In This Issue That, Or Anything Else As Far As So-Called Music Sical Additions to Music - Not to Mention John Is Concerned

the transbay Creative Music Calendar

FEBRUARY 2009

INTERVIEW AFTER FULL CONSIDERATION greenlief @50 top ten of 2008 February 2009 marks local musician and This year’s Top Ten Transbaynian Musical composer Phillip Greenlief’s 50th birthday. Moments includes some diverse definitions The Transbay found Phillip by logging on the of “top” and “ten” as well as some elasticity to interWebs and exhanging several messages in the interpretation of “transbaynian” and, with the artist as he reflected on his art and you knew this, “music.” The lists draw from life. sources as disparate as the pages of Wallace’s (RIP 2008) Infinite Jest and a pedestrian Transbay: This month you’re presenting a ton plaza in Manhattan’s Meat Packing District, of events that reflect your 50th year. Which with plenty of noise, extended technique, re- of the performances commemorate your work markable record releases and regime change to date? Which ones represent fully matured in between. It’s all wrapped in the highlights ideas? Which ones are based on new inquiry? and lowlights of the beloved venue 21 Grand Phillip Greenlief: I don’t think you can parcel Arts Group, Inc. To balance, this issue also in 2008, 2009 (and 2010, 11 and 12, but only out what aspect of your artistic life rises to includes a manifesto on the subject of per- until the pole shift) is still available for that the surface on any given occasion. With all of petual anxiety among musicians: the death purpose. the groups I’m working with this month (Lost of our art form. If you didn’t contemplate it Have at it. v Trio, Tatsuya Nakitani, 2+2, Citta di Vitti, the Carla Kihlstedt and Kate Rannels at the Uptown November 8, 2008. Photo by Michael Zelner large ensemble, Orchestra Nostalgico), I feel everything I have to offer is the culmination OVERHEARD AT THE FILLMORE ON DECEMBER 31, 2008 of my total experience. The idea was to per- form with groups that somehow summarize the end of music what I’ve been doing all these years. I would say that a band like the Lost Trio represents Good Hello, I’m Crosley Bendix, Foremost is that it’s all been done before, and there mature ideas – this is our 16th year of work- cultural critic and Director Of Stylistic Pre- is no longer anything truly new that can be ing together. As Joe DiOrio once informed monitions for The Universal Media Netweb. achieved in music anymore. me, you have to play jazz for about 30 years And I’ve been pushed out here to satisfy your before you can have anything to say that is insatiable appetite for entertainment, for just We have always been accustomed to assum- original. I have found that to be true: over the a little bit longer. Well, I hardly need to be ing there must be plenty of untried music left past few years playing with the Lost Trio I pushed… But you do! to discover in the future – but think again finally feel like I have my own voice in that about singing that old song - it’s no longer music. Most folks aren’t willing to wait that My cultural review tonight will not needless- true. ly stoop to criticize the performance you’ve continued on Page 8 just witnessed, I’m sure you don’t need me By now, all possible types of musical con- to do that. But from under my new hat, I hear cepts, compositional approaches, times, tem- the words “old hat” coming to mind. And pos, tones, tambres, arrangements, instrument does my mind mind? No, it’s way too late for usages and combinations, and even extra-mu- In this issue that, or anything else as far as so-called music sical additions to music - not to mention John is concerned. Cage’s silence, - have already been tried in everything from the classical to today’s avant top And I’m not talking about this music or that guard. Transbaynian music – No, I’m talking about ALL music – The whole sheebang – The entire kit and Oh sure, you can just keep rehashing any kaboodle. (whatever that is.) of these musical conventions over and over Moments of again, but calling it “new” only displays a Yes, every stitch in time, every note and convenient loss of musical memory, and rhyme, every type and every kind – All the nobody likes a copycat. music that’s ever been made by anyone 10 anywhere. The one no longer ignorable fact Oh, there’s plenty of note combinations left 2008 that don’t sound good – that’s why they’re continued on Page 2 the san francisco bay area monthly publication for experimental/improvised/noise/electronic/freejazz/outrock/21st century transgenred music and sonic art OVERHEARD AT THE FILLMORE ON DECEMBER 31, 2008 the end of music [continued from front page]

