SATURDAY 4/26 at UAG - be there!

hey everyone -

The sun is out and spring might finally be here. yeah!!

So a week from Saturday we've got our next ASAC event, and it should be a boatload of fun. As before, we'll be at the awesome Upstate Artists Guild on Lark St. Come on out for this one, bring a few pals too if you can.

here's the scoop on it:

ALBANY SONIC ARTS COLLECTIVE presents “4 Solo Sets for April”



TRAVIS JOHNS (field recordings, electronics)


ERIC HARDIMAN (guitars, electronics)


RAY HARE (guitars, electronics)


HOLLAND HOPSON (banjo, electronics)


video projections by JASON COSCO


The Upstate Artists Guild
247 Lark St.Albany, NY
Saturday April 26, 2008
doors at 7:30 pm: show at 8:00
$5 suggested donation at the door


The Albany Sonic Arts Collective (ASAC) is proud to present “4 Solo Sets for April” the fourth installment in our 2008 monthly series of live improvised experimental music events at the Upstate Artists Guild. Previous months have showcased world renowned musicians from Germany, Philadelphia, New York City, and Cincinnati, Ohio. For this very special evening, we will offer four solo sets from locally-based musicians. A diversity of styles and approaches will characterize the night, and the audio wonders will be enhanced visually with live improvised video projections from UAG member Jason Cosco.

A common theme among these four musicians is a dedication to the exploration of new sonic spaces and atmospheres. In some cases, improvisation is blended with more structured musical approaches, resulting in fascinating and compelling blends. Each musician will present a set showcasing a particular style and/or strategy. Please join us in supporting these local musicians and come be part of our ASAC community!

Travis Johns writes and performs music that he describes as an "abstraction of reality." Consisting primarily of processed field recordings, improvisations and amplified "small sounds," he attempts to weave a tapestry of experiences, gestures and thoughts into a singular, enveloping mass of sounds. Often labeled as noise at first, a more concentrated listen will yield countless paths for the ear to follow, leading to listening experiences that he hopes will provide infinite possibilities for interpretation. His music has been performed extensively throughout the United States and abroad to a wide variety of audiences, ranging from galleries to anarchist warehouses to international music festivals. An avid performer and improviser on electric bass and electronics, he is a member of the Oakland, Ca. quartet le Pink Canoes (with Noah Phillips, Aram Shelton and Zachary Watkins), the improvisation trio Satellite (with Gudmundur Steinn Gunnarsson and Liz Meredith) and Vslykon, a collaborative duo with sound artist Ayako Kataoka. Travis is also a founding member of the Thinktank Collective, an international arts collective focused on the interrelation of sound and image. More information on both Johns and Thinktank can be found at: www.think-tankmedia.net.

Eric Hardiman plays guitar and various other instruments as one-half of Albany-based experimental minimalist guitar duo Century Plants, and also plays in Albany free form psych rock collective Burnt Hills. In addition, he records solo material under the moniker Rambutan. He also has experience playing both Javanese and Balinese styles of gamelan. He runs a handmade DIY label, Tape Drift Records (www.tapedrift.com), and is also a founder of the Albany Sonic Arts Collective. Hear excerpts of Eric’s solo work at www.myspace.com/rambutanmusic.

Ray Hare is a musician who currently plays in Albany-based experimental minimalist guitar duo Century Plants and free form psych rock collective Burnt Hills. He records solo music under the name Fossils From the Sun, and has just released his debut cd for Tape Drift Records. Hear excerpts of Ray’s solo work at www.myspace.com/fossilsfrthesun.

Holland Hopson is a composer, improviser, and electronic artist. As an instrumentalist he performs on soprano saxophone, clawhammer banjo and electronics. He hopes someday to play the musical saw. He has held residencies at STEIM, Amsterdam; Experimental Music Studios, Krakow and Katowice, Poland; Sonic Arts Research Studio, Vancouver, Canada; and Harvestworks Digital Media Arts, New York where he developed a sound installation based on Marcel Duchamp’s With Hidden Noise. In 1993- 1994 Holland recorded environmental sounds on four continents and in over a dozen countries as a fellow of the Thomas J. Watson Foundation. Holland’s latest recording is With Hidden Noises released on Grab Rare Arts (www.grabrarearts.com).

Jason Cosco is a video and sound artist who is a member of the Upstate Artists Guild and has previously played a solo noise set for the Albany Sonic Arts Collective. He does extensive VJ work around the Capital Region. He has worked with the band Death by a Thousand Cuts, and currently plays in the Albany-based Grab Ass Cowboys. Check out some of Jason’s work (http://jasoncosco.mosaicglobe.com/).