Ashley Paul returns to ASAC!! 10/27

Albany Sonic Arts Collective is proud to present the extraordinarily talented Ashley Paul again at the Upstate Artists Guild (247 Lark Street) on Sunday October 27th.  Also performing will be Ben Pritchard, Century Plants and Jefferson Pitcher!

ASHLEY PAUL w/ BEN PRITCHARD

JEFFERSON PITCHER

CENTURY PLANTS


SATURDAY OCTOBER 27
Upstate Artists Guild
247 Lark Street
Albany, NY

8:00PM
$5 suggested donation

Ashley Paul is a performer and composer based in Brooklyn, New York. She uses an array of instruments including saxophone, clarinet, voice, guitar, bells and percussion, mixing disparate elements to create a colorful pallate of sound that works its way into her intuitive songs; free forming, introverted melodies. This blend manifests beautiful and simple musical forms against acoustic experimentation. Her solo albums have received high praise being chosen “Album of the Column” in The Wire, number one on Byron Coley and Thurston Moore’s “Tongue Top Ten” in Arthur Magazine and included on NPR’s All Songs Considered “Best of 2010”. She has been interviewed or featured in Wire Magazine, BOMB, Gonzo (circus), Dummy, The Quietus, Ad Hoc, Spex, The Sound Projector and  Foxy Digitalis.

Ashley has performed or recorded with Phill Niblock, Rashad Becker, Nik Colk Void, Loren Connors, Aki Onda, C. Spencer Yeh, Anthony Coleman, Joe Maneri, Joe Morris, Seijiro Murayama, Greg Kelley, Bill Nace and Eli Keszler appearing on such labels as PAN, ESP-DISK’ and Tzadik. She received a Masters of Music from New England Conservatory in 2007.

Rambutan Record Release Event with Loud & Sad, Chris Bassett, and more TBA!!

ALBANY SONIC ARTS COLLECTIVE presents the first show in its fall series, celebrating the return of September, back to school, and the recent release of the first full-length Rambutan LP! On Saturday Sept. 14th join us for a fantastic night of musical exploration with:

LOUD & SAD

RAMBUTAN

CHRIS BASSETT

PARASHI vs. FOSSILS FROM THE SUN in a special collaborative set

SATURDAY 9/14
8PM sharp
$5 donation suggested
UPSTATE ARTISTS GUILD

LOUD & SAD is electro-acoustics from the duo of Nathan Mclaughlin and Joe Houpert; reverent, varied pieces that evoke visions of rained-out churches, open vistas, airports at night, long-lost loves and new ones as well. Nathan's a new resident of Hudson (who isn't really?!?), and has released a tape on Tape Drift before. Loud & Sad also have an LP available on Greenup Industries. http://www.loudandsad.com/

RAMBUTAN is the solo project of Eric Hardiman, just returning from a wee visit to Scotland. He'll be celebrating the release of his first full-length LP on Fabrica Records.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy1SRrcJBp0&noredirect=1

CHRIS BASSETT is a long-time ASAC supporter and co-conspirator. Alternately known as Crisp Assett, he has graced many local stages as half of guitar deconstructionists Insect Posse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwvLNsUyXDY&noredirect=1

PARASHI is Mike Griffin (Burnt Hills, Urkas, Mensheviks).  FOSSILS FROM THE SUN is Ray Hare (Century Plants, Burnt Hills, Twilight of the Century, Location Ensemble, Mensheviks, etc).  Together they will sonically spar in a very special collaborative set.  

Hope to see you there!

Wed. July 17th! GANGLION + More!!

Wednesday July 17th at the UPSTATE ARTISTS GUILD!!


GANGLION
Benjamin Miller - guitars
Matt Weston - percussion + electronics
formed in Chicago in 1997

BLACKLIGHT LIGHTHOUSE
https://www.facebook.com/BlacklightLighthouse?ref=stream

LIAM REES
viola + electronics


Upstate Artists Guild
July 17th @ 8PM
$5 suggested donation
247 Lark St. 
Albany, NY

SEE YOU THERE!!