left – But all the great, good, sort of good, And one more thing – for you fringe music and acceptable ones have been used up long connoisseurs out there who might be gestur- ago – Why do you think melodic music is so ing wildly in protest, wishing to propose the boring now? incorporation of cut-up found sound in collage music as something new – forget it. And, with no significantly new melodic invention possible, noise became inevitable… All that began back in the 1920s, was al- and by now, there are no new surprises pos- ready a well explored style when it became sible there either. We’ve heard it all before. popularized through digital technologies Noise is now just another racket. in the 80s and 90s, and is now thoroughly entrenched in common musical practices. At this late date in the nature of music, Yes, collage, too, has nowhere new to go, no new sprout of unique musical innova- and nowadays sounds more or less the same tion will ever be planted again. Or, to put no matter who is doing it. it another way, the tree of music is now so stuffed with birds that there are no new Indeed, collage music was just a gambit in perches available. And down here, under- which the only “new” concept was to be neath this incessantly singing overpopu- honestly unoriginal and just compose new lation, we listeners are being splattered, works out of old ones, recycling the already covered and smothered with this redundant disposable plethora of music into a slightly bird turd called music. You can’t brush it off. newer disposable plethora, and letting it go at that: temporarily stylish titillations that In short, it is now possible to declare that all unapologetically suck up the past and re- music is now 100% in the business of recy- position it into the present. cling and re-interpretation, forevermore. So now, music is really no different than TV. This is actually what most of you people That’s the future of it, and that’s the end of seem to like about it – endless variations it… within well established forms and well worn feelings, with performers re-spinning Well, I hope I haven’t ruined anything for completely familiar melodies, styles, and you, it’s just my job. And you’ve already structures. paid your money for this evening of harm- lessly familiar distractions, so you might as Crosley Bendix reads down the page. Nice hat, But what about those among us who are well stick around – coming up next with a mister. Photo by Michael Zelner actually interested in the potential for new valiant attempt to prove me wrong, will be invention in the sonic arts? Sorry, that the Butthole Surfers. I’m Crosley Bendix TEN GREAT PERFORMANCES 2008 potential simply no longer exists. A “been – good night, and give up. v [WITH SOME HIDDEN CLUES THAT I DON’T there, done that” sound barrier now blocks GET OUT ENOUGH] all forward movement in musical invention, beyond which only dogs can hear. tom duff TOP TEN OF 2008 June 6 at Matthew Sperry Festival TOP TEN OF 2008 • DISORDERED dj cypod John Butcher george chen 1. Garden of Memory at Chapel of the July 13 at Skronkathon Chimes Dirty Patina (Thomas Scandura, Morgan Grouper: Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill 2. The Maker Faire at San Mateo County Guberman, Gene Baker) (Type) Chris Brown and James Fei Fairgrounds Hydrogen Pellets (Daniel Hintz and Elvis Krallice (Profound Lore) 3. Philip Gelb & Jie Ma at Meridian Johnson) Prurient live Gallery Ava Mendoza and Moe! Staiano Mount Eerie: Lost Wisdom / Black Wooden 4. The Skronkathon at 21 Grand September 4 at San Francisco Electronic Ceiling Opening (PW Elverum & Sun) Music Festival (SFEMF) 5. Bay Area Computer Music Technology Ray Sweeten Ecstatic Sunshine live Group at Digidesign September 5 at SFEMF Bulbs: Light Ships (Freedom To Spend) 6. Dottedfields at Book Zoo Richard Teitelbaum improvising with ma++ Mincemeat or Tenspeed in a cave 7. What You Talkin’ About Willits at ingalls and John Ingle XLR8RTV Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra September 6 at SFEMF & Tra-La-La Band: 13 Blues for Thirteen 8. The Daily Bell project at The Rutro and the Logs Moons (Constellation) Exploratorium September 7 at SFEMF Pukers cassette 9. Old Puppy at Nabalom on Saturday Pauline Oliveros and Carl Stone mornings October 7 at Temescal Art Center 10. Black Market Techno at Club