Finally: Static Voyage album release!!
All right! Now available on the Infinite Sector label, the piece I recorded for the Burning Man 2003 sound installation...74 minutes of cello, fx, and shortwave radio transmission. A Journey from chaos to meditation and back...I bring you Static Voyage!

fall = busy
Mood:  vegas lucky
Stuff continues to be absolutely crazy. Where do I begin?
Here's the short list:

Friday I found a superduper package on the doorstep when we arrived home...My new favorite gadget! A stompbox-sized mixer that allows me to run up to 4 instruments through the same signal chain. How dangerous is that?? I immediately hooked it up to my shortwave radio & single oscillator theremin to try it out. Got some interesting recordings of a numbers station broadcast - the first one I've ever come across, in fact. I think that's a pretty good omen!

This coming weekend, I'm doing 3 totally unique performances. {what to pack?? what to wear??} With my new mixer device, I can finally bring the shortwave radio onstage! What better excuse will I have than this Saturday night when I'll sit in with Beat Science on two shows? The first set is as it sounds: funeral procession music & dirges. The second show will contain an improv soundtrack to a 10 minute experimental horror montage called "Outer Space," among other things...like a Burlesque number to which the lovely Miss Firecracker will be doing her thing, yowza!!

show 1 : Music For Funerals
9:00PM EST @ Zeitgeist Gallery
1353 Cambridge Street / Inman Square
Cambridge MA / 617.876.6060 / $10 suggested donation

show 2 : Music For Horror Film
Promptly at Midnight @ Coolidge Corner Theater
290 Harvard Street / Brookline MA
617.734.2500 / $30
{opening set for the Coolidge Corner Theater's 4th ANNUAL HORROR MOVIE MARATHON!!}

And last but certainly not least:

Sunday, Oct. 26th The Sob Sisters are opening for Turkish Queen, Dreamchild, and Tim Mungenast, w00t! We're on around 8, so don't be late. (whoa, i believe that was a rhyme)
Skybar: 518 Somerville Ave., Somerville, MA
just $5 to hear 4 bands! and a singing monkey! {ok, i am lying about the monkey}
617-623-5223

Let's see...
I also accepted an invite to play as part of the PK string quartet for a very special Paula Kelley show in mid November. Holy moley I just realized that will be a monumental event because I'll be sharing the stage with my lovely & talented real-life sister for the first time ever. Seriously. (well - except for when our folks used to make us dress up & perform holiday music duets for their friends at parties. but i'm trying to block out those memories so i'll have to say that doesn't count & let's just forget i mentioned it, ok?)

Um, and I also may have an upcoming wisteriax interview in the Infinite Sector's new webzine to coincide with my little album release. More on both of those things later...
And of course there's the upcoming RSO concert which I've got quite a few rehearsals for in the next couple of weeks. Um, so yeah I am pretty busy. If I seem a little distracted {read: insane,} please forgive me.

the Science of Beats...er...Beat Science!
Mood:  caffeinated
Now Playing: I Am Not An Animal; I Am A Human Being: Beat Science
Met up with an interesting fellow this weekend from the band Beat Science. Looks like we may do a collab of sorts later this month. I think it will be lots of fun! Check out their site & tunes - really swell stuff. Scary clowns and all...

In other news: Still waiting on the Burning Man/FZC release. As soon as I know anything, I'll post here.

I'm toying with the idea of doing some self-releases via mixonic.com in the near future. We'll see how things shape up. I am mad at myself for not putting a live show together this summer...but then again I was working on other fun projects & I guess that's all that really matters. Isn't it??

a pleasant surprise
Awhile back, I received an inquiry from an experimental DJ in Cincinnati called Klarc Qent. His show, An Afternoon Bizarre, is probably best described as an exercise in sound-collage. And he was looking for some material to use. It seemed like an interesting & fun idea, so I obliged.

Anyhow, I'd almost forgotten that I'd sent him 3 improv recordings I made with shortwave & cellonoize. {I like to give people more than one option...} But the other day I found a lovely package from DJ Karc Qent on my doorstep - Two excellent cds!

One consists of the 3 improvs I sent him, completed with various collaborative layers, including recorded performances by Matthew Lewis, and Michael Griffin...really unique & fantastic stuff! Apparently, those 3 tracks will be included on his upcoming release, "Klarc Qent & Friends," which I'm very excited to hear more about!

The other CD is Mr. Qent's "Junk Jazz" album, which I believe one can purchase through his website. It is an "appropriation" record, with lots of artfully rearranged samples from jazz and avant garde performances. Very recommended listening :)

Hmmmmm...
I've not been doing much wisteriax recording lately, as my cello efforts have been mostly focused on getting the Sob Sisters off the ground. But I made an interesting purchase today at a toy store that may make for some nifty stealth field recordings. It is called "Spy Ear," and apparently allows the wearer to pick up and amplify faraway sounds. I will be testing it out in the office this afternoon, haha.

finally...
Now Playing: Incus: Burning Thread
Got my copies of the long-awaited Incus album this weekend. Turned out very well. Hoping for some upcoming performances so I can check out the new lineup.

