Author: Han-earl Park

Shifting and switching from No Wave skronk to interstellar guitarist-as-drummer virtuosity, from stampedes of miniature Pomeranian Buffalos to All-You-Zombies heterophonies, Han-earl Park (박한얼) has been performing beautifully messy, joyously difficult, ambiguous and discordant improvised musics for over twenty years. Park is the mastermind behind ensembles including Eris 136199 with Catherine Sikora and Nick Didkovsky; Juno 3 with Lara Jones and Pat Thomas; and Gonggong 225088 with Yorgos Dimitriadis and Camila Nebbia; and performs as part of a duo with Richard Barrett. [More…]
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Out now! Gonggong 225088 (wa008)

Gonggong 225088 cover art (copyright 2024 Han-earl Park)
Gonggong 225088 (wa008) © 2024 Han-earl Park

May 23, 2024: Gonggong 225088 (wa008), the eponymous debut album from the trio of Han-earl Park (guitar), Yorgos Dimitriadis (percussion and electronics) and Camila Nebbia (saxophone) is out now on Waveform Alphabet! As I wrote:

I love what’s recorded (and sculpted) here as sound. There are behind-the-scenes stories about an impossible group emerging from the debris of lockdown and the tangles of inter-border bureaucracy (stories for another time). But also, to my ears as a listener, there’s something tricky and oblique about our music—an origami of fire music and improvisative mischief—knotted, folded-on-itself, and, at time, joyously vexed.

Yet, the feeling on-stage, it’s all near effortless ‘and then’s and ‘therefore’s; of effects and reactions, but also reframings and reflections and retroactions. We went, I think, to a lot of unexpected places in that one session.

So sit-back in your favorite sofa or beanbag, or, headphones ready, go for a wander and a walk, or maybe sit at the table with a good book, and enjoy the journey. [Read the rest…]

I’m very, very happy with the music on this album, and feel very privileged to have shared this journey with the creative people on-stage, and behind-the-scenes. Please enjoy the noise!

[About this album…] [Get the CD/download from Waveform Alphabet (Bandcamp)…]

CD: $15 plus shipping. Download: $10.

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Gonggong 225088: ‘Autopoiesis VI’

Catch a track (‘Autopoiesis VI’) from Gonggong 225088! The extended preview will premiere at 5pm CEST* on Thursday, May 23, 2024! [Click ‘notify me’…]

By turns light-as-a-feather, and heavy and prickly as a bucket of rusty nails, the music is of contradiction and ambiguity. Leaps into ’90s HatHut pastiche are followed by truckers-in-space-engine-rumbles; slow-crawls-from-the-swap of irony-free ‘bells’n’smells’ sound art followed by turns-turns-turns-on-a-dime mutant Free Funk. [More…]

Click ‘notify me’, and be ready with your headphones (and popcorn), and join me on Thursday for some origami fire music!

* 17:00 CEST, 15:00 UTC, 11:00 EST, and 8:00 PST. (Or: 12am in Seoul, 6pm in Athens, 12pm in Buenos Aires, and 5pm in Berlin.).

Coming soon from Waveform Alphabet

Gonggong 225088 cover art (copyright 2024 Han-earl Park)

Gonggong 225088 (wa008) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar), Yorgos Dimitriadis (percussion and electronics) and Camila Nebbia (saxophone).

Track listing: Autopoiesis I (≥ 10:14), Autopoiesis II (≥ 4:29), Niche Shift I (16:09), Niche Shift II (≥ 4:45), Niche Shift III (4:35), Niche Shift IV (≥ 12:52), Autopoiesis III (3:26), Autopoiesis IV (≥ 5:03), Autopoiesis V (≥ 3:17), Autopoiesis VI (3:37). Total duration ≥ 70:14.

© 2024 Han-earl Park. ℗ 2024 Waveform Alphabet.

