{"id":6012,"date":"2016-01-16T23:34:18","date_gmt":"2016-01-16T23:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/?p=6012"},"modified":"2016-02-20T00:37:37","modified_gmt":"2016-02-20T00:37:37","slug":"electric-shadow-theater-film-truth-surreal-sound-by-fushigi-kenkyukai-%e4%b8%8d%e6%80%9d%e8%ad%b0%e7%a0%94%e7%a9%b6%e4%bc%9a-%e2%97%89%c2%a0films-jean-cocteau-fernand-leger-maya-deren","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/16\/electric-shadow-theater-film-truth-surreal-sound-by-fushigi-kenkyukai-%e4%b8%8d%e6%80%9d%e8%ad%b0%e7%a0%94%e7%a9%b6%e4%bc%9a-%e2%97%89%c2%a0films-jean-cocteau-fernand-leger-maya-deren\/","title":{"rendered":"Electric Shadow Theater: Film Truth + Surreal Sound by Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai (\u4e0d\u601d\u8b70\u7814\u7a76\u4f1a) \u25c9\u00a0Films: Jean Cocteau, Fernand L\u00e9ger, & Maya Deren (\u041c\u0430\u0439\u044f \u0414\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d) \u25c9\u00a0Music: Jorge Bachmann, Beth Custer, Bryan Day, Thomas Dimuzio, Tom Djll, Joe Lasqo, David Michalak, & Suki O’Kane \u25c9\u00a0Tue 23 Feb @ PianoFight, SF"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cocteau<\/a>

Cocteau applies the finishing touches to cast member Barbette - \u00ab Le sang d'un po\u00e8te \u00bb<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u2019m very excited to return to PianoFight<\/strong><\/a>, \u201cSF\u2019s Next Landmark Entertainment Venue\u201d, 144 Taylor St., SF (map)<\/a>, with new ensemble Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai (<\/strong>\u4e0d\u601d\u8b70\u7814\u7a76\u4f1a<\/strong>)<\/strong>, 8pm, Tue 23 Feb<\/span><\/strong> and some of the freshest, most exciting films ever made.<\/p>\n

\u261e Advance tickets available at a discount:\u00a0here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Formed by Rob Ready, Dan Williams and Kevin Fink (called \u201cthe bad boys of San Francisco theatre\u201d by Theatre Bay Area<\/em>), PianoFight<\/strong><\/a> has successfully managed venues (Off-Market Theater Complex); recklessly invited audiences to Throw Rotten Veggies at the Actors<\/em><\/strong>; formed two critically acclaimed sketch comedy groups (Mission CTRL and ForePlays); and built a three-man producing team into a 46-member company of artists.<\/p>\n

Their latest adventure is PianoFight<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a new theater complex with restaurant and bar at the former site of the San Francisco landmark restaurant Original Joe\u2019s, 144 Taylor Street, with two theaters in the back of house, and a 60-seat restaurant and bar with a full liquor license and a cabaret stage at the front of the house.<\/p>\n

\"PianoFight,<\/a>

PianoFight, SF's Next Landmark Entertainment Venue<\/p><\/div>\n

This great new performing arts complex, in the heart of SF\u2019s Central Market Arts District, takes forward the development of a music axis on Taylor Street, stretching from the Luggage Store, the Warfield, and Center For New Music to its northernmost and newest bo\u00eete<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, its two black-box theaters have expanded the \u201cSan Francisco off-off-Broadway\u201d that includes CounterPulse, EXIT Theater, and Cutting Ball Theatre.<\/p>\n

My totem animal, Morgana, has enjoyed joining forces with PianoFight\u2019s<\/strong><\/a> totem animal, the Californicorn<\/strong> during my solo residencies and previous film+music shows there, and we\u2019re both keenly looking forward to performing there again\u2026<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The founder of the first "Paranormal Research Society" (Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai : \u4e0d\u601d\u8b70\u7814\u7a76\u4f1a), in 1886, Enry\u014d Inoue (\u4e95\u4e0a\u5186\u4e86)<\/p><\/div>\n

Since the founding of Clubfoot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a> in 1983, San Francisco has been a leader in pairing film classics with composed or improvised scores. Not only is Clubfoot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a> still scaling new heights, but a rich new crop of ensembles for film + sound have created a second wave of Bay Area shadow play for the 21st century.<\/p>\n

Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai<\/strong> are a collective of film and sound artists, mixing veterans of Bay Area \u201cwayang sinema\u201d ensembles like Clubfoot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a> & Reel Change<\/strong> with pioneers of electronic, computer-based, and invented instruments.<\/p>\n

The name Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai (<\/strong>\u4e0d\u601d\u8b70\u7814\u7a76\u4f1a<\/strong>) means \u201cParanormal Research Society\u201d. The truth is out there.<\/p>\n

The program uses two surrealist film classics and a cubo-futurist mechanical “ballet” to find it.<\/p>\n

Line-up<\/span>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jorge Bachmann<\/strong><\/a> (electronics)<\/p>\n

Beth Custer<\/strong><\/a> (bass & other clarinets | vocals)<\/p>\n

Bryan Day<\/strong><\/a> (invented instruments)<\/p>\n

Thomas Dimuzio<\/strong><\/a> (electronics)<\/p>\n

Tom Djll<\/strong><\/a> (surrealist prepared trumpet)<\/p>\n

Joe Lasqo<\/strong><\/a> (keyboards | laptop | objects)<\/p>\n

David Michalak<\/strong><\/a> (skatchbox | lap steel guitar | film curator)<\/p>\n

