Alex and Chris arrive: 5:30. There is daylight remaining!
Alex tends to his own business upstairs while Chris, taking a cue from a vivid dream he had the previous evening, makes tending the bathrooms his first task (this would turn out to be a misguided premonition, as a meeting was taking place in the adjoining room downstairs that would make any more than a quick effort . . . peculiar).
Brad arrives close to or around 6:00, and reports that both Rick and Victor are dealing with challenges that may preclude their respective appearances in the Circle for tonight's performance. The reduced crew is left to continue set-up (oddly more work with fewer people) and assume a circle of five seats. But on the bright side, the performance space is once again jungle-themed and even slightly reminiscent of a luau setting...
Meanwhile, somewhere on the Mass Pike, Rick musters a plan to get out of a roadside predicament and calls to announce that he will arrive ready-to-go at 7:30; this news is received with gaiety on the other end and serves as a morale boost to the team, but leaves them with the problem of reconfiguring the circle for six seats.
At first glance, a circle with six evenly spaced points seems straightforward: just take either all the odd or all the even numbers off the face of a clock, and there's a model. However, lacking the requisite mathematical formulas, and using only approximate measuring tools (e.g. a 1/4" cable and half a bottle of diet coke), it is a slippery slope indeed, and Dev and Alex retool the seats quite a bit until a satisfactory circle is reached.
Backstage Rick arrives as promised, and the GCNE goes on at 7:40. Tonight's performance will be captured on film, via Glenn's digital recorder on the roof of the tiki bar.
A good showing with Third Relation feeling particularly in-the-pocket; Blockhead also has some extra juice. There is an improvisation that begins with a slimy, low bass note circulation and evolves into a slinky stomp, with added percussion and slapped accompaniment. Compelled strictly by the spirit of the moment, a Victor-less Batrachomyomachy is given summons, with Dev, Glenn and Brad taking on the acerbic lead part. As an encore: a spirited, unplugged Calliope.
A little after-show talk, and a tear down to be out by 10:00.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Guitar Circle Sundays #8, 3-8-11
Dev is back from two weeks on the road, but Rick is sick and taking rest time; Victor is indisposed and without a babysitter but will be making what is called a "heroic" effort to be part of the performance; Glenn is arriving late from Connecticut; and the show will take place in the downstairs room for the first time. All-in-all, it will be pretty touch-and-go this evening at Spontaneous Celebrations.
Alex and Chris arrive around 5:30. This week's performance space is a jungle-themed converted-cafeteria, now used mostly for various meetings and workshops, and as an arts & crafts space. Luckily, the room is clean, but there are still some decisions to be made about it, such as "plugged or unplugged?" and "how do we set up the gear without blocking an entrance to the bathrooms?" Moving stools and speakers downstairs and back up will be laborious. Meanwhile, a disco rages overhead.
The circlers arrive and begin setting up sound. The guys have opted to use amplification for tonight's performance, which is a much different beast in the new room. Victor has an assistant sound engineer, Elspeth McSurely, who aids during this painstaking process with advice and gestures of support and solidarity. She does not care for the group's slow pacing, however, and some repertoire is decided upon to propitiate her. It is seen whether or not Opening will be possible for tonight, with Alex taking up Rick's part.
With hats and lollipops, the Circle goes on a little after 7:45. A brief set of mainly improv, with some liberties in form and style being taken during certain portions of the program. An encore is called for, which tonight includes Love is Green and Opening.
After the show, Victor has a few words about some upcoming events, and is out the door to relieve a generous last-minute babysitter. The group will have the first page of the recently-introduced Shostakovitch prelude (accompanied by a rather ominous warning from Tuning The Air 's Curt Golden) ready as a priority for next week. Tear-down is left to the rest of the group, who are finished before 10:00.
Alex and Chris arrive around 5:30. This week's performance space is a jungle-themed converted-cafeteria, now used mostly for various meetings and workshops, and as an arts & crafts space. Luckily, the room is clean, but there are still some decisions to be made about it, such as "plugged or unplugged?" and "how do we set up the gear without blocking an entrance to the bathrooms?" Moving stools and speakers downstairs and back up will be laborious. Meanwhile, a disco rages overhead.
