Below are some photos from recent Empty Cage Quartet sightings in the Pacific Northwest. After discussing our music for theory/composition students at the Art Institute of Seattle, we played a set at the Chapel Performance Space on the opening night of the 2011 Is That Jazz? Festival. This is an amazing multi-day event, now in it’s third year, that brings together a stellar lineup of creative musicians from the Northwest and beyond. We were certainly honored to take part. The following day consisted mainly of rehearsal in preparation for a recording session at Jack Straw Studio, where we made our first CD waaay back in 2003. We recorded all of the new music from the Montalvo/SoCal Tour last Fall – stay tuned for updates as this project progresses…
Some pics below from recent Empty Cage Quartet sightings at the Montalvo Arts Center (we took over the composition studios for four days to develop two sets of brand new material), our workshop with jazz studies students at CSU Bakersfield, and a long overdue return to Los Angeles with a performance at Royal T sponsored by Angel City Arts:
I am very proud to be part of Chris Schlarb‘s upcoming release on Asthmatic Kitty Records, Psychic Temple. The 29-member orchestra featured on this record includes legendary Minutemen bassist Mike Watt, steel guitarist Dave Easley, keyboardist Mick Rossi (of the Phillip Glass Ensemble), bass guitarist Steuart Liebig, and many others. You can download an excerpt from the opening track by clicking here.
The album will be released digitally on November 23. But here’s a better way to get ahold of it: donate now to help fund a limited edition pressing of the album on 180 gram vinyl. $25 gets you a full album download and a copy of the LP when it comes out. Check out the Kickstarter spiel below for more info…
The Invisible-Astro-Healing-Rhythm-Quartet Brenden Morlan-guitar, bass, effects Andrew Koeth-keys, bass, effects Jordan Aguirre-keys, guitar, percussion, effects Alex Sarad-trap drums, percussion
It was quite an amazing evening on Thursday at Metro Galleries – mind-bending music and a great late night crowd of hardcore Bako improv music fans who PACKED the place. Thanks to Toshi and Tetuzi, Jeremy and Tatsuya, James and Amanda Sproul, Brian Boozer and Aum Studio Productions, Don Martin and Derek Magana at Metro Galleries, Camille Gavin at the Bakersfield Californian, Jonathan Martinez, and the Future Cosmic Collective for making this one happen!
Metro Galleries
1604 19th St.
Bakersfield, CA 93301
$5 Admission
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Metro Galleries Presents Improvisational Music from LA and Japan
The Metro Galleries Concert Series continues on Thursday, May 13 with a very special concert featuring several of Japan’s greatest living improvising musicians.
Tatsuya Nakatani is a contemporary percussionist hailing from Osaka, Japan but currently living in Pennsylvania. He has developed a dramatic and intensely moving approach to improvised music that incorporates drumset, bowed gongs, cymbals, singing bowls, metal objects, bells, and various sticks and bows. His incredible solo performance opening for the Industrial Jazz Group at Metro Galleries in 2008 is still being talked about; this time he will be joined by Los Angeles electric guitarist Jeremy Drake (Nels Cline, Eleni Mandell, Vinny Golia) and local trumpeter and Bakersfield College music professor Kris Tiner for a set that will be recorded live.
Sharing the bill will be two figureheads of Japanese underground experimental improvisation: the enigmatic and extraordinarily dynamic acoustic guitarist Tetuzi Akiyama and Toshimaru Nakamura who plays “no-input mixing board” — by connecting the input of a mixing console to the output he is able to manipulate the resultant audio feedback as a live, interactive musical instrument. The music this duo creates has been dubbed “Zen Impressionism” and can range from dreamy, mysterious serenity to fiercely raging sonic supernovas.
In-between sets, dig the analog beats laid down by Bakersfield’s own Future Cosmic Collective.
Metro Galleries is located at 1604 19th St. in downtown Bakersfield. Admission to the show is $5; tickets are available at the door only; all ages are welcome. Doors open at 10 p.m., music begins shortly afterward.
Brought legendary LA guitarist G.E. Stinson up to do a series of workshops for my students at Bakersfield College on Tuesday. Directly afterward we played a duo set at Dagny’s – G.E. on guitar, effects, and laptop beats and me with the new electric trumpet rig. I’ve played with G.E. before in various trio and quartet combinations as well as in a few large ensembles, but what a blast to try to keep up with him in a duo – the man can definitely throw down some sound!
Some pics above (and video below) from the Empty Cage Quartet double CD release concert at The Stone in New York City, April 17, 2010 (click here for the gig announcement + promo that was posted previously). We had a great time, an intense 3-hour rehearsal of new music, and then a lovely walk around Greenwich Village before the show. The Stone was full nearly to capacity, and it was great to see so many friends and supporters come out. Thanks to Tiflin and Mike Baggetta for the photos.
