“AS IS” – I saw this band of visual artists-making-sounds at the Alliance Francaise on Loop St. on 5 May 2011. What to call the abundant, often cacophonic improvised sounds made by these artists is hard to describe. In fact, I simply can’t. Their facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&ref=mf&gid=285403263850) says
“Five musicians agree to meet and play, pretending that it's for the first time. Free improvisation gives way to instant compositions. When member Manfred Zylla says “Don't know what to play”, the group takes this as an instruction.”
They describe themselves as: “An ensemble of visual/sonic artists performing spontaneous compositions (so-called free music). The Members: Brendon Bussy (mandolin & electronics), Garth Erasmus (saxophones & traditional African instruments), Niklas Zimmer (drums) and Manfred Zylla (trombone, accordion, violin).” Brendon calls himself a “South African electroacoustic artist, mandolin player, teacher, visual artist, and writer” (see http://www.brendonbussy.co.za/newoldoldnew_proposal_10_08_10.html) In his proposal, Brendon offers some pretty ambitious and well-thought out strategies for developing the South African “music tool” industry of making sounds from found objects. What I liked was his focus on ‘peer production’ which enabled all in the ensemble to blend their own interpretations and emotions into completely unrehearsed, non- interactive, and unplanned pieces. He explains: “In South Africa there is very little research and development into new generation tools for musicians and music producers. This initiative aims to inspire new ways of making sound and, as a long term goal, to promote an SA industry capable of offering unique sound tools to the rest of the world.” This is from his New Old Old New concepts: “'New Old Old New' refers to ideas which draw inspiration and knowledge from the past, in this case traditional African music making, but are also influenced by the most current in sound technology and experimental music performance.”
It was 72-year old visual artist Manfred Zylla (going on 40 years old!) who voiced his vocal cords while playing his trombone, even wailing and yelling during crescendos, which put goose pimples on my flesh. Which is probably a definite goal intended of their sounds (I’m careful not to use the concept of ‘music’) which occasionally contained rhythm and percussive beats. Manfred has a self constructed bass fiddle with a shocking pink finish which has recently become his favoured IOMD (Instrument of Mass Destruction). Brendon pilot-tested a few of his own new ‘gourmet instruments’: one amusing one which he calls the ‘bottle bow’ was a big plastic bottle attached to a bamboo pole with one string and bow. It was suppose to have a kora sound. Or a harp made using a sardine can! (See http://brendonbussy.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/gourmet-sound-the-chopstick-and-sardine-kora/) Well, this did provide a semblance of harmonic rhythm, although its very subtle sound was downed out by nervous drums and humming brass and strings. Then there was his ‘chopstick kora’. See his other inventions in http://brendonbussy.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/table-lamp-inspiration-soundtrack/
"South African artists: What's next ?" Episode 2: Garth Erasmus” by Pierre Trembla shows visual artist Erasmus plucking his tin can guitar, sometimes with strokes by his mouth of a bow. Garth had stringed a motor oil tin can with 4 strings and wired it to an amplifier. There was a lot of plunk-plunk going on amidst other frenetic string and percussive sounds, with the occasional bellow of Manfred’s Tbones and voice. Slight harmony was provided by the capable Niklas Zimmer on drums as he seemed to lead the way for both tempo and emotion. Garth’s low-key whining on his tenor saxophone, using circular breathing, added a steady drone, giving further goose pimples, as did the two electric guitars.
Brendon’s long term goals is to “fuel a new generation of sound related genres” through improvised “sound tool” products, some as described above. This certainly is an interesting project worth eye-balling in future improv raves by these Capetownians. But I’m left thinking: is it sound or music produced??
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