tag:ianblake.net,2005:/blogs/news?p=4
News
2021-04-21T13:12:05-04:00
IAN BLAKE
false
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170725
2019-07-25T20:00:00-04:00
2021-01-19T15:38:25-05:00
_
<p>Here's <a href="https://andrewcronshaw.bandcamp.com/album/sans-kulku" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> at the Kaustinen Festival, Finland:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429160/0c0ecbed38e81d745796ea793197f8188301ea99/original/sans-at-kallio-klubi-resized.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDIwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="SANS_at_Kallio_Klubi_resized.jpg" height="200" width="500" /></p>
<p>Tigran Aleksanyan: duduk</p>
<p>Sanna Kurki-Suonio: voice, kantele</p>
<p>Andrew Cronshaw: electric zither</p>
<p>Erika Hammarberg: voice, cornet</p>
<p>IB: bass clarinet, soprano sax</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170724
2019-04-24T20:00:00-04:00
2021-01-19T15:39:48-05:00
_
<p><em><a href="http://www.ianblake.net/press.html#luminous" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Luminous</a>, </em>Australia's scariest lullaby album, is now downloadable from <a href="https://helenrivero.bandcamp.com/album/luminous" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Helen Rivero's Bandcamp</a> site:</p>
<p><iframe src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2266811299/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 400px; height: 472px;">&lt;a href="http://helenrivero.bandcamp.com/album/luminous" mce_href="http://helenrivero.bandcamp.com/album/luminous"&gt;Luminous by Helen Rivero &amp;amp; Ian Blake&lt;/a&gt;</iframe></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170723
2019-03-27T20:00:00-04:00
2020-12-26T13:10:39-05:00
_
<p><iframe src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1586333314/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/tracklist=false/artwork=small/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://andrewcronshaw.bandcamp.com/album/sans-kulku" mce_href="http://andrewcronshaw.bandcamp.com/album/sans-kulku"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;SANS - Kulku by SANS&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe></p>
<p>The album's doing well, with a win at Finland's <a href="http://www.emmagaala.fi/fi/ehdokaslista/25" target="_blank" data-imported="1">EMMA awards</a> and a number one spot in the <a href="http://www.transglobalwmc.com/charts/november-2018-chart/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Transglobal World Music chart</a>. The Finnish press has excellent reviews in the <a href="https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000005935287.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Helsingen Sanomat</a>, Karjalainen, and the <a href="https://fmq.fi/articles/mesmerizing-sounds-and-voices" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Finnish Music Quarterly</a>: elsewhere, you can read about it in Sweden's <a href="http://www.lira.se/skivrecension/kulku/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Lira Musikmagasin</a>, Armenia's <a href="http://golosarmenii.am/%E2%80%A6/718%E2%80%A6/duduk--on-i-v-finlyandii-duduk" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Golos Armenii</a><em> </em>and the Australian <em>Rhythms</em> magazine.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SANSmusik/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> will be playing at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kaustinenfmf" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Kaustinen Folk Music Festival</a> on July 11th and 12th. This is where the band first came together in 2011, and these will be our <a href="http://www.kaustinen.net/press-release-1-2019/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">first shows with Erika Hammarberg</a>, whose voice you can hear on the Bandcamp player above.</p>
<p>The band reconvenes in Portugal for a concert on July 22nd at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fmmsines" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Festival Músicas do Mundo</a>, <a href="http://www.fmmsines.pt/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Sines</a>.</p>
<p>Bassoonist and singer Zoey Pepper has been performing my multibassoony karaoke work <a href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-27.html" data-imported="1"><em>The River Daughter</em> </a>recently - here's a taste:</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/201361554&color=%230032ff&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170722
2018-09-19T20:00:00-04:00
2021-04-21T13:12:05-04:00
_
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/3272ca806c9f6dc38ceefaf9915566e3eb5ba31d/original/kulku.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDYweDM5NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="kulku.jpg" height="397" width="460" />There's a new <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SANSmusik/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> CD: it's called <a href="http://cloudvalley.com/kulku.htm" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><em>Kulku</em></a> and we had a grand time recording it in rural Suffolk with producer <a href="http://www.jimsutherland.uk.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Jim Sutherland</a> and engineer <a href="http://www.lmaudio.co.uk/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Les Mommsen</a> - and new, additional singer Erika Hammarberg, whose voice beautifully complements that of Sanna Kurki-Suonio.</p>
<p>Here's a <a href="http://www.rootsworld.com/rentparty/motm-sans.shtml" target="_blank" data-imported="1">review</a> courtesy of <a href="http://www.rootsworld.com/rw/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Rootsworld</a>, and you can hear and buy the album via <a href="https://andrewcronshaw.bandcamp.com/album/sans-kulku" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Bandcamp</a> or direct from <a href="http://cloudvalley.com/kulku.htm" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Cloud Valley</a>.</p>
<p>And here's Robin Denselow's review in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/sep/07/sans-kulku-review-cloud-valley-andrew-cronshaw" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>And the<a href="http://frootsmag.com/kulku-sans" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> fRoots review</a> by Chris Nickson.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170721
2017-03-17T20:00:00-04:00
2021-01-12T04:27:03-05:00
_
<p>I've been reading Rostand's <em>Cyrano de Bergerac</em> in the Glyn Maxwell adaptation: I'll be doing the music for a production by <a href="http://www.theatreinthesquare.org/welcome.htm" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Theatre in the Square</a> which starts off in London in July, then goes to <a href="https://www.minack.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Minack </a>in Cornwall in September.<br><br>There'll be another piece for carillon and nonhuman performers coming up for a performance by <a href="https://soundcloud.com/mechelentp/matins" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Thomas Laue</a> on July 2nd at the <a href="http://carillon.org/eng/dynamic_frame_eng.htm?http://carillon.org/eng/actueel/barcelona_1.htm" target="_blank" data-imported="1">World Carillon Federation Congress</a> in Barcelona. This one, <em>Multiplex of Wing and Eye</em>, features the backyard bees. My previous carillon works, <em>Blood Sugar Fairy</em> and <a href="https://soundcloud.com/mechelentp/matins" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Matins</a>, had their first outings on an instrument firmly planted in Lake Burley Griffin: the latest will be played on <a href="http://asso.nordnet.fr/arpac/carillon/fiche.htm" target="_blank" data-imported="1">this roving carillon.</a></p>
<p>It's fifty years since the release of Sgt Pepper, so <a href="http://shortisandsimpson.com/events/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Shortis & Simpson</a> are celebrating with a well-researched lecture recital in Queanbeyan on March 18th. I'm attempting those McCartney basslines and dusting off Ethel the wind synthesiser to do a piccolo trumpet impersonation (Penny Lane).</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> reconvenes in May to play at the <a href="http://www.seoulmusicweek.org/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Seoul Music Week</a>, followed by a gig at Cheongju's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jazztonicfestival" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Jazztonic</a> festival. When the farflung members of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> can't get together, there's still the gathering of the trio of Cronshaw, Alexanyan and Blake. We did a video shoot at <a href="http://www.thepreservationroom.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Preservation Room</a> recently - here's a specimen:</p>
<p></p>
<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="320" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HX6eg7bBRME" width="500" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
<p><br>Someone pointed out that nineteenth century Australia was, per capita, the most piano-infested country on Earth. Having recorded and composed for a semi-feral <a href="http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-life/listening-to-the-past-at-muggamugga-20150409-1mh4hc.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Renardi</a> and a rather relaxed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanyon_Homestead" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Victorian Broadwood</a> in Canberra I was pleased to discover another nicely backslid vintage Broadwood in Llanwrtyd, mid Wales. So I recorded lots of improvising on this one: it clangs and groans well, and I expect it'll emerge in a new soundwork...</p>
<p>At the end of March there's a <a href="http://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/stories/sound-heritage-sydney-making-music-historic-places" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Sound Heritage Sydney</a> event celebrating the musicking that went on in historic houses: following on from the <a href="http://www.historicplaces.com.au/events/music-performance-performing-the-past" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Performing the Past</a> project, we'll be heading to Elizabeth Bay House for the day and I'll be playing <em>How many ships sail in the forest?</em> on the resident <a href="http://antiquepianoshop.com/online-museum/collard-collard/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Collard & Collard</a> square piano and a historical laptop.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170720
2016-07-05T20:00:00-04:00
2021-01-01T06:54:23-05:00
_
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1041230775916050/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The SANS Sessions</a>, in June, in London, attracted a nice line-up of musical guests including Louai Alhenawi playing ney and daf, fiddler Ric Sanders, and voice from Erika Hammarberg: all adding to that element of surprise that's essential to a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> gig. (The only constant seems to be that - according to singer Sanna Kurki-Suonio - all the songs are about porridge. None of the rest of us have good enough Finnish to know if this is true…)</p>
<p>SANS visits Poland in July for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/etnokrakow/photos/a.906971049358980.1073741828.878903962165689/1149217765134306/?type=3&theater" target="_blank" data-imported="1">EtnoKraków</a> festival on the 7th.</p>
<p>The soundworlds for the <a href="http://www.historicplaces.com.au/events/listening-to-the-past" target="_blank" data-imported="1">ACT's Historic Places</a> are coming together: I've been recording pop music from the 1920s sung around the <a href="http://www.historicplaces.com.au/calthorpes-house" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Calthorpes' House</a> piano, and folksong in the kitchen of <a href="http://www.historicplaces.com.au/lanyon-homestead" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Lanyon Homestead</a> along with fiddling on the verandah and some parlour music on the recently restored Broadwood. There'll be a concert in November featuring new music for this piano: all part of this project, <a href="http://www.historicplaces.com.au/events/music-performance-performing-the-past" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Performing the Past</a>, initiated by Canberra musician, curator and historian Jenny Gall.</p>
<p>Jenny, plus Canberra-connected composers Sandy France, Alistair Noble and myself will be writing and performing for this event. I'm working on a couple of pieces using recordings from the pianos at two of Canberra's historic houses, Lanyon and Mugga Mugga: the pianos had been left to themselves for years, preparing their own distinctive soundworlds, and recordings of them in this state contribute to an electroacoustic layer in compositions for those same instruments newly-restored. Here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxTUnRGPGtw" target="_blank" data-imported="1">a clip of Erin Helyard at the Lanyon Broadwood</a> after its rejuvenation by piano whisperer Chris Leslie.</p>
