Stet Lab is, and has been for some time, on indefinite hiatus. [More info…]

Stet Lab December 6th 2010 (update)

The final Stet Lab of 2010, featuring Corey Mwamba, will take place on Monday, December 6, upstairs @ The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland [map…]. Up-to-date details…

Corey Mwamba

Stet Lab featuring Corey Mwamba

Monday, 6 December 2010.

9:00 pm (doors: 8:45 pm)

Upstairs @ The Roundy [map…]
Castle Street
Cork, Ireland

€10 (€5)

Cork’s monthly improvised music event, Stet Lab, continues into its fourth year of on-stage mutations and hybrids on Monday, 6 December 2010, upstairs at The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland. This unique meeting between novice and veteran improvisers welcomes the exciting, up-and-coming, Derby-based vibraphonist Corey Mwamba.

A performer of “wit and originality” (The Oxford Times), Corey Mwamba has been described as a “brilliant young black vibes player” (The Daily Telegraph) with “amazing originality and vigour” (All About Jazz). Heard at this year’s London Jazz Festival, Mwamba plays the vibraphone, dulcimer, electronics and small instruments, and his music and compositions embraces elements of jazz, folk from different countries, and electronica.

Mwamba has performed with Orphy Robinson, Pat Thomas, Evan Parker, Lol Coxhill, Andy Hamilton, Tony Kofi, the Master Drummers of Africa, the Quantic Soul Orchestra and Robert Mitchell‘s Panacea, as well as his trio with Joshua Blackmore and Dave Kane, solo performances and with his collective the Symbiosis Ensemble. He has also worked as a percussionist with Derby Concert Orchestra and the Birmingham Improvisers’ Orchestra.

Also performing at the event will be Stet Lab’s house band, The Real-Time Company (for the Ad-Hoc Association) Of…, consisting of Tony O’Connor (bass guitar) and Han-earl Park (guitar).

The event will begin at 9:00 pm (doors open at 8:45 pm) and entry is €10 (€5).

Continue reading ‘Stet Lab December 6th 2010 (update)’

Lab report October 11th and November 15th 2010: humming, buzzing

So my introduction to improvised music has now risen to two Stet Lab events. Finding it strange how, no matter what I think I’m gonna do, even in the few seconds before starting, what comes out is completely different. Pity that the pieces I played in on both nights failed to be recorded; just don’t really remember anything I did, it all fades away moments after playing. But maybe it’s for the best that the first attempts aren’t recorded for all eternity!

Really enjoyed my first night, October 11th. It’s a long time ago by now but can still clearly remember the highlight of the night; from 7 minutes and 50 seconds to end of ‘guviorum’ with Han-earl Park (guitar), Helena Reilly (voice) Claudia Schwab (violin) and Dan Walsh (drums). Excellent decision to continue Dan, and such a striking outro from Claudia. Other favourite moments from the night were Jeffrey Weeter on tom and splash, and getting to have a go myself (thanks Claudia!).

From November 15th, don’t remember so much even though it was only last week! Great sounds from Andrea Bonino’s electronics and guitar, particularly in the duet with Han…. that sound was full! Loved some of the extended techniques from Ian Smith. Can’t really remember much from the quartet I played in, just that there was a lot going on!

So in general, I’ve been enjoying it all so far. One thing I want to hear is someone just grooving on something limited or ‘standard’ for want of a better word. For all the different music being played at the lab, sometimes it just doesn’t sound that different to itself! But that’s just a niggley complaint; if I want to hear that, maybe I should just try it myself?!

See you all next month… really looking forward to hearing some of that tasty vibraphone!

Oh, Han…. definately get that fridge plugged out for the next night. That humming, buzzing piece of crap gets to perform in every piece!

Stet Lab December 6th 2010

Featuring the exciting, up-and-coming vibraphonist Corey Mwamba, the final Stet Lab of 2010 takes place on Monday, December 6, 2010, upstairs @ The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland. [Details…]

To be informed of future events, please join the Stet Lab – announce, or subscribe to the web feed (news only or all blog posts). [More info…]

Stet Lab November 15th 2010: audio recordings

Audio recordings of the third birthday edition Stet Lab are now online.

