- New Music Workshops | Black House Collective

Well it feels like this session has finally hit its stride. It usually takes a couple rehearsals to settle in, get to know everyone, understand how they work, have a misfire or two, and get a clear idea of what we're actually going to play. Russell has come through in a big way this session by bringing in a lot of music. It's nice to have someone step up when you're feeling a bit burnt out.

Seswatha-Hunter Long

Northern frontier-Russell Thorpe

For the last two weeks several BHIC members, including myself, participated in Russell Thorpe's "Interpreter Sessions" at the Czar Bar. These performances have been driven by a card-based improvisation system developed by Russell. Last weekend this resulted in some long-form, episodic performances. Our first set was literally one piece that lasted about an hour. BHIC is definitely more of a jazz composers' workshop so it's been nice to do something completely improvised. It's also given me a chance to work on incorporating the laptop with a live band which has had its successful and not so successful moments. The fun with working with electronic sounds is that's it's all a matter of taste and techique is not much of a consideration. Either these dog barking or ocean sounds sound good with what the band is playing or they're freaking stupid. I also kept up my tradition of forgetting an essential piece of my laptop rig and having to beg my girlfriend to hurriedly bring it from home. I'd never been to the Czar Bar before but it's a pretty great venue. Raised stage, soundman, hot bartender, cool atmosphere, etc... Russell's looking to make this a reoccuring series.

Speaking of laptops, I been invited to participate in another Underground Sounds show at Jardines on July 10th. For this Hominid show I'm not only looking to have most all new music but I also have multi-media ambitions. But we'll have to see what the twin oracles of monetary resources and logistical considerations have to say about that.