On Leap of Faith: "Alien yet familiar, bizarre yet completely fascinating. Expanding, contracting, erupting, settling down, always as one force..." - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
On Metal Chaos Ensemble: "... using unique strategies to yield densely active and eerily surreal music, an incredible excursion through experimental improvisation." - Squidco website staff
Evil Clown
Mekaniks - Getting Down with the Klown
Evil Clown Headquarters, Waltham MA
- 7 September 2016
PEK tweak of a Raffi Photo
Review by Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
PEK tweak of a still from the video
Video
MEKANIKS With PEK / BOB MOORES / DAN O’BRIEN / GREG GRINNEL / KEVIN DACEY / YURI ZBITNOV - Getting Down with the Klown (Evil Clown 9118; USA) Mekaniks is another of the Leap of Faith offshoot projects which features two core members: PEK on multiple single & double reeds, flute, theremin and Yuri Zbitnov on balafon, daiko & assorted percussion plus occasional LoF collaborators: Bob Moores on space trumpet & guitar, Dan O’Brien on clarinets, tenor sax & flute, Greg Grinnell on laptop & electronics and Kevin Davey on balafon, daiko, saxophone & percussion. This is another studio session recorded at Evil Clown Headquarters. Mekaniks are a rare Leap of Faith offshoot sextet that only got together for this particular studio session. I recognize all of the names from assorted Evil Clown discs. Commencing quietly with layers of mysterious percussion, cymbals, metal, balafon (African xylophone) and perhaps electronics, the sound is most mesmerizing. When PEK switches to tenor sax, the intensity level increases, an eruption of spirits takes place. When PEK picks up a double-reed (shenai?), things go even further out as spinning cymbals and bits of echoplex are added for seasoning. There are a series of sections in which certain areas of exploration are dealt with. Tribal drums, other-worldly electronics, saxes and space trumpet all get their due and work well together. This is like a soundtrack to science fiction movie which moves back and forth in time, from ancient villages to modern day free improv madness, all connected to an invisible thread. Alter your reality today! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
Audio CD Evil Clown 9118
Mekaniks - Getting Down with the Klown
streaming, downloads and CD mail order
1) Getting Down with the Klown - 1:01:01
Evil Clown Headquarters, Waltham MA - 7 September 2016
PEK ‐ clarinet, contraalto clarinet, alto & tenor saxophones, dulzaina, shenai,
slide whistles, wood flute, siren, [d]ronins, theremin, ms-20, aquasonic,
metal, voice, electronics
Dan O'Brien - clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax, piccolo, metal, electronics
Bob Moores - space trumpet, guitar, electronics
Greg Grinnell - laptop, samples, electronics
Kevin Dacey - balafon, daiko, bells, crotales, [d]ronis, daxophone, metal, crank
siren, aquasonic, ms-20, theremin
Yuri Zbitnov - balafon, daiko, festival drum, bells, crotales, [d]ronis, metal,
crank siren, voice
Photos by Raffi
Photos by Raffi