Rhys Chatham: The Sun Too Close To The Earth - Oct 4 & 5, 2019 @ Issue Project Room - Guitar

“October 4th & 5th, ISSUE is pleased to present the world premiere of The Sun Too Close to the Earth, an expansive new work by iconoclast composer and multi-instrumentalist Rhys Chatham. Commissioned by ISSUE and presented as a part of the French Institute Alliance Française’s (FIAF) thirteenth annual Crossing the Line Festival, the piece spans Chatham’s aesthetic concerns across thirty years of composing for electric guitar ensembles, as well as the minimalist and free jazz traditions that grew out of NYC's downtown music scene.

The Sun Too Close to the Earth is a fully notated composition, combined with improvisational elements, written for a nine-person ensemble with electric guitars in special tunings, horns, keyboard, and percussion. The ensemble features many ISSUE friends and luminaries within the Downtown NYC experimental music scene, including Jonathan Kane, Anthony Coleman, Ernie Brooks, and Karen Haglof, as well as Jaimie Branch, Anna Roberts-Gevalt, Sarah Register, Reut Regev, and Jen Baker. 

In this piece, Chatham draws from his roots composing for electric guitar ensembles of widely varying forces, incorporating the overtone drenched minimalism of the early 1960s with the relentless elemental fury of the Ramones -- the textual intricacies of the classical avant-garde colliding with the visceral punch of punk rock. The Sun Too Close to the Earth combines these influences with Chatham’s more recent experience as a wind player, deploying extended playing techniques inherited from the glory days of the minimalist and free jazz period of New York’s East Village in the early 1970s. 

Until now, Rhys has kept the two strains of composition in separate camps. With The Sun Too Close to the Earth, Chatham blends these two bodies of work into one, to arrive at a “post-urban” music that reflects the artist’s concern for the ravages of climate change and the senseless destruction of our planet.”

Joyful Noise Recordings - White Label Series 2019 - Curator

Mistresses - “Define Relationship”

“The Joyful Noise 'White Label Series' exists to bring attention to the underappreciated musicians of the world. It's too easy for brilliant music to be overlooked in this content-saturated world of ours, and as a result countless amazing albums are never properly released — doomed to exist only in the remote regions of bandcamp or soundcloud...

To combat that trend, we have lined up twelve artist-curators to choose their favorite unknown / underappreciated artist to release on limited edition vinyl. Each month the White Label Series features a new full-length album, hand-picked by one of our curators.

White Label releases are limited to 500 hand-numbered copies (pressed on black vinyl, with plain white labels), packaged in our series die-cut jackets, with some minimal artwork from the band and a statement from the month's curator. All albums include a digital download in WAV and MP3.”

2019 Curators:

Astronautalis
Cate Le Bon
Circuit des Yeux
Julianna Barwick
Laura Gibson
Prince Rama
Sarah Register 
Sondre Lerche
St. Vincent
Thor Harris
Thurston Moore
Yonatan Gat

“beth”: William Shakespeare's Macbeth - Performances June 2019, NYC - Acting, Lady Macbeth

"Whether or not there is a reason to run, a reason to come to the end is not for the wind to decide. There is absolutely nothing we can’t create that isn’t the beginning of our own sealed and stagnant fate..."

*** William Shakespeare's MACBETH, Arts On Site NYC

Directed by Morgan Cragnotti

Additional text by Morgan Cragnotti

Starring: Babak Mehrabi, Sarah Register, William Lucano, Aurelien Gaya, David Sewel, Peter Reid Lambert, Francesca Sales, Samantha Elisofon, Chanda Cragnoti, Morgan Cragnotti

An Evening with Daniel Efram’s “Curiosities” - Book Launch 4/17/19 @ Howl Arts, NYC - Guitar

Book Launch with special performances by Jim Coleman, Sarah Register, Nicole Blackman, Tony Drazan and Nossos Tambores

“Dive into an immersive evening of spectacle celebrating the publication of Dan Efram’sphotography book, Curiosities, inspired by film noir. Named Book of the Month by Leica Fotografie International magazine, Efram’s debut collection published by Tractor-Beam captures the street opera and bravura of a Fellini cast. 