Also hoping that the album gets some good reviews. Always nice to read reviews of an album you put a lot of work into - especially if they're positive reviews.

Oooh - the Paula Kelley cd release party is tonite too. A swank affair! I think I'm going to wear a gown I picked up recently at my favorite Vintage/Thrift shop. It looks like a bridesmaid's gown or prom dress from about 1964 - in lilac lace and blue chiffon. {heh - if i don't wear it tonite, i can't think of any other occasion it would be appropriate for...honestly}

Last Sunday's performance at O'Brien's went well - despite the bar's crummy sound system. Thanks to all who attended - hope you enjoyed the show!

A friend sent me some pictures, so I'll share them. Funny thing - I look kinda like a werewolf in the second one, and Scott has a very strange light-aura. But check out Ms. Ajda the Turkish Queen's outfit! She looked more stunning that usual.

Anyhow, Symphony rehearsals have started up again so I'm quite busy with that, and with the new project I still haven't revealed yet.

Oh, what the heck...if you've read this far, then you deserve to see the new site. Keep in mind that it's a work in progress. Introducing:
.:The Sob Sisters:.

Wow.
So I got 2 comp. albums lately that I've got to tell you about.

Firstly, went to see Turkish Queen last weekend at Pan9, {fabulous show, btw!} and they surprised me with a copy of their long-awaited E.P.: Cusp
The songs are innovative and quite moving, what a talented duo they are - but really - I''m here to tell you about the packaging. It is such a little gem! Picture a die-cut letterpress folder that's purple chipboard, filigrees galore, with purple and metallic gold ink...and the cd itself is purple and gold as well. The graphics and materials are just so elegant. And their music is lovely & quite unique. I always find them inspiring, because they do something different each time I hear them, and it always sounds good. Anyhow - you must go to the very next T.Q. show, and pick up Cusp for yourself:

Sunday September 7th
O'Brien's in Allston
3 Harvard Ave.
here's the flyer
{yeah, and i'm sitting in with them too. a little self-promotion is what this blog's all about anyhow, isn't it?}

Another nice surprise came in the mail yesterday, after a very stressful day at work...The brand spankin' new, hot off the press {actually i don't even think it has been released yet} Paula Kelley cd: The Trouble With Success or How You Fit into the World
And a thank you note with an invite to the upcoming {swank !} cd listening party was enclosed.

I couldn't wait to hear how the songs turned out, so I popped it in the discman right away, and listened to all the tracks with the "PK Orchestra" on them first. What an album! Seriously...this is one of the the finest, most well-produced, most well-orchestrated "local" albums I have ever heard. My ♥ is bursting with pride to have my name in the credits. Oh, and my very talented little sister plays multi-layered solo violin parts on the intro and exit pieces - stunning work! Bravo to all involved!

Just an aside: It really is wonderful to work with such gracious well organized people as the aforementioned 2 groups. I'm wowed. {if you're observant, you may also note that i still have not received a comp copy of the album i slaved over & took precious vacation days to track on last year...and its been out since july. isn't life full of contrasts...ahem.}

P.S. I swear that after Burning Man is over, I will have an announcement about an album release of my own. And another very special new project debut. Sorry to keep y'all waiting...

P.P.S. If you are reading this, mister ¢¢...i forgave you a long time ago. hello. hope you're doing better than you claim to be.

gig announcement
Mood:  vegas lucky
Now Playing: Bonechurch: Heaven Lies Empty
Just thought I'd mention that I'm joining forces with Turkish Queen again for an upcoming set!

Next Wednesday, July 30.
Skybar.
Be there, or be sorry you missed a great show ;)
More info here!

new tapeworm track, a la wisteriax!
Mood:  caffeinated
Posted a new track to tapeworm.org this morning. Many thanks to fellow tapeworms ChEw, flobot, and DeVico for the super samples!

The setup:
You are sleepwalking in the deep rainforest after nightfall. You wake suddenly as you stumble upon a mysterious tribal ritual...
dark timpanos v2!

Hope you like.
Don't listen right before bedtime.

leaps and bounds
So much to do lately, and I've been very very bad about posting. Slap my wrist, if you please. Here's the lowdown:

I may have an announcement soon about an actual wisteriax album release.

_mute_witness_ and I are about to unveil another cello-riffic music group. More details soon.

I'm almost done recording the material for Klarc Qent's radio show.

The Incus album is supposed to be available through Middle Pillar this month. {though i'm wondering if my tracks were recorded over...nah...that would involve a lot of work}

I've signed on to record or to perform with several fantastic local groups - all of which I'm very excited about. As I begin each project, I'll tell you more.

And there may be a tapeworm collective compilation out in the near future, which is also great news! Lots of my samples have used in tapeworm collabs. And I just completed my own piece containing my samples as well as other tapeworms.

Also - an update on the Fibric Zyrex Cube has been posted. A few of my recordings will be played there throughout the Burning Man festival.