<p>At this year's National Folk Festival I indulged in noisily nostalgic folk-rock, playing suitably trouserflapping bass lines for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BluetongueDanceBand" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Bluetongue Dance Band</a>, while the bass ukulele had a bluesy outing with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/The-Guitar-Cases-128126533878357" target="_blank" data-imported="1">the Guitar Cases</a>. And in the studio, I'm continuing with Lynne Pilbrow's <a href="http://funmusicforlittlekids.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">FunMusic for Little Kids</a> project. We've been working together on <em>Animals</em>, <em>Transport</em> and <em>Christmas</em> themes: now it's <em>Down in the Garden</em>, which means lots of fun field recording without going far afield. Here's a taste of the <em>Transport</em> collection: </p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/43864066&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>(It's a Welsh seal, by the way: from Ynys Enlli...)</p>
<p>Lynne's Olympic song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOR7P0WFvC0" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Light the Flame</a> is youtubing well in the runup to the Games with around 28 kiloviews so far... another <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bluebearstudio" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Blue Bear Studio</a> production.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170719
2015-10-19T20:00:00-04:00
2021-04-21T13:06:19-04:00
_
<p>On October 30th Thomas Laue will be playing a new piece of mine for carillon and soundtrack, which is based on a recording of an <a href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-42.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">insomniac magpie</a> singing beautifully outside my window in the wee small hours. Hence the title, 'Matins'.</p>
<p><br> <iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/231785759&color=0066cc&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/488779454615882/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Electrillon</a> concert is a programme of new works by <a href="http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/national-carillon-to-go-electronic-for-lunchtime-concert-20151028-gklgb6.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">ANU School of Music people</a>, and starts at 12.30pm, on Canberra's Aspen Island, home of the National Carillon.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170718
2015-07-04T20:00:00-04:00
2020-12-26T07:26:03-05:00
_
<p>In June I had my first trip to Iceland: to Akureyri for the <a href="http://www.thjodlist.is/vakaen/vaka-2015" target="_blank" data-imported="1">VAKA</a> festival. It was a welcome introduction to this country and its culture, and I especially enjoyed getting to grips with some traditional Icelandic vocalising: the language is beautifully chewy. I was playing with Tigran Aleksanyan and Andrew Cronshaw, and the trio has a couple of London gigs this summer at Rotherhithe's Sands Films and at <a href="https://www.stethelburgas.org/civicrm/event/info?id=776" target="_blank" data-imported="1">St Ethelburga's</a> in the City.</p>
<p>And<a href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-27.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><em> The River Daughter</em></a> had another performance in April by Zoey Pepper at the <a href="http://www.nzdrs.org.nz/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">New Zealand Double Reed Festival</a>.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/201361554&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170717
2015-03-21T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:15-05:00
_
<p>The experimental music 'summer camp' at ANU was most enjoyable: for me, a chance to get to grips with Arduino and Pure Data programming which surfaced in a piece for feedback-driven piano with loops, plus soprano sax, two oboes and gratuitous crotales (there they were in the percussion store: how could you not use them?)</p>
<p>After three concerts with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/coro.canberra" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Coro</a> in February, I'm singing with Clarion at the <a href="http://www.portrait.gov.au/calendar/evensong-438/919" target="_blank" data-imported="1">National Portrait Gallery</a> on April 25th and 26th. It's Heritage Week earlier in April and I'll be doing the sound (and possibly concertina) component of a show on April 12th at <a href="http://www.museumsandgalleries.act.gov.au/mugga/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Mugga Mugga</a> with Jenny Gall: concerning music and sound in that house and the surrounds. The cottage's piano is being restored, but I was able to play and record it in its former state - which yielded some strange and beautiful sounds that are surfacing elsewhere, in a slowly unfolding video work by Marzena Wasikowska.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.pekkamikkola.fi/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Pekka Mikkola</a> is coming to Australia , and I'm brushing up on my Finnish tango chops for some gigs with him at the <a href="http://folkfestival.org.au/2015-performers/2015-general/#p-s" target="_blank" data-imported="1">National Folk Festival</a> this Easter. After several hours of bass playing with Cassidy's Ceili on St. Patrick's Day I feel well limbered up...</p>
<p>The ANU Old English reading group is working its way through <em>Beowulf</em>, and I'm chewing on the musical possibilities inherent in the language: looking at a couple of riddles from the Exeter Book, and that <a href="http://journal.oraltradition.org/files/articles/26ii/07_26.2.pdf" target="_blank" data-imported="1">bee charm</a> which I hope I won't need to deploy, as the garden bees are doing their thing quite contentedly at the moment. Here, courtesy of a contact mic on either side of the box, is a recording of them nibbling and munching away as they tidy up some sticky frames:<br><br></p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/193990689&color=0066cc&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170716
2015-01-23T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:15-05:00
_
<p>Some moments from the SANS concert at WOMAD below: and there's more SANS video at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeM0FLzjNolda1TXSLeYuxTukUN7zzHlJ" target="_blank" data-imported="1">this playlist</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="290" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B4DEWyyg3AA" width="500" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
<p>Studio stuff: I've been recording guitarist<a href="http://www.johncouch.net/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> John Couch</a>, playing a sonata by <a href="http://campbellross.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Campbell Ross</a> and two pieces by <a href="http://sallygreenaway.com.au/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Sally Greenaway</a>. And I'm about to launch into another episode of Lynne Pilbrow's <a href="http://funmusicforlittlekids.com" target="_blank" data-imported="1">FunMusic for Little Kids</a> project. This one deals with Snails and Slugs, Beetles and Bugs, so I expect there'll be a bit of garden soundgathering. <a href="http://ianblake.net/music-42.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Here's a magpie</a> up late in the old gum tree out the front.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170715
2014-08-30T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:15-05:00
_
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/1e1d861f71a5a3b453fa8863cef37b411b0fd47f/original/sans-womad404kb.jpeg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDkweDM1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="SANS at WOMAD 2014" height="350" width="490" /></p>
<p>Here's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> SANS</a> at WOMAD onstage in the Arboretum. A video clip will be along in a while which should capture some of the atmosphere of a great gig. A couple of days later we played at Petworth Festival on a very warm July evening: luckily, a couple of devoted fans at the front of the stage kept the band cool...</p>
<p>SANS returns to the south of England and Wales in early October: meanwhile, I'm working on a couple of new pieces involving (as a starting point) bats and sparrows.</p>
<p>And something for Christmas. Not long now...</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/158634261&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>It's from the latest FunMusic for Little Kids Christmas-themed project: but this tune started out as a song from Mr Garman of Forest Green in Surrey, heard and noted by Ralph Vaughan Williams. You can now see his MS notebooks and a wealth of other material at the online collection of the <a href="http://www.vwml.org/search?qtext=ploughboy's%20dream&ts=1407690026141&collectionfilter=HHA;SBG;JHB;LEB;GB;CC;COL;GG;AGG;PG;HAM;MK;FK;EML;TFO;CJS1;CJS2;FSBW;RVW1;RVW2;AW#record=2" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Vaughan Williams Memorial Library</a>. A great resource!</p>
<p>Some music I wrote to go with artist Dianne Fogwell's work has surfaced in a revenant audio guide from <a href="http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/node/675" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><em>How I entered there I cannot truly say</em></a>: an exhibition at the State Library of Victoria a few years ago. <em><a href="http://ianblake.net/music-40.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Kern</a></em> features a swarm of bees at the 'flying around in circles' stage: it was a mild-mannered swarm so the recording went uneventfully...</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170714
2014-03-27T20:00:00-04:00
2021-01-19T11:13:42-05:00
_
<p>There's a new <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> CD on the way, recorded live on our Flanders tour back in December. It'll be released in time for the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/619031108146196" target="_blank" data-imported="1">May tour of England</a>. This summer we'll also be playing at Finland's <a href="http://www.haapavesifolk.com/inenglish/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Haapavesi Festival</a> and at <a href="http://womad.co.uk/lineup/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">WOMAD</a>.</p>
<p>Meanwhile in Canberra, <a href="http://www.springtidemusic.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Jackie Luke, Greg Wilson and Rita Woolhouse</a> have been shimmering away in the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bluebearstudio" target="_blank" data-imported="1">studio</a> recently with music for hammered dulcimer, harp and cello.</p>
<p>And thinking ahead somewhat: a Christmas-flavoured slice of Lynne Pilbrow's <a href="http://www.funmusicforlittlekids.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">FunMusic for Little Kids</a> project has just been wrapped up nicely. It includes some favourite songs and carols plus new pieces by Lynne.</p>
<p>Here's some background: 'FunMusic for Little Kids provides early childhood music education resources for teachers and those working with young children. These resources have been written and developed by Lynne Pilbrow, an early childhood music specialist with a passion to see children exposed to music education from a young age.</p>
<p>The FunMusic for Little Kids resources aim to introduce age-appropriate musical knowledge, skills and concepts to children, and are designed to foster an enjoyment and love of music, as well as develop children’s musical creativity. The FunMusic for Little Kids resources draw on the methods of music educators such as Kodaly and Orff, taking the best of these approaches and forming them into a user-friendly music program which really works with young children. Lynne has trialled all of her resources with hundreds of children over many years and can attest to the fact they really do work!'</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170713
2013-12-24T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:15-05:00
_
<p>Just returned from a tour of Flanders with <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> SANS</a>: we were very well looked after, and the venues were part of a well co-ordinated network of cultural centres, all within an hour's drive of each other. So there was time to roam Ghent and Antwerp, taking in (among other things) the sound of the local bells: I'm writing a trio for tenor sax, marimba and carillon, to be played by the ensemble <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Parillax" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Parillax</a> at a Canberra concert on January 21st at the National Carillon on Aspen Island. It'll be a somewhat damaged version of something familiar from The Nutcracker…</p>
<p>All those SANS gigs were recorded: there'll be a fair bit of listening and editing in January which we hope will yield an album's worth of material, ready for the next <a href="http://www.cloudvalley.com/SANS.htm" target="_blank" data-imported="1">tour</a>. That's to start in May, and we'll be in England this time.</p>
