radical sonic futures
i’ve always been of the opinion that to know something, you really need direct experience. not a controversial statement, i admit, but one i seem to invoke nearly daily in this age of ready information. so when i decided i needed to document some of my performance projects i was wary — what does that mean then, to document? how does it work? how can documentation become a part of the creative foundation of the project?
i’ll give it a shot:
there is a lot about digital sound, a particular kind of sound world that holds much fascination for me. in many ways the fascination is expressed in the act or process of making the sound around us audible, the exposure of the mystery that is in our atmosphere all around us, every day.
but being a musician, and maybe more so a percussionist, also demands a kind of engagement when i make and construct this sound into a work. and in the end, the process is fulfilling but not visceral—an important part of my connection to creating sound is lost through the keyboard, the midi controller, the mouse.
which is why i am so happy to have built tetsuo kogawa‘s radio transmitters, thanks to the help of naisa and hector centeno. for the first time in many years i have direct access to working with this world, a way to engage my whole being in the exploration of this mysterious realm.
enjoy.
http://soundcloud.com/debsinha/radiotransmitterimprov1
;
it’s bananas, but i wished for it. here is what i’m up to: https://debsinha.com/
everything from cajon to sound installations. being so swamped brings to the fore so many issues—time management, attention, mindfulness, focus, anxiety. but then again each item crossed off the list brings a brief respite from all that. i seem to be coasting in one now. hope it lasts!
see you on the other side, and maybe in the middle of it at something.
i’m on the road just now with minor empire, touring folk festivals and other venues in western canada. and during this tour i am spending a lot of time not playing music (which is mostly what touring is sometimes, for those of you that don’t know).
i struggle with this—touring in general, and particularly when there are too many days off, is very taxing in many ways. there is the going from 0 (waiting around all day) to 100 (being onstage in front of an audience), there is the not so nice hotel room, there is the having to spend energy meeting people, etc.
i am reminded of something that i was told while on a 10 day silent meditation retreat in bodhgaya. there was no hot water available to us during the retreat, and taking a shower was a major mental event because of this. and the teacher offered us an insight that a previous retreat attendee shared with him: “if i resist”, he said, “i suffer. but if i accept, all that i am doing is taking a cold shower.”
i’m trying to take a cold shower. but i miss my girls.
the 7000 oaks project (knuckleduster version) is underway. a re-mount/-imagining/-mix of the original joseph beuys installation in kassel, we decided to make it a part of the knuckleduster haus der kulturen der welt concert commission we recently did. the concert series was part of the programming HKW was doing around sustainability, and the 7000 project was meant to be part of our concept/contribution to the program, along with our concert and video.
a nice idea—interesting concept, long term life, etc., etc. fine. a minor part of our life as a band, something to keep track of and occasionally do. one of the many small things that we as artists take on in our practice—a responsibility, but not a pressing one. occasionally irritating, often neglected. not one that makes a huge difference but worth keeping alive.
until we planted the first tree.
going out into the urban wilderness, dragging our seedlings, a small shovel. some water. moving through the weeds and broken bottles, my daughter in tow. finding a place, somewhat sheltered for the little plants, but with enough room for them to grow. digging in the dirt, soil under our fingernails. the rich black colour of the earth, the smell of it. and then the trees, nestled under the bushes, drinking in the water and sun and air and our hopes that they grow and shade many small children. the trees carriers of our future hopes.
this could be one of the most important things i ever do.
knuckleduster will perform at berlin’s haus der kulturen der welt this june as part of their program of lectures, art and music uberlebenskunst. more info here: http://bit.ly/Iqsmvz
robert and i are looking forward to our show — we have some sumptuous surprises in store. do join us.
i’m sound designing a play for theatre passe muraille right now, which happens to be written by (and stars) my sister pamela. the sound design is quite complex, by which i mean building the running cues for the sound involves many abrupt cuts and changes of audio state, let alone making the actual audio. and in rehearsal today i got to thinking about how the internal pulses and arc of the sound itself can be magnified by movement and text, how it can become stronger even though it serves and is played in tandem with other elements.
it’s a beautiful dance. i hope you can come see the show.
update: a very nice review is here.
as you may know if you are a facebook connection, i will be opening for colin stetson at the perimeter institute for theoretical physics on march 31. in honour of that occasion, i have been working on finally making a live set for anudrutam, something i have been wanting to do for a long time.
i am happy with what is happening so far—a re-visiting of the works on the cd in a way that keeps to the ideas and intent behind the original tracks but also refreshes them for live performance. have a listen, and see you in kitchener on the 31 of march.
http://soundcloud.com/debsinha/perimeter-institute-preview
http://soundcloud.com/debsinha/perimeter-institute-preview-1
very happy to have learned that knuckleduster received a great review in wire magazine in the upcoming april 2012 issue by none other than clive bell. robert and i are thrilled to have this going out to the world. hit us up on twitter to stay on top of news from the duo, including info on a show at berlin’s haus der kulturen der welt in june and our upcoming european tour.
don’t forget to visit the knuckleduster website for video, links to purchase the cd, and other news.
I’ve just received notice that the Canada Council for the Arts will fund the creation of a new text/audio work in 1.1 (mono speaker + subwoofer) entitled hati. the piece will have life as a static installation/playback work, a performance and who knows-what-else.
conceived as a piece that looks at the infrasonic communication of elephants and the re-imagining of the Hindu god Ganesh, hati has been brewing in my mind for close to 4 years now. i am thrilled to be able to put aside time to work on this piece thanks to the council.
stay tuned…