Pacific Pythagorean Music Festival
A marathon for adventurous ears! Thanks to Del Sol quartet and the Contemporary Jewish Museum for presenting an afternoon of eclectic music all rooted in just intonation. Daniel Libeskind’s Yud gallery resonated with soundings by Del Sol Quartet, Chris Brown, Kyle Bruckmann, Matt Ingalls, Ellen Fullman, Larry Polansky, Ben Johnston, Arjun Verma, Michael Harrison and yours truly.
Fred Frith live at the Stone
Over the moon to be part of this box release celebrating Fred Frith at the Stone- 3 CDs spanning 10 years of improvisations with an illustrious company of fellow mischief-makers. Gorgeous artwork by Heike Liss, and liner notes including an interview I did with Fred, one of the main master magicians in my book. Officially out on Intakt March 15th!
Splinter Reeds releases Hypothetical Islands
Splinter Reeds releases their second full length album, Hypothetical Islands, out on New Focus Recordings on March 15th! The album includes my piece, “Letters To A Friend” (dedicated to Alessia Pugliatti) as well as works by Sky Macklay, Matthew Shlomowitz, Cara Haxo, Eric Wubbels and Yannis Kyriakides.
Preorder here: https://newfocusrecordings.bandcamp.com/…/splinter-reeds-hy…
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NBC89FF
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/…/…/hypothetical-islands/1453062288
New solo piano work for Sarah Cahill
"She Dances Naked Under Palm Trees", is a new work for solo piano, commissioned by and written for Sarah Cahill as part of her project, “The Future Is Female”. The piece is inspired by the poetry of William Waring Cuney, as sung by Nina Simone in her song "Images". Sarah will be premiering the piece at the Detroit Institute of Arts on March 22nd and the Bowling Green New Music Festival on March 25th.
The Eve of the March at Grace Cathedral
Thanks to everyone who came out to The Eve of the March on Friday - what an honor to premiere "To Burst To Bloom" at such a momentous occasion. Chapeau and gratitude to Karen Clark, Shira Cion, Janet Kutulas, Shira Kammen, Vajra Voices and all Kitka singers for this resounding evening of song!
The Eve of the March - Jan.18th save the date!
In honor and awe of the Women's March 2019, Vajra Voices & Kitka present The Eve of the March - a concert in the sacred space of Grace Cathedral where we will celebrate womens’ voices and the power of community. This is going to be quite a night! Join Vajra Voice, Kitka, multi-instrumentalist Shira Kammen and yours truly - I’ll be premiering To Burst To Bloom - 6 songs setting the texts of the 12th Century Chinese female Toaist, Sun Bu’er. Tickets available here.
The Eve of the March - support us on Kickstarter!
Donate here to support the production of The Eve of the March - an upcoming concert at Grace Cathedral celebrating the divine feminine in song with Vajra Voices, Kitka, Shira Kammen and Theresa Wong:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1270240623/the-eve-of-the-march
Photo: Norbert Lorenz
Solo piano in the works...
I’m so honored to be a part of pianist Sarah’s Cahill’s new program The Future is Female, a ritual installation and communal feminist immersive listening experience featuring more than fifty compositions by women around the globe – 15th century to the present day. Learn more about the works on this new page on Sarah’s website: http://sarahcahill.com/the-future-is-female/ Stay tuned for my new piece inspired and dedicated to Audre Lorde and Nina Simone.
Powerdove's Bitter Banquet album launch
Photos by Ellen Fullman
Diorama by Elkhanah Pulitzer & Chad Owens, Photo: Hilary Rand
Such a fantastic week reuniting with Annie Lewandowski (aka Powerdove) and performing her gorgeous songs with a dream band of Fred Frith on guitar and David Yearsley on clavichord! Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate the launch of Bitter Banquet with us, especially to poet Jane Hirshfield for kicking off the evening and to the Institute Of advance Uncertainty for the gift of time and space.