The circlers arrive and begin setting up sound. The guys have opted to use amplification for tonight's performance, which is a much different beast in the new room. Victor has an assistant sound engineer, Elspeth McSurely, who aids during this painstaking process with advice and gestures of support and solidarity. She does not care for the group's slow pacing, however, and some repertoire is decided upon to propitiate her. It is seen whether or not Opening will be possible for tonight, with Alex taking up Rick's part.
With hats and lollipops, the Circle goes on a little after 7:45. A brief set of mainly improv, with some liberties in form and style being taken during certain portions of the program. An encore is called for, which tonight includes Love is Green and Opening.
After the show, Victor has a few words about some upcoming events, and is out the door to relieve a generous last-minute babysitter. The group will have the first page of the recently-introduced Shostakovitch prelude (accompanied by a rather ominous warning from Tuning The Air 's Curt Golden) ready as a priority for next week. Tear-down is left to the rest of the group, who are finished before 10:00.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Guitar Circle Sundays #7, 2-27-11
The circlers begin arriving around 5:30 and commence preparing the space. Dev is still on tour, so it will be another night of six players.
As Glenn and Chris finish in the bathrooms, Victor is teaching Alex, Rick and Brad parts to a short but stately canon by Haydn; when the group is assembled, this is set aside and a formal soundcheck and warm-up begins. Askesis is the first piece, with some interrogation of the basses acting wonky in the "bridge" section. Calliope and a slow Batrachomyomachy each receive a briefing, and Victor makes a timbre suggestion for the melody section of Where's the Nurse.
At 7:30, the Circle is on. The mood in general is almost somber, and there are strong showings of Eye of the Needle and Where's the Nurse. The improvisation is more restrained than last week, but sinewy and coherent, with a thoughtful solo from Brad as a highlight. Meditative circulations cushion many of the pieces in the near-hour set.
After the performance, there is a conference between the circlers, who opt for some extra rehearsal before tearing down. The group reconvenes work on the Shostakovich prelude, addressing mainly the pattern of the melody circulation, then adding a few bars of notes. The Debussy prelude, which has been left out of the set with Dev's absence, gets a hearing in anticipation of his return (with counting out-loud as an added challenge/aid).
After this, some cleaning up and out the door by 10:40.
As Glenn and Chris finish in the bathrooms, Victor is teaching Alex, Rick and Brad parts to a short but stately canon by Haydn; when the group is assembled, this is set aside and a formal soundcheck and warm-up begins. Askesis is the first piece, with some interrogation of the basses acting wonky in the "bridge" section. Calliope and a slow Batrachomyomachy each receive a briefing, and Victor makes a timbre suggestion for the melody section of Where's the Nurse.
At 7:30, the Circle is on. The mood in general is almost somber, and there are strong showings of Eye of the Needle and Where's the Nurse. The improvisation is more restrained than last week, but sinewy and coherent, with a thoughtful solo from Brad as a highlight. Meditative circulations cushion many of the pieces in the near-hour set.
After the performance, there is a conference between the circlers, who opt for some extra rehearsal before tearing down. The group reconvenes work on the Shostakovich prelude, addressing mainly the pattern of the melody circulation, then adding a few bars of notes. The Debussy prelude, which has been left out of the set with Dev's absence, gets a hearing in anticipation of his return (with counting out-loud as an added challenge/aid).
After this, some cleaning up and out the door by 10:40.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Guitar Circle Sundays #6, 2-20-11
Tonight will be the first performance in the Guitar Circle Sundays series with less than the optimum number of circlers, as Dev is out of town and on tour with Lindsay Mac. One of the main ideas behind GCS is the commitment to put on a performance every week for a defined period of time, whether there are six players or two - the quality of intention brought to the undertaking changes what is possible for those undertaking it, and in this sense Dev is not far in tow.