Suki O’Kane<\/strong><\/a> (percussion allsorts)<\/p>\n

\n

Program<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 1: Cubist Culottes & Surrealist Shorts (33 min, with\u00a0short break following)<\/span><\/p>\n

Fernand L\u00e9ger<\/strong>: Ballet \u00e9lectro<\/span>m\u00e9canique<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Maya Deren<\/strong> (\u041c\u0430\u0439\u044f \u0414\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d<\/strong>): Meshes Of The Afternoon<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Part 2: Main Feature<\/span><\/p>\n

Jean Cocteau<\/strong>:\u00a0Blood Of A Poet<\/em><\/strong> (Le sang d’un po\u00e8te<\/em><\/strong>) 55 min.<\/p>\n

\"Jean<\/a>

Jean Cocteau and friend<\/p><\/div>\n

(1930) \u25c9 Blood Of A Poet (Le sang d’un po\u00e8te)<\/strong><\/em>, by Jean Cocteau<\/p>\n

Cocteau described his first film, Blood Of A Poet (<\/em><\/strong>Le sang d’un po\u00e8te<\/em><\/strong>)<\/em><\/strong> as “a descent into oneself, a way of using the mechanism of the dream without sleeping, a crooked candle, often mysteriously blown out, carried about in the night of the human body.”<\/p>\n

A tall smokestack starts to collapse\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\u00ab<\/a>

\u00ab La solitude du po\u00e8te est si grande et qu'il vit tellement ce qu'il cr\u00e9e, que la bouche d'une de ses cr\u00e9atures lui reste dans la main comme une blessure\u2026 \u00bb (The poet's solitude is so great, he so lives what he creates, that the mouth of one of his creations lives in his hand like a wound...) - Cocteau<\/p><\/div>\n

A mouth in an artist’s sketch starts moving, wanders off the paper and occupies the artist’s hand, then finally finds a home on a statue in the studio, making it come alive\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Travel between worlds via mirror in Cocteau's \u00ab Le sang d'un po\u00e8te \u00bb - Boarding phase<\/p><\/div>\n

Now able to talk, the statue tells the artist how to pass through mirrors to another world, where he voyeuristically peeps on tableaux of levitating children, ambiguous sexuality, and opium dreams through room keyholes at the \u00abH\u00f4tel de Folies Dramatiques\u00bb<\/em>, culminating in his suicide, resurrection, and return through the mirror\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Danger<\/a>

Danger de mort! \u00e0 l'H\u00f4tel de Folies Dramatiques - \u00ab Le sang d'un po\u00e8te \u00bb, by Jean Cocteau<\/p><\/div>\n

After this shamanic journey is complete, a young school boy is murdered by a snowball in a courtyard \u2014 that turns out to be a stage where a card-game is being played before an audience of aristocrats watching from boxes.<\/p>\n

Will the black guardian angel keep the dead boy’s Ace of Hearts from the artist, who has become the card-shark?<\/p>\n

After we find out the answer, a tall smokestack continues to collapse\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\u00ab<\/a>

\u00ab Le sang d'un po\u00e8te \u00bb, by Jean Cocteau<\/p><\/div>\n

About this first installment of the Orphic Trilogy<\/em><\/strong>, Cocteau said:<\/p>\n

“My relationship with the work was like that of a cabinetmaker who puts together the pieces of a table which the spiritualists, who make the table move, consult.”<\/p>\n

“I was the only one of this minority [the surrealists] to avoid the deliberate manifestations of the unconscious in favor of a kind of half-sleep through which I wandered as though in a labyrinth.”<\/p>\n

“Blood of a Poet<\/em><\/strong> draws nothing from either dreams or symbols. As far as the former are concerned, it initiates their mechanism, and by letting the mind relax, as in sleep, it lets memories entwine, move and express themselves freely. As for the latter, it rejects them, and substitutes acts\u2026 that the spectator can make symbols of if he wishes.”<\/p>\n

\"\u00ab<\/a>

\u00c0 l'H\u00f4tel de Folies Dramatiques - \u00ab Le sang d'un po\u00e8te \u00bb, by Jean Cocteau<\/p><\/div>\n

Jean Cocteau<\/strong> started a long string of technical film-making discoveries with his first film by turning mistakes that he didn’t have the money or technology to undo into profoundly inspired excuses for improvisatory cinematography, incorporating even the dust kicked up by cleaners in the studio to provide surrealistic effects, and pioneered trick shot techniques to realize strange effects like the sideways gravity of the \u00abH\u00f4tel de Folies Dramatiques\u00bb<\/em> and the mirror portal between worlds.<\/p>\n

\"\u00ab<\/a>

\u00ab Quand il joue cette partie de cartes avec sa Muse, avec sa Gloire, avec sa Destin\u00e9e, il triche en prenant sur son enfance ce qu'il devrait puiser en lui-m\u00eame \u00bb (When he plays the card game with his Muse, his Glory, with his Destiny, he cheats by drawing from his childhood instead of from within himself) - Lee Miller in \u00ab Le sang d'un po\u00e8te \u00bb<\/p><\/div>\n

Another highlight of the film is the only extensive film appearance of surrealist & documentary photographer Lee Miller, who plays the living statue of the film as well as the antagonist of the card-shark near the film’s conclusion \u2014 she of whom Cocteau said, “I could tell you that the snowball fight represents the poet’s childhood and that when he plays the card game with his Muse, his Glory, with his Destiny [Lee Miller], he cheats by drawing from his childhood instead of from within himself.”<\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/a>