This exclusive HOWL! Happening evening brings the spirit of the street into the gallery with a cinematic soundscape of performances and spoken word, bathed in a multi-screen presentation of images from Curiosities. Sound samples—snatches of overheard conversations, quotations, confessions, and original texts—and Efram’s purposefully gritty black-and-white images surround the audience in a multi-layered setting for candid portraits of the odd, unusual, and darkly fascinating characters in the book.

Efram’s Curiosities are augmented by neo-noir experimental soundscapes from Jim Coleman (This Wilderness, Gain Control, Cop Shoot Cop) and Sarah Register (War Bubble, Talk Normal). Reading from her own work and a collection of other sources, Nicole Blackman (Golden Palominos, Recoil, KMFDM) and actor/screenwriter Tony Drazan (director of Hurlyburly and Zebrahead) give voice to the anonymous pedestrians, street vendors, nightcrawlers, and characters reminiscent of a Weegee cast of sordid superstars. Jubilant drum corps Nossos Tambores opens the evening.”

Sam Kim’s “Procession”: November 2019, Zenon Dance Company, Minneapolis, MN - Composer

“The much anticipated Sam Kim, a Brooklyn-based choreographer from New Brighton, Minn., returns with “Procession,” a postmodern piece that had the audience sitting stiffly in their seats, eyes fixed on the dancers. Simultaneously whimsical and chaotic, dancers made repeated movements, whether it was Laura Osterhaus’ alien-like stare into the audience or Tristan Koepke’s repeated headstands. The red glow of the costumes and the mats emanated a palpable, yet uneasy energy, under the UFO-like music buzzing overhead, composed by Sarah Register.”

- Twin Cities Pioneer Press

Arone Dyer’s Dronechoir: Syllaba at 24 Hour Drone Fest, Basilica Hudson 4/29/2018 - Voice



TRANSBOUNDARY: Performances July 12, 2017, Paul Kasmin Gallery, NYC - Various

Once again pleased to be present with artist Naama Tsabar for this one-day-only set of performances at the opening of her Paul Kasmin NYC Gallery solo show.  This experience was transformative & invigorating, a reimagining (for me) of the possibilities of collaboration, support, respect & artistry.  In the very best company, with fellow performers Fielded, Jeanann Dara, Rose Blanshei, Sarah Strauss, & Tsabar herself.

From Art Forum:

Tsabar’s details slyly nod to formalism. Work on Felt (Variation 18) Burgundy (all works 2017) features diagonal slashes, à la Lucio Fontana. Work on Felt (Variation 16 and 17) Dark Blue and Burgundy, a diptych, feels like an Ellsworth Kelly, but groovier. When activated, Tsabar’s sculptures have a unifying, transfixing effect. During the opening, several female musicians (including Tsabar, who used to be in a punk band) played a set composed especially for the sculptures, accompanied by Lindsay Powell (aka Fielded) on vocals. The felts stood up to Powell’s full-throated voice, with a surprising range of dynamics and emotions. The pieces were stroked, struck, or played with a bow, and had the capacity to respond and resonate with movement—as vivid and alive as the people playing them.

Composition 18: Performances 11/29 & 11/30/16, Art Basel Miami Beach - Bass

Joined again with curator Naama Tsabar for this special 2016 Art Basel performance as part of the opening celebration for the festival, in Miami’s Collins Park.  Arone Dyer's composition was back, with band Christina Files (drums), Sally Gates (guitar), Emily Shelia (guitar) & me (bass).  Our band teamed up again with Fielded's Lindsay Powell (composition, vox) performing with Alana Higgins (guitar), Katie Lau (guitar), Ale Campos (bass), Emile Milgrim (drums), plus more terrific Miami musicians.

From Frieze:

A rich programme of public intervention and performances animated the park during the night of Art Basel Miami’s opening. The performance by Israeli artist Naama Tsabar, Composition 18 (2016), turned part of the park into a keyboard of sorts with three different bands of musicians, each atop their amplifiers, performing three separate pieces. Sharing a similar musical structure, the three pieces at some point blended together to produce hypnotic dreamy, drone-like sounds.