Oasis Moe! Staiano in a box TOP TEN GIGS OF 2008 To view a photo gallery of these events and lots of music people, check out Myles’ flickr site. http://flickr.com/photos/21341545@N00/sets/72157612648532729/ myles boisen* *guitarist/ recording engineer/ photographer/ bon vivant Cosa Brava first gig mations of the eccentric Emperor Norton. Paul Lytton comes to town 21 Grand, Oakland 3/20/08 Tom Duff looked, acted, and spoke the part 10/20-21/08 I had literally waited for years to see guitar- of Norton with post-modern panache. And What a great human being, and a truly ist Fred Frith’s new band come together. under Robair’s baton the music supported inspiring player who is not seen or heard With Carla Kihlstedt on violin, Zeena Par- and echoed his hallucinatory rantings. With enough in this country. We had a great ses- kins on keyboard, Matthias Bossi on drums, 18 musicians in attendance, I was glad I sion at the studio with Fred Frith and trum- and The Norman Conquest doing live sonic was simply taking photos, and not the one peter Nate Woolley, another great younger processing, it was definitely worth the wait. responsible for recording the proceeedings! player from New York. Plus a smoking gig I hope they will bless us with another local the following night at 21 Grand, and a fine Gamelan X gig, maybe after finishing their first CD in dinner across Broadway at Mua, my favorite Starry Plough, Berkeley 10/19/08 early 2009. new restaurant in Oakland. I went mostly as a curiosity-seeker, to see Dresden Dolls/ Vermillion Lies how this band could pull off a blend of Election Night Improv Rally The Fillmore, San Francisco 5/19/08 traditional gamelan and rock onstage. Plus it Uptown Nightclub, Oakland 11/05/08 It’s a thrill being on stage for a sold-out was my birthday and I had nothing better to Not just a great night for an array of ad hoc show at the Fillmore. I hope you all get to do! Awww... Anyway Gamelan X remained music and performance vignettes curated do it someday. And the Dolls really rocked true and respectful to their music’s Indone- by Carla Kihlstedt, but a great night for the house. Plus I shot a photo of them play- sian roots, and pumped up the volume with the world. A nice reminder that we should ing with East Bay Ray (Dead Kennedys) rock drums, horns, and keyboard and low celebrate all of our significant events with that will be on the next 7” single. gongs supplying the bass. Very exciting and music. And marching in the streets too! The complex music, well-played, and best of all, Uptown has improved upon the setup of the Sperry Fest, Hillside Club no guitar! Berkeley 6/06-07/08 continued on Page 8 John Butcher solo and quintet with Gino Robair, John Shiurba, Tim Perkis, Tom Djll; Fred Frith/ Carla Kihlstedt/ The Norman Conquest Trio, Carla Kihlstedt quartet with Marika Hughes, Myles Boisen, Chris Sipe. Masterful improvised music all around, and a love-filled event as is usual for the Sperry memorial weekend. Excellent drinks after at Cesar on Shattuck. Sunday’s final festival event - Treasure Mouth at the Museum of Children’s Art - was a blast too. Lisa Mezzacappa & Friends Climate Theater, San Francisco 7/29/08 Brawny and brainy new out jazz from some of the scene’s most accomplished and pas- sionate players - Lisa Mezzacappa (bass, composer), Aaron Bennett (sax), John Fink- beiner (guitar), Vijay Anderson (drums). It had been a long time since I had heard anyone follow up on the sophisticated traditions of the seventies’ AACM/ loft jazz scene with such dedication and focus. Aurora Josephson’s Salon Oakland 8/02/08 Aurora had a memorable summer of drop- in Saturday afternoon music events at her house in Oakland. The wierdest (and there- fore the best) was this one where a beat-ori- ented electronic music duo - Spider Com- pass Good Crime Band - showed up dressed in giant vulture costumes, and the rest of us tried really hard to fit in with their drum machine-driven two chord jams. Jacob Lindsay did some amazing eyebrow contortions. See the video on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/ photos/27679263@N08/2727153292/ And Aurora always served delicious galette. Gino Robair, I, Norton opera ODC Theater, San Francisco 10/12/08 A very impressive rendering of Robair’s modular improv opera based on the procla- FOUR TEXTS ABOUT LISTENING bill hsu #1 What about little microphones? What if everyone swallowed them, and they played the sounds of our hearts through little speakers, which could be in the pouches of our overalls? Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close #2 Horst was whispering, “If you eat his TOP “BAKER’s” DOZEN Elf Ass at the Terminal May 9, 2008 tongue, it will make you speak the language Photo by Randy Yau of the birds!” I knocked Horst down and pointed the rifle, and then, as if by accident cantcount squeezed the trigger. Brian Evenson, Altman’s Tongue 3-11-08 at Temescal Arts 8-6-08 at Cafe du Nord Fabrizio Spera with Liz Allbee drum and Thai Cultural Center Minors with Neung #3 horn rumble plus Bran(...)Pos escaping Phak + screening of Ros Sereysothea ... soon enough they all begin to detect that malfunction mixing board with a toothbrush biopic, hypersensitive kill-me adolescence inimitable growl, like calving glaciers, far before finally drawing current to drown the meets suede-jaded look-at-me evil all in one off in the distance, which at least in the crowd in in his mouth coverband-warcrimes seance! mind’s eye, inhabits a thin line where rooms http://tinyurl.com/7esxwv and passageways must finally concede to 5-9-08 at Terminal become a horizon. Sudden Infant cliffhanging ribflesh, Randy 08-30-08 at The Hemlock Mark Danielewski, House of Leaves Yau facial salad spinner, Joe Colley tinker Occasional Detroit, Hans Grusel, Aaart- staredown, Elf Ass frozen-sizzlechest heck- fystte, 0th, Black Mayonnaise at Resipiscent #4 lers pee-pant laugh puddle Records’ genre-ectomy, how wide can two The whole place is so quiet Hal can hear the http://tinyurl.com/a9bkhd ears go?! “sexy shoes” “rise above” (black squeak of blood in his head. flag), O-D “this is how we get down”, best David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest 5-14-08 at Kabuki truly new band ever= 0th Every act aces Scott Arford “Static Life” bigscreen retro- http://resipiscent.com/promo_videos/2008. spective + performance at SF International htm GOOD RIDDANCE! Film Fest TOP TEN SHITTY THINGS OF 2008 10-18-08 at Woody Woodman’s [OTHER THAN WAR, BAILOUTS & LAYOFFS] 5-21-08 at Slim’s Finger Palace Alan and Richard Bishop Brothers Reuniti Evan Parker’s paintpeeling chamber music on Ice + Neung Phak ma++ ingalls with woodywoodman pianostring n santa- 6-17-08 at Bottom of the Hill pling windup boxes one night, Liz Allbee’s Toyoji Headboggle with also-rans Wolf Eyes (head- ghost machine through invisible curtains the next, all in shrunken grand lobby of Woody Prop 8 boggle set is released on dolor del estomago) Woodman’s Finger Palace (“glad I didn’t Other Minds 13 6-19-08 at The Compound wear a skirt” -j.b.) Wolf Eyes goaded to fullspeed slaughter Oakland vs. 21 Grand after drubbing from headboggle date unknown at some house closing party Amphibious Gestures face-shedding My solo set March 22nd 7-6-08 at Tidal Wave Fest, McClaren Park headspinner plus Bullshit Detector’s neo- Embryonic Devourment with Ludicra and Keith Rowe newage 80foot peacedrum for whirledpeas Saros ultimate-recycling civil war re-enact- tower Alcatraz ballot initiative Mockracy No-Shows ment for whoever never knew history in order to forget it 12-11-08 at Artists Television Access Lachenmann vs. Rainstorm bran(...)pos impossible double density live 7-16-08 at Heco’s John Ingle’s backstage tenor smash video process layered on already impossibly Anti-Ear pendulum surroundsound master- dense sound to make one big brain bukake George and Jorge moving to Europe piece plus Tom Nunn herbicide deathspasms tiramisu, completely unreal, death to lazyart at Composer’s Decomposed BBQ burndown broadcastings 7-27-08 at Pharoah Maybellines’ Soundtrough 05-31-08 KFJC Paleolithic Youth Dave Mathews Band’s sad signoff of Nozmo King and 24hour live straight-to-forgotten set inducing bored drone show flashback to 6-29-08 Bullshit Detector 8-20-08 WFMU bass carpentry monolith down the Pharoah The Ex with Gétatchèw Mèkurya + Clay Maybellines Soundtrough No Memory Hole Pigeon as Sir Everett Hubney + Fatty Jubbo http://tinyurl.com/8yh82c shows entire 2008 SOUNDCRACK.NET spontaneous broadcasts (archived) Gino Robair, Clothed. Photo by Jon Raskin TOP TEN OF 2008 EXCELLENT / MEMORABLE SHOWS BY LOCAL MUSICANS OTHER THAN MYSELF AT LOCAL VENUES (CHRONOLOGICAL) damon smith jacob felix heule Recordings Fogel/Nishi/Winant, Yasi Perera, Allbee/ Core of the Coalman, Bran (...) Pos, Dirty Joe Morris/Barre Phillips duo Baker at 1510 8th St, 1/13 Branchez (Composers Decomposed) at Ken Vandermark “Collected Fiction” Heco’s, 6/28 Jon Raskin Quartet & Quintet (Allbee/Ro- Joelle Leandre/Barre Phillips bair/Shiurba/Cremaschi) at Climate