This past summer I received funding to gather field recordings from Yosmite's alpine meadows and wrap them into a composition. With the help of the Nature Sounds Society I used 'top shelf' equipment to record birds, coyotes, frogs, inlets and falling rocks, as well as airplanes (a controversial topic in Yosemite.) I brought back these sounds to the Bay Area and began to weave them in and out of compositions for alto saxophone and bass clarinet.
With the help of Eric Berlow and the UC Merced, 'Yosemite Soundscapes: the View From Above' was premiered in Wawona, Yosemite in August 2009. The piece took on a very emotional interpretation of the park. Prof. Berlow and I have had dialogues in the past about the need for artistic documentation of Yosemite in addition to all the scientific data that is collected. With vivid, clear recordings of animals and people in the park, and my own artistry I was able to transport the audience on a journey to specific parts of Yosemite.
I decided to bring the piece to the Bay Area for one night only on Wednesday October 21, 2009, 8 PM. David Arend and Roger Riedlbauer of Acá will join me to finish out the first set. Vijay Anderson will join us for set number two.
After nearly a year of experimentation Acá has found that their music portrays imagery such as urban landscapes, futuristic sci-fi environments and ancient prehistoric creatures. By blending acoustic and electronic elements Acá creates a sound world that is mystical and unreal, perhaps hyper-real, and looks ahead to future visions while being rooted in earthy tonal textures that contain elements of jazz, rock, classical, world, film score and purely abstract music.
Cost: $7-15 sliding scale