<p>Back in October I did some sound design for the Jigsaw Theatre show <a href="http://www.jigsawtheatre.com.au/whats-on/michael-francis-willoughby-elohgulp" target="_blank" data-imported="1">'Michael Francis Willoughby in Elohgulp'</a>. The under(bath)world of 'Elohgulp' was a real sonic meddler's playground: voicing a monstrous but lonely sludgebeast plus several Sad and Sorrowful Wails, a Great Big Snorkelling Roar, some Bellybees, and a darksome subplugholian soundscape including splishlets, the odd gratuitous intestinal rumble and the slow dripdripdripping of slimy stuff. Mostly realised vocally, but some bass clarinet crept in too. Very good at creeping in, bass clarinets are…</p>
<p>Here's a nice <a href="http://www.thebarefootreview.com.au/features-mainmenu-48/canberra-reviews/822-elohgulp.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">review</a>.</p>
<p>Now working on the <a href="http://www.funmusicforlittlekids.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> FunMusic for Little Kids</a> Christmas collection. For next Christmas. In the never-ending quest for new sounds I've managed to inject bombarde, gardon and melodeon into this one. And the bass ukulele!</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170712
2013-08-06T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:15-05:00
_
<p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> had its first trip to Australia this Easter, to play at The National Folk Festival and take part in the Australian Folklore Conference. The band reconvened in England for some July concerts in Liverpool, Cheltenham, and Colchester. More UK gigs are planned for 2014, after a <a href="http://www.cloudvalley.com/SANS.htm" target="_blank" data-imported="1">tour of Flanders</a> in December.<br><br>Meanwhile at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bluebearstudio" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Blue Bear Studio</a> complex, some new projects have emerged: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thaileeofficial" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Thai Lee's <em>Across Time</em></a> is now available from <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/album/across-time/id679969913" target="_blank" data-imported="1">iTunes</a>. And <a href="http://www.theguitarcases.com" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Guitar Cases' </a>debut album of new bluesy songs got a <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/the-guitar-cases-20130711-2pst5.html" target="_blank" data-imported="1">grand review </a> from Chris Johnson which said nice things about the way it sounded, so I'll definitely quote that right here: <em>the 11 original tracks have been recorded so well they ooze an intimate small-venue feel that really works.</em><br><br><a href="http://thepocketscorecompany.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> was also doing some recording: thirty-five layers of male voice karaoke backing in four channel surround to blend with the five live chaps in our version of Thomas Tallis' <em>Spem in alium</em> (which whizzed up the charts last year following a mention in Fifty Shades of something or other...)</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170711
2012-11-05T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:14-05:00
_
<p>Some great <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SANSmusik" target="_blank" data-imported="1">SANS</a> gigs in Europe this year: here's a longish bit (at least two cups of teasworth) from our concert at Croatia's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ethnoambient-Salona/243381349021321?fref=ts" target="_blank" data-imported="1">EthnoAmbient Festival</a>:</p>
<p></p>
<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe frameborder="0" height="310" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fYpSKgCePu8" width="500" class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
<p>Glyn Phillips has posted a detailed <a href="http://www.worldmusic.co.uk/_sans_home_festival_dartington_22_23_june_2012" target="_blank" data-imported="1">review of our Home Festival gig</a> at Dartington on his site <a href="http://www.worldmusic.co.uk/home" target="_blank" data-imported="1">worldmusic.co.uk</a> .</p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/bluebearstudio" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Blue Bear Studio</a> did some more recording for <a href="http://www.johncouch.net" target="_blank" data-imported="1">John Couch</a><a></a>: guitar duos this time in the company of <a href="http://www.matthewmarshall.net.nz" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Matthew Marshall</a>. The recording of the new <a href="http://www.facebook.com/freyjas.rain" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Freyja's Rain</a> project was finished just in time for the transit of Venus, ready for mixing in London along with songs from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Guitar-Cases/128126533878357" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Guitar Cases</a>.</p>
<p>And while in London, I spent an enjoyable four days doing the MUSARC <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Field-Studies/211523722231496" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Field Studies</a> course: dropping hydrophones in the Thames, contact-miking the Wobbly Bridge and and recording the hidden voices of parking ticket machines... Thanks to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/gleepatterson" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Lee Patterson</a> and the rest of the Field Studies team and participants!</p>
<p>Since I've been back in Canberra I've been taking part in a couple of projects at <a href="http://www.thestreet.org.au/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Street Theatre</a>: sound design and music for<em> The Burning Heart</em>, which is working with Canberran artists on their experiences of the fires of ten years ago; while <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pocketscorecompany" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> is teaming up with the <a href="http://www.cada.net.au/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art</a> for a multi-layered Shakespearian show: <em><a href="http://www.visitcanberra.com.au/Events/Events-Search-Results/Event-Details-Page.aspx?ID=9004949&Title=The+Polyphonic+Bard" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Polyphonic Bard</a></em>. There'll be forty layers of PSC in our karaoke version of Thomas Tallis' greatest (and densest) hit <em>Spem in alium</em>...</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170681
2012-04-16T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
_
<p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/SANS/114822175297402" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> SANS</a>, the new combo with Tigran Aleksanyan, Andrew Cronshaw and Sanna Kurki-Suonio, will be starting this year's European tour on June 23rd with the <a href="http://www.dartington.org/home/about" target="_blank" data-imported="1"> Home Festival </a>at Dartington Hall in Devon, followed by gigs in Croatia and Norway and a couple of weeks in the depths of the English countryside working on new music and doing some recording.</p>
<p>But before that, some theatrical stuff: I've just been doing some creative development on a project by Zsuzsi Soboslay, <em>Anthems and Angels</em>, and I'm about to get into sound design mode for a project from <a href="http://www.jigsawtheatre.com.au/whats-on/michael-francis-willoughby-elohgulp" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Jigsaw Theatre</a>. Plus playing for Canberra's Finnish dance group Revontulet and singing with <a href="http://www.facebook.com/coro.canberra?v=info" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Coro</a>, a new chamber choir. The Blue Bear studio complex has been busy recording classical guitar and violin duo <a href="http://www.johncouch.net" target="_blank" data-imported="1">John Couch & Judith Hickel</a>, and editing live concert recordings for <a href="http://orianachorale.com" target="_blank" data-imported="1">The Oriana Chorale.</a></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170680
2011-12-28T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
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<div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><div class="video responsive"><div class="video-container"><iframe width="500" height="310" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z4bg9zEdhKU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen class="wrapped wrapped"></iframe></div></div></div></div>
<br>
Here's the video of that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/SANS/114822175297402" data-imported="1"> SANS</a> show at St Ethelburga's. I'm relaxing there at the end of the stage, just listening to Sanna finishing the concert with a beautiful Finnish lullaby. Because sometimes it's best to just listen.
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F25122689"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F25122689" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ianblake/taedet" data-imported="1">Taedet Animam Meam</a> by <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ianblake" data-imported="1">ianblake</a>
...and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/pocketscorecompany" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> recently recorded this: we're working up to a CD to be released in 2012. It's from the Matins of the Dead, set by Tomás Luis de Victoria.
Now, this is Francis Pilkington's lute song 'Rest Sweet Nymphs' in a version for four voices:
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F25442042"> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F25442042" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ianblake/rest-sweet-nymphs" data-imported="1">Rest Sweet Nymphs</a> by <a href="https://soundcloud.com/ianblake" data-imported="1">ianblake</a>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170679
2011-09-22T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
_
<p>Here's a new venture: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sasamusic.com/index.php?act=artist&artist=32&sub=intro" data-imported="1">SANS</a> is a quartet which came together in Finland at this year's Kaustinen Festival. We liked the results! So we'll be doing some more shows, starting in London on October 23rd. The band includes Tigran Aleksanyan on the Armenian duduk, the voice of <a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanna_Kurki-Suonio" data-imported="1">Sanna Kurki-Suonio</a>, Andrew Cronshaw on electric zither and various interesting wind instruments, and myself on soprano sax and bass clarinet.
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.cloudvalley.com/news.htm" data-imported="1">Andrew Cronshaw's</a> new CD features the musicians of SANS and will be available then too.
The concert is at <a href="http://stethelburgas.org/civicrm/event/info?id=355&reset=1" target="_blank" data-imported="1">St Ethelburga's Centre</a>. It's always great to play in a church: seems to be the natural habitat of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-pocket-score-company/sun-shines-as-pocket-singers-hit-top-notes-the-canberra-times-9-june-2011/10150210265862949" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a>, and Lichfield Cathedral was a splendid setting for the concert with Andy and Tigran back in July at the Lichfield Festival.
On a recent trip to Paris I interviewed <a target="_blank" href="http://www.saariaho.org" data-imported="1">Kaija Saariaho</a> and caught up with Richard Lewis, whose music you can listen to at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.delevine.com" data-imported="1">Radio Delevine</a>. Meanwhile, I'm back in Australia for a few weeks, working on forthcoming CDs. At the wisteria-clad <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/bluebearstudio" data-imported="1">Blue Bear Studio</a>, Thai Lee is making an atmospheric keyboard and vocal-based album: if you like Enya's music, you'll enjoy this when it emerges. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/pocketscorecompany" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> will be recording a few rather old songs shortly plus something fresh from countertenor <a target="_blank" href="http://thepocketscorecompany.com/people" data-imported="1">David Yardley</a>.
And some new projects have been released: Fred Smith's 'Dust of Uruzgan' has been getting some great <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fredsmith.com.au/pages/uruzganreviews.html" data-imported="1">reviews</a>; Peter Woodley's collection of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/peterwoodley" data-imported="1">Flute Tunes</a> is out, as is Lynne Pilbrow's second volume of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.funmusicforlittlekids.com" data-imported="1">FunMusic for Little Kids</a> which is all about Transport.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170678
2011-04-12T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
_
<p>I've just visited <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mfe.org.au" data-imported="1">Music for Everyone</a> where rehearsals are now under way for a new performance of my music theatre piece for young players: <i>The Gathering of the Animals</i>, directed by Dianna Nixon. Written in 1998, it'll be great to hear it up and running with a new generation of performers.
And <a target="_blank" href="http://thepocketscorecompany.com/" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> is getting to grips with the new material for the <i>Homecoming</i> concert on June 5th at St.Pauls Church in Manuka ACT.