Previously during the week, a 'Girls Rock' seminar was held at Spontaneous Celebrations (catering to such fast-rising genres as 'country-punk' and 'awesome'), and there is some head-scratching as to how to cope with missing equipment (actually relocated by the girls). Thus the GCNE is running a little late.
The show goes on, however, eventually, to a house of twelve. There is a lot of energy and a peculiar sense of adventure in the improvisation of this circle of six. Squeaking, bending, 'outside' playing and guitar-box percussion all find application throughout the night. There is a stretch of tonal fabric over/under which soloists emerge and recede. It isn't all underground gardens, though, as selections of Cat Stevens and Jeff Beck recall a distant world of pop music.
For the second time during this series, the Circle is called back for an encore. The group offers 'Thrak' as a return, and opts for Bach's No. 1 from the Well-Tempered Clavier. It happens that Andrew Alexander, a professional Boston-area singer, is in the audience, and on the spur of the moment Victor asks him if he can accompany the group's Bach circulation with Gounod's famous Ave Maria vocal melody. Andrew obliges, does one 'false take', then delivers a captivating reading of the piece with the Circle, deftly navigating around the missing bar.
The audience is lively after the performance. Once they have departed, there is some talk in the group about a website revamp, future guest circlers, and possible filming. As it is late, there is once again no after-show rehearsal.
Previously during the week, a 'Girls Rock' seminar was held at Spontaneous Celebrations (catering to such fast-rising genres as 'country-punk' and 'awesome'), and there is some head-scratching as to how to cope with missing equipment (actually relocated by the girls). Thus the GCNE is running a little late.
The show goes on, however, eventually, to a house of twelve. There is a lot of energy and a peculiar sense of adventure in the improvisation of this circle of six. Squeaking, bending, 'outside' playing and guitar-box percussion all find application throughout the night. There is a stretch of tonal fabric over/under which soloists emerge and recede. It isn't all underground gardens, though, as selections of Cat Stevens and Jeff Beck recall a distant world of pop music.
For the second time during this series, the Circle is called back for an encore. The group offers 'Thrak' as a return, and opts for Bach's No. 1 from the Well-Tempered Clavier. It happens that Andrew Alexander, a professional Boston-area singer, is in the audience, and on the spur of the moment Victor asks him if he can accompany the group's Bach circulation with Gounod's famous Ave Maria vocal melody. Andrew obliges, does one 'false take', then delivers a captivating reading of the piece with the Circle, deftly navigating around the missing bar.
The audience is lively after the performance. Once they have departed, there is some talk in the group about a website revamp, future guest circlers, and possible filming. As it is late, there is once again no after-show rehearsal.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Guitar Circle Sundays #5, 2-13-11
Normal load-in, set-up. Some of our stuff has been used, however.
Quick soundcheck and addressing of repertoire which is burning to be played this evening. Some further refining of Opening is undertaken. Specific use of accents and dynamics occur in both primary voices of the piece, causing them to collide, undulate and overlap in a distinct way. One suggestion is for the piece to be played louder overall.
Some guests arrive, unsolicited, who have been to a previous performance, and the pressure is on.
Showtime at 7:43. A feature of this performance is the intelligent quality of its improvisation. There are circulations occurring spontaneously over a vamp, and a soloist stepping forward from an embroidery without disrupting it. Brad, Rick and Chris are called on to begin when ready, and the remaining ensemble comes in to accompany/counterpoint as a group unto itself; generally, there is a predilection for 'mini-groups' to form and reintegrate into the full Circle at a whim.
The Circle receives its first call for an encore, and offers a recital of Debussy's The Sunken Cathedral. The performance is about an hour long (the entire show, that is).
Afterward in rehearsal, Glenn has a new piece to introduce to the group - Shostakovich's Prelude XXII in G minor, a Seattle Circle/Tuning the Air favorite. Glenn's arrangement sports an elegant circulation pattern for the melody accompanied by a bass/chord section. The melody section attempts the first few bars, but Rick will have to look it over on the run.