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Han-earl Park at Bruitkasten, Köln

Tomorrow! (Wednesday, May 15, 2024) at 8:00pm: Han-earl Park (guitar) performs as part of Bruitkasten at Gemeinde Köln (Ebertplatzpassage, Laden 7, 50668 Köln). Also performing are Emily Wittbrodt (’cello) and Simon Camatta (drums), and Melchior Mahnig (gravoblitz), Balthasar Belm (hologlotar) and Kasimir Kengel (semi-ionic trafoplex).

See the performance diary for up-to-date info. [Impakt page…]

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

cover art (copyright 2021 NEWJAiM)

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

© 2021 NEWJAiM Recordings.
℗ 2021 Han-earl Park.

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Han-earl Park at DISSIDENTS LIX, Berlin

Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 8:00pm: Han-earl Park (guitar) performs as part of DISSIDENTS LIX at PAS (Kaiserin Augusta Allee 101, 10553 Berlin). Also performing are Luís (piano) and Lorena Izquierdo (voice action), and VÍZ (voice and electronics).

See the performance diary for up-to-date info. [PAS page…] [Facebook event…]

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

cover art (copyright 2021 NEWJAiM)

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

© 2021 NEWJAiM Recordings.
℗ 2021 Han-earl Park.

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‘Delaying Tactics’ (#onetakestudy Nº 10)

‘Delaying Tactics’ a.k.a. ‘Dither’ a.k.a. ‘A Brief But Needed Break From Writing Another D*mn Proposal.’

Now back to work!

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

cover art (copyright 2021 NEWJAiM)

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

© 2021 NEWJAiM Recordings.
℗ 2021 Han-earl Park.

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Performance diary (Berlin, Köln, München and Schorndorf) 050124

upcoming performances
date venue time details
May 9, 2024 PAS
Kaiserin Augusta Allee 101
10553 Berlin
Germany		 8:30pm (doors: 8pm) Han-earl Park (guitar) Yorgos Dimitriadis (percussion and electronics) and Camila Nebbia (saxophone) performs as part of DISSIDENTS LIX. Also performing: Luís (piano) and Lorena Izquierdo (voice action), and VÍZ (voice and electronics). [Details…]
[PAS page…] [Facebook event…]
May 15, 2024 Gemeinde Köln
Ebertplatzpassage, Laden 7
50668 Köln
Germany		 8:00pm Han-earl Park (guitar) as part of Bruitkasten. Also performing: Emily Wittbrodt (’cello) and Simon Camatta (drums), and Melchior Mahnig (gravoblitz), Balthasar Belm (hologlotar) and Kasimir Kengel (semi-ionic trafoplex).
[Details…]
[Impakt page…]
May 31, 2024 Club Manufaktur
Hammerschlag 8
73614 Schorndorf
Germany		 8:30pm Han-earl Park (guitar), Yorgos Dimitriadis (percussion and electronics) and Camila Nebbia (saxophone).
€26/22/16.
[Details…]
[Manufaktur page (get tickets)…] [Facebook event…]
October 18, 2024 Schwere Reiter
Dachauer Straße 114a
80636 München (Kreativquartier)
Germany		 TBA Han-earl Park (guitar), Yorgos Dimitriadis (percussion and electronics) and Camila Nebbia (saxophone) perform as part of Parallel Universe presented by Offene Ohren.
Details to follow…

Continue reading “Performance diary (Berlin, Köln, München and Schorndorf) 050124”

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‘The Zen of, fwiw, Frustration’ (#onetakestudy Nº 9)

The Zen of Frustration, or: ever had one of those days (or weeks)? This is probably as spontaneous as it gets. I felt better* by the end, but, I don’t know, as a listener, does this bring you frustration or relief?

* Autocorrect suggested ‘battered.’ Nice try, but no cigar.

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

cover art (copyright 2021 NEWJAiM)

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

© 2021 NEWJAiM Recordings.
℗ 2021 Han-earl Park.

