Evil Clown Newsletter 9/21/2015

The LOFO will be an expanded Leap of Faith with the core ensemble of PEK, Glynis Lomon, Steve Norton and Yuri Zbitnov together with an expanded percussion section, an expanded string section and an expanded wind section. The percussion section is Metal Chaos Ensemble, the horn section is Turbulence, and the string section is String Theory. Each of these extended sections has a gig planed with LOF this year in the usual LOF format – 2 bands play 3 sets, on each and then one together. The combined sets are small two-section versions of the orchestra. During the first half of next year we will again do these three shows. These sets will all use our pure improvisation format. After these shows, which will tighten us up in a variety of smaller versions of the orchestra, we’ll do our full first full orchestra performance. For the full orchestra, I will create a score utilizing frame notation to control who is playing at any given point in the performance with time code displayed to the ensemble. There will also be some written directions in the score defining pre-planned sonorities and perhaps even some notated lines or harmony. I used these techniques in Expansions, performed at Mobius in 1994, although that composition included far more notated material that I am likely to use for LOFO.

I plan to do two or three performances by the orchestra in 2016 / early 2017 preparing to perform at the Stone in Manhattan (assuming I can get us a gig there) – probably the premiere venue anywhere for new music performance. We will also try to do a core LOF gig roughly once per quarter in NYC to help build a New York City audience.

Ensembles have been fleshed out for each of the three extended sections…

Metal Chaos Ensemble
PEK - clarinets, saxes, double reeds, metal, voice
Yuri Zbitnov - drums, metal, voice
Andria Nicodemou - vibes
Matt Samolis - bowed cymbals, flute, metal
Kevin Dacey – metal

Turbulence
PEK - clarinets, saxes, double reeds
Steve Norton - clarinets, saxes
Charlie Kohlhase - alto and baritone saxes
Keith Hedger - trumpet
Bill Lowe - trombone, tuba
David Harris - trombone, tuba

String Theory
PEK - clarinets, saxes, double reeds, aquasonic
Clara Kebabian - violin, viola
Glynis Lomon - cello, aquasonic, voice
Jane Wang - cello
Kit Demos - bass
Anthony Leva – bass

The first two-section LOFO concert took place a week ago at the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church with core Leap of Faith and Metal Chaos Ensemble. This venue is better in many ways than the Lily Pad for this project and I'm in the process of trying to arrange to use it for the development of the orchestra. The concert was well attended and well documented. The post event work is done and the links are ready.

Evil Clown webpage
http://www.giantevilclown.com/lof-hyperbolic-spirals.html

YouTube Videos
Hyperbolic Spirals: 1) Metal Chaos Ensemble - Asymptotes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1TufPh8XTs
Hyperbolic Spirals: 2) Leap of Faith - Ordinate Approaches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk7Ggw63I-w
Hyperbolic Spirals 3) Leap of Faith Orchestra (LOF+MCE) - Transcendental Plane Curves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHb_Ez0FvZE

Streaming, Downloads and CD Orders at Bandcamp
https://leapoffaith1.bandcamp.com/album/hyperbolic-spirals-volume-1
https://leapoffaith1.bandcamp.com/album/hyperbolic-spirals-volume-2

5) New YouTube Videos Uploaded

Three More Dynamite Discs from the Ever-Prolific Leap of Faith Gang!
LEAP OF FAITH [PEK/GLYNIS LOMON/STEVE NORTON] -
Philosophie Naturalis Principia Mathematica
(Evil Clown 9046: USA) Featuring PEK [Dave Peck] - tenor & alto sax, clarinets, double reeds, Glynis Lomon - cello & voice and Steve Norton - sopranino & alto saxes, contra-alto clarinet. This disc features just 2 tracks, one with just the core trio (Pek, Glynis & Steve) and a rare, near-27 minute solo alto sax piece by PEK himself. Having had the opportunity to witness Leap of Faith live twice a few weeks ago (Aug 15 & 16/2015), as well as reviewing more than a dozen of their assorted discs, I am getting a better appreciation/understanding of what they do and do well.

Listening to the core trio makes it easier to hear the contribution of each member. The trio set is less busy than the usual quartet or quintet versions. The sound of the two spiraling reeds and cello sound especially great together, bending and twisting their notes in a similar fashion. They sound somewhat relaxed and keep a certain calm, thoughtful vibe at the center. Often one player will start a line and another will complete the line. Hearing PEK by himself is also unusual and revealing as he takes his time and concentrates al length on his alto sax rather than the dozens of reeds he often plays at most Leap of Faith sessions. PEK starts slowly and builds in speed and intensity as he goes. PEK like to stretch out notes from time to time and sounds as if he is about to break into a ballad at one point but doesn't. Nice to hear Leap of Faith on the slow burn side. - Bruce Lee Gallanter