Theatre Bullshit Detector, Dye Mark, Theremin Bar- Heard Live and 21 Grand, 1/15 & 11/6 ney, Heule+Nishi at Pharoah Maybelline’s Sound Trough, No Toilet, 6/29 Aurora w/Merce Cunningham Breezy Days Band, KIT, Bay/Oslo Double Georg Gräwe solo @ 1510 Trio, High Places at ATA, 1/23 Djll/Perkis, Raskin/Nishi, Shiurba/Rosen- berg, Brown/Fei, RTD3, Dijkstra/Greenlief, Devin Hoff/Darren Johnston Mute Socialite, Ettrick, Little Women at 21 SL Morse (Skronkathon) at 21 Grand, 7/13 Grand, 1/28 Saw Neung Phak, Thai Cultural Center Musi- Jeff Wall at SFMOMA Peter Evans, James Fei, Damon Smith & cians at Cafe du Nord, 8/6 Weasel Walter at Hemlock, 1/31 Anselm Kiefer @ LA Gagosian Anderson/Brown/Dobson/Mendoza/Schott Sextet (Aspelin/Davignon/Dryer/Greenlief/ at 21 Grand, 8/7 Played Lindsay/Nishi), Sophistifcuffs at 1510 8th With my two favorite pianist on significant St, 3/8 Moe! Staiano, Bubble & Squeak at Temescal days Fred Van Hove on easter in Brussels, Arts Center, 10/7 Allbee/Greenlief/Nakatani, Brzytwa/Fogel/ and with Georg Gräwe on election day in Nishi, Marielle Jakobsons, Pink Canoes at Allbee/Josephson/Lindsay/Walter/Winant, Oakland. 21 Grand, 3/21 Wiggwaum, Death Worth Living at 21 Grand, 11/19 TOP TEN OF 2008 Joe Colley, RHY Yau, Elf Ass, Sudden Infant at Terminal, 5/9 favorite albums michael zelner Core of the Coalman, Midmight, Trampoline 1. Phil Minton, No Doughnuts in Hand Sequel, Arachnid Arcade, Sudden Infant [Emanem] April 14 (Godwaffle Noise Pancakes) at ArtSF, 5/10 Live improvisation recording session, Ex- 2. Core of the Coalman, AsoltMusket [BOC] ploratorium, San Francisco Kaseki/Nishi, Chan/Evangelista/Vittum, Wiener Kids at 21 Grand, 5/22 3. Christian Weber, Walcheturm Solo [Cut] May 28 Butcher/Djll/Perkis/Robair/Shiurba at Hill- 4. Stephan Bodzin, Bremen Ost/Station 72 Rova/Nels Cline Celestial Septet, Yoshi’s, [Herzblut] San Francisco side Club, 6/5 sfSound w/ John Butcher & Gino Robair at 5. various - Living Is Hard: West African May 31 Music in Britain, 1927-1929 [Honest Jons] Illuminated Corridor: NOVA (Neighbor- ODC, 6/8 hood Public Radio/Whitney Biennial 2008), Wolf Eyes, Deathroes, Chronicles of Lemur Dryer/Heule/Lindsay, Idea of West Gansevoort Plaza, NYC (far East Bay) Mutations, Basshaters at the Compound, [Creative Sources] June 1 6/19 Basshaters, Teeth on Concrete Bang On a Can Marathon, Winter Garden/ Tony Dryer w/ Pigs in the Ground at Fort [Occidentalize(d)] World Financial Center, NYC (far East Bay) Gallery, 6/26, & w/ Allbee/Heule/Shiurba at July 13 21 Grand, 12/12 8th Annual Transbay Skronkathon, 21 Grand, Oakland July 14 Improv/Noise Hootenanny (#1), Kingman’s Ivy Room, Albany August 17 Toyoji Tomita Memorial Concert, Meridian Gallery, San Francisco September 18 Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll [sound design by Jake Rodriguez], A.C.T., San Francisco November 4 Outside the Box: An Election Night Concert of Free Improvisation, the Uptown, Oakland December 18 Music By the Eyeful: Treasure Mouth and Citta di Vitti, Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco Photo: Drumstreet by Tom Djll the transbay Creative Music Calendar

Sunday February 1 Thursday February 12 Mills College Concert Hall • 8pm $20 / $12 Mills Music Festival 2009: Opening Night Cell Space • 8pm $12 / $7 Luggage Store Gallery • 8pm $6-10 Pauline Oliveros with Tony Martin; Terry Riley; San Francisco Tape Music Festival 2009 Outsound Presents The New Music Series Joseph Kubera performs Roscoe Mitchell; Joan Featuring music by Edgard Varèse, Iannis Full Moon Concerts - Quickening Moon Jeanrenaud Xenakis, Olivier Messiaen, Matt Ingalls, Jon 8 pm: Theory Garden Nelson, Moe! Staiano, and Lisa Whistlecroft. 9 pm: VoxMaids Sunday February 22 Thursday February 5 Swissnex San Francisco • 8pm $20 Mills College Concert Hall • 3pm $20 / $12 NEXMAP presents Mills Music Festival 2009: A Celebration of the Luggage Store Gallery • 8pm $6-10 Michel Doneda (France) & Fred Frith Center for Contemporary Music Outsound Presents The New Music Series FEBRUARYPauline Oliveros with Tony Martin; Chris Brown 8:15: Laces Friday February 13 with William Winant and Joan Jeanrenaud; 8:45: Leif Shackelford Bluesix Acoustic Room • 9pm James Fei; John Bischoff 9:15: Arachnid Arcade 2pm pre-concert talk A night of signal processing, voice, dulcimer, The Lost Trio Turns 16, Greenlief Turns 50 ritualistic errors, tiny lights, cybernetics, viola, film Musicians Union Hall • 7:30pm $10 / $8 with mercurial songbirds sing songs of space travel Saturday February 