Kevin Terry, Ian Smith and Susan Geaney (photo by, and copyright, Julia Healy)

Kevin Terry, Ian Smith and Susan Geaney (photo: © 2010 Julia Healy)

Big thanks to Ian Smith for some of the most energetic and eclectic music. Thanks also to The Real-Time Company (for the Ad-Hoc Association) Of… Andrea Bonino, Helena Reilly and Athoulis ‘Athos’ Tsiopani for kick-starting the evening, and to everyone who played (Susan Geaney, Han-earl Park, Colm Pattwell, Veronica Tadman and Kevin Terry). Kudos to Kevin for refereeing on the night, Athos for MCing, and to photographer Julia Healy [see the photographs (new window)…].

And warmest thanks to the small but enthusiastic audience who came to support this event!

As with all the recordings since December 2008, this month’s recordings are covered under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. [More info…]

Stet Lab November 15th 2010 (reminder)

Tonight (Monday November 15, 2010), upstairs @ The Roundy: Get ready for an exciting evening of real-time mutations and hybrids as Stet Lab launches into its Year Four with very special guest, trumpeter Ian Smith! [Details…]

Ian will be joined by guitarist Han-earl Park, and the event will open with The Real-Time Company (for the Ad-Hoc Association) Of… Andrea Bonino (guitar and electronics), Helena Reilly (voice) and Athoulis Tsiopani (keyboard).

Thank all who participated (performers, audience and behind-the-scenes helpers) over the last three years. Hope to see you over the next coming months!

…But in the meantime, here’s a clip of Smith with Phil Minton, Charles Hayward and Dominic Lash:

Stet Lab November 15th 2010 (update)

Featuring Ian Smith, Stet Lab’s third birthday event takes place on Monday, November 15, 2010, upstairs @ The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland [map…]. Up-to-date details…
Ian Smith (photo copyright 2010 Seán Kelly)

Stet Lab celebrates its third birthday with trumpeter Ian Smith

Monday, 15 November 2010

9:00 pm (doors: 8:45 pm)

Upstairs @ The Roundy [map…]
Castle Street
Cork, Ireland

€10 (€5)

Stet Lab will be welcoming London-based, Irish virtuoso trumpeter Ian Smith in celebration of the third anniversary of Cork’s monthly improvised music club. The event takes place on Monday, 15 November 2010, upstairs at The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland, at 9:00 pm (doors open at 8:45 pm).

Mainstay of the London improvised music scene, Ian Smith is best known as cofounder of the London Improvisers’ Orchestra, and The Gathering. He has performed with improvisers such as Evan Parker, John Stevens, Maggie Nicols, Steve Beresford, Eddie Prévost, Reeves Gabrels and Harris Eisenstadt. His second CD as a leader, Daybreak, featured Derek Bailey, Veryan Weston, Gail Brand and Oren Marshall, and his most recent release is with the spontaneous mashup ensemble Mathilde 253 with Charles Hayward and Han-earl Park plus Lol Coxhill.

Smith’s playing has been described as a “revelation…. There is a clear jazz edge to his tone, which sounds almost radical these days when many trumpet players in the improv world seem inclined to turn their back on that vocabulary. But he can also dip down to breathy flutters and muted coloristic playing” (Michael Rosenstein, Signal to Noise). His style has been compared to Wadada Leo Smith and Joe McPhee: “gestures seem to derive from earlier forms of jazz, and there are moments of harmonic directness that you could put chord symbols under. But it has all been thoughtfully moulded into a highly convincing and distinctive language” (Philip Clark, JazzReview).

Joining Smith on stage for the Stet Lab event will be Cork-based guitarist, and fellow member of Mathilde 253, Han-earl Park.

Opening the event will be a trio of Stet Lab regulars, Andrea Bonino (guitar and electronics), Helena Reilly (voice) and Athoulis Tsiopani (keyboard).