Composition 20: Performances 6/7-9 & 9/21/16, the High Line Park (NY) - Bass

Artist & curator Naama Tsabar's piece "Composition 20" was originally installed & performed 6/7, 6/8, & 6/9/16. The High Line graciously asked us to come back for a reunion/finale performance on 9/21/16.  Physically located in NYC's High Line park near the w14th Street entrance, live music met spacial experience as night fell, with three curated songs sharing the same bpm & key signature.  The three pieces (two composed for the event, one cover) perpetually interwove into a new of-the-moment creation, as artists performed elevated on their amplifiers a few feet above the park.  I played bass in Arone Dyer's composition group, with Arone (voice), Christina Files (drums), Eve Alpert/Eva Mendoza (guitar September, guitar June), & Lola Johnson (guitar).

From High Line Art:

For her performance on the High Line, Tsabar presents the third iteration of Composition 20, inviting a group of 20 musicians to utilize their amps—which are scattered across the park’s pathway—both as a sound-amplifying source and as a pedestal to stand on. For the work, Tsabar commissions three composers to craft unique musical scores, all to be performed simultaneously by different sets of the musicians. As the musicians step up onto their amps, their collective shifting silhouette forms a sculptural composition that complements the accompanying sonic one.

Assemble XIII: STRINGS at Trans Pecos (NY) 3/28/15 - Guitar

Lee Ranaldo & HiFiKlub studio recording + film TBA - Guitar

Pleasure to be invited by Lee & endlessly inventive French creators HiFiKlub to collaborate on a song performed/composed w/the above plus Bob Bert.  Music and accompanying Lee Ranaldo documentary release expected late 2015.

Frankie Rose "Herein Wild" tour November '14 - Bass, Backing Vox

With Christina Files (drums) & Jessica Espeleta (guitar, keys & backing vox).  From previews:

For the first time since Frankie Rose‘s third album Herein Wild was released on Fat Possum Records, the reverb-drenched indie pop goddess will be touring the West Coast. It will be easy to recognize some of the bands she’s been a part of: Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls, and most recently she released Careers on July 1 through duo-act Beverly.

Frankie Rose’s solo project is a slicked-back version of her previous jingly-jangly endeavors, instead focusing on moodier atmospheric effects and enigmatic vocals. In an interview with Stereogum about Herein Wild, she admits “because I’m an on-the-fly lyric writer, I don’t sit around and write poetry. I’m not that person at all. On this record, they actually mean something as opposed to trying to not mean something, which has never happened before and was totally on accident. It’s way more personal than I’ve ever been.”  All dates with Cold Beat.

11/01 San Diego CA - THE CASBAH
11/02 Los Angeles CA - BOOTLEG
11/3 Santa Cruz CA- THE CREPE PLACE
11/04 San Francisco CA - THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL
11/06 Portland OR - BUNK BAR
11/07 Vancouver WA- THE FOX CABARET
11/08 Seattle WA -BARBOZA
11/10Oakland CA - THE NEW PARISH

- Live photos taken by Jen Emmert @ Barboza in Seattle 11/8/14

Assemble XII: Transmissions in A and E, 10/25/14 at the Ace Hotel (NY) - Guitar

An honor to participate in RAFT / Pat Noecker's ongoing "Assemble" performances at this 10/25/14 show in the lobby of NY's Ace Hotel.  From previews:

Pat Noecker, also known as RAFT, former member of NYC outfits Liars and These Are Powers, now curates one of the coolest things we've ever seen (or heard): Assemble: Transmissions in A & E.  RAFT gathers performers from the city's underground + experimental music scenes, scatters them around a room, and sets them (somewhat) loose - creating a personalized, fully immersive music experience that alters depending on where you're standing, and all together is larger than the sum of its parts.

In 2013 Paper Magazine listed Assemble in their recap of events to "cure your CMJ fatigue", previewing the event as "immersive, brainy, dark around the edges".  2014 brings back a similar vibe, and features musicians Shelly Burgon, Alexandra Drewchin Jr., Kate Henderson, Sto Len, Laura Ortman, RAFT, Sarah Register, Mike Sherba, Pat Spadine and Austin Vaughn.

