Session No. 3 The Abyss
I couldn't have been more thrilled to have been invited to participate with these outstanding and inventive musicians, all established master craftsmen on their instruments. The assemblage included: Blaise Siwula-reeds, Stan Nishimura-trombone, Anthony DiGregorio-guitar, Aron Namenwirth-guitar, Eric Plaks-piano, John Loggia-drums, Grady Gerbracht-drums and myself on voice.
The beautifully-sonorous cacophony of sounds were spellbinding; each musician lending their special talent to the mix - I was especially enamored with the sounds coming from Grady Gerbracht's custom-built electroacoustic percussion rig which added several extra dimensions to the overall performance - not sure those dimensions have been defined by science yet, but it was a wonder to behear.
Drummer John Loggia's sound was encompassing and compelling, shifting moods throughout the one-hour long piece, "The Abyss" --a poem written by Blaise Siwula, over which the spontaneous composition was constructed. Siwula, who conducted the entire piece through his reading of the poem, performed brilliantly shaping and contouring the emotional sounds pouring out of his various horns as well as each musician's voice into an avant-garde orchestral suite. This was my first time hearing most of the players in Sessions 3 and was quite inspired by pianist Eric Plaks, and guitarists Anthony DiGregorio and Aron Namenwirth - all of whom are amazing musicians.
I think it is safe to say that no one yet has played that spinet piano at the Medicine Show Theatre quite like Eric did last evening - he has a mass of technique and plethora of ideas drawing on many sources at his command - he covers a lot of turf - I believe the piano was smiling, I know I was.
The two guitarist DiGregorio and Namenwirth (acoustic & electric) skillfully added contour and contrast to the landscape with asymmetrical patterns of enharmonic chords and prehensile fingerings.
I've known of trombonist Stan Nishimura for several years having first heard him at Blaise's COMA Series at ABC No Rio in many different group settings. Stan has a big sound with a burnt earthen metalled tone that he uses to sculpt out his weighted provocative lines. Last night, he and I had some magic going on with our musical conversations that elicited from me some trombone expressions of my own.
I can't thank these wondrous musicians enough for bringing their artistry to the Medicine Show Theatre last evening and for being a part of this series. They played for all the right reasons, for the love of the art, the music, and the freedom to play without restriction. And because this is who they are and what they breathe--it's what makes them tick. Without Ego, Without Judgment, In absolute Freedom of Mind and Heart, in the Spirit of Unbound Creativity.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to support these kinds of artists and performance spaces and I am so grateful to have been given an opportunity to present artists such as these at my series - so thank you forever to the Medicine Show Theatre because artists like these and experimental theatres like the Medicine Show are small in number but pave the way as they always have and they do it courageously, selflessly and for all the right reasons--the kind of fearless exploration that leads to evolution. Oh Yeah!
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NEXT MONTH NOVEMBER 21ST TAKE IT OUT!! TUESDAY IS HONORED TO PRESENT THE ONE AND ONLY WORLD RENOWNED DRUMMER RONNIE BURRAGE. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS, THIS IS NOT TO BE MISSED!!!Enjoy the video from last night's performance and please visit and support the Medicine Show Theatre. http://www.medicineshowtheatre.org
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