INSECT FACTORY!! EARTHEN SEA!! SOUNDBARN!! June 22!

ASAC is pleased to present some drone and clatter for what's looking like a long hot summer. Hope you can join us!

SATURDAY June 22, 2013

Upstate Artists Guild

247 Lark St.  Albany

8PM

Insect Factory is Washington DC's Jeff Barsky. Solo guitar improvisations, swells and delays from a place we'd all like to find.  Alternately beautiful and frightening, always compelling.

Foxy Digitalis says:
"Barsky’s music alludes to static transmissions, garbled communication via invisible airwaves, alien landscapes, and dying technologies, while still retaining an interest in melody and traditional beauty. The juxtaposition of these ideas and approaches lends the record a complexity that goes deep beyond its shiny surfaces."


Earthen Sea is Jacob Longo. Sharp etched key and pedal space and tones.

Aquarius says:
"lush layered lysergic new age, the sort of keyboard kosmische that folks into Emeralds and Expo 70 should go nuts for. The melodies are subtle, the movements muted, the various tones and overtones float and hover and wash into one another like, well, waves. There's definitely a Niblock vibe too, but filtered through a more modern lo-fi space drone floorcore aesthetic. The A side for all its spaciness and dreaminess is also thick, and in its own way heavy the sounds raw, and a little abrasive, it's mesmerizing and ambient, but also intense."

soundBarn are Thom Lail and Patrick Weklar. Our favoritenoise\found sound implement manipulating guitar duo. Their recent set at our benefit for UAG was one of our faves. Looking forward to what's next.

We've appreciated everyone's support and look forward to seeing you!

The Return of Arthur Brooks Ensemble V + Jefferson Pitcher !!

The Albany Sonic Arts Collective is proud to present a performance by the Arthur Brooks Ensemble V. Trumpeter-composer Arthur Brooks is one of the unsung heroes of the new music. In his 40+ year career he has collaborated with such legendary figures as Bill Dixon, Cecil Taylor, Sonny Sharrock, and Alan Silva. For over 20 years he taught alongside Dixon in the Black Music Division at Bennington College.  Also playing will be Jefferson Pitcher, performing a solo guitar set.

Arthur Brooks Ensemble V

Arthur Brooks - trumpet, flugelhorn

Jeremy Harlos - bass

Anthony Santor - bass

Matt Weston - percussion

 plus

Jefferson Pitcher - electric guitar

Friday, May 17, 2013

Upstate Artists Guild

247 Lark St.

8:00pm

http://wwwsoundcloud.com/arthurbrooksensemblev

Jefferson Pitcher is a guitarist and filmmaker from the Western Massachusetts area. He has released work on such labels as Digitalis, Tape Drift, and Camera Obscura. In the past Pitcher has collaborated and performed with artists like Jonathan Chen, Doug van Nort, Okkyung Lee, Fred Frith, and Ikue Mori. His sound brings together a wide-ranging body of influences, all supplemented with formidable technique in both composition and improvisation.

https://soundcloud.com/jefferson-pitcher
 

Admission to the show is $5.00; things will begin at 8 PM. There will be at least one additional performer this evening, info will be posted as events warrant.

ASAC's 2nd Annual Benefit for UAG!!!

ASAC LUVS UAG!!

JOIN US FOR OUR SECOND ANNUAL BENEFIT FOR UAG! Last year, the Upstate Artists' Guild (UAG) faced financial challenges that threatened its existence. To help save this essential resource for the Capital Region’s art and music scenes, the Albany Sonic Arts Collective (ASAC) presented a showcase event featuring an array of local performers from the Albany area’s improvised and experimental music world. One year later, UAG’s here; ASAC’s here, and we couldn’t be happier. Once again ASAC wants to thank and give back to UAG. Please join us!

Saturday April 27, 2013
Upstate Artists' Guild 247 Lark St. Albany, NY
4:00PM - ???

