MCMC big band NON GRATA Sonarchy Radio broadcast on KEXP April 8, 2012

Recorded at Jack Straw Productions November 19, 2011

Live Mix by Doug Haire.

REEDS
Billy Monto
Darian Asplund
Wally Shoup
Kenny Mandell
Paul Hoskin

BRASS
Robby Beasley
Erik Bauer

PERCUSSION
Mark Ostrowski
Dave Abramson

GUITAR
Bill Horist
Stephen Parris
Dennis Rea

VIOLIN
David Milford

DOUBLE BASS, CONDUCTION
John Seman

WTF Fest with John Sinclair

featuring Ask the Ages, Quasi Mojo, Simon Henneman Quartet

April 28 – Seattle, WA @ The Comet (21 and over) www.comettavern.com

April 29 – Seattle, WA @ The Rat & Raven (all ages) www.ratandraven.com

http://www.facebook.com/events/243731789049871/ 

SPECIAL O.P.S.

Mark Ostrowski – drums

Stephen Parris – guitar

John Seman – double bass

Zero-G Concert Series

Mars Bar, Seattle, April 21, 2011

CHOICE OF MEAT (6 bass + 2 drums) [Scott Adams, Simon Henneman, Ken Jacobson, David Milford, Steve Parris, John Seman with Dave Abramson and Mark Ostrowski]

DEAD HOT (Jeff Huston and Izaak Mills)

DENNIS & THE REANIERS (Dennis Rea, John Seman, Tom Zgonc)

WED MARCH 21 at the COMET 9PM

Stephen Parris:
Ghost Leg (3 movements) – Performed by Adrienne Varner.
Aleatoric Etude for Overtones – Performed by Stephen Fandrich.
“March of the Infidels” and “Stinky Neck Cheese” – performed by Crystal Beth.

Gust Burns:
PEDAL 2 for piano, field recordings, and violin. Premiere performance.

Bill Monto:
Compositions arranged for wind ensemble and piano
Before the Death Scene by Mark Ostrowski
LG by John Seman
performed by Bill Monto, Kenneth Mandell, Darian Asplund, Paul Hoskin, Robert Beasley, Stephen Fandrich

Notes on the pieces:
“Ghost Leg” is a three movement piece for piano where material in some fashion was derived through the use of an eponymous Chinese system of randomly assigning one variable with another. A ghost leg is comprised of vertical lines intersected by horizontal lines that do not touch. Variables are assigned to the top and bottom of the vertical lines. Pairing of variables is accomplished by following the trail of the vertical line, and crossing at each horizontal line encountered. The first movement’s theme, placement of contrapuntal modifications, and time signature were developed using this system. All pitches and sequences in the second movement were developed by ghost legs, and then the sequences were used in an almost Webernian serial process. The third movement is in the style of a traditional Javanese Gamelan piece. The main skeletal melody was derived using a ghost leg, and then elaboration was through composed.

Each movement also provides a large amount of freedom to the performer to interpret the piece as they see fit. The first movement has no dynamic or phrasing markings. Only a tempo. The second movement has a rather loose slow tempo. Pitches can be held for as long as desired, and rests can be extended at performers discretion. The third movement has no dynamic markings, and uses the good old Italian tempo markings for tempo changes.

The Aleatoric Etudes are a series of etudes written with very loose structures that are determined by the roll of dice. They are designed to put the performer in an improvisational environment where they will have to consider their personal definitions and approaches to given criteria and limitations. For example, In the “Aleatoric Etude for Overtones”, a performer may be stuck performing with nothing but major intervals, and have to play something fast and morose for 5 minutes. The “Aleatoric Etude for Improvising Musician(s)” consists of 2 components: a drone and a scale. Number of pitches, and pitches themselves for both the drone and scale are determined aleatorically. The performer is expected to improvise using the scale over the drone until they are satisfied with what they have found, and come to an end.

“March of the Infidels” and “Stinky Neck Cheese” are loop based pieces designed especially for Crystal Beth to perform and improvise over.