There is some discussion of logistics and repertoire for the GCNE's upcoming radio appearance on Wednesday. With this, Love is Green, Bicycling to Afghanistan and Batrachomyomachy all receive a hearing, but which will make the cut?
Quick soundcheck and addressing of repertoire which is burning to be played this evening. Some further refining of Opening is undertaken. Specific use of accents and dynamics occur in both primary voices of the piece, causing them to collide, undulate and overlap in a distinct way. One suggestion is for the piece to be played louder overall.
Some guests arrive, unsolicited, who have been to a previous performance, and the pressure is on.
Showtime at 7:43. A feature of this performance is the intelligent quality of its improvisation. There are circulations occurring spontaneously over a vamp, and a soloist stepping forward from an embroidery without disrupting it. Brad, Rick and Chris are called on to begin when ready, and the remaining ensemble comes in to accompany/counterpoint as a group unto itself; generally, there is a predilection for 'mini-groups' to form and reintegrate into the full Circle at a whim.
The Circle receives its first call for an encore, and offers a recital of Debussy's The Sunken Cathedral. The performance is about an hour long (the entire show, that is).
Afterward in rehearsal, Glenn has a new piece to introduce to the group - Shostakovich's Prelude XXII in G minor, a Seattle Circle/Tuning the Air favorite. Glenn's arrangement sports an elegant circulation pattern for the melody accompanied by a bass/chord section. The melody section attempts the first few bars, but Rick will have to look it over on the run.
There is some discussion of logistics and repertoire for the GCNE's upcoming radio appearance on Wednesday. With this, Love is Green, Bicycling to Afghanistan and Batrachomyomachy all receive a hearing, but which will make the cut?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Guitar Circle Sundays #4, 2-6-11
We arrive at the normal time for load-in, between 5:30 and 6:00. Our process for preparing the space has streamlined somewhat, but this week there are two oddities to keep in mind: first, there is the men's group that meets on the first Sunday of every month. They have already given us permission to use the larger room upstairs for this session, but we will need to know how to accommodate their program while taking care of our own business . . . second, we will be competing against the Super Bowl as Sunday evening entertainment. This will impact our draw and, as we would soon discover, our parking.
With the men's group gathering and socializing downstairs, it is a good time for the Circle to warm up. Victor calls out a tonal progression: A minor pentatonic, to A harmonic minor, to C symmetrical, to C harmonic minor. There are motions happening in different places in the circle at different times, but they mostly lack assurance, resulting in an ambiguous, chimeric improvisation. Victor suggests to listen for something to happen in the music before making a change, similar to our approach in the "twinkle" section of Austurias. The second take is more sure-footed, and the grounds for something to explore in the future.
The performance is slotted around 8:00, slightly later than usual but with people continuing to wander up from downstairs and in from the cold. Overall, it is a strong set from the Circle, featuring a coherent, compellingly diatonic imrpov; a stomping surprise duet from Chris and Rick; and a Blockhead with a back-and-forth guitar breakdown from Glenn and Victor over the polyrhythmic coda. To put a period on this fairly action-packed evening, the Circle kindly asks permission to debut a new piece: Debussy's The Sunken Cathedral. This prelude makes a good conclusion to the set.
A forty-four minute performance for another generous, and highly receptive, audience. Afterward, Victor is called away to familial duties, and given the late start, the rest of the Circle decide to tear down a little early.
With the men's group gathering and socializing downstairs, it is a good time for the Circle to warm up. Victor calls out a tonal progression: A minor pentatonic, to A harmonic minor, to C symmetrical, to C harmonic minor. There are motions happening in different places in the circle at different times, but they mostly lack assurance, resulting in an ambiguous, chimeric improvisation. Victor suggests to listen for something to happen in the music before making a change, similar to our approach in the "twinkle" section of Austurias. The second take is more sure-footed, and the grounds for something to explore in the future.