$5 as a minimum suggested donation, but everything you can do to help out UAG will be tremendously appreciated!  Donations at the door and proceeds from merchandise sales to benefit the Upstate Artists Guild. Starting at 4PM sharp, ASAC will present an evening of continuous sound featuring:

Fossils From The Sun
Matt Weston
Grab-Ass Cowboys
Parashi
Sun Burdens
Blacklight Lighthouse
Tiki Bats
soundBarn
CASE
World Lines
Crank Sturgeon




Closing the evening out will be Western MA via Portland ME noise legend Crank Sturgeon! If you missed his recent performance at UAG, YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!

ASAC and UAG have worked together since 2007 to provide a regular space for audiences to experience a wide range of experimental and improvised musical styles not represented by other area venues. 

Recent artists brought to Albany by ASAC:
- Joseph Hammer – member of the legendary Los Angeles Free Music Society (LAFMS)
- Baltimore Lap Steel alchemist Susan Alcorn
- Tape manipulator extraordinaire Jason Lescalleet
- MAWJA featuring Vic Rawlings; Mike Bullock and Mazen Kerbaj
- The live debut of electronic music pioneer Pauline Oliveros’ all-harmonica ensemble, the Tintinnabulate Harmonica Band

Past highlights include:
- Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore
- legendary music critic Byron Coley
- former member of 70s punk pioneers Destroy All Monsters, Ben Miller
- former member of the Cecil Taylor Unit, trumpeter & composer Arthur Brooks
- acoustic guitar virtuoso Jack Rose
- Wolf Eyes' John Olson as SPYKES
- Chinese sound artist Yan Jun
- Hair Police
- Family Battle Snake and PAN Records head Bill Kouligas
- Philadelphia saxaphonist Jack Wright
- legendary underground supergroup Rangda (Richard Bishop/Ben Chasny/Chris Corsano)
- a massive two day festival celebrating what would have been the 99th birthday of John Cage (John Cage 99)

And of course, ASAC has worked tirelessly in the last 5+ years to inspire grow its own local & regional talent, providing a welcome home stage for solo artists and groups such as:

- Matt Weston (world class percussionist/multi-instrumentalist/improvisor)
- soundBarn (fearless twin guitar explorers Thomas Lail and Patrick Weklar)
- Fossils From the Sun (Ray Hare)
- Shape-Shifting Shepherds (Saratoga drone experimentalists Elky and Clarke)
- Insect Posse (noise provocateurs Mark Lunt and Chris Bassett)
- Century Plants (Ray Hare and Eric Hardiman)
- Twilight of the Century (heavy improvised doom unit w/ Mike Bullock, Linda Aubry Bullock, Ray Hare, and Eric Hardiman
- LOCATION ENSEMBLE - swarming & thundering multiple guitar ensemble
- 1983 (solo noise project from UAG's Jason Cosco)
- Jefferson Pitcher - guitar improv like no other from former Troy resident now in Western MA
- CASE (Albany-based noise experimentalism from Jeff Case)
- Mensheviks - Albany-based electronics + percussion improv unit
- Grab Ass Cowboys - Albany's pre-eminent noise duo (Christian Bulmer & Jason Cosco)
- Rambutan (solo project of Eric Hardiman) 

- Parashi (solo project of Mike Griffin)
 
About the Albany Sonic Arts Collective: the Albany Sonic Arts Collective (ASAC) is a grassroots organization dedicated to building a thriving community of listeners and performers of music that exists outside of traditional boundaries. The Collective supports a wide variety of music and sonic art forms, with an emphasis on those that stress freedom and exploration of new ideas. Styles include free improvisation, drone, noise, electroacoustic improvisation, electronic music, avant jazz, and many others. The Albany Times Union called ASAC a “sonic bright spot” of the Capital District arts scene.