For three years Stet Lab has both introduced new blood into Cork’s musical life as well as fostering local talent. Cork’s monthly improvised music event, Stet Lab is a space in which improvisers can meet, play and learn from one another. Since its launch in November 2007, it has successfully brought together improvising musicians with varied experiences and from far afield; hosted twenty-two events with twenty-seven guest artists, including eighteen international visitors.

The event will begin at 9:00 pm (doors open at 8:45 pm) and entry is €10 (€5).

Next month’s Stet Lab will take place on Monday, 6 December 2010, featuring the exciting Derby-based vibraphonist Corey Mwamba.

Continue reading ‘Stet Lab November 15th 2010 (update)’

Stet Lab November 15th 2010

The next Stet Lab takes place on Monday, November 15, 2010, upstairs @ The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland. [Details…]

Marking the Lab’s third birthday, and featuring the trumpeter, flugelhornist, and mainstay of the London improvised music scene, Ian Smith, the event promises to be exceptional!

To be informed of future events, please join the Stet Lab – announce, or subscribe to the web feed (news only or all blog posts). [More info…]

Stet Lab October 11th 2010: audio recordings

Audio recordings of the October 2010 Stet Lab are now online.

Claudia Schwab, Han-earl Park and Dan Walsh (photo by, and copyright, Julia Healy)

Claudia Schwab, Han-earl Park and Dan Walsh (photo: © 2010 Julia Healy)

Thanks to the programmed performers of the night (Kevin Terry, Marian Murray, Jeffrey Weeter, Han-earl Park, Claudia Schwab and Dan Walsh), and special thanks to those who plunged in the deep end during the proceedings (Colm Pattwell and Helena Reilly). Thanks also to Kevin for refereeing on the night, and to photographer Julia Healy [see the photographs (new window)…].

And, of course, special thanks to all who came to support this event!

As with all the recordings since December 2008, this month’s recordings are covered under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. [More info…]

Stet Lab October 11th 2010 (reminder)

Stet Lab returns this coming Monday (October 11, 2009), upstairs @ The Roundy. [Details…]

The event will feature Kevin Terry (guitar), Marian Murray (violin) and Jeffrey Weeter (drums), plus Han-earl Park (guitar), Claudia Schwab (violin) and Dan Walsh (drums).

Come along; should be a good one!

Stet Lab October 11th 2010 (update)

Stet Lab returns on Monday, October 11, 2010, upstairs @ The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland [map…]. Up-to-date details…

Stet Lab returns!

Monday, 11 October 2010

9:00 pm (doors: 8:45 pm)

Upstairs @ The Roundy [map…]
Castle Street
Cork, Ireland

€10 (€5)

Stet Lab, Cork’s monthly improvised music event, returns on Monday, 11 October 2010 with an event of sustained tones, transient noise and sharp attacks at The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, at 9:00 pm (doors open at 8:45 pm).

With performances by two contrasting violin-guitar-drums trios (Kevin Terry (guitar), Marian Murray (violin) and Jeffrey Weeter (drums), plus Han-earl Park (guitar), Claudia Schwab (violin) and Dan Walsh (drums)), the event features some up-and-coming young performers in the Cork improvised music scene in addition to a couple of veterans.

Cork’s monthly improvised music event, Stet Lab is a space in which improvisers (novice, veteran; student, teacher; part- or full-time; amateur, professional; local or visitor) can meet, play and learn from one another. Stet Lab has successfully brought together improvising musicians with varied experiences and from far afield. Since its launch in November 2007, it has hosted twenty-one events with twenty-seven guest artists, including eighteen international visitors.

The event will begin at 9:00 pm (doors open at 8:45 pm) and entry is €10 (€5).

Next month’s Stet Lab will take place on Monday, 15 November 2010, featuring the London-based trumpeter and cofounder of the London Improvisers’ Orchestra, Ian Smith.

Continue reading ‘Stet Lab October 11th 2010 (update)’