Portrait of Space, by Lee Miller<\/p><\/div>\n

Brilliant collaborator and lover of Man Ray, Lee Miller met Ray, as described by Jonathon Keats (link<\/a>), “in the spring of 1929 at a Paris bar called the Bateau Ivre<\/em>. Miller was seeking photography lessons. Ray said he didn\u2019t take students, and was leaving for vacation in Biarritz. \u201cSo am I,\u201d she responded, starting one of the most tempestuous and creative relationships in the history of 20th century art.”<\/p>\n

\"(L\u2192R)<\/a>

(L\u2192R) Enrique Riveros & Lee Miller in Le sang d'un po\u00e8te, by Jean Cocteau<\/p><\/div>\n

Later the wife of British surrealist painter Roland Penrose and documentary photographer of the Nazi concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau, Lee Miller numbered among her friends and photographic clients Picasso, Joseph Cornell, Paul \u00c9luard, Eileen Agar, Jean Cocteau, Dorothea Tanning, Henry Moore, Max Ernst, and Jean Dubuffet.<\/p>\n

Documenting the horrors of the Holocaust left Lee Miller in a life-long struggle afterward with what we today call PTSD, and she was after the war investigated on suspicion of being a Soviet spy by Britain’s MI5.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

(1924) \u25c9\u00a0Ballet \u00e9lectro<\/span>m\u00e9canique<\/strong>, by Fernand L\u00e9ger with new electronic score<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Poster<\/a>

Poster for Fernand L\u00e9ger's \u00ab Ballet m\u00e9canique \u00bb<\/p><\/div>\n

Ballet m\u00e9canique<\/em><\/strong> marks a turning point in both film and music history.<\/p>\n

\"\u00ab<\/a>

\u00ab Les joueurs de cartes \u00bb (The Card Players), by Fernand L\u00e9ger<\/p><\/div>\n

Recovering from the mustard gas attack that nearly killed him toward the end of World War 1, L\u00e9ger began to integrate his wartime experiences with the machinery and inhumanity of the front into his art, producing paintings with machine-like figures, like The Card Players<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

He said of this period:<\/p>\n

“\u2026I was stunned by the sight of the breech of a 75mm in the sunlight. It was the magic of light on the white metal. That’s all it took for me to forget the abstract art of 1912\u20131913. The crudeness, variety, humor, and downright perfection of certain men around me, their precise sense of utilitarian reality and its application in the midst of the life-and-death drama we were in … made me want to paint in slang with all its color and mobility.”<\/p>\n

The film is usually credited to Fernand L\u00e9ger<\/strong>, with large contributions from Dudley Murphy and Man Ray, and with a lot of uncertainty about who did what. For the sake of simplicity, let’s consider it L\u00e9ger’s film here.<\/p>\n

\"Frame<\/a>

Frame from Fernand L\u00e9ger's \u00ab Ballet m\u00e9canique \u00bb<\/p><\/div>\n

This cubo-futurist period in L\u00e9ger’s work was propelled by a kinetic esthetic that emphasized movement, repetition, and a nascent transhumanism in its fluid and porous boundaries between human and machine.<\/p>\n

\"One<\/a>

One of L\u00e9ger's animation sequences from \u00ab Ballet m\u00e9canique \u00bb<\/p><\/div>\n

The film is laced with additional spice in the form of Fernand L\u00e9ger’s animation sequences bearing strange oblique references to Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"George<\/a>

George Antheil and instruments from his \u00ab Ballet m\u00e9canique \u00bb<\/p><\/div>\n

Intertwined with Ballet m\u00e9canique<\/em><\/strong> the film<\/span> is another Ballet m\u00e9canique<\/em><\/strong> \u2014\u00a0the musical piece<\/span> by George Antheil<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Originally conceived of as the soundtrack for the film, the two pieces drifted apart in production, with the music winding up 1\u00bd times as long as the film.<\/p>\n

The orchestration was: 16 player pianos (or pianolas) in four parts, 2 regular pianos, 3 xylophones, at least<\/em> 7 electric bells, 3 airplane propellers, siren, 4 bass drums, & 1 tam-tam.<\/p>\n

The synchronization of the 16 player pianos was technically impossible in that MIDI-less era, but perhaps that only added to the fun of the affair\u2026.<\/p>\n

Antheil \u2014 as assiduous a marketer as the later John Cage (who appeared on game shows to get nationwide broadcast performance opportunities for his pieces) \u2014 vigorously hyped his bizarre baby by arranging to appear to have been kidnapped before the first performance (whose patroness was at the end of the concert tossed in a blanket by 3 baronesses and a duke\u2026) and hiring professional provocateurs to infiltrate the audience and heighten the sense of scandal at later performances.<\/p>\n

\"Other<\/a>

Other Minds' brilliant revival recording of George Antheil's \u00ab Ballet m\u00e9canique \u00bb<\/p><\/div>\n

Despite the glorious music, which you can check out in a superb revival recording from Other Minds, the severe length mismatch kept the music and the film in separate universes until the advent of modern editing technology in the 90’s when clever cutting and sewing created the illusion of synchronization in a length-matched compressed-music version.<\/p>\n

Up to then, the music had been performed (very rarely\u2026) as a stand-alone “ballet” (with the exotic stage machinery standing in for dancers).<\/p>\n

The film was premiered silently, without the intended music, and then became fair game for various musicians and composers to have at it, which is exactly our plan \u2014 to salute the singularity with a new 21st-century electronics-enhanced version in a Ballet <\/em><\/strong>\u00e9lectro<\/span><\/em><\/strong>m\u00e9canique.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