Over at the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Bear-Studio/148667013175" data-imported="1">Blue Bear studio complex</a>, we're busy with projects from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Freyjas-Rain/236411175160?sk=wall" data-imported="1">Freyja's Rain</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://cloudvalley.com" data-imported="1">Andrew Cronshaw</a>, Peter Woodley, Fred Smith and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.funmusicforlittlekids.com/press.html" data-imported="1">FunMusic for Little Kids</a>, and will be recording the <a target="_blank" href="http://orianachorale.com" data-imported="1">Oriana Chorale's</a> concert <i>One Foot in Eden</i> on April 16th.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170710
2010-11-24T19:00:00-05:00
2020-08-15T09:35:13-04:00
_
<p>More tarogato activity: <a href="http://www.NicoleCanham.com" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Nicole Canham</a> has been recording an EP featuring the instrument, and I've just heard that I've now got funding from <a href="http://www.arts.act.gov.au/pages/index.asp" target="_blank" data-imported="1">artsACT</a> to write a piece for tarogato, strings and soundscape.</p>
<p>My music was featured in a recent talk given by Andy Ross of the <a href="http://creativeindustriesshetland.org.uk/2010/09/14/warp-and-weft-symposium" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Centre for Creative Industries</a>, Shetland: he'd made the trip down to Wales for the <a href="http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/wool" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Warp and Weft Symposium</a> to speak on the links between weave and music.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170709
2010-09-07T20:00:00-04:00
2020-06-15T23:22:19-04:00
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<p><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4972462179_ae52decdb9.jpg" class="size_orig justify_left border_" alt="16_09 NCanham_flyer:Print flyer.qxd" height="500" width="250" /> If you're in Paris next week you can hear <i>twmp</i>: a piece I wrote for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nicolecanham.com" data-imported="1">Nicole Canham</a> and her tarogato Goldilocks, plus soprano sax, which will be played by Claude Delangle. This is the European premiere: <i>twmp</i> had its first outing back in June at Lyneham's <i>Front Café and Gallery</i> in our <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137733892904020&ref=mf" data-imported="1"><i>Sound Bites</i></a> concert: 'Bite-sized pieces for winds, electronics and drums; by Bach, Blake, Piazzolla, Tsiavos and Edwards.'
It was a mix of improvised and pre-meditated music, including another of my tunes: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-27.html" data-imported="1"><i>The River Daughter</i></a>, for voice and rather a lot of bassoons — all wielded by Zoey Pepper.
The concert also featured saxophonist Niels Rosendahl and the rapid-response creativity of improvisers Miroslav Bukovsky (trumpet/flugel) and drummer Col Hoorweg.
Marguerite Boland mentions the show in the new ANU School of Music publication <a target="_blank" href="http://somtimes.info" data-imported="1">Som.Times</a>. Her article is unnervingly titled <i>Irrelevant Music</i> — but that's just a lead-in via some thoughts in Kenneth Gaburo's essay on the beauty of that irrelevance. For the more irrelevant the music, the greater the freedom of the maker to knit their own context and meaning. Existentialism for composers?</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170707
2010-09-06T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:14-05:00
_
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/nEnbxTuKaQU?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/nEnbxTuKaQU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>
Here's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/pocketscorecompany" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> — Canberra's most compact fullrange male voice ensemble — rehearsing for a pair of concerts which we're sharing with the women of Polifemy. So we're going to be singing in stereo for some pieces by Orazio Vecchi, Tomás Luis de Victoria, Nicholas Gombert and Michael Praetorius.
The PSC on its own will sing Encina, Guerrero, Leonel Power and a new piece from countertenor <a target="_blank" href="http://www.davidyardley.net" data-imported="1">David Yardley</a>.
Both shows are in Canberra: at St. Margaret's/Holy Cross in Hackett on September 25th at 5pm, and St. Paul's in Manuka on the 26th at 3pm.
<br>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170708
2010-05-02T20:00:00-04:00
2020-10-14T03:07:48-04:00
_
<p><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/4971198798_b43849c3bd_m.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="kookaburras sit in the old gum tree-ee, wondering what happened to their royaltee-ee" height="180" width="240" />
One of the nice things about having visitors from overseas is the chance to indulge in some local tourism: the sort of things you always mean to get round to but need that extra prod to actually do. So when friend and musical collaborator <a target="_blank" href="http://cloudvalley.com" data-imported="1">Andrew Cronshaw</a> turned up for his first visit to Australia it was an excellent excuse to get out and about in the beautiful Canberran autumn and see the sights. Andy's a keen photographer, and the wildlife seemed to turn up right on cue.
We played at the National Folk Festival in Canberra and the Fairbridge Festival near Perth: two of my favourites.
Also at the National: the launch of <i>Sunday at Sandy's</i>, the new CD from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a>.
I'll be heading to England in October to take part in the next Cronshaw recording, along with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.svetlanaspajic.com" data-imported="1">Svetlana Spajic</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanna_Kurki-Suonio" data-imported="1">Sanna Kurki-Suonio</a>: formidable singers both, so there'll be some suitably hair-raising vocalising going on.
<br></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170706
2009-09-16T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:14-05:00
_
<p>I've had my recording and producing hat on recently: several projects are emerging from the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/bluebearstudio" data-imported="1">Blue Bear Studio complex</a>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/humbugsings" data-imported="1">Humbug</a> will be at the Turning Wave Festival in Gundagai NSW on September 18th to launch their new Robbie Burns flavoured CD, and
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136258266779" data-imported="1">The Rafael Jerjen Quartet</a> has the Canberra launch of the new album on October 15th in the ANU Big Band Room.
The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.FunMusicforLittleKids.com" data-imported="1">FunMusic for Little Kids</a> book and CD is being unleashed by Lynne Pilbrow and myself on November 15th at St. Barnabas' in Charnwood, ACT.
Lynne says: "The FunMusic for Little Kids program aims to introduce musical knowledge, skills and concepts to children in a fun way, and is designed to foster an enjoyment and love of music. FunMusic draws on the methods expounded by music educators such as Kodaly and Orff, but has been developed to be relevant and accessible to children living in Australia. Lessons are based around themes appropriate to the age and experiences of young children." <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-38.html" data-imported="1">Here's a sample.</a>
And some time or other, the latest collection from Canberra's most celtalicious combo, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a>, will be showcased. We'll let you know.
My clarinet quartet <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-22.html" data-imported="1"><i>Starling</i></a> gets an airing with ABC Classic FM
on October 3. It's on the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.abc.net.au/classic/daily/stories/s2689063.htm" data-imported="1"><i>At Home</i></a> programme at 7.05pm</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170705
2009-04-22T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:14-05:00
_
<p>I'll be improvising like mad this weekend: it's the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.impro.com.au/flyers/respect.jpg" data-imported="1"><i>Respect</i></a> festival at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thestreet.org.au" data-imported="1">The Street Theatre</a> in Canberra, hosted by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.impro.com.au/shows.php" data-imported="1"> Impro Theatre ACT</a>. Actually, I'm usually improvising but this time it's official...
<a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.net/bio.html#recording" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/2f302f46c5bd427e0c041940cbc5301c7c35bc19/original/pianobear.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjEweDE3NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="the blue bear seated at the piano" height="175" width="210" /></a>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/bluebearstudio" data-imported="1">Blue Bear</a> has been recording local hiphop people <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/44soldiers" data-imported="1">Young Proof </a> and experimenting with bearish beats. Thanks here to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mys.org.au" data-imported="1">Multicultural Youth Services ACT</a>.
I'm knitting a soundwork from Moya Simpson's voice and some noises of London for the show <i>Big Voice</i>: at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thestreet.org.au" data-imported="1"> The Street Theatre</a> starting May 13th. It features <a target="_blank" href="http://www.shortisandsimpson.com/aboutus.htm#2" data-imported="1">Moya </a>and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.jazz-planet.com/sandy/index.htm" data-imported="1">Sandy Evans</a>, and is directed by John Bolton.
Rehearsals are well under way for <i>NachtMusik</i>, the latest concert from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/thepocketscorecompany" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a>. Australia's Renaissance blokes take on a slice of good music from German-speaking countries, from the thirteenth-century Neidhart von Reuenthal to JS Bach, via Senfl, Isaac, Hassler, Eccard, Othmayr, Gumpelzhaimer, Vulpius. We hadn't heard of some of these chaps either until we started nosing around a bit... and you can't go past a composer called Gumpelzhaimer. In fact, we were thinking of re-naming the group <i>The Gumpelzhaimer Brothers</i>. Or perhaps <i>The Liederhosen</i>.
The concert is at 3pm on July 5th at All Saints' Church in the Canberra suburb of Ainslie. So it's <i>NachmittagsMusik</i> rather than <i>NachtMusik</i>. We needed to change the time... but it's still full of good stuff like Heinrich Isaac's hit <i>Innsbruck, ich muß dich lassen</i> — here we are, rehearsing in tenor George's kitchen:
</p>
<div style="font-size: 11px;">
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<a href="https://soundcloud.com/dlm/innsbruck-ich-muss-dich-lassen" data-imported="1">Innsbruck, ich muß dich lassen</a> performed by The Pocket Score Company.</div>
</div>
And on May 3rd you can hear <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clarity4.com" data-imported="1">Clarity Clarinet Quartet</a> play my tune<a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-22.html" data-imported="1"> <i>Starling</i></a> live from Melbourne's Iwaki Auditorium courtesy of ABC Classic FM: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.abc.net.au/classic/sundaylive" data-imported="1">Sunday Live</a> starts at 3pm.
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170704
2008-11-17T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:14-05:00
_
<p>You can now hear some audio from recent Radio 3 adventures with <a target="_blank" href="http://andrewcronshaw.com" data-imported="1">Andrew Cronshaw</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.culturalco-operation.org/database/popupartist.php3?id=atINET55" data-imported="1">Tigran Aleksanyan</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.last.fm/music/Svetlana+Spajic" data-imported="1">Svetlana Spajic</a> at this year's WOMAD. Look for Track 6 at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/andrewcronshaw" target="_blank" data-imported="1">CronshawSpace</a>.
<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3210/3055625910_957923f1b9.jpg" class="size_orig justify_center border_" height="300" width="500" />
And there's a hitherto unpublished review, by Bill Stephens, of Quantum Leap's show <em>My Sister, My Brother</em> in the online Canberra journal <a href="http://the-riotact.com/?p=8675#more-8675" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><em>the riotACT</em></a>.
I've been recording the distinguished rhythm section of Liz Frencham (bass) and Jon Jones (drums) for a project involving Fred Smith and The Spooky Men's Chorale in a collection of urban sea shanties. Which made a nice change from working on a chunk of sound art involving London's most melodically inclined tube train driver (with a unique intercom style) and the trains themselves, duetting with bass clarinet in a piece entitled <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-32.html" data-imported="1"><i>'...the burning Thames I have to cross'</i></a>, featured at Canberra's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.m16artspace.com" data-imported="1">M16 artspace</a> in the exhibition <i>The Gathering</i>. The title alludes to the English ballad <i>The Grey Cock</i> aka <i>The Lover's Ghost</i> - another spooky man who might have found it 'quicker by Tube'... as they used to say in the old days, when in fact it wasn't at all. Back then I appreciated the rattle and hum of those Northern Line trains when they did eventually turn up, reeking of warm dust and electricity, stale smoke and an unidentifiable whiff that set the reptilian brain a-thrumming...
