February 25, 2012
Adam Tendler
Chapel Performance Space, Good Shepherd Center, Seattle
Within the context of keyboard literature this piece provides an intriguing comment on the apparent flatness of the timbral surface. The conceptual impact of the various preparations doesn't so much create the image of a new instrument - it is always clearly a piano piece - as bring into brilliant relief the figurational aspect, the fingery playingness of it, anchoring us firmly within the discursive realm of Couperin, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Scriabin, Debussy, and possibly more apropos, Scarlatti. On top of that it is sheerly gorgeous, and Adam knocked it out of the park. You can download a free recording of a recent live performance on his website. I did. Thank you Adam!
March 2, 2012
Seattle Composers' Salon
Chapel Performance Space, Good Shepherd Center, Seattle
Solo String Bass Piece - John Teske
A stunner. John tuned the lowest string down to an A and bowed it slowly 28 times, leaving space between each iteration long enough for him to no longer hear it or to feel his instrument producing it. An elegant dynamic design both freed us from the need to con his game and riveted our attention to his engaged care in producing sound. And a ferociously lovely sound it was. Damn!
88 - Terry Wergelend
Interestingly, this piece shares with John Teske's the nearly instant liberation from any need to figure out what is going on, leaving us to enjoy the delight of wondering and discovering which note would and did come next. I was particularly pleased at how different the effect of this was from my own "all the notes but each just once" piano piece N. Apparently Terry had to write a computer program to discover an ordering that would accomplish his intended image of proper randomness - or perhaps more precisely, his particular image of maximal local variety. Fascinating on all sorts of levels.
Prelude for Piano Trio - Clement Reid
A series of harmonic stations without progression, twisting around itself.
Selections from Who Are You And How Do You Know? - Jay Hamilton
Our local side-arm pitcher emitting ideas so fast and from so many directions your head will spin. Always a treat. The whole show, God-puppet and all, will be produced at the Chapel on April 7th.
Recorded
February 25, 2012
Banned Rehearsal 577 (comley) - (July 2000, Peter Comley, Karen Eisenbrey, Keith Eisenbrey, Anna K, Aaron Keyt, Neal Meyer)
Pete brought over some new microphones and this is his recording.
February 26, 2012
Gathered Songs Takes 2 - Eisenbrey
Gradus 177 - Neal Meyer
February 28, 2012
Sugarfoot Stomp - Merrit Brunies and Friar's Inn Orchestra [from Allen Lowe's That Devilin' Tune]
Delights. A new one every few bars.
China Boy - Red Nichols [from Allen Lowe's That Devilin' Tune]
There's a piano solo in the middle of this that is well on the way to Cecil Taylor. The other treat is the opening as it emerges and re-emerges and re-re-emerges.
Smokey Joe's Cafe - The Robins [collected from Dave Marsh's The Heart of Rock & Soul]
The brilliantly wicked sideways sax entrance is prefigured by the vocalist's entrance right at the beginning. In media res all over again.
Save The Last Dance For Me - The Drifters [collected from Dave Marsh's The Heart of Rock & Soul]
I Can't Explain - The Who [collected from Dave Marsh's The Heart of Rock & Soul]
Sloth - Fairport Convention [from Meet On The Ledge: The Classic Years (1967-1975)]
A high-school friend was a major FC aficionado. I recently decided it was long past time I gave it a listen and see what was up. At the time I was more of a Pink Floyd-ianado. Who would have thunk that at times, conceptually, the only real difference was a few amplifiers?
Stranger To Himself - Fairport Convention [from Meet On The Ledge: The Classic Years (1967-1975)]
The Puppet - Echo & The Bunnymen [collected from Nancy's Mix]
I'll say it now so I never have to say it again. Echo & The Bunnymen made U2 unnecessary.
In Session at The Tintinabulary
February 27, 2012
Banned Rehearsal 808 - Karen Eisenbrey, Keith Eisenbrey, Steve Kennedy, Aaron Keyt, Neal Meyer
Ping pong balls were released.
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