There's a lot to celebrate here, and a lot to support.  For a city the size of Albany, we feel very proud to have helped in some small way to nurture this vibrant scene.  But none of this would have been possible without the Upstate Artists Guild.  Please consider showing your support by coming out for this spectacular show, enjoy the great music, buy some merchandise, and donate what you can to the UAG!!


THANK YOU!

ASAC show on 4/20!

Join the Albany Sonic Arts Collective for an evening of deep synth zones and noise....Saturday April 20th at the Upstate Artists' Guild! Synthesizer explorers Afterlife take their thick and blissful tones on the road, leaving Brooklyn for a bit and bringing compatriot Mike Chau of Bedroom along with them. A trio collaboration between Fossils from the Sun and Urkas will round out the evening. All for five bucks, don't miss it!






 Saturday April 20th
Upstate Artists Guild
247 Lark St. in Albany
8PM



AFTERLIFE

BEDROOM

FfrtheSun vs. URKAS
 
 Afterlife has released tapes and vinyl on outstanding labels like Stunned, Hooker Vision, and their own Tranquility Tapes. Ryan McGill and Franklin Teagle incorporate elements of classic kosmiche electronic music, filtered through a 21st century perspective, resulting in a gentle yet massive sound. Teagle curated the Tranquility Tapes Series at the Stone in New York City in February 2013, and his label has released a ton of amazing music in the past few years.

http://afterlifesounds.bandcamp.com/

Mike Chau's Bedroom has released 3 tapes for Tranquility Tapes. His patient, drifting style of synth work is equal parts beauty and dread.

http://bedroomnyc.bandcamp.com/

Fossils from the Sun is Albany's Ray Hare, who also plays in Century Plants and Burnt Hills. He's released material on such fine labels as Digitalis, Tape Drift, and House of Alchemy. Urkas are the duo of Brooklyn's Russ Alderson (Xanthocephalus) and Albany's Mike Griffin (Parashi, Burnt Hills). They'll collaborate using synth, bass, tapes, voices, and metal objects.

https://soundcloud.com/rambutan/fossils-from-the-sun-run-on

https://soundcloud.com/aldertone

https://soundcloud.com/parashi/sim-life-in-wet-decades

ASAC in April!!

A busy month of ASAC activity kicks off with this show at Albany's Upstate Artists Guild (UAG,) featuring Brooklyn sound artist Jason Anthony Harris, known for his Public Speaking project. Harris uses manipulated acoustic sounds, found objects, radio signals, beats, voice, and an array of processing devices to create a unique soundworld.

http://jasonanthonyharris.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/publicspeakingmusic

Albany noise will be represented by Jason Cosco's solo project 1983, which explores harsh textures and brittle sounds. Using metal objects, voice, and a variety of mics and pedals, 1983 conjures up dystopic, hallucinatory landscapes. The resulting sonic miasma is compelling and occasionally brutal, both sharp-edged and dynamic.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/1983/110752239027383
http://lofikabuki.bandcamp.com/album/liverfield-estates




Tiki Bats will bring their noise rock down from further north; past shows have been with solo or duo lineups, so we'll have to wait and see what Asa Morris has planned for this evening.

tikibats.bandcamp.com

$5--don't miss it! More info to follow as events warrant.

APRIL 3rd
Show starts at 8pm
Upstate Artists Guild
247 Lark St.



$5 suggested donation--don't miss out on this one! 

More info on upcoming shows to follow SOON!!

show in Valatie, NY!!

The soundBarn presents: a celebration of Tape Drift Records


Friday January 3, 2013

8:00 PM





The soundBarn in Valatie, NY is pleased to present an evening of experimental music featuring Parashi, Matt Weston, Century Plants and soundBarn in celebration of Tape Drift Records.