<a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.net/press.html#maninthemoon" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/9cbb9c642b88408c58ee47e744a0be6348d62618/original/maninthemooncover.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAweDEwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="The Man in the Moon drinks Claret: the second Pyewackett album, with artwork by Max Ernst (from 'The Phases of the Night')" height="100" width="100" /></a><i>The Grey Cock</i>, originally from the singing of Cecilia Costello, also turns up on the second <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/pyewackettmusic" data-imported="1"> Pyewackett</a> album <a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.net/press.html#maninthemoon" data-imported="1"><i>The Man in the Moon Drinks Claret.</i></a>
I was (pleasantly) surprised to find a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=27105381446&ref=mf" data-imported="1">Pyewackett Appreciation Society</a> on Facebook a few days ago. Thanks Frances!
Other recent recording includes a new song, <i>Kids at Heart</i> by Johnny Huckle, and a concert at the National Gallery of Australia by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/griffynensemble" data-imported="1">The Griffyn Ensemble</a> which involved chasing the band around various galleries as they matched music to artwork: field recording in comfort! And Lynne Pilbrow's early childhood music education resource <a target="_blank" href="http://www.funmusicforlittlekids.com" data-imported="1"><i>Fun Music for Little Kids</i></a> is coming along nicely, providing an excellent excuse to play a lot of the studio's instrument collection: mbira, banjo, bass clarinet, sax, ocarina, cittern, concertina, harp, zoob tube and ukulele so far. I'm awaiting the opportunity/excuse to break out the Stylophone again.
My years of experience making animal noises for BBC Schools radio programmes (<i>The Song Tree</i>) came in handy the other day when I sessioned at someone else's studio (David Pendragon) for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.possummusic.com.au" data-imported="1">Kathy Possum's</a> new kid's music project. Lots of fun: I got to be a dinosaur. However, Jon Jones, drummer about town, got to be a <i>belching</i> dinosaur. From time to time we pretended to be a rhythm section...</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170703
2008-07-29T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:13-05:00
_
<p>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ql2.org.au" data-imported="1">Quantum Leap</a> show <i>My Sister, My Brother</i> takes the stage at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.canberratheatre.org.au/pages/event/performance864.asp" data-imported="1">The Canberra Theatre</a> today for four days of performances: take a look at the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgTDP-AKt-E" data-imported="1">QL2 promo</a>.
I've written and recorded a piece for the segment <i>One of Us</i>, choreographed by Patrice Smith and the Quantum Leapers.
The new combo with <a target="_blank" href="http://members.aol.com/cloudval/" data-imported="1">Andrew Cronshaw</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.culturalco-operation.org/database/popupartist.php3?id=atINET55" data-imported="1">Tigran Aleksanyan</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.last.fm/music/Svetlana+Spajic" data-imported="1">Svetlana Spajic</a> made its debut at the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/womad2008/" data-imported="1">WOMAD BBC stage</a> in Wiltshire last weekend: a rich mix of Serbian village vocal music, the mesmerising sound of the Armenian duduk, and two Englishmen trying to keep up.
And I've just ventured into this <a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.wordpress.com" data-imported="1"> blogging</a> business...</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170702
2008-06-26T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:13-05:00
_
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429156/8e2af04c2b3aa9b23f07fa64e6158d3cf66d3af9/original/pinkvuke.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTIweDE4NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_left border_" height="185" width="120" />According to Clint Eastwood's character in <i>In the Line of Fire</i>, it's <i>ukulele</i> and not <i>ukelele</i>. Have I been getting it wrong all these years...? Clint plays a craggy FBI chap with a lounge piano habit who would probably have known about this sort of thing: a quick googling of 'ukelele' leads with that slightly eyebrowraised question <i>Did you mean: <b>ukulele</b>?</i> but a trip to <a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukulele" data-imported="1">Wikipedia</a> reveals <i>ukelele</i> to be a variant spelling common in the UK. Aha! Tapping into the race memory there. That's a relief. Mind you, the ambiguous schwa, as in /ˌjuːkəˈleɪli/, could go both ways...
If all this seems somewhat retentive, let me put it down to The Method: I've been developing the character of Brendan Nelson, Leader of the Liberal Party in Australia (this evening at least), who's plinking a pink Flying V uke in the political cabaret <a target="_blank" href="https://www.patronbase.com/v2/performances.asp?f=pe&p=pe&BID=487858&orgID=_ST&prodid=BLEE" data-imported="1"><i>Three Nights at The Bleeding Heart</i></a>.
There's a glowing review from Alice Allan in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.australianstage.com.au/reviews/canberra/three-nights-at-the-bleeding-heart-1581.html" data-imported="1">Australian Stage Online</a>. And a real stinker from Aaron Ridgway in The Canberra Times, which I'll link to as soon as I can find where it lurks online. I think these reviewers attended the same performance, so you could take an average...
Once again, the rafters of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.laborclub.com.au/Belconnen/LiveBands.aspx" data-imported="1">Belconnen Labor Club</a> rang to the strains of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/alpharhythmboys" data-imported="1">Sean O'Problem & The Alpha Rhythm Boys</a> as this forward-thinking chamber ensemble premiered its <i>Fantasia for Stylophone and Folk Combo </i>last week and received much-merited plaudits plus the odd Guinness.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170701
2008-04-20T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:13-05:00
_
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/4bce9b23c51cd2622cae8d362677cfb59a1cf2e7/original/daphne.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTk1eDI3MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" height="270" width="195" /> Zoey Pepper's March concert went very nicely, with a programme including my new piece for voice and bassoon which had at last acquired a title: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-27.html" data-imported="1"><i>The River Daughter</i></a>. On the right is Tiepolo's view of the story, in which Daphne is starting to sprout laurel leaves just as Apollo catches up, while her unimaginative rivergod dad (responsible for the transformation) looks on.
Not a brilliant solution, but a great poem... (Ovid, <i>Metamorphoses</i>)
The menu ranged from Monteverdi to a brilliantly channelled manifestation of <i>Dead Elvis</i> (Vegas Period) wielding his reedy rod.
<br>
I've just completed a ten-minute piece for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ql2.org.au" data-imported="1">Quantum Leap's</a> forthcoming work <i>My Sister, My Brother</i>: QL2 Centre for Youth Dance are working with a group of choreographers and composers to bring this show to the Canberra Playhouse in July.
<br>
<a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.net/bio.html#recording" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429156/f24dbef4f64a1d06353f25f1cb335c71c82b4ec8/original/bluebear.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTkweDE0MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_left border_" alt="Ted Ibert: studio manager, bon vivant, sage, confidant, blues enthusiast; especially Yves Klein Blue: I myself am particularly fond of the YKB painting at Tate Modern in London. Have you noticed, however, the way in which Anish Kapoor seems to have co-opted YKB in some of his 'free-floating pigment' works? Hmmm. Hommage or appropriation? Whaddya reckon?'" height="140" width="190" /></a>The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/bluebearstudio" data-imported="1">Blue Bear</a> has been capturing <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mikejackson.com.au" data-imported="1">Mike Jackson's</a> performance for Lynne Pilbrow's <i>FunMusic for Little Kids</i> project. Ted Ibert, the studio manager, is a Bear of Few Words, but did mention that he liked <i>We're going on a Bear Hunt</i>: which seems somewhat counterintuitive unless you know the song.
One of the great things about doing music for kids is the chance to explore a wealth of sound possibilities over the course of a CD's worth of short songs. And to try and make it fun/tolerable for groanups too. The floor is covered in instruments: looks like this project's going to include ukelele, ocarina, hot fountain pen, bass clarinet (handy for elephant impersonations), the distressed banjo, the much-reviled melodica (dunno why: it's a great sound), and one of the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.folkalliance.org.au/index.php?option=folkdir&catid=7&directory=Australian" data-imported="1">Rigby Brothers' </a> paraceltic lap harps. That'll do for now.
Überceltic chantoozie Cassidy Devine was unable to attend the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a> gig at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.laborclub.com.au/Belconnen/LiveBands.aspx" data-imported="1">Belconnen Labor Club</a> last week, so a quick call managed to rustle up <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/alpharhythmboys" data-imported="1">Sean O'Problem & The Alpha Rhythm Boys</a>. As Frank Zappa once pointed out, the most important thing in art is the Frame: a focus, perhaps, provided by the Boys as they stood there occasionally vogueing in a dilatory fashion while drawing attention through their unique brand of <i>Absent Audio</i>™ to the devastated acoustic ecology of The Belco Labor Club.
(Horacio Vaggione says: 'I don't know a musician who doesn't, in one way or another, produce "a listening proposition". Each musician proposes...a way of perceiving things which in fact is an operation that produces meaning...An acoustical fact is always a musical fact.' While Helmut Lachenmann asserts: 'One can only try — in whatever way — to create situations which bring people back in touch with their concealed (and contused) antennae and therein with their own creative potential.')
The Boys achieved a perfect balance as the evening wore on: an eerie equilibrium of non-music and non-audience; Nabokov and Cage gazing down from Heaven the while, as together they waltzed away the night.
Off to Western Australia this week for the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fairbridgefestival.com.au" data-imported="1">Fairbridge Festival</a>: playing English music in a folkrockish vein with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.brianheywood.com" data-imported="1">Brian Heywood's</a> rootybeat combo <i>Bluetongue</i>. (Not a livestock-threatening disease but a fine Australian lizard. Faux Croc, perhaps?)</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170700
2008-02-24T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:13-05:00
_
<p>Lots of shows coming up: have a look at the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/calendar.html" data-imported="1">Gigs</a> section. Particularly at the Zoey Pepper concert on March 7th, featuring a new piece for voice, bassoon and computer. I'll post a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-27.html" data-imported="1">recording</a> of the results after the concert. In June, I'll be at Canberra's Street Theatre in a satirical cabaret with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.shortisandsimpson.com" data-imported="1">Shortis & Simpson</a> and Queenie van de Zandt, exploring our shiny new regime...
