maybe the funniest thing i've ever seen

hey ben

Something for Jake to aspire to!!!!!

Extension Ensemble, Phill Niblock, And More Play Needle Drop Music Series

Boxers mingle with Butoh dancers at a gallery in Dumbo. The eye follows the graceful arch of an arm into the swoop of a swift left hook. in the midst of all this suspended action, music, of an exquisite type, will be made.

Pamplemousse kicks off their Needle Drop music series this Sunday, October 14, in collaboration with the Safe-T-Gallery. You'll remember the DUBuQuE concert series the ensemble hosted at the gallery's former locale in Williamsburg. That ended in 2005, and after two years, gallery owner Don Burmeister is ready to bring back the band.

New York's Extension Ensemble, featuring Ralph Alessi, Sycil Mathai, Theo Primis, Mike Boschen, and Andrew Bove kick off the series this Sunday at 6. See the full schedule below. And here's a quote from Natacha Diels to get you revved up for opening night. "Curated by Andrew Greenwald and myself, this season promises to be filled with extraordinary talent and newness.  We have selected those musicians who truly excite and inspire us, and who push the borders of creative and experimental music to the very edge.  We hope you will join us every other Sunday in October and November, at 6pm."

All concerts take place at the Safe-T-Gallery, 111 Front St., #214.

10/14 The Extension Ensemble
10/28 Phill Niblock & Guy DeBievre
11/11 TBD
11/25 Jacob Wick, Reuben Radding & Andrew Greenwald
12/16 Ensemble Pamplemousse: Pure and Adulterated Tones

Jessie & Pals Start Concert Series In Berlin Apt

I went to three concerts last week. Pierre Boulez conducting the Ensemble Modern Wednesday night, at the Berlin Konzerthaus was grand, though it may have been the opulent neo-classical setting, frenzied applause for the superstar conductor, and sekt (the German term for sparkling wine) that had me wooed.

The Kammerensemble's 3.5 hour new music marathon Friday night, held my interest at times, especially when Pamplemousse contributor Robin Hayward took the stage, tuba in hand (arms). He played Luigi Nono's "Post-Praeludium per Donau" for tuba and live electronics with concentrated grace. Catch Hayward November 11, at the Safe-T-Gallery in Brooklyn, and Carnegie Hall, November 10.

But the most extraordinary concert of the week was in a first floor flat on Furbringer Strasse in Kreuzberg, on Thursday. You see, a couple Pamplemousse members have relocated to Berlin for a bit, one of them being cellist Jessie Marino. She, along with composers A. Vincent Raikhel, and Kyle Hillbrand have started a bi-weekly concert series in their home. It's called Zwo. Last week's performance featured works by Salvatore Sciarrino, Scott Wollschleger, and Hillbrand. Jessie got really incredible tones to come out of her cello. It sometimes sounded like an electric guitar, really beautiful in the living room. And Kyle played the cymbal. At once jarring and subtle, he sometimes played in the back hallway. The audience couldn't see him. But we could hear him. Watch some clips from the show below.

Jessie Marino Plays Salvatore Sciarrino's "Ai Limiti Della Notte" (Excerpt)


Jessie Marino & Kyle Hillbrand Play Kyle Hillbrand's "The Midnight Sun" (Excerpt)

Ximena Garnica LEIMAY Acts Lab

We will be performing with these dancers November 6, 7, and 8th!