For those that don’t know, I founded Stet Lab, a space for improvised music based in Cork. I curated the Lab between 2007 and 2011, and during that time, also wrangled its online presence. In August, I will be removing some of the audio recordings of Stet Lab’s first year (prior to the November 2008 event) from its website. Read more to find out how to save your favorite recordings. [More…]
video recordings: Brooklyn and New York, April 2013
A audiovisual review of some of the performances in April. Including two contrasting duets with double bassists (Tom Blancarte and Dominic Lash), and a trio with Catherine Sikora (saxophones) and Eric Lyon.
The Sound Projector: Numbers: Richard Barrett + Han-earl Park
“Amplified Derek Bailey meets Thomas Lehn”? “A lively and sizzling session of fierce interplay… between… two boxing kangaroos”? Ed Pinsent of The Sound Projector reviews Richard Barrett and Han-earl Park’s ‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd):
[Han-earl] Park is one of those scary polymath guys who seems to have a tremendous facility for music, both improvising and composing it, and he has played in many groups and at many festivals, appearing around the globe in seemingly ubiquitous fashion. Scariest of all is his intense and speedy guitar technique, which on parts of this album presents a rush of tangled information that would require a bank of dedicated computers to solve it…. Never too “glib” in his phrasing and throws in multiple fishhooks and other barbs to snag our ears, otherwise we might be tempted to switch off in the face of his effortless glides and spiky dense riffs. It’s also good to find him in this duo set-up where the detail of his playing can be more clearly heard than in Mathilde 253. The Englishman Barrett is also a composer, like Park sometimes situated in an academic and teaching context, and is no stranger to using electronics in the live situation having formed the FURT duo with Paul Obermayer as long ago as 1986…. Regardless of whatever intricate and dazzling shapes are thrown at him like crystal spears by his sparring partner, he responds in kind with impossibly twisted gurgles, shrieks and salivated electronic utterances. Throughout album, a lively and sizzling session of fierce interplay is staged between these two boxing kangaroos, with sqwawks and yelps a-plenty as another blow is landed on the respective muzzle or snout. The striking thing is that neither player appears to be breaking into a sweat at any time, and I have the abiding mental image of two unfazed chess players sitting in a deep-freeze unit, weaving complex theorems while remaining almost immobile in large leather armchairs. The music has that degree of rigid control, of brittle precision, even when the structure appears at its maddest and the musical data is flying wildly beyond the point of interpretation. The value of this music as a form of invented language is emphasised by the odd titles, ‘tolur’, ‘tricav’, ‘ankpla’, ‘uettet’… as if counting upwards in Venusian. [Read the rest…]
‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) is available from Creative Sources Recordings. [More info…] [All reviews…] [Get the CD…]
Dalston Sound: Numbers: Richard Barrett + Han-earl Park
In a review that spans Richard Barrett’s Dark Matter and Han-earl Park’s io 0.0.1 beta++, Tim Owen (Dalston Sound) praises Barrett and Park’s ‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) for its “multifarious attractions” found in a “wealth of microscopically teeming detail”:
Numbers is a complex melange of retro/futurist synth sounds, glitch electronica, guitar-sourced whammy-bar pitch-bending and hard-scrabble picking over bridge and pickups: a volatile stream of fractal note-data and complex electro-acoustics, all slippery switchbacks and other such abrupt transitions.
This makes for kaleidoscopic music, a rubato flux of superimposed noises in which lightning-fast progression from one galvanising sound event (noise thru silence) to another, and the musicians’ constant attention to overall form, carry far more weight than developmental foresightedness or melodic thrust: it’s music of the moment, a process of constantly tweaked evolutionary recombination.
The duo are tenacious in their work of sonic abiogenesis, and the six Numbers pieces are all longish…. The sound events comprised by tracks like “Ankpla” and “Uettet” are as disjointed as they are contiguous, but the overriding sense impression is that each whole flows nicely, and the album as a whole rewardingly absorbs attention. [Read the rest…]
‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) is available from Creative Sources Recordings. [More info…] [All reviews…] [Get the CD…]
‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) [details…] [all reviews…]
Performers: Richard Barrett (electronics) and Han-earl Park (guitar). [About this duo…]
© + ℗ 2012 Creative Sources Recordings.
io 0.0.1 beta++ (SLAMCD 531) [details…] [all reviews…]
Performers: io 0.0.1 beta++ (itself), Han-earl Park (guitar), Bruce Coates (alto and sopranino saxophones) and Franziska Schroeder (soprano saxophone). [About this project…]
© 2011 Han-earl Park.