14 Outsound Presents...The SIMM Series as ghost hoods ride the whip bloody in caves filled Check EvanderMusic.com for Venue • 8pm 7:30 Bleeding Vector with Eric Vogler guitar, Lorin with dovesong. Greenlief, Robair, Nakitani, Djll Benedict voice-a-phone 8:30 Simon Rose Trio with Damon Smith double Friday February 6 CNMAT• 8pm $12 bass, Scott Looney piano, Simon Rose alto sax, Michel Doneda (France) & David Wessel Oakland Public Conservatory of Music • 7:30pm $5 Weasel Walter drums (15 & under free) Sunday February 15 www.transbaycalender.org First Fridays: Monthly at OPCM Thursday February 26 Check EvanderMusic.com for Venue • 8pm $ Free-Jazz, Free-Improv Open Stage & Open Mic Luggage Store Gallery • 8pm $6-10 Phillip Greenlief Solo Open to all musicians who embrace the sounds Outsound Presents The New Music Series and spirit of Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Alice Monday February 16 8pm: Marco Eneidi - saxophone (Vienna, Austria) Coltrane, Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Eric Dolphy, Art 9pm Rick Walker - objects/electronics Ensemble of Chicago, John Cage, and so many Kingman’s Ivy Room • 9pm FREE Musician/Composer/alto saxophonist Marco Eneidi others. Open also to vocalists, dancers, artists, Improv Noise Hootenany and Social Club has learned music by way of the oral tradition from photographers, poets, and others who want to join with host Lucio Menegon and many performers, his many close friends and mentors. Aesthetics, in the music. including Ross Hammond/Scott Amendola duo, composition and the organization of sound Citta di Vitti, Allen Whitman and Strangelet structure comes mainly through two close personal Temescal Arts Center • 8pm $ 5 friendships with Bill Dixon and Cecil Taylor. New works by composers Goodheart, Stiles Tuesday, February 17 and Bultmann heard with performances by The Uptown • 9pm Donation Friday February 27 experimental rock groups. 21 Grand presents Third Tuesdays ODC Dance Commons • 8pm $10 Saturday February 7 An Evening of Phillip Greenlief’s Large Ensemble sfSound Presents Music a microFestival of New and Improvised Music Jazzschool • 8pm $10 the international nothing (Kai Fagaschinski & Lisa Mezzacappa’s Before and After (Aaron Wednesday February 18 Michael Thieke, clarinets from Berlin, Germany) and Bennett, saxophones; John Finkbeiner, guitar; The Red Poppy Art House • 7pm $10 sfSoundGroup Lisa Mezzacappa, acoustic bass; Vijay Anderson, Rova:Arts Improv21 drums) and Mills College Concert Hall • 8pm $20 / $12 Composer Ellen Fullman: Sympathetic Kasey Knudsen Septet (Evan Francis, Matt Mills Music Festival 2009 Resonances with a video documentary on her work Nelson and Kasey Knudsen, saxophones; Rob Muhal Richard Abrams with Roscoe Mitchell featuring her music and sounds on the original “long Ewing, trombone; Michael Coleman, piano; George string” instruments that she has created. Ban-Weiss, bass; Jon Arkin, drums) Saturday February 28 Thursday February 19 In The Mood For Food • 7pm $50 Tuesday February 10 Pamela Z – voice, electronics Temescal Art Center • 8:30pm $6 suggested Luggage Store Gallery • 8pm $6-10 In the Mood for Food’s dinner/concert series, now in First Tuesdays @ Temescal Outsound Presents The New Music Series its third year, pairs world renowned musicians with Karen Stackpole/Jennifer Wilsey Music by the Eyeful: Inventions in Visual Audio gourmet vegan cuisine in private locations in the Kinda Green [Tim Perkis/Tom Djll] and East bay. James Fei/Chris Brown Saturday February 21 Meridian Gallery • 8pm $10 ODC Dance Commons • 8pm $10 Wednesday February 11 The REEL CHANGE Film with Live Music Series sfSound Presents a microFestival of New and Improvised Music Meridian Gallery • 7:30pm $10 / $5 Reel #1 From Dada to Maya - Dada films of the 1920’s plus Maya Deren Films from the 1940s. Lê Quan Ninh & Michel Doneda Duo (percussion Meridian Music: Composers in Performance and saxophone) and sfSoundGroup new compositions by Theresa Wong REEL CHANGE is: Andrew Voigt – winds, Tom Solos, duos and trios with guest performers Joan Nunn – inventions, David Michalak - steel guitar and Mills College Concert Hall • 8pm $20 / $12 Jeanrenaud, Carla Kihlstedt and Suki O’Kane guest Doug Carroll on Cello Mills Music Festival 2009 Darius Milhaud’s Brazilian Connection the persistent caveat Schedules are subject to change, and the reasons can be totally appalling, flying in the face of human reason. Please confirm details provided in this publication by visiting transbaycalendar.org.