Tape Drift Records, based in Albany, NY, has built an international reputation for its venturesome releases of sound and experimental music. Founded in 2007 by musician Eric Hardiman, Tape Drift Records has released over sixty recordings in CD, tape and vinyl formats including eleven (!!) new releases in just 2012. In addition to running Tape Drift, Hardiman, an upstate NY musician performs as a long-time member of psych-rock ensemble Burnt Hills and as one-half of the prolific Century Plants and also records prodigious and multifarious drone compositions under the alias Rambutan. He is a founding member of Albany Sonic Arts Collective, a grass roots experimental music presenting collaboration that hosts regular performances at the upstate Artists Guild in Albany, NY as well as other venues. He also performs in the large scale guitar group Location Ensemble. Hardiman will be absent from the region in the coming six months for a stay in Scotland.

Performing will be Matt Weston, Parashi, Century Plants, soundBarn and others…. Tape Drift Records recordings and merchandise will be available for purchase.

Matt Weston
Matt Weston plays percussion and electronics, and has performed throughout the US and in Europe. He has appeared on CNN, VH1, and CBS TV.
He has studied and/or collaborated with Arthur Brooks, Bill Dixon, Kevin Drumm, Paul Flaherty, Charles Gayle, Milford Graves, Mary Halvorson, Le Quan Ninh, Bob Marsh, Ben Miller (ex-Destroy All Monsters), Roger Miller (Mission of Burma), Jim O’Rourke, William Parker, Ken Vandermark, Jack Wright, and many others.
His work has earned critical praise from such publications as the Wire, the Village Voice, Signal To Noise, Cadence, All About Jazz, Grooves, and Bananafish. His solo works have garnered international acclaim, as have his recordings with Barn Owl, Tizzy, and Thrillpillow.
He has recorded for the Tautology, Sachimay, Breaking World Records, Imvated, Crank Satori, BoxMedia, and Drag City labels. He currently records for his own 7272Music label.
In addition to his solo work, Weston is a member of Barn Owl with Chris Cooper (Fat Worm Of Error) and Andy Crespo; and is a member of Thrillpillow with Plum Crane and Maggie Nowinski.
Weston is a member of Albany Sonic Arts collective and performs in various configurations within and without of the regional experimental music community. The Italian webzine Kathodik called Weston "one of the more important talents you can find in the world today."

soundBarn
soundBarn’s recent CD “The Gunpowder Conspiracy on TD was described as: "Second TD outing from this upstate NY pair of deconstructionists. Lail and Weklar continue in their quest to explore the outer realms of the guitar. Drawing their name from the cavernous reverberating room where they record, these two tackle the challenge of making their guitars sputter, snarl and growl in tandem. The resulting textures are thick, dark and ominous, with smoky trails of feedback framing a journey into sound itself. The clanging metallic scrapes of Russell/Morley and Moore/Ranaldo are the starting points, yet these two extend the path into infinity. Take the ride."
"The connection between the music of soundBarn and Sonic Youth is apparent on the duo’s 2011 CD Valentine whereby–true to Sonic Youth ideals–the duo utilizes prepared guitars to create sprawling tracks loaded with feedback-laced mayhem.". WBNY Upstate SoundScape www.soundbarn.blogspot.com

Century Plants
Is the ever experimental duet of local noise/drone wizard Eric Hardiman and Fossils From the Sun/ Burnt Hills shredder Ray Hare. Both Hardiman and Hare are members of the Albany Sonic Arts Collective & local psych-rock collective Burnt Hills. Hardiman is proprietor of TAPE DRIFT records, Albany’s most experimental music label.

Parashi
Mike Griffin takes the listener to unexplored territories, with sonic pieces that will shake your system. Implied drones create a sinister mood, while crackling electronic rhythms suggest a pulsing system beneath the forces of gravity. Each sound is careful and thoughtfully placed, and the end result is a masterpiece of bleak and haunting power.

The soundBarn is a project of artist/musician Thomas Lail and artist/gallerist Tara Fracalossi and is located on what was once Heald Orchards in Valatie, New York. soundBarn Press publishes limited editions of poetry and experimental writing including poetry by musician/artist/writer and founding member of rock band Sonic Youth Lee Ranaldo and poetry/writings by artist James Cullinane.


For more directions and more information visit: soundbarn.blogspot.com