“Improv” (Used 57 times)

It was a night of true magic, back in early October 2012, when some of Brooklyn's finest improvisers gathered at WFMU / My Castle of Quiet, to offer unique, exclusive performances, on a double-bill to support the station's pre-Hurricane-Sandy, Web-only fundraiser for that month.

First, Lea Bertucci, a master of spacious atmospheres, and gloomy, contemplative soundscapes, on her trademark combine of physical, open-reel tape and electroacoustic bass clarinet. Lea's two sets from this night evoke The Grand Canyon, and Utah's wide-open spaces, where she'd spent several months earlier in the year on artist's retreat. Lea has been performing solo for many years (see her bio, at Broken Diorama, linked above), as well as in the hometown-favorite duo of Twistycat.

Second, K-Salvatore, the duo of Jason Meagher and Pat Murano, coming off the high of their landmark LP, Tsar Ova Elk, a veritable shoe-in for the My Castle of Quiet end-of-year music list (like I said, glaring omissions; this one very worthy of inclusion and just slipped off my mental radar at the time the list was being compiled.) Pat has appeared twice before on the show, both solo as Decimus, and in 2010 with Malkuth; both Jason and Pat are founding members of the No-Neck Blues Band. Their set hummed and shook our building; as "top shelf" as anything from the aforementioned newest LP. 

Another concert from Implausible Music #1; Mecha Orga & Roel Meelkop

This duo did a residency at the worm sound studio that resulted in this piece, played live@worm, on the last day of their residency.

Live concert@worm, rotterdam, implausible music #1 event, april 2012 (the photo is from elsewhere, looks like canberra)

Fowley visited WORM in the company of his dominatrix Snow Mercy. He explains on the track how the cooperation with the Worm all-stars band went. This was the last song of the evening. And sharing some of Mr Fowley's wisdom;

"...rock n roll is not death
it's only asleep for a while
the drugs change
the haircuts change
and the diseases change
and rock n roll is always gonna be here..."

The Gate, at first glance, are an improvisational / jazz trio, but with information freely flowing in from punk and metal (Brian Osborne drummed with Wretched Worst for their very memorable Castle session last March; bassist Tom Blancarte, also a black metal fan) and horror films (tuba player Dan Peck, in addition to being a fan of black metal et al., is also a horror and cult-film buff), their sound offers doomy vistas, and cinematic, creeped-out passages, as well as hearty improv energy.

This live set runs the gamut of rhythmic / tonal delights, and the listener likewise easily escapes any preconceptions about what a tuba, bass and drum trio might be able to pull off. "Plague Face" will bring to mind Alan Silva and BYG Actuel, as often as it does European B-film music. At just over 47 minutes, this set is a real treat for fans of the "out." Mp3 hotspot > 18 mins.

(music just below the break)

Thanks to Diane Kamikaze for doing a great job with the sound, man-oh-man is it sharp and chunky, and to Tracy Widdess for her appropriately gloomy modification of my band photo. Most of all thanks to Dan, Tom and Brian. Formerly known as The Dan Peck Trio, their debut LP on Heat Retention comes highly recommended (this Pop‑up will take you to a sample from a previous My Castle of Quiet show), as well as their new CD as The Gate, Destruction of Darkness, on Carrier Records. Pop‑up.