#pfmentum

[garadinervi]

Bruce Friedman, O.P.T.I.O.N.S. (Optional Parameters To Improvise Organized Nascent Sounds), (CD, Digital album), CD054, pfMENTUM, 2008

«Optional Parameters To Improvise Organized Nascent Sounds. Graphic notation prompts for improvisation. All interpretation is up to the musicians.»

Recorded March 26, 2005

Lynn Johnston: clarinets Ellen Burr: flutes Eric Sbar: euphonium Bruce Friedman: trumpet Michael Intriere: cello Andrea Lieberherr: violin Emily Beezhold: keyboard synthesizer Jeremy Drake: guitar Rich West: drums/percussion

Artwork (design for the notations symbols): Bruce Friedman

[jeffkaiser]

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New KaiBorg + Kjell Nordeson coming along... Oops! Red! . . #reaper #pfmentum #izotope #electronicmayhem (at Warrensburg, Missouri) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_IhZihAEIM/?igshid=1huixwv3t9tfp

[ribosomemusic]

Grampus “ILK ILK”

ILK ILK by GRAMPUS

You could call me a big phony, because I create improvised music and curate a music series for improvised music, but I don’t listen to a lot of free improvisation on CD. Admittedly, many of the improvised releases I get my hands on sound like some buddies got together, set up some room mics, and recorded for exactly 60 minutes, then without listening to it, decided to release the entire thing on CD.

I’m happy to say that Grampus’s “ILK ILK” CD is not one of those releases. Each track, while composed largely or entirely by improvisation, clicks in at a concise 3 to 7 minutes, and has its own distinct statement to make. And each is a joy to listen to, for experimental ears.

The band makeup is Louis Lopez on trumpet, Daniel Eaton on trombone and Michael Lockwood on percussion. One or both of the brass players also provides some Max/MSP and Jitter interactions with their instruments. The electronic processing mostly come in the form of ring modulation, granular synthesis, and layering the brass samples into subtle repeating patterns, often providing an evolving but well-formed backdrop for the much more playful live instrumentation to contrast against.

I bought this album 3 years ago when it came out, and I’m happy to report it’s still a joy to listen to. According to the band’s bio, the band is primarily an audio/visual project, where the visuals are controlled by the musical instruments. However, you won’t feel like you’re missing anything if you just hear the audio.

I should mention that this record is released through the pfMentum record label. Staffed with excellent musicians like Jeff Kaiser, Ted Killian and Grampus’s own Louis Lopez, pfMentum aims to provide record label promotion and distribution support to artists who pay for their own releases and want to keep the rights to their own music. So, it’s something between a record label and a collective. Worth checking out!