Revisiting Greek drama at the Legion of Honor Museum
View of the Gunn Theater at the Legion of Honor Museum in SF, performing in director Carey Perloff’s spectacular presentation on Greek drama and its representation in ancient art. Sharing the stage with actors Anthony Fusco, Safiya Fredericks and Dan Clegg.
Residency with Ellen Fullman in the Princeton Music Department
photo by Bora Yoon
An intense but very fruitful week performing, presenting, workshopping and getting to know the Princeton Music Department with Ellen Fullman. Tremendous thanks to Bora Yoon for organizing this residency and to everyone for their curiosity and creativity - Dan Trueman, Jeff Snyder, Cleek Shrey, Molly Herron, Liam Elliot, James Moore, Iarla ó Lionáird, Anna Roberts-Gevalt, John McCowen and Daniel Fishkin.
fo'c'sle in the news: San Francisco Classical Voice on new Bay Area music labels
Thanks to Andrew Gilbert and the San Francisco Classical Voice for covering news on 3 new Bay Area music labels! Read the full article here: www.sfcv.org/article/artists-on-their-own
Crossing A River By Rope - out on fo'c'sle
One of the first four inaugural releases on fo’c’sle, this album is especially dear to my heart. Recorded in the Yunnan Province of China during a serendipitous meeting of five musicians at the Lijiang Studio artist residency in July 2017, this collection of improvisations presents a rare and exuberant exchange of sonic discourse between Chinese and American improvisers. The three members of Red Scarf, (Li Xing: guitar, Boyu Deng: percussion & Lao Dan: sax and bamboo instruments), one of China’s most rambunctious and radical prog rock/noise bands, ignite in a charged chemistry with New York based clarinetist John McCowen and yours truly on cello and voice. Our vocabulary draws upon traditional Chinese music, noise, rock, and free improvisation all with the force and purifying effect of an ancient shamanic weather front. Listen/download/purchase a CD at: www.focslemusic.com
TW, Deng Boyu, Lao Dan, John McCowen, Li Xing
fo'c'sle is launched!
I'm over the moon to announce the launch of my new label, www.focslemusic.com! The mothership takes off with four releases of music by my much beloved and motley crewmates, Ellen Fullman, David Gamper, Stuart Dempster, Chris Brown, powerdove, John McCowen, LI Xing, Boyu Deng, Lao Dan and yours truly. You can get a sneak preview and preorder CDs, LPs and digital downloads now before these albums officially come out on Oct. 7. A big hearty THANK YOU goes out to everyone who has supported and nurtured this into fruition. Come out and celebrate this fall with us - there's a lot in store!!!
Oct. 7: RETROSPECTACLES release concert @ Maybeck Studio: Chris Brown, piano & electronics
Oct. 28: PINK SEA THRIFT launch & listening party @ Institute of Advanced Uncertainty (I.O.U): Ellen Fullman & special guest Stuart Dempster
Dec. 9: BITTER BANQUET release concert @ I.O.U.: Annie Lewandowski, Fred Frith, Theresa Wong with poetry reading by Jane Hirschfield and installation by Elkhanah Pulitzer.
Garden of Memory @ Chapel of the Chimes
Another year ringing in the Solstice at the annual Garden of Memory! I got to share the Sanctuary of the Julia Morgan-designed Columbarium in Oakland with the one and only Zachary James Watkins. Special thanks to Sarah Cahill, Lucy Mattingly and the tireless team behind the scenes to make this yearly Bay Area celebration possible! (*TW photo by Evelyn Chang)
Splinter Reeds records ‘Letters To A Friend’
Splinter Reeds is working on their 2nd album, which includes ‘Letters To A Friend’ which I wrote in memory of Alessia Pugliatti. The piece is based on a work by Brazilian concrete poet, Augusto de Campos who wrote me within days of this recording...synchronous signalling, I'd say.
Mics, please...
Testing out mics for a solo cello and voice album @ Tiny Telephone Studios, SF w/ Adam Hirsch. More sessions in the works for Fall 2018 - stay (de)tuned...
Interview on 5049 Records
A recent conversation I had here while in New York with Jeremiah Cymerman: www.5049records.com