℗ 2011 SLAM Productions.
The construction of io 0.0.1 beta++ has been made possible by the generous support of the Arts Council of Ireland.
recording: Eris 136199, New York
Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky: guitar; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Catherine Sikora: saxophones) are recording this evening at NYU. Expect special things from this special ensemble.
Depending on how things go with the recording session (and depending on the traffic in New York), Catherine and I may be at Gowanus Company later tonight at Douglass Street Music Collective. Regardless of our presence, the evening, with performers including Kyoko Kitamura, Dominic Lash, Ingrid Laubrock, Dan Peck, Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen, Patrick Breiner, Tom Blancarte, Sara Schoenbeck, Will McEvoy, Josh Sinton and Aryeh Kobrinsky, promises to be a fun one. Maybe see you there. [DSMC page…]
New York City Jazz Record: Han-earl Park with Paul Dunmall and Mark Sanders, with Marian Murray, and with Gargantius Effect
In the April issue of The New York City Jazz Record, Marc Medwin reviews Han-earl Park’s three most recent download releases featuring Paul Dunmall and Mark Sanders; Murray Campbell, Randy McKean, Gino Robair and Scott R. Looney; and Marian Murray.
Recommended price: $5+
In the piece, Medwin describes the recording with Marian Murray as the “best way into Park’s protean guitar syntax”:
Park slams through blocks of sound and these deteriorate into shreds and scraps, punctuated with what can only be described as ululations, which become more prominent as things proceed. Park’s often-distorted fingerwork, much of it conjuring shades of the human voice, also references Derek Bailey’s rapid-fire volume shifts and Joe Morris’ fleet runs while sounding like neither. [Read the rest…]
Recommended price: $8+
Gargantius Effect +1 +2 +3 (Nor Cal, 08–2011) with Murray Campbell, Randy McKean, Gino Robair and Scott R. Looney is “something approaching Webern-ian counterpoint” with “always edge-of-seat energetic” improvisations. Gargantius Effect explores:
…The outer limits of timbre, especially on the epic “Old Robots Never Rust”. Campbell’s violin slides are an excellent foil to the more vocal qualities in Park’s improvising, not to mention similar devices used by multi-reedist Randy McKean as the trio converge and diverge in pitch space. [Read the rest…]
Recommended price: $8+
And finally, “closest to free jazz, though not always that close,” is the download album by Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders:
…Eschewing conventional groove but adhering to solos and telepathic communications, conjuring the jazz trio hierarchy as imagined by Albert Ayler. Dunmall even channels some Ayler, his tenor growling and moaning through key moments as Park handles guitar and bass duty simultaneously. Only Sanders’ occasional chiming percussion bespeaks a more contemporary vibe. As always, Park fills out the texture as much or more than do most keyboard instruments, but his playing is never overwhelming and always tasteful. [Read the rest…]
All recordings released under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported Licenses. Please attribute the recordings to the respective performers. All recordings available as ‘name your price’ albums. Although you can download the recording for free (name $0 as your price) with certain restrictions, please consider paying at least the recommended price. Your generosity will help support the performers and their work.
Also available for download [more…]
Jin-Park-Weeter (Cork, 01-24-11) [details…]
Performers: Jin Sangtae (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Jeffrey Weeter (drums and electronics).
(cc) 2012 Jin Sangtae/Han-earl Park/Jeffrey Weeter.
Park-Schroeder (Cork, 03-26-09) [details…]
Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophone).
(cc) 2012 Han-earl Park/Franziska Schroeder.
Sikora-Smith-Park (Cork, 04-04-11) [details…]
Performers: Catherine Sikora (saxophone), Ian Smith (trumpet) and Han-earl Park (guitar).
(cc) 2012 Catherine Sikora/Ian Smith/Han-earl Park.
thanks: Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton at On The Way Out, Brooklyn
Thanks for all involved in the performance on March 26. Thanks to Michael Evans and Anders Nilsson of On The Way Out, and to Freddy’s Bar, for hosting the event; to Michael Lytle’s ensemble (with Mari Kimura, Nick Didkovsky and Andrew Drury) for sharing the bill, and for the imaginary slow-burn cartoon Kafka nightmare music as might be edited by Tex Avery and orchestrated by Carl Stalling; to Don Mount for yet again documenting music in motion (above videography by Don Mount); and to all who came to listen.
And of course a very special thanks to Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton for their imaginative leaps, surprises, left-field interventions, and for keeping me on my toes. I appreciate your impeccable choices, and the time and effort you’ve put into making music out of the broad tactical sketches that I brought to the rehearsals. Thanks for finding a play-space, and forging a living game.
