Happy 2012 to you, I hope you are off to a good start.

As many of you know, I have been producing concerts of unusual and experimental music in the Bakersfield area for over a decade. Working with local artists, volunteers, and my colleagues at Bakersfield College and CSU Bakersfield, we have invested vast amounts of time and energy to diversifying the live music scene here, bringing in highly regarded composers, improvisers and sound artists from all over the world. And it turns out that we have become something of a hub for such projects; at this point I have to turn down far more performance requests than I am able to accommodate.

It has long been on my mind to find a way to document these events. People rarely believe me when I try to explain what a supportive audience for new music exists in Bakersfield; our reputation as “California’s Honky Tonk” is hard to shake. And although we have built a solid following, I am always looking for ways to expand the local audience and deepen our community support.

So I started a record label. I’ve partnered with Ronald Ramirez, who runs a record store here as well as an independent punk label called Going Underground Records. We both share an interest in documenting, developing, and showcasing the local music subculture. Ronald’s label has been active for eight years, releasing dozens of records from local bands and groups from around the world, and they sell out of everything they release. Our idea for Epigraph is to create a label that would be focused on releasing LPs of new music, avant-jazz, sound art, improvised and experimental projects that have been recorded and/or performed live in Bakersfield, in limited vinyl editions featuring exclusive designs by local artists.

And now, thanks to a Subito Grant from the American Composers Forum, our first release is now available. RITUAL INSCRIPTION is a blazing live set recorded at a jam-packed midnight concert at Metro Galleries in downtown Bakersfield, featuring internationally renowned percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani, Los Angeles guitarist Jeremy Drake, and myself. This edition is limited to 500 numbered copies, with one of five original designs screen printed on the back of each jacket by local artist Alex Sarad.

I hope you’ll take a listen, and consider buying a copy! All profits from the sale of Epigraph LPs will be directed toward future releases, expanding the roster of artists and the scope of creative music events offered in the Bakersfield community. We have a busy few months ahead, with concerts featuring multi-instrumentalist and Nine Inch Nails collaborator Alessandro Cortini, Bay Area saxophonist Phillip Greenlief, avant-percussionist Gino Robair, ethereal guitarist Jim McAuley, trombonist/composer Michael Vlatkovich with tuba master William Roper, Tatsuya Nakatani with his Nakatani Gong Orchestra, local composer James Sproul, and local jazz-funk ensemble The Invisible Astro Healing Rhythm Quartet. A forthcoming Epigraph compilation LP including recordings from these events is planned.

RITUAL INSCRIPTION is available to listen and purchase at www.epigraphrecords.com.