DJ Responsibility - Formalism - To be released this April
NEW DJ RESPONSIBILITY ALBUM!
DAVID BERNABO’s new project, DJ Responsibility, seeks new spaces for music listening and performance. The album FORMALISM is a short work (19 minutes) that is being released in an edition of one copy. The sole copy is only available in the Music Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland, setting up a contradiction between publicly-shared and exclusive.
The extremely limited copy is not available for sale, but will be presented as a free installation in the Music Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland from April 19 to May 31, 2010. Passers-by are invited to listen to the 19-minute album through headphones. The project aims to set up the contradiction between exclusive and freely-available, placing itself in the middle of special edition and boutique records, art installation, and the growing trend of free music (via Bandcamp, free album streams, illegal downloads).
The music itself spans a number of genres and styles, from the TV-show segways of “Before the Event” and “During the Event” to the electronic time changes in “Nearer, the Twelve Bens”. “As In Form” starts as an interplay between field recordings and glitches, transitions into a clip-filled electric piano dirge, and ends with a race of vibraphone and electronic synths. The closing track, “After the Event”, blends tight drums with harpsichord, electric piano, and the sounds of a lightning storm on Saturn.
Made up of local composers, the vocal quintet Vocal Assembly makes a guest appearance in “Voice, and Then”, which is an attempt to translate the art of Paul Klee into music. Some of the sounds that creep into the piece include streams and abandoned coal plants in Shamokin, PA, gate doors in Point State Park, and piano and vibraphone sessions performed by composer Nathan Hall and Bernabo.
“Nero and His Fire” opens with filmmaker and musician tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE playing chains, bass drum, a bicycle wheel, and the “Wheel-of-Fortune” before erupting into a flurry of stacked instruments and overlapping time signatures.
Starting as a joke during the Vale and Year days, DJ Responsibility has come into existence to spread the word of responsibility in music creation and distribution.
Thanks to the generosity of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the album will be available in the Music Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland during normal library hours, Monday through Thursday - 10AM to 8PM, Friday and Saturday - 10AM to 5:30PM, and Sunday 12PM to 5PM.
PERFORMERS
David Bernabo [electronics, drums, wurlitzer, harpsichord, piano, guitar, bass, vocals, synthesizer, rocks, soil]
tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE [bass drum + chain, bicycle wheel, Wheel-of-Fortune (6)]
Nathan Hall [piano and vocals (3)]
Kerrith Livengood [flute (2), vocals (3)]
Ben Harris [vocals (3)]
Brandon Masterman [vocals (3)]
TRACKLIST
01 Before the Event
02 As In Form
03 Voice, and Then
04 During the Event
05 Nearer, the Twelve Bens
06 Nero and His Fire
07 After the Event
I'm working on a lot of projects, but first, time for a little Genesis!
I have been listening to Genesis non-stop this week. "Wind and Wuthering" thrice today. "Selling England by the Pound" twice today. "A Trick of the Tail" three times yesterday. "Foxtrot" once yesterday. So, here are some videos...since this
Genesis - Dancing with the Moonlit Knight
Genesis - I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
A Short Documentary on Genesis via German Television (circa Lamb Lies Down...)
Tony Banks Talking about writing Supper's Ready
Supper's Ready from 1976, post-Gabriel
Bill Bruford joins the 1976?, maybe 77? tour. Los Endos!
Reptile
Recently, I picked up the T Rex Reptile guitar pedal. I've never been much of a pedal guy - in fact, I've basically avoided them for the last seven years. But for the new record that I am making with my friend Will Dyar, I wanted to have some different sounds. Even though it is only two days old (in my ownership), I was able to effectively use the pedal for a quick delay on some Wurlitzer chords, and also to modulate some guitar inserts in a new song called "Totally Fatalist". The song itself has a new feel for me - lots of intricate acoustic guitar sections surrounded by a somewhat dancey arrangement. More on that later.
Anyway, the pedal allows to veer away from general taste, too. Here is an example - played on the Wurlitzer while manipulating the sound with the pedal.