(1943) \u25c9 Meshes Of The Afternoon<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>, by Maya\u00a0Deren (\u041c\u0430\u0439\u044f\u00a0\u0414\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d)<\/p>\n

\"Maya<\/a>

Maya Deren (\u041c\u0430\u0439\u044f \u0414\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d) in her film Meshes Of The Afternoon<\/p><\/div>\n

Maya Deren<\/strong> (\u041c\u0430\u0439\u044f \u0414\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d<\/strong>) said of her Meshes Of The Afternoon<\/em><\/strong> that it “does not record an event which could be witnessed by other persons”.<\/p>\n

A shifting exploration of ambiguous transitions between sleep and waking, life and death, self and double(s) that’s imbued with an eerie and indescribable coherence, Meshes Of The Afternoon<\/em><\/strong> achieves its impact by means of brilliant and very musical use of a number of motifs that it puts through set-theoretic permutations in a way that would have made Milton Babbitt proud, while yet retaining a powerful and mysterious human poetry.<\/p>\n

\"Frame<\/a>

Frame from Maya Deren's Meshes Of The Afternoon<\/p><\/div>\n

A flower on a long driveway, a knife in a loaf of bread, a phone off the hook, a Grim Reaper with a mirror instead of a face, a key falling, a phonograph, and other motifs all participate in a spiraling fugue where potential meanings are developed and abandoned like polyphonic lines.<\/p>\n

As Robert Robertson says in Cinema And The Audiovisual Imagination: Music, Image, Sound<\/em><\/strong>, “Taking the model of chamber music, she advocated its lyrical qualities, it’s abstract forms, its economy, but also its virtuosity, as an example for what she called ‘chamber films’.”<\/p>\n

\"Montage<\/a>

Montage of scenes from Meshes Of The Afternoon by Maya Deren (\u041c\u0430\u0439\u044f \u0414\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d)<\/p><\/div>\n

Traveling across many stairs, pathways, and physical levels of a house and its environs, the protagonist encounters various doubles, mirrors, and situations reflected between her dreams and what passes for the film’s reality.<\/p>\n

We’ll map and reshape these motivic lines, inversions, and transformative repetitions in a new electronic score for what, due to its musical qualities, has become one of the greatest “standards” for film+music sonification.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Carrying on the traditions of and sharing members with \u201cwayang sinema\u201d ensembles like Clubfoot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a> & Reel Change, Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai (<\/strong>\u4e0d\u601d\u8b70\u7814\u7a76\u4f1a<\/strong>) is comprised of:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Jorge Bachmann (aka Ruidobello)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 Jorge Bachmann<\/a> (electronics)<\/p>\n

Sculptor, electronics master, photographer, and engineer Jorge Bachmann<\/a> is a multi-disciplinary, mixed-media and sound artist. Since the early 80s, Jorge has been exploring the strange, unique and microcosmic sounds of everyday life, collecting field recordings. The sound atmospheres created are meant for deep listening and are composed in symbiosis with the sculptural installations.<\/p>\n

He creates equally sensual and detailed oriented photo-based work; and his art explores social and sensual constructs and experiences.<\/p>\n

Starting his career in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia and then active for a long period in Lausanne, Switzerland, Jorge eventually relocated to the Bay Area and became a technical and artistic mainstay of MEDIATE\u2019s<\/a> Soundwave<\/strong> Series as well as the Engineer Scotty of the Starship SFEMF<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now he\u2019s returned to regularly giving solo electronic concerts such as his recent brilliant one at The Lab\u2019s Serge 40-year Reunion.<\/p>\n

\"Beth<\/a>

Beth Custer (Photo - Anne Hamersky)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 Beth Custer<\/a> (bass & other clarinets | vocals) is a San Francisco based composer, clarinetist, vocalist, bandleader, and the proprietor of BC Records.<\/p>\n

An original member of the Club Foot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a>, a trailblazing ensemble who pioneered scoring and performing with silent films (Pandora\u2019s Box<\/em><\/strong>, Sherlock Jr<\/em><\/strong>., Metropolis<\/em><\/strong>, etc.), Beth is also a founding member of the 4th-world ensemble Trance Mission<\/strong><\/a>, the trip-hop duo Eighty Mile Beach<\/strong><\/a>, and leads the quartet of esteemed jazz clarinetists Clarinet Thing<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>as well as The Beth Custer Ensemble<\/strong><\/a>. The Pacific Film Archive commissioned Beth to compose a live score for My Grandmother \/ <\/em><\/strong>\u10e9\u10d4\u10db\u10d8 <\/em><\/strong>\u10d1\u10d4\u10d1\u10d8\u10d0 \/ \u041c\u043e\u044f \u0411\u0430\u0431\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0430<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, a rare Soviet film, which she toured internationally in Russia, Czech Republic, Ireland, and England, supported by Trust for Mutual Understanding and Mid Atlantic Arts Fund awards.<\/p>\n