To Europe in July for Finland's Kaustinen Festival; and WOMAD in Wiltshire with Andrew Cronshaw, Tigran Aleksanyan and Svetlana Spajic. A new CD should be forthcoming at the year's end. Meanwhile, Svetlana and Andy, plus soundman Jamie Orchard-Lisle, have been working with some remarkable singers from Žegar in Dalmatia: the group and the resulting CD are known as <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/zegarzivi" data-imported="1">Žegar Živi</a>: <i> "Žegar Lives"</i>.
It's Sydney's turn for a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clarity4.com" data-imported="1">Clarity Clarinet Quartet</a> CD launch: <i>Second Door on the Left</i> will lurch down the slipway on February 25, 6pm at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amcoz.com.au" data-imported="1">The Australian Music Centre</a>, which lives at The Arts Exchange, 10 Hickson Road, The Rocks, Sydney. This worthwhile disc includes my tune <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-22.html" data-imported="1">Starling</a>.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170699
2007-11-21T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:13-05:00
_
<p>To those of you who attempted to attend the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/alpharhythmboys" data-imported="1">Sean O'Problem & The Alpha Rhythm Boys</a> happening in downtown Canberra on the 22nd: our apologies. There was a bit of weather around which meant that this al fresco gig got canned. Not to worry! With a Sean O'Problem performance, not being there is as good as being there. Or you could be there even if the Rhythm Boys aren't....
There'll be other opportunities to take in the Sean experience: meanwhile, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a> will be celebrating St Cecilia's day at 8.30 on the 22nd. Belconnen Labor Club is the place, and remember, this is a classy joint, so if any of you scruffy beatniks are planning to attend, could you please make an effort for a change. It'll be Celtic Twilite Theme Nite for us, so expect the band in something green and diaphanous as a wisp of chlorine, wafting away while the pokies bleep and jingle merrily in the background.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170698
2007-11-13T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:13-05:00
_
<p>Back in Australia, working on some new projects: spent a few days with <a target="_blank" href="http://www.shortisandsimpson.com/aboutus.htm#2" data-imported="1">Moya Simpson</a> and director John Bolton in a creative development period which will lead to a one-woman show from Moya. <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429160/aa69b1cf5c580b247ac48928b5415e6d414c679b/original/ianjjsandywilliam.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDk5eDIxNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" height="215" width="499" />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.jazz-planet.com/sandy/index.htm" data-imported="1">Sandy Evans</a> was also taking part, and I'll be meeting up with her again in Brisbane for <i>Fundamental Sounds</i>: a multimedia concert featuring Sandy's saxes, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.williambarton.com.au" data-imported="1">William Barton's</a> didge, Jon Jones' percussion, and soundscapes from myself, along with dance from Saman plus text and images from Keith Armstrong and Inkahoots. That's on December 2nd at the Conservatorium Theatre on Brisbane's South Bank.
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/thepocketscorecompany" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/597fb773f0e9692607c0229104fcc2818552da37/original/pscmenagepostcard.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTgweDI2NSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="pocket score company menage postcard" height="265" width="180" /></a>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.thepocketscorecompany.com" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> will be singing at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.carriageworks.com.au/whatson/whatson.html" data-imported="1">The Carriage Works</a> in Redfern on November 23rd: part of the new <a target="_blank" href="http://musicaviva.com.au/concerts/menage" data-imported="1">Musica Viva <i>Ménage</i></a> series. There'll be live electronics from Jen Sochackyj and images from Adam Dewhirst.
</p>
<p>More from the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/thepocketscorecompany" data-imported="1">PSC</a> on December 16th, when we'll be presenting <i>Spanish Music for Advent</i> at All Saints' Church, Ainslie, ACT, featuring the delicious <i>Missa de Beata Virgine</i> from Cristóbal de Morales plus late mediaeval music from the Red Book of Montserrat. Kickoff at 4 o'clock.
</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clarity4.com." data-imported="1">Clarity Clarinet Quartet</a> is playing <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-22.html" data-imported="1">Starling</a> at BMW Edge, Federation Square, on Saturday November 17th, 8pm: it's the Melbourne launch of the CD <i>Second Door on the Left</i> (bookings 1300 723 253)
</p>
<p>And on November 29th at 6pm the new <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nla.gov.au/library/awards/folkfestival.html" data-imported="1">National Folk Fellowship</a> is announced at the National Library of Australia in Canberra. I'll be talking about the work I made as this year's Fellow, and giving a brief performance in glorious surround sound...
</p>
<p>The appallingly Celtic <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a> had a fine old time of it at the Beechworth Celtic Festival last weekend. More kilts per kilometer than I've seen hitherto. There is apparently a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.scotchcorner.com/mill-text-welsh/jones.html" data-imported="1">Jones tartan,</a> a muted and tasteful little number in shades of blue and green; so we of the Welsh rhythm section could have run up some fetching outfits for the occasion, had we but known. And there's something engagingly marsupial about a sporran or <i>sgrepan</i>... a pouch in either language...
<br></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170697
2007-07-10T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:13-05:00
Paris. Canberra. Dartington
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/5fa9dbec6d661b861d6ee6c2e283e9556ca305da/original/organpigsmall.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAweDE4MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_left border_" alt="Porcine organist from a misericord carving now in the Musée de Cluny, Paris" height="180" width="200" />Yet another soft day in gray Paree: ideal weather for taking in organ music at Notre Dame and a visit to the relatively untouristed Musée de Cluny. Here's another organist found there on a misericord carving. Having fun with other vintage hardware at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ccmix.com" data-imported="1">CCMIX</a>, pursuing early music (in electronic music terms) with instruments such as Xenakis' UPIC and GENDYN.
</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.clarity4.com" data-imported="1">Clarity</a> are launching their new CD, <i>second door on the left</i> (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.move.com.au" data-imported="1">Move</a> MCD 340) at various Australian locations, starting on Sunday 22 July at 3pm in the foyer of the National Library of Australia. The CD includes my clarinet quartet <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-22.html" data-imported="1"><i>Starling</i></a>, written for the ensemble; and it features works by fellow Canberra composers Sandy France and Ruth Lee Martin.
The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/bluebearstudio" data-imported="1">Blue Bear</a> recently recorded the voices of Faith Bandler, Evelyn Scott and Sir Laurence Street for a sound installation and sculptural work in Reconciliation Place, Canberra, to be opened shortly.
And at Dartington Hall in Devon on August 1st, <a target="_blank" href="http://peter.martin1.club.fr/lowrirecords/nowavail.html" data-imported="1">Lowri Blake</a> plays two of my pieces for voice, cello and electronics: RockFace and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-3.html" data-imported="1">Verklärter Bungalow</a>. The programme includes works by Domenico Gabrielli, John Keane, Peter Sculthorpe and Judith Weir.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170696
2007-06-11T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:12-05:00
Salamanca café frenzy
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.thepocketscorecompany.com" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a> gave its debut concert on May 20th: its success encouraged us to plan an Advent-flavoured programme for early December, featuring Spanish music of the Renaissance. There's the inevitable <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/thepocketscorecompany" data-imported="1">PSCspace</a>, where lots of intense chaps in big hats seem to have taken us to their hearts.
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/luminouscd" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/402f2694f80005caf2c1fd4c714b99da70a305bf/original/hrtallatpeacockenhanced.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTQweDM4MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="Helen Rivero seated on the rocks at the back of the Peacock Theatre, Hobart" height="380" width="140" /></a>
<p>The recent <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/press#Luminous" data-imported="1"><i>Luminous</i></a> show in Hobart went beautifully thanks to our hosts Constantine and Marianne of Ihos Opera, who gave us a great welcome. The Peacock Theatre in Salamanca is one of my favourite venues so far: the backdrop is a rockface, and it feels like playing in a well-appointed cave. On the right is Helen Rivero halfway up the wall.
</p>
<p>Helen's new CD <i>Yes Capitan</i> is out now: to find out more, visit <a target="_blank" href="http://www.helenrivero.com" data-imported="1">Helen's pages.</a>
</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/bluebearstudio" data-imported="1">Blue Bear Studio</a> has been busy with a variety of projects: Dianne Fogwell and I produced the audio guide for the <a target="_blank" href="http://bookstudio.edublogs.org/2007/03/28/current-exhibitions/" data-imported="1">Edition + Artist Book Studio exhibition</a> at the State Library of Victoria, which features <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-10.html" data-imported="1">Kern</a>: music written for the opening of Dianne's <i>Resonance</i> show.
</p>
<p>The Bear also recorded Judith Crispin's music for the short film <i>Canvas</i>, by Bobby Farquhar. It's been doing well at the festivals.
</p>
<p>My clarinet quartet <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music-22.html" data-imported="1"><i>Starling</i></a> is out on the new <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clarity4.com" data-imported="1">Clarity</a> CD, <i>second door on the left</i>
(<a target="_blank" href="http://www.move.com.au" data-imported="1">Move</a> MCD 340).
</p>
<p>I'll be in Europe in July and August, working on new electronic music in Paris and a project with Serbian singer Svetlana Spajic, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/andrewcronshaw" data-imported="1">Andrew Cronshaw</a>, duduk player Tigran Aleksanyan and soundman Jamie Orchard-Lisle. In Walthamstow...
There will be a CD centred on Svetlana's remarkable singing and research into traditional music from Dalmatia, and we'll be touring in Europe next year.
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170695
2007-03-12T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:12-05:00
Space. Dance. Gigs. Pigs
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/cantarasound" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/ad6a8c08876ebde49a2461e0ce499bb982cc7914/original/aquifer.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjUweDE1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="Jenny Gall submerged" height="150" width="250" /></a>I've been knitting MySpaces recently: in addition to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/abelkain" data-imported="1">mine own,</a> which has been lurking in the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/links.html" data-imported="1">Links</a> for a while, there are now presences for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/luminouscd" data-imported="1">Helen Rivero and Ian Blake</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a> and, swimming into view here, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cantarasound" data-imported="1">Jenny Gall</a>.
I'm working on one for <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/bluebearstudio" data-imported="1">Blue Bear Studio</a>, but just need to sort out a few details with Ted Ibert, the manager, who is small and grumpy, and combines obstinacy with his inherent pragmatism, as you might divine from his <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/photos.html" data-imported="1">photo</a>. Sometimes he just gives me the old thousand mile stare, as if he were some sort of stuffed toy. We need to work on our relationship.