Anna Sperber "Every Room Is Open" Dance - June 2014 @ BAX - Audio Editing

Emily Manzo (the multi-talented!) composed the music/sound design for these beautiful June 2014 dance performances.  To my pleasure, I edited & helped realize various sonic ideas.  

The Kitchen, Dance & Process 2014 in Alan Calpe's "Untitled" - Dancer

Alan & the other performers in our piece became my heroes over the 8 weeks of rehearsals in April/May 2014.  Total delight to work out the kinks together, and an unexpected injection of 'just what I needed' at the time.

EMA Summer 2012 touring - Guitar, Bass, Backing Vox 

Coachella, Bonnaroo, a month of European dates & a handful of west coast US shows.  This was incredibly fun, with talented people that I'm fond of - Erika Anderson, Leif Shackelford & Billy Sandness.

Most photos taken by Leif (which explains his near-absence below).

Rolex Mentor & Protégé Arts Initiative - Brian Eno & Ben Frost - Ben Frost's U.S Premier of Music For 6 Guitars in the New York Pubic Library's Rose Reading Room - 11/13/11 - Guitar

In the improbable and theatrical setting of the Rose Reading Room in the New York Public Library, Ben Frost masterfully manipulated the sounds of six guitarists and a brass sextet performing his 40-minute work Music for 6 Guitars. Creating a dramatic closing for the Rolex Arts Weekend, Frost says of his composition: "It's like the last minute of a basketball game, when everyone finds this extra energy, and everything becomes manic and overtly physical and desperate." Music for 6 Guitars was performed by Frost, along with Tim Hecker, Shahzad Ismaily, Paul Corley, Sarah Lipstate, Sarah Register, Daniel Rejmer and a brass sextet.  Featurette video available here.

Laurie Anderson - “Homeland” - 2010 Album Release - Engineer / Studio Technician

A unique joy to work with Laurie & her team on this record - tag-teaming in for a few weeks on a handful of songs at her studio in lower Manhattan. This album was produced by Anderson, Roma Baran & Lou Reed, & features many inspiring musicians, artists & engineers. Laurie’s on a pedestal to me, deservedly so.

Danspace Presents: "Another Performance", Feb 2013 @ St. Mark’s Church - Sound Design/Editing 

Through Danspace Project Presents, choreographer Moriah Evans helmed these February 2013 dates of "Another Performance" at St. Mark's Church, in collaboration with visual artist Alan Calpe.  I worked with the chosen pre-recorded songs and created an atmospheric sonic collage to flow with their inspiring, interdisciplinary show.  

Dan Friel Big Band ("Total Folklore" album release) - Acoustic guitar 

One-night-only good times...  Dan asked a swath of us to be an acoustic version of two tracks from his album that you should definitely purchase because it's terrific.  Here's a link with some earlier clips from the same night, but official big band video is below.

Matt Marlin made this live video of the unplugged versions of Thumper and Ghost Town, featuring Jesse DeRosa (Grasshopper), Bernard Gann (Guardian Alien/Liturgy), Greg Fox (Guardian Alien), Travis Johnson (Grooms), Noah Kardos-Fein (Yvette), Amy Klein (Hilly Eye), Sam Kulik (Starring), Shahin Motia (Oneida), Sarah Register (Talk Normal), Harry Rosenblum (Mushroom Cloud), Joel Roston (Beautiful Weekend), Patrick Stickles (Titus Andronicus), Jeff Tobias (Nymph), Karen Waltuch (1000 projects including my album), and BJ Warshaw (Parts & Labor/Shooting Spires).  -- danfriel.com

Marnie Stern NYC shows late aughts - Guitar

We'd just ended a U.S. tour together and Marnie had the amazing Mark Shippy on guitar but he couldn't make it back for two big NYC shows, both at the Leonard St Knitting Factory, so I stepped in.  Loved this.

Greg Saunier, Sara Magenheimer & Sarah Register trio - Guitar

Sara asked me to join her and Greg for this one-night-only jam at the Canada Gallery which ended up noisy & weird & fun.  Excerpt below.