Serving the San Francisco Bay Area New Music Community

Sun, Nov 7 2004 8:00 PM

21 Grand
449B 23rd St. Near 19th Street BART Oakland
Click for Venue page

Outsound Presents...
FATHER, SON, HOLY GHOST
POE - LOVECRAFT - PHIL K DICK
Experimental music to the dark fathers of American Horror & Sci-FI
Featuring:
The Screaming Poe Orchestra
Dina Emerson reading/voice
Jim Ryan reading/flute
Rent Romus reading
Jeff Hobbs violin
Merlin Coleman cello,
Johnathan Segel viola
Yehudit violin
Bill Neortker double bass
Tri-Cornered Tent Show
Philip Everett drums/autoharp, Ray Scheaffer elec 6-string bass,
Andre Custodio trodimba/processing
PKD Vortex
Rent Romus saxes/processing
Tom Nunn electro-acoustic inventions
Doug Carroll cello
C.J.Reaven Borosque noise pedals/turntable
Wayne Grim elec guitar
Jeff Hobbs violin/processing
Philip Everett autoharp
Karen Stackpole gongs

For the past decade composer/producer/saxophonist Rent Romus has brought unique New Sonic events to the Bay Area interpreting the writings of the dark fathers of American Horror and science fiction. This year he brings three driving literary forces together for one night of extraordinary musical experimentation featuring some of the most creative artists living in the Bay Area.
FATHER, SON, HOLY GHOST refers not only to the three writers most influential in Romus’ musical adventures, but also to the connection that these writers had with each other.
Lovecraft has been sited as being heavily influenced by Poe and in turn Phil K. Dick influenced by Lovecraft. The third piece of this muddled puzzle comes to light in Dick’s latest biography now out in the US entitled “You are Dead and I am Alive”. This will be the tenth year that Romus has presented interpretive music to Poe.

About the bands:
The E.A. Poe Screaming Orchestra has taken on many forms in the past decade. All of which offered a new and exiting interpretation to Poe’s works in a light not usually attempted; free improvisation within the theme work of his short stories and poems. This year the stark elements of the acoustic strings will showcase the set. Most of the players have been part of one or more of Romus’ presentations. Adding this year both the theatrical expertise of vocalist Dina Emerson who has had years of experience working with such artists as Meridith Monk and Cirque Du Solie. In addition Jim Ryan one of the most stark poets of the area bringing 40 years of experience from the beat era to present day will haunt the room with his edgy delivery. All in all this should be one of the best presentations of Poe and New Sonic Music to date.

Tri-Cornered Tent Show
Almost everyday in the news there are stories about how a group of scientists after so many decades of painstaking research and work create a new drug or make new discoveries, but how many times does one read about musicians that have done the same thing?

A trio of experimental improvisers known as Tri-Cornered Tent Show has done just that. It has taken them the last part of the twenty first century to present of dedicated practice, research, and patience that brings them to the world.

Their musical journey began with initial research using the ancient anti-deluvian technology of electronics from the 70’s. Through methodical deciphering of the Lovcraft short story “The music of Eric Zann”, other related stories expanded upon Lovecraft’s Greater Chthulu Mythos, they began recording free improvisation and orchestrated sound sculpture over those 25+ years to create the project at large.


PKD Vortex
"Another killer release from sax shaman Rent Romus, this time it's music inspired by the writings of Philip K. Dick. Wide-ranging and mind-bending live recordings. Romus should by now be as well-known as David S. Ware or John Zorn, so catch up, comrades." -Cactus, KUSF San Francisco

In 1998 Romus began the Vortex PKD Project first in a series of musical adventures merging visionary science fiction with exploratory new music. This unique and original concept of vortex music draws inspiration from a vast array of Science Fiction authors with an emphasis on Philip K. Dick. Within pop culture reference Phil’s work made movies such as Blade Runner, Total Recall, Screamers, and Minority Report possible. In fact most Sci-fi from the last fifty years must give credit to this dark master of pulp fiction. With the exception of a few music scores to film there have been few new cutting edge projects reflecting the transmigration of Phil K. Dick. Direct composed and performed improvised music inspired by his writing and ranting are virtually nonexistent. The compositions presented reflect the feelings and visuals created by the author translated by the ensemble into new sonic explorations.


Cost: $6-10
Audio samples in which musicians at this event play:
Videos featuring musicians playing at this event
Green Alembic at Berkeley Arts 5-17-14
Invented Instruments , at the High Zero festival September 22nd 2012 , Baltimore Maryland
Nihil Communication (Andre Custodio). Videotaped by M. Trucco at the Musician's Union Local 6 in San Francisco.
A montage of the free music group the Lords of Outland from their live presented as part of The Tenderloin Museum’s Sounds of the Tenderloin live music series at the Tenderloin National Forest in San Francisco July of 2022 Featuring Rent Romus on alto/soprano saxophones, Ray Schaeffer on bass, Anthony Flores on drums, and Philip Everett on