And, talking of newish web presences, you could take a look at my <a target="_blank" href="http://www.amcoz.com.au/composers/composer.asp?id=90027" data-imported="1">Australian Music Centre</a> bio, where I attempt to come across as a serious composer...
<p>Helen Rivero, Peter Kennard and I have just done a concert in Bendigo, Vic., showcasing new songs from Helen's forthcoming CD <i> Yes Capitan</i>, plus material from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.islandwebs.com.au/applications/search/search_result.asp?ItemID=436" data-imported="1"><i>Luminous</i></a> and Helen's trademark Sephardic song. Thanks to Musica Viva and Judy McDonald for a great gig at the Capital: a fine venue.
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/thepocketscorecompany" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/bfb9354e050f1f4429a8a4ba6444d3bb9329ef1a/original/manpigcarving.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjIweDIwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_left border_" alt="from a misericord carving at the Musée de Cluny, Paris" height="200" width="220" /></a>I've joined a choir. A very small one: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thepocketscorecompany.com" data-imported="1">The Pocket Score Company</a>.
We have a concert coming up in Canberra on May 20th at 3pm. All Saints' Church, Cowper Street, Ainslie, ACT. The well-balanced programme features a Byrd Mass, various motets and an inspiring piece from Jannequin about trying to engage in sex with a pig tied to one leg... I think. Must check the translation.
</p>
<p>And if you're in Canberra this weekend check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a>: darlings of the West Belconnen smart set, and a band so gratuitously Celtic it'll turn yer ears green. Playing at King O'Malleys on Friday 16th at 5pm: that's the pub with the 'E-Z Kiss'™ version of the Blarney Stone amongst other essential bits of theme pub paraphernalia. You know the sort of thing: stuffed and mounted musical instruments, toilets gendered in Irish, genuine fully imported barstaff. Thus Cassidy's Ceili bids farewell to the working week, for those who still have one...
</p>
<p>Round about 7pm, another local combo, Franklin B. Paverty, will be hopping onto the weekend's merry-go-raum of Celtic excess just round the corner in Garema Place. So if you stand in the right spot, you'll experience an intriguing collage effect. We'll see if we can do a synchronised 'Whack fol the daddy-o' . Combined with the slapback off the buildings, this should make for a grand bit of psychogoidelic sound art: I recall this sort of thing at the Leeds Folk Festival of 1983, when folk-rockers Eavesdropper were unkachunking vigorously on stage, and the inevitable shanty singers were at the bar in a related key giving it 'Way-hey, roll and go' and you could shuffle up and down the venue enjoying the polyrhythms and doing your own head-related mix. Daddy-o.
</p>
<p>Moving right along now to Saturday 17th: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" data-imported="1">Cassidy's Ceili</a> and scores of pilgrims will be converging on the Irish Club (now a snake-free venue) at 8pm to celebrate that famous Welsh saint.
There's no charge; in fact, several sins may well be remitted.
</p>
<p><i>'Yea, the Band we seek is at Weston Creek'... </i> </p>
<p>That's Parkinson Street, Weston.
</p>
<p>First rehearsal this weekend for the dancers of Quantum Leap, directed by Vivienne Rogis, working on a piece for the Folk Fellowship concert at the National Folk Festival on April 8th. I'm basing the music on kids' rhymes and games taken from recordings in the National Library, and I'm presently working on two other new pieces for the concert. One of these, <i>Lucciola</i>, will be in the programme of Postgraduate Composers' Stuff to be performed at the ANU School of Music on Wednesday March 21st in Rehearsal Room 3 at 7.30pm.
And on May 15th at the ANU School of Art Gallery, the exhibition <i>Water, Water</i> opens: my sound work <i> A Drop and an Ocean</i> for two dinky wee ghettoblasters will be in the show.
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170694
2007-01-16T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:12-05:00
<BR>Melbourne
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/9f192e661c30195819fc9eed9af96c3d1d033789/original/ukeworkshopsmall.jpg/!!/b%3AW10%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" />Off to Melbourne this weekend for a gig with family entertainer and ukelelevangelist <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mikejackson.com.au/tour.php" data-imported="1">Mike Jackson.</a> It's at midday on Sunday 21st, at the Waterfront City Piazza (Docklands), followed at 1pm and 2.10 by appearances from the Melbourne Ukulele Kollective.
At 1.30 and 3.30 there will be Uke'n Play Ukelele Workshops in which Mike and Di Jackson demystify this underrated instrument with a chance to get to grips with it yourselves.
I've made quite a few records with Mike: one even went Gold, which looks good on the wall when clients wander round the <a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.net/bio.html#recording" data-imported="1"> Blue Bear Studio</a> complex. Most of my subsequent releases have gone Knotty Pine.
You can have a listen to what we got up to in days of yore: try this setting of CJ Dennis' <a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.net/music-15.html" data-imported="1"><i>The Triantiwontigongolope</i></a> for voice - that's Mike - and clarinet quartet - that'll be me. The song also features the kids of Canberra's O'Connor Co-op School and my son Robin's recording debut: Tri.... Trianti.... Triantiwontigongolope!
And re clarinets and Melbourne: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.clarity4.com" data-imported="1">Clarity</a> is recording my clarinet quartet <i>Starling</i> at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.move.com.au" data-imported="1">Move Records'</a> Eaglemont studio this weekend.
This month's <b>Proverb of Hell</b> ? — One for the newish year:
The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship. (Blake c. 1790)
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170693
2007-01-15T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:12-05:00
New Noise for the New Year
<h3> Classical Music?</h3>
I'm working on a couple of pieces with lyrics obligingly supplied by Lucretius and Ovid, from <i>de Rerum Natura</i> and <i>Metamorphoses</i> respectively. Lucretius speculates on the nature of sound in a passage which I reckon will work just fine in a piece for digital pipe organ, chamber choir and counter-tenor. One of the nice things about the digital organ is that MIDI socket: you can run it from the laptop enabling it to do inorganic things more associated with the Mammoth Gavioli and the serinette.
<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/2511063772ada256085513520aaa855c66ab8e29/original/zoeybassoon.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjAweDI1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" height="250" width="200" />
Zoey Pepper is a singing bassoonist (haven't seen one of those since Rosie Cross of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/press.html#maninthemoon" data-imported="1">Pyewackett</a>) and will be dealing with Ovid's account of the transformation of Daphne: a nymph to laurel tree scenario which seems well-suited to a player of this very woody instrument. Frank Zappa said of the bassoon: 'It has the <i>medieval aroma</i>...I can easily understand why a person could get excited about playing a bassoon. It's a <i>great noise</i> – nothing else makes <i>that</i> noise.'
<h3>Peasant Girl Cabaret!</h3>
That's not necesselery the title, but a hint at the contents of the imminent CD from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.helenrivero.com" data-imported="1">Helen Rivero</a>, which we're now recording: it will be launched in Canberra at the National Folk Festival this Easter. I've just been applying ukelele, and we've recently had the tuba and musical saw in to do their things, and Helen is honing her pixiphone chops for the finishing touches. There's double bass, fiddle, accordion, bouzouki and various wind-up toys, too, in a collection of highly original songs by Helen. You can hear some relatively traditional tracks from our CD <i>Luminous</i> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/music.html" data-imported="1">here</a> or go to our <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cdbaby.com/riveroblake" data-imported="1">CD Baby page</a>, where you'll find the 'missing manual' for the album: all the details of sources and instruments that didn't get onto the CD package itself. ...OK, it's also a thinly-veiled attempt to invite you to a place where you can <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ianblake.net/products.html" data-imported="1">buy</a> the thing...
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170683
2006-12-23T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
National Folk Fellowship recipient announced
<p>From the National Library of Australia's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nla.gov.au/news/index.html" data-imported="1">e-newsletter</a>:
Ian Blake, a highly regarded Australian folk composer/performer and 2005 ACT Creative Arts Fellow, is this year's recipient of the National Folk Fellowship, organised by the National Library of Australia and the National Folk Festival.
Ian, who lives and works in Canberra as a performer, composer, sound engineer and sound artist, has a strong research background, extensive knowledge and practice in folk music traditions.
The National Folk Fellowship, now in its fourth year, offers performers such as Ian a unique opportunity to research original folklore materials held in the National Library.
Through his Fellowship project, Ian intends to create a combination of live and electro-acoustic music based on melodic and rhythmic ideas from children's songs and games recorded in Australian children's folklore collections.
The Fellowship will culminate in performances and workshops at the 2007 National Folk Festival.
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170692
2006-12-17T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:12-05:00
It's that time again
<b>...at a shopping mall near YOU... (well, Woden Plaza actually)
</b>...the mince pies and tinned plum duff have hit the shelves as the mercury soars in the Widely Browned-Off Land. Time to cower in the coolth of the Mall and listen to curious cultural imports from the freezin' season half a world away: In the Bleak Midwinter, Jingle Bells, Drive the Cold Winter Away... Once again, sweaty Santas are girding themselves in the red shellsuit and wellies and assuming the position in grottos from Geraldton to Gerringong. And we're coming to set the whole thing to music! Bagpipes, hurdy-gurdies (recently de-criminalised in our libertarian Capital Territory) saxophones, bodhrans and other blunt instruments will be inserting seasonal sounds into Woden Plaza to encourage people to <a target="_blank" href="http://ianblake.net/products.html" data-imported="1">Buy Lots Of Stuff</a>, while the Bordonian Heritage Dancers provide a splendidly costumed and choreographed distraction from the awful noise.
<b>A Regency Rumble: 10.30 am to 12.30pm, December 23rd.</b><br>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170686
2006-12-13T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
New CD from Moonshinefunk
<p>This Canberra band is releasing its eponymous first LP shortly, recorded here in swinging Latham. It's jolly good: experience their <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/moonshinefunk" data-imported="1">MySpaciousness.</a></p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170684
2006-12-08T19:00:00-05:00
2020-11-27T08:21:16-05:00
This month's Proverb of Hell
<p>You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough. </p>
<p>(Blake, c.1790)</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170689
2006-11-16T19:00:00-05:00
2021-04-21T13:12:05-04:00
Come, friends, who plough the sea
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/cassidysceili" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429161/d310d72e9c6644ce7cb6ef91e6584ef862f8356d/original/athleticpirates.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzM1eDIxNSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="How ironic - this bunch of middle-aged losers under an elite athletes' banner" height="215" width="335" /></a>
"Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would
permit us to be pirates."