She composes for theatre, film, dance, television, installations and the concert stage and has created scores for the contemporary chamber ensembles Left Coast Chamber Ensemble<\/strong><\/a>, Zeitgeist<\/strong><\/a>, Earplay<\/strong><\/a>, City Winds<\/strong><\/a>, + Turtle Island<\/strong><\/a> and Kronos<\/strong><\/a> String Quartets<\/strong>; for the theatre productions of Campo Santo Theatre<\/strong><\/a>, Berkeley and San Diego Repertory Theatre<\/strong><\/a>, Magic Theatre<\/strong><\/a>, California Shakespeare<\/strong><\/a>, Overtone Industries<\/strong><\/a>, A Traveling Jewish Theatre<\/strong><\/a>, and Cornerstone Theatre<\/strong><\/a>; for dancers and troupes Joe Goode Performance Group<\/strong><\/a>, Flyaway Productions<\/strong><\/a>, Osseus Labyrinth<\/strong>, AXIS Dance Company<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>and but\u014d (\u821e\u8e0f) masters Harupin Ha<\/strong><\/a> (<\/strong>\u30cf\u30eb\u30d4\u30f3\u6d3e<\/strong><\/a>), <\/strong>Koichi Tamano<\/strong><\/a> (\u7389\u91ce<\/strong><\/a>\u9ec4\u5e02) and Ledoh<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>(\u30ec\u30c9\u30fc<\/strong><\/a>). Her score for JGPG\u2019s<\/strong><\/a> The Maverick Strain<\/em><\/strong>, which won an Isadora Duncan Award, excerpts enjoyed a run at the Joyce Theater in NYC during April \u201909.<\/p>\n

Beth has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists including inventor Trimpin<\/strong><\/a>; artists Vladimir Kokolia<\/strong><\/a> and Billie Grace Lynn<\/strong><\/a>; musicians Stephen Kent<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Fred Frith<\/strong><\/a>, Miya Masaoka<\/strong><\/a> (\u6b63\u5ca1<\/strong><\/a>\u307f\u3084), Joan Jeanrenaud<\/strong><\/a>, Amy Denio<\/strong><\/a>, Tin Hat<\/strong><\/a>, Tango \u2116 9<\/strong><\/a>, Pamela Z<\/strong><\/a>, Will Bernard<\/strong><\/a>, Sex Mob<\/strong><\/a>, John Schott<\/strong><\/a>, Grassy Knoll<\/strong><\/a>, ROVA Saxophone Quartet<\/strong><\/a>, Violent Femmes<\/strong><\/a>, J.A. Deane<\/strong><\/a>, the late, great Snakefinger<\/strong>, Greg Goodman<\/strong><\/a>, William Cepeda<\/strong><\/a>, Elaine Buckholtz<\/strong><\/a>, Mark Eitzel<\/strong><\/a>, Penelope Houston<\/strong><\/a>, Anna Homler<\/strong><\/a>, Ollin<\/strong><\/a>, and Connie Champagne<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

She has over 35 recordings out with her ensembles Eighty Mile Beach<\/strong><\/a>, Clarinet Thing<\/strong><\/a>, Trance Mission<\/strong><\/a>, The Beth Custer Ensemble<\/strong><\/a> and Club Foot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Beth Custer performs "For the Grace of Any Man" at the Red House Speak Easy, San Francisco, June 2012<\/p><\/div>\n

Beth created KQED\u2019s Independent View<\/em><\/strong> theme with her band Eighty Mile Beach<\/strong><\/a> and composed for CBS\/Film Roman\u2019s Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat<\/em><\/strong> with Club Foot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>as well as creating music for the films of Cathy Lee Crane<\/strong><\/a>, Melinda Stone<\/strong><\/a>, Betsy Bayha<\/strong><\/a>, Julie Wyman<\/strong><\/a>, George Spies<\/strong><\/a>, Karina Epperlein<\/strong><\/a>, Will Zavala<\/strong><\/a>, Peter MacCandless<\/strong>, and Koohan Paik<\/strong><\/a> (\ubc15<\/a>\uad6c\ud55c). Beth created four musicals with award winning writer Octavio Solis<\/strong><\/a> in LA & SF, and her collaborative scores with inventor and MacArthur Fellow Trimpin<\/strong><\/a> led her to compose Vinculum Symphony<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, a site-specific, large-scale work that unites chamber musicians with experimental instrument builders.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Stephen Kent and Beth Custer perform in the Sanctuary of Dawn at the Garden of Memory event, Chapel of the Chimes, Oakland, 21 Jun 2012<\/p><\/div>\n

Beth has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists including inventor Trimpin<\/strong><\/a>; artists Vladimir Kokolia<\/strong><\/a> and Billie Grace Lynn<\/strong><\/a>; musicians Stephen Kent<\/strong><\/a>, <\/strong>Fred Frith<\/strong><\/a>, Miya Masaoka<\/strong><\/a> (\u6b63\u5ca1<\/strong><\/a>\u307f\u3084), Joan Jeanrenaud<\/strong><\/a>, Amy Denio<\/strong><\/a>, Tin Hat<\/strong><\/a>, Tango \u2116 9<\/strong><\/a>, Pamela Z<\/strong><\/a>, Will Bernard<\/strong><\/a>, Sex Mob<\/strong><\/a>, John Schott<\/strong><\/a>, Grassy Knoll<\/strong><\/a>, ROVA Saxophone Quartet<\/strong><\/a>, Violent Femmes<\/strong><\/a>, J.A. Deane<\/strong><\/a>, the late, great Snakefinger<\/strong>, Greg Goodman<\/strong><\/a>, William Cepeda<\/strong><\/a>, Elaine Buckholtz<\/strong><\/a>, Mark Eitzel<\/strong><\/a>, Penelope Houston<\/strong><\/a>, Anna Homler<\/strong><\/a>, Ollin<\/strong><\/a>, and Connie Champagne<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

She has over 35 recordings out with her ensembles Eighty Mile Beach<\/strong><\/a>, Clarinet Thing<\/strong><\/a>, Trance Mission<\/strong><\/a>, The Beth Custer Ensemble<\/strong><\/a> and Club Foot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Bryan<\/a>