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Kaffe Matthews and Han-earl Park at REH, Berlin

Erweitert in der REH (23 April 2024): Sascha Banck/Daniel Erdmann/Isabel Rößler; BasTa! duo (Caroline Cecilia Tallone/Alexis Baskind); and Kaffe Matthews/Han-earl Park. Design and artwork by Sanja Star. Copyright 2024 Erweitert in der REH.
Design and artwork by Sanja Star. © 2024 Erweitert in der REH

Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 8:00pm (doors: 7:30pm): Kaffe Matthews (electronics) and Han-earl Park (guitar) perform as part of Erweitert in der REH at REH (Kopenhagener Straße 17, 10437 Berlin). Also performing are BasTa! duo (Caroline Cecilia Tallone and Alexis Baskind); and Sascha Banck, Daniel Erdmann and Isabel Rößler.

Kaffe and I have been playing since December, and it’s been an evolving, rewarding creative process. This performance will be the first time we get to present our music in public (a big, big thanks to Ligia Liberatori and Isabel Rößler for hosting us), and I’m very excited to finally share our noise!

See the performance diary for up-to-date info. [Facebook event…]

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‘Contiguity’ (#onetakestudy Nº 8)

My latest study in the #onetakestudy series is a super simple, quick little improvisation. This one is partly a response to some of the issues I had with study Nº 6. This study does, I think, what it needs to do, and no more. Enjoy.

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

cover art (copyright 2021 NEWJAiM)

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

© 2021 NEWJAiM Recordings.
℗ 2021 Han-earl Park.

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Photomusix: Han-earl Park, Yorgos Dimitriadis and Camila Nebbia at Neue Zukunft, Berlin

Han-earl Park, Camila Nebbia and Yorgos Dimitriadis, March 27, 2024 at Neue Zukunft, Berlin. Photo copyright 2024 Cristina Marx/Photomusix.
Photo © 2024 Cristina Marx/Photomusix.

The band continued to play,
As the bunker sank,
Slowly. Swallowed by the moss and earth.

Cristina Marx/Photomusix has posted photographs of the March 27, 2024 performance by Han-earl Park, Yorgos Dimitriadis and Camila Nebbia at Neue Zukunft, Berlin. Thanks so, so much, Cristina! [Facebook photo album…]

Coming soon from Waveform Alphabet

Gonggong 225088 cover art (copyright 2024 Han-earl Park)

Gonggong 225088 (wa008) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar), Yorgos Dimitriadis (percussion and electronics) and Camila Nebbia (saxophone).

Track listing: Autopoiesis I (≥ 10:14), Autopoiesis II (≥ 4:29), Niche Shift I (16:09), Niche Shift II (≥ 4:45), Niche Shift III (4:35), Niche Shift IV (≥ 12:52), Autopoiesis III (3:26), Autopoiesis IV (≥ 5:03), Autopoiesis V (≥ 3:17), Autopoiesis VI (3:37). Total duration ≥ 70:14.

© 2024 Han-earl Park. ℗ 2024 Waveform Alphabet.

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‘Don’t Overthink It’ (#onetakestudy Nº 7)

I came away from a session with Kaffe Matthews with some fragments of ideas—not themes, barely motives—let’s call them random arrangement of atoms. This study is an unprepared (without even a warm-up) first-run of some of these. Think of it as a soup made from whatever’s at hand.

I’ve taken the title for this latest study (‘Don’t Overthink It’) from an album by Corey Mwamba. (I hope you don’t mind, Corey.)

Kaffe and I are performing on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at REH (Kopenhagener Straße 17, 10437 Berlin).

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

cover art (copyright 2021 NEWJAiM)

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

© 2021 NEWJAiM Recordings.
℗ 2021 Han-earl Park.

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‘Bees on a Summer Day’ (#onetakestudy Nº 6)

Latest in my series of single-take improvisations, the title for this one is taken from Laurie Anderson’s United States (I hope she won’t mind). And lighting design again courtesy of the Berlin sky.

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

cover art (copyright 2021 NEWJAiM)

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

© 2021 NEWJAiM Recordings.
℗ 2021 Han-earl Park.