THIS IS NOT THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN venue information how to find out

Bluesix Acoustic Room Mills College Concert Hall what to visit online 3043 24th Street, San Francisco [at Treat] 5000 MacArthur Boulevard, Oakland bayimproviser.com fecalface.com Cell Space Musicians’ Union Hall foopee.com/punk/the-list/ 2050 Bryant Street, San Francisco 116 9th Street, San Francisco [at Mission] groups.google.com/group/club-sandwich CNMAT Oakland Public Conservatory of Music launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/brutalsfx/ 1750 Arch Street, Berkeley 1616 Franklin Street, Oakland music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/ In The Mood For Food ODC Dance Commons newmusicevents FEBRUARYPrivate Residence, Oakland 351 Shotwell Street, San Francisco transbaycalendar.org Ivy Room Red Poppy Art House zumonline.com/shows/ 858 San Pablo Avenue, Albany 2698 Folsom Street, San Francisco what to tune to Jazzschool Swissnex San Francisco compound-eye.org 2087 Addison Street, Berkeley 730 Montgomery Street, San Francisco kalx 90.7FM • kalx.berkeley.edu Luggage Store Gallery Temescal Arts Center kfjc 89.7FM • kfjc.org 1007 Market Street, San Francisco [at 6th] 511 48th Street, Oakland [at Shattuck] kusf 90.3FM • kusf.org kzsu 90.1FM • kzsu.stanford.edu Meridian Gallery Uptown r 535 Powell Street, San Francisco 1928 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland adiom.org rchrd.com/mfom/ www.transbaycalender.orgsfsound.org/radio.html soundcrack.net INTERVIEW greenlief @50 [continued from front page] long to see results… I might say the music TB: Your recent work involves dance, theater for large ensemble represents the newest (Candide), visual collage, film(Citta di ideas – but of course those ideas are the Vitti), and the sonic vocabulary of machines harvest of over 33 years of thinking about (Shudder). You’re also a writer and continue composing and playing. to work with literary adaptation. How do our relationship with you see your music reflecting other artistic the composition media and structures? PG: I’ve always been interested in numerous TB: Let’s go back to the remarkable inquiry art forms and from the start I never wanted in Noisy People, Tim Perkis’ documentary to pigeonhole myself into one thing. I’ve on creative new music. In that film you draw been working in these contexts since the late a distinction between work based on chang- 70’s, so the recent work merely reflects a ing the composition and a new territory: life-long journey. I want to learn everything changing the way the musician relates to the I can about music in my lifetime (and I have composition. How does your work reflect a long way to go!). Roscoe Mitchell says this notion today? music is too big to master. I totally agree PG: The Map Series does both, and I think with that sentiment; music is the master, not both modes are equally instructive and have the individual. By working with dancers, theater/actors, electronic musicians, noise produced satisfying results. I’ve been happy film that will be part of an artistic statement. artists, jazz musicians, improvisers, folk with the various realizations of the Map I’m fascinated by the possibilities there, so I singers, playing solo, the realm of classi- Series works. In the 2+2 setting, Jon Raskin hope to do more of that in the future. and I had numerous occasions to hear our cal or New Music composition, my musical music performed by many wonderful musi- skills have to stretch in order to make some- i thought I was going cians. You might say my work as a whole thing work in any of those situations. That’s to be a music teacher reflects a nomadic restlessness – of wanting what interests me: how I can find myself, or to travel musically and geographically to find my own voice in the context of working TB: You’ve taught in the public schools for many different places. with different individuals. It’s also a model years, but not as music teacher. In NP you for how I believe we should interact socially. describe how that was a response to the As far as composition is concerned, I’m not I have friends of all ages and cultural back- conflict of bringing the sacred experience of married to forms of any kind. If the compo- grounds. Life is rich when you live like that. music making into an institutional frame- sition doesn’t produce music you like, then You really see the range of humanity. I think work. You’re teaching music now. What has the composition has failed (actually, it hasn’t it’s the same with music. changed? How does teaching inform your failed unless you didn’t learn anything by practice as a musician? writing it). I try to create compositions that TB: Where do you think it will go? clearly and easily instruct the musician. PG: I have to say that the feelings I expressed PG: I can’t really say, but I am starting out in NP have not changed. I still believe that Sometimes you have to use notes (tradi- this year on a collaboration with Alessandra tional composition), sometimes a graphic or playing music is a spiritual practice. Many Eramo, and we will be creating original vid- things have changed since I started out 20 iconic cue works best, and sometimes a text eo art to accompany our performance. That’s score can yield great results. Because I’m an years ago as a teacher of literature and as an a first for me – I’ve been a life-long lover of educator in the tutoring field. In 2009 I find improviser at heart, I want to give players cinema, but this is the first attempt to make a freedom to create. it extremely satisfying to teach at the schools