Bryan Day performs in the Active Music Series @ The Uptown, Oakland, 11 Jun 2013 (photo - John Scharpen)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 Bryan Day<\/a> (invented instruments)<\/p>\n

Bryan Day<\/a> is an improviser, instrument inventor, illustrator & installation artist based in San Francisco. His work involves combining elements of the natural and man-made world using field recordings, custom audio generation software and homemade instruments. Bryan\u2019s work explores the parallels between the patterns and systems in nature to those in contemporary society.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Bryan Day<\/p><\/div>\n

Bryan has toured throughout the US, Europe, Japan, Korea, Argentina, the Philippines, & Mexico, performing both solo as Sistrum<\/strong><\/a> and Eloine,<\/strong> and in the Shelf Life<\/strong><\/a> and Seeded Plain<\/strong> ensembles, as well as with innumerable collaborators, and has over 40 solo and ensemble releases.<\/p>\n

\"Bryan<\/a>

Bryan Day's kit reflects his sound universe (photo - John Scharpen)<\/p><\/div>\n

Since 1997 he has been running the new music label Public Eyesore<\/strong><\/a> and its sister label Eh?<\/strong><\/a>. Through Public Eyesore<\/strong> and Eh?<\/strong>, Bryan has produced and released over 200 albums of improvised and experimental music by artists from all over the globe, in addition to curating the music series at Meridian Gallery in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Thomas Dimuzio<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 Thomas Dimuzio<\/a> (electronics)<\/p>\n

Thomas Dimuzio<\/a> is a composer, multi-instrumentalist & electronic musician, mastering engineer, sound designer, and label proprietor based in San Francisco.<\/p>\n

Long regarded as a musical pioneer for his innovative use of live sampling and looping techniques to create compelling works, Thomas is a true sonic alchemist who can seemingly create music events out of almost anything. Listed sound sources on his various CDs include everything from \u2018modified 10 speed bicycle\u2019 and \u2018resonating water pipe\u2019 to short-wave radios, loops, feedback, samplers, and even<\/em> normal<\/em> instruments such as clarinet and trumpet, while his current work is facilitated by the deep expanses of modular synthesis.<\/p>\n

His use of signal processing, custom crossfade looping, and algorithmic mixing fuels a synergy of man and machine in his live performances, while intercepted signal feeds from collaborators, wild sources of MIDI-controlled feedback, modular synthesizers, circuit-bent toys, or ambient microphones on the streets, become integrated as sound sources within his system of live interactive electronics, effortlessly moving from electroacoustic and noise to glitch, dark ambient, improv and drone.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Thomas Dimuzio<\/p><\/div>\n

In his work as a sound designer, Thomas has worked with synthesizer and processor manufacturers such as Kurzweil, Lexicon, and OSC to create custom presets and sample libraries, and he has collaborated with Fred Frith<\/a>, Tom Cora<\/strong>, and ROVA Saxophone Quartet<\/strong><\/a> to create sound libraries for Rarefaction and Big Fish Audio. Thomas also continues to play a key role in the development of Avid\u2019s industry standard Pro Tools HD recording and mixing system, as he has for the past 20 years.<\/p>\n

As a collaborator, Thomas works with numerous artists and ensembles such as Dimmer<\/strong><\/a> (with Joseph Hammer<\/a>), Chris Cutler<\/a>, Fred Frith<\/a>, Dan Burke\/Illusion of Safety<\/strong><\/a>, Nick Didkovsky<\/a>, ISIS<\/strong>, Negativland<\/strong><\/a>, Arcane Device<\/strong><\/a> (David Lee Myers<\/a>), Matmos<\/strong><\/a>, Wobbly<\/strong><\/a> (<\/strong>Jon Leidecker)<\/strong>, Poptastic<\/strong><\/a>, 5uu\u2019s<\/strong><\/a>, Tom Cora<\/strong>, Mickey Hart<\/a>, Paul Haslinger<\/a>, Arte Saxophone Quartett<\/strong>, Due Process<\/strong><\/a>, and Voice Of Eye<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Thomas Dimuzio<\/p><\/div>\n

As a mastering engineer, Thomas has worked with independent artists and labels through his own\u00a0Gench Studios<\/strong><\/a> since the early 1990\u2019s. Among his clients are\u00a0Matmos<\/strong><\/a>,Negativland<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0ISIS<\/strong>,\u00a0AMM<\/strong>,\u00a0Captain Ahab<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Doctor Nerve<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Psychic TV3<\/strong>,\u00a0Xiu Xiu<\/strong><\/a>, Devin\u00a0Hoff<\/a>, GG\u00a0Allin<\/strong>,\u00a0KK Null<\/strong><\/a> (Kazuyuki\u00a0Kishino<\/a> \/\u00a0\u5cb8\u91ce<\/a> \u4e00\u4e4b),\u00a0Joey P<\/strong>, Fred\u00a0Frith<\/a>, Scott\u00a0Amendola<\/a>, and many others.<\/p>\n

Thomas Dimuzio\u2019s<\/a> recordings have been released internationally by ReR Megacorp, Asphodel, RRRecords, No Fun, Sonoris, Drone, Record Label Records, Odd Size, and other independent labels.<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/a>

Tom Djll (original photo by Dill Pixels)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 Tom Djll<\/a> (surrealist prepared trumpet)<\/p>\n

Tom Djll<\/a> has spent over twenty years developing the trumpet\u2019s wide sonic array of extended techniques. His musical language incorporates complex noises and gritty, unheard textures from electronica into melodic gestures and building asymmetrical formal structures. Tom has made a lifelong study of the art of improvised music, and has been actively performing since 1980.<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/a>

