming CD of music for banjo and electronics titled Post & Beam.

Many thanks to Travis Weller–composer, designer, letterpress operator, more–for all he’s done for this project. (Especially in light of the Austin New Music Co-op’s upcoming concerts of Cardew’s “The Great Learning”. Wish I could be there!)

Everyone Looks to the Sky

Photo: Diana Cooper

Here’s a recording of a new piece called Everyone Looks to the Sky.

[audio:everyone_looks_to_the_sky.mp3]

Everyone Looks to the Sky

I made the piece and the recording during my recent residency with David Behrman at the Atlantic Center for the Arts. The work is for any sustaining instrument with computer (here, I’m playing the soprano saxophone). The computer produces a gradually rising tone that matches the first note of each gesture (see the score below). The result is–yes, more glissando music–and a curious kind of interactive piece that always ends the same way.

Here are the juicy bits from the score:

Gesture 1
• Play 5 notes in an ascending series, beginning near the lowest note on your instrument.
For a performance lasting 10 mintues, each note should last 7 or many more seconds. Each note should be separated by a rest of approximately 7 or many more seconds–at a minimum, allow enough time between notes to perceive the computer’s pitch rising. For longer performances, adjust the durations appropriately.

Gesture 2
• Play 4 notes in an ascending series, beginning on any pitch lower than the last pitch of Gesture 1.
Durations of notes and rests are as in Gesture 1.

Gesture 3
• Play 3 notes in an ascending series, beginning on any pitch lower than the last pitch of Gesture 2.
Durations of notes and rests are as in Gesture 1.

Gesture 4
• Play 2 notes in an ascending series, beginning on any pitch lower than the last pitch of Gesture 3.
Durations of notes and rests are as in Gesture 1.

Gesture 5
• Play 5 or more notes in an ascending series, beginning on any pitch lower than the last pitch of Gesture 4.
Durations of notes and rests are as in Gesture 1, with a few notes or rests lasting shorter than 7 seconds, if desired.
Repeat as needed until the piece ends. The last 4 or more pitches played should be near the highest note on your instrument.

Valentine’s Sounds

Saturday, April 16, 8 pm
A Night of Amazing Sounds
Bob Gluck/James Keepnews/Ras Moshe/Dean Sharp
Duojoggle (Mitch Elrod/Mike Lopez)
Holland Hopson and Matt Weston
Valentine’s
17 New Scotland Ave

Here’s a great way to spend Saturday night! This will be the first time Matt Weston and I have performed as a duo, and I’m really excited about playing with such an amazing drummer. Every time we’ve rehearsed it comes out a little differently, so it should be a fun surprise to hear what happens at Valentine’s.

Here’s what the Chronogram says about the show:

“A Night of Amazing Sounds”
April 16. In an out-of-the-ordinary move, the normally straight punk-oriented Valentine’s presents “A Night of Amazing Sounds,” a free jazz/experimental electronics program with the quartet of keyboardist Bob Gluck, guitarist James Keepnews, saxophonist Ras Moshe, and drummer Dean Sharp; Duojoggle, featuring saxophonist-guitarist Mitch Elrod and drummer Mike Lopez; and Hopson-Weston, starring Holland Hopson on sax and laptop and Matt Weston on percussion and electronics. Here’s hoping the venue has similar bills in store. (The Charlie Watts Riots and the Last Conspirators plot destruction April 1; the Downtown Fiction hits April 27.) 8pm. Call for ticket prices. Albany. (518) 432-6572; www.valentinesalbany.com.

ASAC Presents Blood Stereo, Bill Nace, 1983

The Albany Sonic Arts Collective presents a rare US visit by Brighton England’s diy/indie legends, Blood Stereo. Complementing Blood Stereo will be Bill Nace, Northampton, MA guitarist extraordinaire, last in Albany with Thurston Moore, as Northampton Wools. 1983 is Jason Cosco–an Albany noiseician and video art solo project.

Tuesday, April 12
8:00 pm
Upstate Artists Guild
247 Lark St.
Albany NY
$5 suggested donation

More information on the performers: 

Blood Stereo, is an English duo of Dylan Nyoukis, and his wife, the musician and artist Karen Constance, that combines diy technology and the human voice creating a non-idiomatic sound where the human and material collide. Dylan Nyoukis’s work exists on the fringe of contemporary avant garde art and underground DIY, and he is a leading light in the UK’s tape/CD-R scene, both as a performer and proprietary of the Chocolate Monk label. He has collaborated with artists as diverse as Ludo Mich, Chris Corsano, Thurston Moore, Sun City Girls, Bill Nace (natch!), Heather Leigh Murray, Phil Minton, Neil Campbell, Usurper and Wolf Eyes.

Bill Nace is a musician based in Northampton, MA, who last visited us with Thurston Moore as Northampton Wools. Bill’s effected/treated guitar work is pure improv freedom through a lens of total control that never fails to astound. In addition to Thurston Moore, Bill has collaborated with innumerable artists including Chris Cooper, Paul Flaherty, Kim Gordon, Jooklo Duo, Chris Corsano, Jake Meginsky and John Truscinski. 

1983 is Jason Cosco, an Albany based noise and video artist, UAG board member, and ASAC member. Jason’s performances are physical affairs where the body invariably becomes instrument. You can’t be sure what Jason will break out but don’t be surprised if pedals, mics, cymbals, turntables, bells and various other plastics and metals make an appearance!