TOP TEN GIGS OF 2008 CONTINUED myles boisen old Black Box theater in some significant ways, and they had my favorite beer (Lagunitas IPA). Merce Cunningham Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley 11/15/08 The gravitas of the contemporary art legacy was palpable in Zellerbach Hall that night: music by Cage and Nancarrow, sets and costumes by Robert Rauschenberg, chore- ography by Cunningham. In the pit playing live were Christian Wolff, Willie Winant, Takehisa Kosugi, David Behrman and more. But it was our own Aurora Josephson - singing Cage’s “Aria” on top of the other musicians’ “Fontana Mix” - who stole the show. v Spider Compass Good Crime Band and Jacob Lindsey at Aurora Josephson’s Salon Oakland, August 2, 2008, photo by Myles Boisen INTERVIEW photo by Peter B. Kaars greenlief @50 [continued from front page]

where I am employed: SF Waldorf High I consciously made the decision to approach School, Oakland School for the Arts and the music solely as an art form and not a com- East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. mercial one. Now it seems like the calls I Each school gives me enormous freedom to get are from people who know my work and guide my students in any direction I choose. are interested in what I have to offer. I’m Because I enjoy working with others in a usually busier than I want to be performing cooperative fashion, I employ the students and recording so I believe you can make the to take charge in their education and have music you love and not compromise – you an active voice in shaping the curriculum. just can’t depend on it to put food on the I went to a very progressive high school, table. Back to your question – if someone which was more like three years of indepen- like Bjork called me up and wanted to work dent study. I try to bring that style of learn- with me and she was willing to let me “do ing to my students today. It’s not so different my thing”, I wouldn’t have a problem mak- than the basic principal behind the Map ing good money playing with her, as long Series works – you give people options that as I didn’t have to play in a way that felt guide their journey and see what happens. dishonest. Honesty is really the only quality I value in music, which allows me to enjoy a The great thing about teaching is that in lot of different styles. most cases, I am getting paid to practice and improve my own skills as a musician. I’m TB: How should artists operate in our current so much happier these days than when I was economic system? teaching other subjects, because my life is deadline for march issue is dedicated almost completely to the prolifera- PG: I would resist offering models for any- tion of music. Literature and film are still one else’s creative pursuits. I have no advice important things in my life and somehow for younger musicians in terms of employ- this streamlining has allowed for a little ment or financial compensation with regard feb 10 to their art. They have my sincere sympa- more time to read, watch films and write visit transbaycalendar.org for full information about them. thy! It’s much harder to make a living as a musician now than it was when I was in my we publish reviews • matters of import it’s a free concert. 20’s. The cost of living has skyrocketed in calendar listings • photography that’s a good thing, right? the Bay Area, and gigs around here still pay advertising that does not offend us what was offered in the 60’s and 70’s. TB: You are known for committed to counter- acting the invisibility of art-making by sim- Further, I am highly repulsed by the capi- ply being creatively present, and, in many talist system. I have no interest in making cases, uncompensated: anti-busking without money as a musician, but I have an enor- an open case in BART, performing free at mous interest in making music. When I look Down Home Music. You have also traversed around, the people making the most money all the economic territories of musician- are usually making the worst music. It’s hood: session pro, day job, label manager, the same in all the arts: big budget Hol- presenter, anarchist. What are the key things lywood films are rarely satisfying. David you need to create a sustainable landscape Lynch couldn’t get a distributor for Inland for your music? Empire, and that film (IMO: I know I’m in the minority on this) is his most outstanding PG: It wouldn’t be possible if not for teach- artistic achievement. I see fascinating dance ing. As long as I have good paying work performances by people who are operating teaching in settings where I don’t have to on a shoestring budget, or no budget at all. compromise my artistic vision, I don’t have Rough and Tumble (the theater company I to worry about whether or not I make money worked with last fall) works on a shoestring playing music. In this respect, nothing has budget and those folks are dedicated artists changed in my balance of making money as who love theater and make it happen regard- an educator and exploring my art without less of financial compensation. the need for financial compensation. Back to the topic of survival, I have taken TB: If you were offered your own version of my cue from the existentialists: your actions Jeff Tweedy / Wilco, would you embrace it? have to be consistent with your philoso- PG: Regardless of who calls and wants to phy. If you love music, find a way to make play, I only accept the gig if I’m interested money playing it. If you can’t, find a way to in the music that I’m going to make with make money doing something you feel good that setting. If I’m not into the artistic po- about – by doing something that is consis- tential of the project, I say no thank you and tent with your values and code of ethics. It’s refer them to someone else. I turned down a easier than you think. v lot of offers starting in the early ‘90’s, when the transbay Creative Music Calendar 3111 Deakin St., Berkeley, CA 94705