This month’s podcast is a study in contrasts. It features two recent performances, one outdoors during the day, the other indoors at night.
The first part was at Great (Big) Pond, organized by the good folks at Stretch Metal. As the name implies it took place by a pond on a pleasant Sunday afternoon in June. I played baritone guitar, and incorporated field recordings of nature and the underwater sounds of ponds.
The second part was recorded in the evening at the Lace Mill in Kingston, NY. Its all synthesizers and electronics, representative of the dronier side of my sonic explorations.
This month’s podcast features experimental flutist/composer Jane Rigler.
Jane recently moved to the Hudson Valley, and its been fun exploring a new sonic vernacular with her. Its always interesting collaborating with acoustic instruments, and Jane spices things up by processing her flute (and voice) through her laptop. (It gets very spatial, headphones recommended!)
I used parts from a studio session and a live performance to make this podcast.
This month’s podcast is a behind the scenes peek into how I prepare for a show.
For a solo electronic performance I need to devise a system to improvise with that will produce (manageable?) unexpected results that I can respond to. (When improvising with other musicians, this takes care of itself.) In this case I had in mind creating a fairly minimal, droney, textural soundscape so used the Strega, which is excellent for drones and the Wingie2/Blippoo Box which is a great source of randomness. I also incorporated some field recordings for additional texture (played on a Kaoss pad), and harmonica to add an element of breath. Everything could be sent to an Eccos delay in sound on sound mode via an effects send to create slowly evolving/dissolving loops.
There are three improvisations presented here, the first two are me exploring strategies for the performance in my studio and the third is the final live performance recorded at Greenkill in Kingston, NY on January 13, 2025.
This month’s podcast features excerpts from four recent live collaborations.
It begins with a performance at XFest 2024 which features: Andrew Neumann (Buchla), Thomas Watkiss (bass) and Rachel Devora (french horn).
Next, some electronic sounds with Missing Channels, recorded at Quinn’s in Beacon, NY.
That’s followed by a performance with Irman at the Lace Mill in Kingston, NY.
And finally, a horizontal listening experience by Invisible Collage.
These performances are a good representation of the scope of the electronic improvised music I am making. One common factor of all four is the Meng Qi Wingie2 running the Blippoo Box firmware. Its a strange, chaotic instrument that I’m really enjoying.
That’s me at XFest, playing the Wingie/Blippoo Box. Andrew Neumann looks on, perturbed(?).
This month’s podcast is from a live performance with Space Biscuit (Matty Hutchins, aka DJ Buttermilk). We performed together for the first time in this configuration (me: guitar, Matty: synths) at Quinns in Beacon, NY where Matty runs a weekly electronic music series, Sleepwalking Through the Sun. Here you’ll hear some of the tastiest bits from that night.
I’ve long wanted to play in the Widow Jane Mine, and the experience did not disappoint! And performing with two amazing collaborators was a bonus. This is a binaural recording that really captures the ambiance of the space. Listen in headphones for maximum effect.
Playing in The Widow Jane Mine: me (Craig), Brian and Elizabeth. (photo: Tamalyn Miller)
This month’s podcast was recorded live at the first installment of the Noise Reduction series.
Its a collaborative improvisation with synthesist David Mason.
The performance took place in the rear chapel space of Prophecy Hall, a former Dutch Reformed church in Beacon, NY. Its an interesting space to create in, and I hope to do more there in the future.
The Noise Reduction series aims to provide a space for quiet sounds, where horizontal listening is encouraged.
David Mason and me (Craig) performing at Prophecy Hall (photo: Gavin Hecker)
This month brings the 100th Errant Space podcast!!
To mark the occasion, I organized a live event featuring eight past podcast participants which took place on July 1, 2023 at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY.
photo: Sandy Santra
It was a three hour performance with the performers surrounding the audience, who were encouraged to listen while horizontal. The musicians played in rotating groups of three. This podcast is taken from that performance.
These are the musicians who participated in the experiment:
We had a fair number of audience members come through during the performance, you’ll hear people moving about on the recording. For best results, listen while laying down, it will almost be like you were there…