- Mark Twain, <i>Life on the Mississippi</i><br><br><br>
Had my first taste of piracy (as a profession) at a function the other day. Donned a bad pirate cozzie and underwent an instant personality change. And I was moved to write the following in case anyone wants to hire us to do it again:
<b>Davy Jones' Locker</b>
Four very silly pirates with no fashion sense will entertain youse at your next function with an Ocean Fresh™ selection of jigs and reels, hornpipes and hosepipes (subject to current restrictions of course). Davy Jones' Locker will introduce you to the unique Piratical Tango, PLUS an alarming meet and greet technique which should loosen your guests up nicely.
AAAAAARRRRRHH!
These four pensionable privateers - recently returned from a life of copyright infringement and other piracy on the high ©s - are guaranteed Villains of the Deepest Dye:
'Dead Ear' Gibbney: fiddling!
'Dead Wrong' Wrichens: guitarrr!
'Dead Man' Blake: clarrrinet!
'Dead Beat' Jones: hitting things!
A - HAAAAARRRRRHH!
These pirates are very, very bad. They are possibly the worst pirates you've ever seen, and they're not afraid to admit it. That's why they've given it away and are now available for weddings, parties and workshops on anger management, men's issues, intellectual property rights and prosthetics. Why not invite them to walk YOUR plank?
AAAAAAARRRRRRGHH!
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170682
2006-10-16T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.clarity4.com"> Clarity Clarinet Quartet</a> plays 'Starling' on October 20th
<p>At the Alliance Française, Canberra
From the programme notes:
<i>Starling</i> is a new quartet for clarinets (first performance at the Adelaide Fringe in March this year) Don't pay too much attention to the title: originally the music was to have been based on the idea of the movement of a huge flock of pre-roosting birds over St Peter's Square: a refreshing and life-affirming experience after a day's tour of the Vatican. But <i>Starling</i> remained as a working title as the piece took on its own personality and changed into something quite different: overlapping drones supporting a fluid, improvisatory exploration of the main themes, leading to dance-like sections (with footstomping obbligato) and quieter interludes, concluding - inconclusively - with a trancey dronal ending.
You'll hear a scale with a sharp fourth and a flat seventh that pops up around the world: Tatra Mountain fiddlers, Hindustani musicians, and film composers writing music (usually involving lots of fench horns) for those wide ocean and deep space scenes are all fond of this mode . The English folk song 'Lucy Wan', quoted briefly, has a similar flavour.
The piece is basically in a slow 3/2 rhythm, which lends itself to interesting subdivisions, becoming quite jig-like at times and subverted by the occasional hiccup in 11/8 when it helped the flow, or I couldn't make it stick to the rules...
Clarity will be featuring <i> Starling</i> on their next CD, to be recorded early in 2007. And I'm now contemplating a piece closer to the original idea behind <i>Starling</i>: a swarm intelligence, 'multiplex of wing and eye' type thingy, which will possibly end up being called <i>Pipistrelle</i> if it doesn't get away like the last one did.
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170690
2006-10-13T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:12-05:00
Increased ukelele activity detected in Melbourne
<p>There's a lot of it about: I was doing some playing for the new Mike and Diane Jackson ukelele project (mostly reeds and bass from me) and was introduced to the M.U.K (Melbourne Ukelele Kollective): a hotbed of nylon-strung surreality. I'll be back...</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170677
2006-06-11T20:00:00-04:00
2019-12-14T14:30:11-05:00
<i>Masque</i> - a new piece for The Haydn Bande
<p>On June 24th, The Haydn Bande, conducted by Geoffrey Lancaster, will be playing <i>Masque</i>, my new work for small string orchestra. It's turned out to have a distinct aroma of JPP - that's a favourite Finnish band. Plus a whiff of dystopian pastoralism... I'll record it and post the audio: see what you think.</p>
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170687
2006-04-10T20:00:00-04:00
2020-11-06T00:58:58-05:00
<i> Cantara</i> - the new CD from Jenny Gall
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.islandwebs.com.au/applications/search/search_result.asp?ItemID=705" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/299c90f57e7ecae1341cfee9ea576c3f627e37ea/original/jgib06.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTUweDE1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="The cover of Jenny Gall's 'Cantara' features the painting 'A Rolling Sea' by Janet Goodchild-Cuffley. Text at the base of the picture says: 'after this the Syren made the King sit upon her Fishy Tail and both sailed away in a Rolling Sea with all imaginable Satisfaction'" height="150" width="150" /></a>
-is launched at the National Folk Festival this Easter weekend. It's available from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.islandwebs.com.au/applications/search/search_result.asp?ItemID=705" data-imported="1">indie-cds.com,</a> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jennygall" data-imported="1"> CD Baby</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=200368840" data-imported="1">
iTunes</a>
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170685
2006-03-12T19:00:00-05:00
2021-04-21T13:12:05-04:00
The Nexus Project presents café music and tangos by Astor Piazolla
<p>The players:
Ian Blake - soprano sax
Nicole Canham - clarinet
Mark Norton - guitar
Zoey Pepper - bassoon
...at the Alliance Francaise, 66 McCaughey Street Turner. phone 6247 5027
7.30 pm
Saturday 1st April
$20/15
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IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170691
2005-11-26T19:00:00-05:00
2019-12-14T14:30:12-05:00
More about the music of <i>Luminous</i>
<a href="http://www.ianblake.net/press.html#Luminous" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/fa383e4b324f519b74c552e24ce8883108cd9146/original/riveroblakesmall.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTU1eDE1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="The cover art for 'Luminous' is based on a painting by Helen Rivero, and designed by Greer Versteeg" height="150" width="155" /></a> As Mark Moss pointed out in his <i>SingOut!</i> review, the background information on the CD is a bit sparse, so here are some track-by-track details: Helen and Ian are joined on this recording by percussionist Peter Kennard, cellist Julian Thompson, yayla tanbur player Paul Koerbin and members of the Canberran wildlife community. We should also point out that this release marks Helen's recording debut as a pixiphonist.
1. O Tula (Zulu)
‘your mother is in the hills, on the zigzag trail…she will bring you a treat.’
Peter plays shakers and metal percussion, Ian plays cittern and guitar.
2. Nani Nani (Sephardic)
The chld's mother sings: 'sleep, my soul, my life’, while the father says: 'I come home very tired from ploughing the fields.'
Helen's voice merges at the end with a swarm of bees and some drones from a passing double bass ...
3. Gleam
Improvisation with Peter Kennard on percussion and Julian Thompson on cello, Helen's voice and Ian's soprano sax.
4. Rozinkes mit Mandlen (Yiddish)
A widow sings a song of prophecy ‘…it will be your calling – trading in raisins and almonds…some day you will wander the world, you will grow rich, someday…’
Ian plays keyboards, and duets on bass clarinet with Helen. Peter plays junk percussion.
5. Le Chat à Jeanette/ Cola (French)
'when he wants to make himself beautiful, he washes his nose with saliva...'
Helen duets with Tiger, a small kitten with a mighty purr.
Ian plays melodica, soprano sax and cittern - from Canberran maker Gillian Alcock.
Peter plays frame drum.
6. Pium Paum (Finnish)
‘innocently…cradle swinging…enjoy your life…some day bells will clang…your soul will roam on’
The piece begins with a peal of saucepans from Peter. Ian plays guitar, Helen plays pixiphone.
7. Akh ty nochenka (Russian)
‘dark little night…with whom shall I pass the time? We do not live peacefully as one…’
Ian plays four bass clarinets.
8. Dust
Improvisation with bass clarinet, joined by voice, percussion, gu-cheng (a Chinese zither) and cello.
9. Ela hypne (Greek)
'...grow big as a mountain, straight and tall as a cypress tree.'
The crickets of Canberra set the scene: Ian plays thumb piano and brass-strung harp [by the Rigby brothers of Victoria: James and Andy]. The harp also appears at the end, wind-driven by a backyard breeze. Paul Koerbin makes a cameo appearance on yayla tanbur, which resembles a bowed bass banjo.
10. La rivyer Tanier (Creole)
Concerning African slaves who had to find extra food to survive. '...walking by the river Tanier, I meet an old grandma and an old grandpa fishing. They say: 'one must work to eat…’
Ian plays harp, bass, melodica, reed organ. Peter gives the junk percussion another workout.
11. Sofðu unga ástin mín (Icelandic)
‘...the rain is crying... black sand, glaciers, bones ...' A dialogue for voice and guitar based on an Icelandic lullaby. Ian plays guitar and sax, which introduces fragments of the 17th century English dance tune 'Lull me beyond thee'.
12. Naa ska'en liten (Norwegian)
‘now the little one shall have sleep so sweet…so warm and so soft…’
Voice and piano improvise freely around this Norwegian lullaby.
13. Ba ba (Micmac)
Two harps here, both from the Rigbys, one nylon and one brass strung.
Seedpod shakers and a big goatskin tambourine.
14. Flicker
Ian: soprano sax. Julian: cello. Helen: voice. Peter: percussion, gu-cheng.
15. Fi la nanae mi bel fiol (Italian)
Ian plays tenor recorder and bass harmonica. Helen duets with herself as mother and crone...
16. Suo gân (Welsh)
‘nothing is able to disturb your composure…smiling gently…do not fear, only a leaf beats on the door…a little wave makes a lapping noise on the seashore…’
Voice and piano.
17. Om Tare (Tibetan mantra, melody by Helen)
Just voice ...
Tara is a female Buddha loved in Tibet: she is a symbol of compassionate action.
IAN BLAKE
tag:ianblake.net,2005:Post/6170688
2005-11-07T19:00:00-05:00
2020-12-31T00:10:29-05:00
<BR>Blake and Cronshaw in Germany: photographic evidence
<a href="http://www.folklorefest.de/home/129_sonntag.php" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/429158/c1ea7638430fe4bd897c8bfacf068fef2ca92774/original/krefeldacib.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzAweDIwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_right border_" alt="Ian Blake playing soprano sax, Andy Cronshaw on fujara" height="200" width="300" /></a>
Here's Andy and me at the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.folklorefest.de/home/129_sonntag.php" data-imported="1">Krefeld Folklorefest</a>, busily begeistering the audience in all directions with our many Stielrichtungen.
The shiny new organ in the background is, as we say here in West Belconnen, bonzer, boomer, ripper and grouse. For a tragic old organorak like myself it was grand to fire it up and put the pedal to the metal. <br>
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IAN BLAKE