Available from Downtown Music Gallery
http://www.giantevilclown.com/lof-philosophi--naturalis-principia-mathematica.html
https://leapoffaith1.bandcamp.com/album/philosophi-naturalis-principia-mathematica

LEAP OF FAITH [PEK/GLYNIS LOMON et al] -
Linear Combinations And Transformations:
The Alternative Takes
(Evil Clown 9037; USA) Featuring: PEK [Dave Peck] - saxes, clarinets, bassoon, Glynis Lomon - cello, voice, Mark McGrain - trombone, brass, Craig Schildhauer - bass (2 tracks), Rob Bethel - cello (1 track), Forest Larson - viola (1 track) and Sydney Smart or Laurence Cook - drums (1 track each, 1 track with no drums). This disc consists of three long pieces recorded in October of 1996 at Killian Hall at MIT in Cambridge, MA. This is an altered version of Leap of Faith with brass man Mark McGrain taking the place of reedman Steve Norton who is another longtime and current member. The original core members, PEK & Glynis Lomon remain with 2 strings added on one track and one of two drummers on one track each, a bassist on two tracks as well. Three long pieces make up this 70+ minute disc. Elder Boston drummer Syd Smart, who once worked with Sam Rivers and Ted Daniels plays on the first track and adds his own rhythmic flourishes, making this piece the most jazzy in sections when they are soaring quickly. The second piece, "Subspace Part 2" is just the trio (PEK, Lomon & McGrain) with no drums or strings. This piece is more restrained and cerebral with some spirited interaction between the reeds, cello and trombone. The third piece, "Orthogonal Projection", includes bass, two strings and another elder Boston-based drummer named Laurence Cook (for Bill Dixon, Burton Greene & Paul Flaherty). The drums are often at the center of this septet version of LoF.

PEK is playing some low-end reed, bari sax or (contra?) bass clarinet which sounds great with the cello and trombone. The group soars through a long section with the bass and drums pushing the cello, reeds and trombone higher and higher. The other strings don't enter til midway, adding their flurries as the piece evolves through more somber and more frenetic interludes. Even in their early days, Leap of Faith have worked their way through an organic method of improv which works well no matter who is playing with them, both core members and guests. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG

Available from Downtown Music Gallery
http://www.giantevilclown.com/lof-liner-combinations-and-transformations.html
https://leapoffaith1.bandcamp.com/album/linear-combinations-and-transformations-alternate-takes

LEAP OF FAITH [PEK/GLYNIS LOMON/JAMES COLEMAN/YURI ZBITNOV] -
Hierarchies
(Evil Clown 9038; USA) This disc features two long pieces: a quartet with PEK on clarinets, saxes & bassoon, Glynis Lomon on cello & voice, James Coleman on theremin and Yuri Zbitnov on drums plus a rare duo just PEK and Glynis Lomon. It was recorded in April of 2001. If the name James Coleman sounds familiar, it is because he has worked with a number other Boston-area based players like Greg Kelley, Tatsuya Nakatani and Bhob Rainey. He also appears on a few discs from this, the Evil Clown label with Leap of Faith or Equilibrium. This quartet version of Leap of Faith is in fine form, especially since they were sharing the bill with the legendary free/jazz trio, The Fringe, who have been around for some forty-plus years!

Intense, focused and consistently spirited. Since Pek, Ms. Lomon and Mr. Zbitnov, have played together for so long they sound completely connected from the start. Mr. Coleman takes his time to finally enter the fold. One of the highlights of both Leap of Faith sets in New York was the consistently strong playing by their drummer, Yuri Zbitnov. He sounds equally amazing here. The long opening piece evolves organically which includes some those wacky vocals which always make me smile. There are sections when the band lays back and slowly builds to a grand conclusion. Another bizarre and outstanding trip from the unstoppable Leap of Faith. - Bruce Lee Gallanter CD $10

Available from Downtown Music Gallery
http://www.giantevilclown.com/lof-heirarchies.html
https://leapoffaith1.bandcamp.com/album/hierarchies

Videographic Scores by Martha and PEK

Interesting new development in the story of Metal Chaos Ensemble....

MCE is about a chaotic rhythmic concept executed on primarily metal percussion instruments (gongs, cymbals, bells, chimes, chains, xylophones, etc). It's long form pure improvisation where each piece is designed to fill a CD. There is a core ensemble of PEK (on reeds and percussion) and Yuri Zbitnov (on percussion) on every disc along with an array of guests, some of whom are percussionists (including Kevin Dacey, Tamora Gooding and Matt Samolis) and some of whom play other instruments as well as percussion. Over the course of the 11 albums produced this year, we have also expanded the color pallette to include electronics. So, unlike most of the Evil Clown catalog, where the improvisation contains very few references to either Jazz or Rock, MCE has had several sessions with Rock players as guests including War Tuba with guitarist Catherine Capozzi (which received an excellent review on All About Jazz (http://www1.allaboutjazz.com/war-tuba-metal-chaos-ensemble-…) (on the Evil Clown website - http://www.giantevilclown.com/mce-war-tuba.html) and Introducing... ...Sunshine with electronics/computer wizard Greg Grinnell and Kenny Maurais on bass guitar (Evil Clown Website - http://www.giantevilclown.com/mce-introducing-sunshine.html) and Molten with guitarist Tony Savarino and percussionist Tamora Gooding (Evil Clown Website - http://www.giantevilclown.com/mce-molten.html). Each of these albums have featured sections where a Rock vibe has definitely developed during parts of the improvisation...