Tom Djll (original photo by Dill Pixels)<\/p><\/div>\n

Tom Djll\u2019s<\/a> approach to playing the trumpet has been characterized from its inception by an anti-professionalism that locates itself within a political rather than musical continuum. Although he had studied composition with AACM masters Roscoe Mitchell<\/a>, Anthony Braxton<\/a>, Wadada Leo Smith<\/a>, and others, inspired by punk and DIY approaches to performance and soundmaking (Trans Museq<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0PiL<\/strong><\/a>, The Contortions<\/strong><\/a>, Alterations<\/strong>, Eugene Chadbourne<\/a>), Tom eschewed formal training in lieu of nearly fifteen years of blazing an idiosyncratic pathway through the instrument based on his studies and performances of analog electronic music. Working with a Serge Modular Synthesizer until the turn of the century, Tom described his trumpet sounds as products of an \u201canalog lip synthesizer,\u201d among other colorful epithets.<\/p>\n

\"Mutootator,<\/a>

Mutootator, by Tom Djll and various accomplices<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1989 Tom\u2019s trumpet+electronics breakthrough was realized with the recording of\u00a0TOMBO<\/em><\/strong>, using the Serge system\u2019s endlessly disruptive causation chains to process, feedback-process, and process-feedback all sorts of trumpet and mouth sounds, culminating in Mutootator<\/em><\/strong>, the apex of his trumpet\/Serge development. This set of improvised duets used a hybrid analog\/digital live sampling and processing system (the \u201cMutootator\u201d) of Tom\u2019s own design, and featured William Winant<\/a>, Tom Nunn<\/a>, Jack Wright<\/a>, Myles Boisen<\/a>, and many others.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Lava, by Chris Brown<\/p><\/div>\n

Subsequently, Tom studied in the graduate program at the Mills College Center for Contemporary Music, a period which saw his trumpet noises featured in Chris Brown\u2019s<\/a> ferociously difficult\u00a0LAVA<\/em><\/strong> (for brass, percussion, and electronics, recorded on Tzadik). Tom continued working with Chris Brown<\/a> in live performances of LAVA<\/em><\/strong> and other works (Brown, DUETS<\/em><\/strong>, Artifact) as well as with other Mills faculty (William Winant<\/a>, Alvin Curran<\/a>, John Bischoff<\/a>) and eminent visitors to the school such as James Tenney<\/strong>, Bun-Ching Lam<\/a> (\u6797<\/a>\u54c1\u6676), \u201cBlue\u201d Gene Tyranny<\/a>, Tim Perkis<\/a>, and Pauline Oliveros<\/a> (with whom he had previous studied her Deep Listening techniques). Others of Tom\u2019s gurus incude Karl Berger<\/a>, Lester Bowie<\/strong>, and George Lewis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/a>

Tom Djll (original photo by Dill Pixels)<\/p><\/div>\n

In the new millennium, Tom\u2019s resolutely nonprofessional performance practice has centered itself in live instrument re-building, wherein the trumpet\u2019s identity is broken down and reassembled onstage, using bits of plastic tubing, rubber bands, whistles, squeakers, toys and other horn parts. More recent performances have seen the re-entry of actual electronic sounds into the language. The festering soundworlds arising from this gallimaufry of resonator\/muters suggest a parade of chancy characters; Tom gives them monikers such as Whirly Honkblatter,<\/em> Zeppelin Launch Simulation Drone, <\/em>the Nude Rubberlips Orgasm Chanter<\/em>, and the Dissociative Tubular Identity Disorder Scalar Ambiguation Horn<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Current and recent projects include:<\/p>\n

Grosse Abfahrt<\/strong> (w Gino Robair<\/a>, Tim Perkis<\/a>, John Shiurba<\/a>, Matt Ingalls<\/a> and international guests), Quartet<\/strong> (w Tim Perkis<\/a>, Matt Ingalls<\/a> & Scott Walton<\/a>), Space Junk<\/strong> (w Jordan Glenn<\/a> & Scott Brown<\/strong>), Beauty School<\/strong> (w Jacob Felix Heule<\/a> & Matt Chandler<\/a>), Mockracy<\/strong> (co-operative orchestra, actors, and maxed media), All Tomorrow\u2019s Zombies<\/strong> (w Tim Perkis<\/a> & Gino Robair<\/a>), Dynosoar<\/strong> (w Ron Heglin<\/a> & \u201cGongwoman\u201d Karen Stackpole<\/a>),\u00a0 Kinda Green (w Tim Perkis<\/a>), John Shiurba\u2019s<\/a> 5\u00d75<\/strong>, Gino Robair\u2019s<\/a> I, Norton Opera Company<\/strong>, sfSound<\/strong><\/a> Group<\/strong>, led by Matt Ingalls<\/a>, and Tender Buttons<\/strong> (w Tania Chen<\/a> & Gino Robair<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Joe Lasqo & Morgana perform w Jim Ryan's Green Alembic in the sfSoundSalonSeries at Center for New Music, San Francisco, 15 Apr 2014 (Photo by Carly Hoopes)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 Joe Lasqo<\/a> (keyboards | laptop | objects)<\/p>\n

Pianist \/ laptopist Joe Lasqo<\/strong><\/a> studied classical music in India; computer\/electronic music at MIT, Columbia, Berkeley\/CNMAT; has been a long-time performing modern & avant jazz musician; & has lived, played and listened in several Asian and European countries (now in San Francisco).\u00a0He\u2019s keen on the application of artificial intelligence techniques to improvisation and the meeting of traditional Asian musics with the 21st century. His recent album, Turquoise Sessions<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, is available on Edgetone Records; with new releases planned in 2015.<\/p>\n

