by Andrew Frisicano

Matmos and So Percussion at the Whitney, 2006 (via Matador)

New music quartet So Percussion and electronic duo Matmos (Drew Daniel and Martin Schmidt) are collaborating on a new record, Treasure State, set to come out July 13th (July 8th digitally) on Cantaloupe. They recorded the record at the SnowGhost Studios in Whitefish, Montana, where "San Francisco plunderphonicist Wobbly then chopped and edited the results on several tracks, and finally, with frequent interventions from Matmos' M. C. Schmidt, 'fifth' So Percussion member and produced by Lawson White overdubbed extra elements, processed, and mixed the results." The instruments used include ceramic planters, pails of water, aluminum beer cans and cactus needles - not totally surprising if you've seen their live show.

Matmos and So Percussion will be playing at (Le) Poisson Rouge on Wednesday, June 9th. Tickets are on sale now. A full tour tour for the groups will be announced soon.

Before then, So Percussion's schedule includes an appearance at the Look & Listen Festival (which they play annually) on May 8th at Gary Snyder/Project Space (250 West 26th St). The other events for the three-day fest, details here, happen at Chelsea Art Museum. Tickets are on sale.

This summer, So Percussion will play on one night of Lincoln Center's two-night "Complete Works of Edgard Varèse" program. They'll join International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) to perform music by the highly influential composer (though Poème électronique will play itself). The second night features NY Philharmonic. Details on the program are below and tickets are on sale.

If that seems far off, in 2011 So Percussion will join Bang on a Can All-Stars, eighth blackbird and Kronos Quartet for a "Music of Steve Reich" concert at Carnegie Hall on April 30th. They'll perform new works and2009 Pulitzer Prize winning Double Sextet.

As for Matmos, they perform at Mutek Music Fest in Montreal on June 2nd.

Album tracklist, all tour dates, and more info on the Look & Listen and Lincoln Center shows are below...

Continue reading "So Percussion & Matmos collaborate - albums, shows, the Look & Listen Festival, music of Steve Reich, more"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Michael Gordon - Trance 2 (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "June" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion performing Steve Reich's "Drumming, Part Three" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Melody Competition" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Fast" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Go" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "March" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: So Percussion - "Work Slow Life" (MP3)

Look & Listen Festival is bringing a three-night program of contemporary classical music to two NYC art galleries this weekend (Friday, May 1st to Sunday, May 3rd). Performances include a Friday set by the Bang on a Can All-Stars and a Saturday performance by So Percussion.

So Percussion has been busy lately -- some recent performances were two nights at the Kitchen with Matmos and PLOrk on April 10th and 11th, and playing as part of the ensemble for Terry Riley's In C at Carnegie Hall on April 24th. At Look & Listen, they'll be performing works by John Cage and Meredith Monk (the latter with composer/musician/violinist Todd Reynolds). On Sunday, the program includes percussionist Svet Stoyanov performing recent Pulitzer Prize winner Steve Reich's "Electric Counterpoint." Tickets are available at the door.

The Bang on a Can All-Stars will also be at the Bang on a Can Marathon on Sunday, May 31st at the World Financial Center's Winter Garden. Full schedule, with times, for the free, 12-hour concert is below.

At the Marathon, the All-Stars will be performing a few times. Those include "performing world premieres of brand new collaborations with oscar-winning pianist, composer, and actor Ryuichi Sakamoto and another with world-renowned guitarist Bill Frisell." Michael Gordon's Trance, which was performed on April 21st at (Le) Poisson Rouge is scheduled near the start of the show, while Tortoise will close the night. A section of Trance is posted, again, above.

Full schedules for both festivals, below...

Continue reading "Look & Listen Festival this weekend (lineup), Bang on a Can Marathon announces set times (full lineup)"

by Andrew Frisicano

DOWNLOAD: Sonic Youth - The Eternal (montage) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: David Byrne & Dirty Projectors - Knotty Pine (MP3)

Dan Deacon fans @ the 2008 Bang on a Can Marathon (more by Leia Jospe)

On April 2nd, 2009, New York's electric chamber ensemble Bang on a Can All-Stars return to New York's Merkin Hall for their annual People's Commissioning Fund Concert.

The All-Stars will perform three world premieres by international up-and-coming composers Kate Moore (Australia-Holland), Lok Yin Tang (Hong Kong), and New York's David Longstreth, also known widely for his ground-breaking indie rock band Dirty Projectors. The second half of the concert is a terrific double-feature: a recently commissioned work by the legendary American composer Alvin Lucier, and the New York Premiere of a live collaboration composed for the group by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, for which Ranaldo will join the All-Stars on stage. The concert is a special edition of WNYC's New Sounds Live, hosted by John Schaefer.

David Longstreth has been keeping busy. He just premiered the Dirty Projectors' new 6-person line-up in anticipation of new album Bitte Orca, out June 9th on Domino. The MP3 above is his band's collaboration with David Byrne for the new Dark Was the Night charity album. On May 3rd they'll be performing at Radio City Music Hall for the same cause.

Ranaldo is also playing with Sonic Youth April 16th-19th at BAM, at No Fun Fest on May 16th, and on the band's 16th album, The Eternal, also out June 9th (on Matador).

Last year's Bang on a Can Marathon, the all-night fest happening this year at World Financial Center on May 31st, included a 4am Dan Deacon set (pic above). The lineup last year also included Signal (a.k.a. large ensemble w/ So Percussion) performing Steve Reich's Daniel Variations.

This Thursday (3/19), Reich will be speaking at Japan Society with Nobukazu Takemura and WNYC's John Schaefer in the first New Yorker/Nihonjin: Contemporary Cross-cultural Dialogues Series to "discuss post-minimalism, emerging trends in contemporary classical music and their collaboration on Reich Remixed." Tickets are available here. Reich Remixed (w/ tracks by DJ Spooky, Coldcut & more) is out now on Nonesuch (click for clips).

Signal (Brad Lubman, conductor) will be performing Michael Gordon's "Trance" at Le Poisson Rouge on April 22nd. The show is co-presented by the Wordless Music Series and Bang on a Can. Tickets are on sale. Signal will perform Philip Glass' Symphony No. 3 and Suite from The Hours with pianist Michael Riesman at the same venue on May 17th. Tickets are also on sale.

The Bang on a Can All-Stars (line-up below) are also performing at this year's Look & Listen Festival 2009 in New York (May 1-3) - which includes a So Percussion performance of John Cage's Third Construction and Child of Tree, and a Todd Reynolds and So Percussion collaboration on Meredith Monk's Gotham Lullaby (video below).

Full April 2nd Merkin Hall program and line-up below...

Continue reading "upcoming Bang on a Can, Signal & Steve Reich events - David Longstreth, Lee Ranaldo & Nobukazu Takemura included"