The performance is slotted around 8:00, slightly later than usual but with people continuing to wander up from downstairs and in from the cold. Overall, it is a strong set from the Circle, featuring a coherent, compellingly diatonic imrpov; a stomping surprise duet from Chris and Rick; and a Blockhead with a back-and-forth guitar breakdown from Glenn and Victor over the polyrhythmic coda. To put a period on this fairly action-packed evening, the Circle kindly asks permission to debut a new piece: Debussy's The Sunken Cathedral. This prelude makes a good conclusion to the set.
A forty-four minute performance for another generous, and highly receptive, audience. Afterward, Victor is called away to familial duties, and given the late start, the rest of the Circle decide to tear down a little early.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Guitar Circle Sundays #3, "Opening Night", 1-30-11
Victor, Chris and Alex are at the space around 5:20 . . . S the karate instructor is here and concluding his own practice. The trio get to work in short order, and as other Circle members arrive there is a sense of both urgency and quiet that accompanies the practical work. It is a transitional kind of performance for the Circle tonight, venturing from the confidence of friends and family to (hopefully) the consideration of an indifferent listening public.
Luckily, there is extra time for soundchecking and warm-up before doors open. The guitar levels in the speaker mix are a bit strange . . . Victor asks the group to play any two-note vamp from A minor pentatonic to get a better gauge of the surround. With six guitarists, the result billows, recedes and pulses through the space in a way reminiscent of an early Guitar Craft piece, All or Nothing. A quintet version of Morning Has Broken soars through the rafters.
The performance proper begins at 7:40 with a motion from Victor: he raises and lowers the headstock of his guitar in a cadence, and a splash of harmony from all points ripples and undulates into the first improvisation of the night. A Q-&-A session later provides the audience with an opportunity to get to know their favorite Circlers; instead, tonight, they raise questions regarding the significance of instrument design and the rules on clapping.
Because of the style and intimacy of GCNE performances, it is often apparent to audience members that applause is not required between pieces of music/improvs. As a performance group, the Circle aspires to responding in the moment to what is right - and encourages its audience to do the same. It may sometimes feel 'risky' having this choice, but it is also an opportunity for real communion between listener and performer.
Altogether, a performance of about forty-seven minutes. After a little mingling, the Circle holds a pow wow to discuss performance notes. Of particular importance are some remarks made regarding the kind of energy brought to the beginning of a set. Rehearsal again falls to Brad's arrangement of the Debussy prelude, The Sunken Cathedral; there is a special connection the unfolding of this piece has had to the group's embracing of this endeavor and space.
The equipment is put away, and the Circlers are moving out by 10:40.
Luckily, there is extra time for soundchecking and warm-up before doors open. The guitar levels in the speaker mix are a bit strange . . . Victor asks the group to play any two-note vamp from A minor pentatonic to get a better gauge of the surround. With six guitarists, the result billows, recedes and pulses through the space in a way reminiscent of an early Guitar Craft piece, All or Nothing. A quintet version of Morning Has Broken soars through the rafters.
The performance proper begins at 7:40 with a motion from Victor: he raises and lowers the headstock of his guitar in a cadence, and a splash of harmony from all points ripples and undulates into the first improvisation of the night. A Q-&-A session later provides the audience with an opportunity to get to know their favorite Circlers; instead, tonight, they raise questions regarding the significance of instrument design and the rules on clapping.
Because of the style and intimacy of GCNE performances, it is often apparent to audience members that applause is not required between pieces of music/improvs. As a performance group, the Circle aspires to responding in the moment to what is right - and encourages its audience to do the same. It may sometimes feel 'risky' having this choice, but it is also an opportunity for real communion between listener and performer.
Altogether, a performance of about forty-seven minutes. After a little mingling, the Circle holds a pow wow to discuss performance notes. Of particular importance are some remarks made regarding the kind of energy brought to the beginning of a set. Rehearsal again falls to Brad's arrangement of the Debussy prelude, The Sunken Cathedral; there is a special connection the unfolding of this piece has had to the group's embracing of this endeavor and space.
The equipment is put away, and the Circlers are moving out by 10:40.
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