Joe had a weekly residency for 3\u00bd years+ in the afternoon piano series at Viracocha<\/strong>, and has appeared recently with Bruce Ackley<\/a> and Steve Adams<\/a> of ROVA Saxophone Quartet<\/strong><\/a>, Aaron Bennett\u2019s<\/a> Electro-Magnetic Trans-Personal Orchestra<\/strong>,\u00a0Phillip Greenlief\u2019s<\/a> Orchesperry<\/strong>, his own Renga-kai (<\/strong>\u9023\u6b4c\u4f1a<\/strong>)<\/strong>, Mukaiji-kai (<\/strong>\u9727\u6d77<\/strong>\u7b8e\u4f1a)<\/strong>, and Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai (<\/strong>\u4e0d\u601d\u8b70\u7814\u7a76\u4f1a<\/strong>) <\/strong>ensembles, synthesist Thomas Dimuzio<\/a>, clarinetist\/vocalist Beth Custer<\/a>, pianist Thollem McDonas<\/a>, percussionist Suki O\u2019Kane<\/a>, sound artists Joe Snape<\/a> (UK) & Lucie V\u00edtkov\u00e1<\/a> (Czech Rep.), technodivas \/ electronic musicians Pamela Z<\/a> &\u00a0Viv Corringham<\/a> (NYC\/London) and many others.<\/p>\n

au quotidien<\/em><\/strong>, a new album with German-Swedish saxist\/flautist Biggi Vinkeloe<\/a>, master drummer Donald Robinson<\/a>, and cello madman Teddy Rankin-Parker<\/a> is in production for release in early 2016.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

David Michalak<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 David Michalak<\/a> (skatchbox | lap-steel guitar | film curator)<\/p>\n

David Michalak<\/a> has made over 50 films with original soundtracks, including 3 features, starting out on the East Coast.<\/p>\n

After decades of films such as Dreamlife<\/em><\/strong>, Inside-Out <\/em><\/strong>(featuring The <\/strong>Kate Foley Dance Company<\/strong><\/a> and score written with Nik Phelps<\/a>, performed by the Club Foot Orchestra<\/strong><\/a>), When The Spirit Moves<\/em><\/strong>, featuring (Joe Goode<\/a>) dancer Vong Phrommala<\/strong> & silent-movie style actress Billie-Marie Gross<\/a>, Firefly<\/em><\/strong>, and Regenbogen<\/em><\/strong>, a soundtrack ensemble was formed to play live scores for David\u2019s movies and other film classics. The group, called Reel Change<\/strong> has featured: Andrew Voigt<\/a>, Joe Sabella<\/a>, David Michalak<\/a>, Phillip Greenlief<\/a>, Adam Hurst<\/a>, George Cremaschi<\/a>, Tom Nunn<\/a>, Kyle Bruckmann<\/a>, Theresa Wong<\/a> (\u9ec3<\/a>\u5929\u6b23), and Tom Djll<\/a>, releasing the CD Open In Total Darkness.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Suki<\/a>

Suki O'Kane<\/p><\/div>\n

\u25c9 Suki O\u2019Kane<\/strong><\/a> (percussion)<\/p>\n

Suki O\u2019Kane<\/strong><\/a> is a classically trained mallet percussionist, a composer and an instigator working with artists from a wide array of of music, movement & public art genres. One of the founding members of the lo-fi sampling ensemble The Noodles<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (w Michael Zelner), Suki plays percussion with Moe! Staiano\u2019s<\/a> Moe!kestra!<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, Dan Plonsey\u2019s<\/a> Daniel Popsicle<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, Big City Orchestra<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and is an ensemble member of Thingamajigs<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, <\/em><\/strong>performing new works by Edward Schocker<\/a>, Dylan Bolles<\/a> and Zachary James Watkins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"(L\u2192R)<\/a>

(L\u2192R) Nan Busse (didgeridoo) and Suki O'Kane (percussion) perform w Mukaiji-kai (\u9727\u6d77\u7b8e\u4f1a) at Fog CIty Music Festival, 31 Jan 2015<\/p><\/div>\n

She works in partnership with House of Zoka<\/strong><\/a>, a live recording project that has documented over 13 years of creative new music in the Bay Area, & since 2003 has been curating performances of live music and film, such as The Illuminated Corridor<\/strong><\/a>, a nomadic public art project that creates streetscapes of live experimental music and performative projection and Music by the Eyeful<\/strong><\/a>, the indoor performance series exploring the work of intermedia artists.<\/p>\n

\u25c9\u00a0For Examiner.com\u00a0preview of this show:\u00a0here<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Travel to worlds on the other side of the mirror as your consciousness streams to surrealist music \u2014 come flicker with us at PianoFight, \u201cSF\u2019s Next Landmark Entertainment Venue\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u3069\u3046\u305e\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/p>\n

Joe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m very excited to return to PianoFight, \u201cSF\u2019s Next Landmark Entertainment Venue\u201d, 144 Taylor St., SF (map), with new ensemble Fushigi Kenky\u016bkai (\u4e0d\u601d\u8b70\u7814\u7a76\u4f1a), 8pm, Tue 23 Feb and some of the freshest, most exciting films ever made. \u261e Advance tickets … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6012"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6012"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6012\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6076,"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6012\/revisions\/6076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joelasqo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}