So what's new, you might ask? We have upped the anti so to speak and have done a session with Phil Trembley, the extrodinary black metal drummer of Infera Bruo, along with guitarist Catherine Capozzi (Axemunkee) on guitar (from the War Tuba album) which is so over the top that we have to have a special band name for this set - Black Metal Chaos Ensemble - and as Yuri said it will Melt Your Brain. The scope of this album, Corrosion, ranges from full on black metal to a metal percussion crescendo to a flute and contra-alto clarinet duet and a whole bunch of other sonorities...

Check it out.... Melt. Your. Brain.

Streaming, Downloads, and CD orders at bandcamp:
https://metalchaosensemble.bandcamp.com/album/corrosion

Evil Clown Webpage:
http://www.giantevilclown.com/mce-corrosion.html

PEK - tenor & sopranino sax, clarinet, piccolo clarinet, contra-alto clarinet, piccolo oboe, oboe, theremin,
metal, korg mms-20, aquasonic, electronics, voice
Yuri Zbitnov - metal, percussion, voice
Matt Samolis - flute, metal
Catherine Axemunkee Capozzi - guitar
Kevin Dacey - metal, percussion, korg ms-20, aquasonic, theremin
Phil Trembley - black metal drums

4) New reviews from Bruce Lee Gallanter at Downtown Music Gallery

3) Debut of Black Metal Chaos Ensemble (side project of Metal Chaos Ensemble)

2) Successful first concert of

Leap of Faith Orchestra /

Long term plans for

Leap of Faith Orchestra

1) Upcoming Performances

Flow Regimes – A Night of Pure Improvisation
10/27/2015
Lily Pad – Cambridge, MA - $10

Set I – Turbulence
Set II – Leap of Faith core ensemble
Set III – both groups together

Turbulence

PEK- clarinets, saxes, double reeds

Steve Norton - clarinets, saxes

Charlie Kohlhase - alto and baritone saxophone

Keith Hedger - trumpet

Bill Lowe - trombone, tuba

David Harris - trombone, tuba

Leap of Faith
PEK - clarinets, saxes, double reeds, metal, aquasonic, voice
Glynis Lomon - cello, aquasonic, voice
Steve Norton - clarinets, saxes

Andria Nicodemou - vibraphone
Yuri Zbitnov - drums, metal, voice

Facebook event

https://www.facebook.com/events/173010629703969/

Supersymmetries – A Night of Pure Improvisation
12/15/2015
Lily Pad – Cambridge MA - $10

Set I – String Theory
Set II – Leap of Faith core ensemble
Set III – both groups together

String Theory
PEK- clarinets, saxes, double reeds, aquasonic, voice
Glynis Lomon - cello, aquasonic, voice

Clara Kebabian - violin, viola

Jane Wang - cello

Anthony Leva - bass
Kit Demos, - bass

Leap of Faith
PEK - clarinets, saxes, double reeds, metal, aquasonic, voice
Glynis Lomon - cello, aquasonic, voice
Steve Norton - clarinets, saxes
Yuri Zbitnov - drums, metal, voice

Facebook event not yet created…

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Things have continued to be very busy recently at Evil Clown Headquarters…

Main links to web content:
Evil Clown webpage http://www.giantevilclown.com/
PEK YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCprJy4kMIRs51FIFQF12dw/videos
Kevin Reilly YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/Kjreilly/videos
Bandcamp, for Streaming, Downloads and CD Orders https://evilclown.bandcamp.com/

In this newsletter…

1) Upcoming Performances
2) Successful first concert of Leap of Faith Orchestra / Long term plans for Leap of Faith Orchestra
3) Debut of Black Metal Chaos Ensemble (side project of Metal Chaos Ensemble)
4) New reviews from Bruce Lee Gallanter at Downtown Music Gallery
5) New YouTube videos uploaded

Evil Clown Newsletter 9/21/2015

YouTube

PEK AllAboutJazz Artist Profile

An Evil Clown and a Leap of Faith by Karl Ackermann

Facebook

Evil Clown

Bandcamp/Soundcloud

View or Download the Evil Clown Catalog on pdf

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 Available at Squidco!!