Circumambient Superficies – Live – 11-18-12

The Hidden Nexus – Live on KillRadio.org’s Open Windows – June 25th, 2012

You can also listen to our post-performance conversation.

We’ve continued to receive kind comments from people about this performance, which is always nice.

We captured a ‘board’ recording of the performance, which was titled Bright Virtues And Mysteries.

Ken Huntington, who organizes music for the Puka Bar and is a long time and avid supporter of experimental music, videotaped our performance and posted it on YouTube. Here are all three parts, strung together in a ‘playlist.’

Our sincere thanks go to the band and audience members who shared the evening with us.

Mike has joined ASA in performance twice before. This was to be Aaron’s first foray into experimental improv.

Sadly, just days before the event, Carl was hit with the flu, and utterly incapacitated. Still, the show must go on, so the three intrepid sonic voyagers pressed on without him. Who knows what directions the journey might have taken with him along? Still, they made their way to The Higher Reaches.

Many thanks to Sumako, who curates the art at all the Sipology venues, and who invited Sander to curate music at the 2nd Saturday art openings at Sipology Village.

The idea we had was for the guest musicians to each have 20 minutes on stage with us, including a 10 minute overlap with another guest. We even made a schedule:

Intro 00-10 Sander/Carloff
10-20 + David B
20-30 + Kirk
30-40 – David B +Christie
40-50 -Kirk +Mike
50-60 -Christie +David W
60-70 – Mike +Jeremy
70-80 -David W
80-90 SRW & Carloff
90-120 Everybody!

(The ‘+’ indicates when an artist should begin, and the ‘-’ indicates when they should end.)

The schedule was never meant to be rigid, but more of a guide. Good thing, as we didn’t do a very good job of explaining it to our guest artists. Still, the performance did have a nice ebb and flo to it.

Although there were a few technical issues to contend with, I felt that the performance was, overall, quite good.

We recorded the two hour performance from the mixing board, and also made a room recording.

For those who feel daunted by navigating through a 2 hour performance recording, I’ve excerpted a 10 minute segment where Kirk Pickler plays a beautiful flute solo, one that features the lap steel stylings of Mike Weber, and another where Carl and I have an impromptu melodica duet, accompanied by David Witham on manipulated organ, and Christie Scott on vocals toward the end.

There are a total of seven 10-minute excerpts. You can find them all on the ‘Audio Tracks‘ page.

If you’re interested, I posted some anticipatory musings about the performance.

We extend our sincere thanks to our family and friends for their love and support, and to Ken Huntington for being open to hosting us.

Guest artists include David Witham, David Bunoan, Christie Scott, Kirk Pickler, Jeremy Morelock, and Mike Weber.

The Puka Bar
710 West Willow Street
Long Beach, CA
90808
There is no cover, and this is a 21+ venue.

Here’s the flyer:

David Witham performed with ASA at the Slow Sound Festival. David Bunoan performed with ASA at their 1 year anniversary show, also held at the Puka. Christie Scott performed with ASA at Jawbone Canyon. Jeremy Morelock performed with ASA at the Threads of a Tonal Dream Tapestry show, held at Koos Art Center. Kirk Pickler and Mike Weber will be performing with ASA for the first time.

To that, Carl added voice, Chinese Moon Lute, violin, and some processing.  Once back in my hands, I added several tracks using my Industral Guitar Indy Rail lap steel.  Lately I’ve been using an alternate tuning:  G2 G3 G3 G3 G4 G4.  That’s right:  Three octaves, all G!

We’re still expecting contributions from David Bunoan, David Witham, and Christie Scott.  Still, while we’re patiently waiting for them, I thought I’d share the work in progress:

On This Road

12/08/09 – We just got David Witham’s contribution back, and WOW!  I really love it.  I’ve been listening to it obsessively, and I have all kinds of ideas. I find it really inspiring.

It stands well on its own, but I can sometimes hear parts that could be added… Dunno.

12/13/09 – Things keep unfolding in surprising and wonderful ways. I was chatting with an old High School chum, Janis Tanaka, who is an excellent professional musician. She’s been Pink’s touring bassist for at least her last two albums, and has played in a bunch of bands over the years, including the rather infamous L7.

I was talking with her about her current creative efforts, and sharing some of my own. She asked, “When do you get together to record?” We don’t, I explained, and showed her the links to several source tracks, and some links to various works in progress. The next day, I found this in my email inbox. She’s recorded a synth bass part over David Witham’s track, and it is DOPE!

I love the internet!

Here is Upon the Lips of Angels.

I’ve uploaded a few photographs of the event to facebook.