Some exciting performances coming up in April with Catherine Sikora, Eric Lyon, Piotr Michalowski, Lominic Dash Dominic Lash, Joe Moffett, Andrew Drury, Ed Rosenberg, Owen Stewart-Robertson, Kate Pittman and others. See the performance diary for up-to-date info.
Free Form, Free Jazz: Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders (Birmingham, 02–15–11)
Great intensity? Baileyanos? How’s your Portuguese? Fabricio Vieira of Free Form, Free Jazz reviews the download album by Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders:
Sax, guitarra e bateria em uma sessão ao vivo de improvisação livre, com muita intensidade conduzida pelos britânicos Paul Dunmal [sic] e Mark Sanders. A eles se juntou o guitarrista Han-earl Park, com seu toque que, em muitos momentos, denuncia ecos de baileyanos. A gig foi registrada em Birmingham, dois anos atrás, e é um exemplar bem vivo e intenso da cena free impro europeia atual. [Read the rest…]
— Fabricio Vieira (Free Form, Free Jazz)
[More about this recording…] [All reviews…]
Also available for download…
Gargantius Effect +1 +2 +3 (Nor Cal, 08-2011) [details…]
Performers: Murray Campbell (violins, oboe and cor anglais), Randy McKean (saxophone, clarinets and flutes) with Han-earl Park (guitar), plus Gino Robair (energized surfaces, voltage made audible) and Scott R. Looney (hyperpiano).
(cc) 2012 Murray Campbell/Randy McKean/Han-earl Park/Gino Robair/Scott R. Looney.
Park+Murray (Cork, 07-29-10) [details…]
Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar) plus Marian Murray (violin).
(cc) 2012 Han-earl Park/Marian Murray.
Jin-Park-Weeter (Cork, 01-24-11) [details…]
Performers: Jin Sangtae (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Jeffrey Weeter (drums and electronics).
(cc) 2012 Jin Sangtae/Han-earl Park/Jeffrey Weeter.
Park-Schroeder (Cork, 03-26-09) [details…]
Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophone).
(cc) 2012 Han-earl Park/Franziska Schroeder.
Sikora-Smith-Park (Cork, 04-04-11) [details…]
Performers: Catherine Sikora (saxophone), Ian Smith (trumpet) and Han-earl Park (guitar).
(cc) 2012 Catherine Sikora/Ian Smith/Han-earl Park.
an intricate web (audio clip: Numbers: Richard Barrett + Han-earl Park)
By means of an intricate web of sonic hiccups, scrapes, scouring, gluts, gargles and cuts, they build an acoustic lucid computational delirium, whose trajectory is impossible to outguess. [More…]
— Vito Camarretta (Chain D.L.K.)
Second audio except from Richard Barrett and Han-earl Park’s CD, ‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) released by Creative Sources Recordings. This clip, with “hiccups, scrapes, scouring, gluts, gargles and cuts,” is taken from the closing track of the album, ‘ll……’. [About the recording…] [About this duo…]
Audio clip courtesy of Creative Sources Recordings.
Music by Richard Barrett and Han-earl Park.
Audio ℗ 2012 Creative Sources Recordings. Please do not distribute audio file, but instead share the link to this page.
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Previous audio excerpts:
frantically jagged (audio clip: Numbers: Richard Barrett + Han-earl Park)
‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) [details…]
Performers: Richard Barrett (electronics) and Han-earl Park (guitar). [About this duo…]
© + ℗ 2012 Creative Sources Recordings.
performance: Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton at On The Way Out, Brooklyn
Tuesday, March 26, 2013, at 8:30pm (our set: 10:00pm): a performance of Metis 9 by Han-earl Park (guitar), Catherine Sikora (saxophones) and Josh Sinton (saxophone and clarinet) presented by On The Way Out takes place at The Backroom @ Freddy’s Bar (627 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215) [map/directions…]. Also performing: at 8:30pm, Mari Kimura (violin), Nick Didkovsky (guitar), Andrew Drury (drums and percussion) and Michael Lytle (clarinet and analog electronics). $10 suggested donation.
See the performance diary for up-to-date info. [Freddy’s page…]
details
An orchestrated, real-time, interactive collision between the cyborgism of guitarist Han-earl Park, and the incomparably original melodic and timbral sensibilities of saxophonist Catherine Sikora and saxophonist-clarinetist Josh Sinton. The trio will render into music, Metis 9, a collection of improvisative tactics, and higher-level interactive macros for group improvisation designed, designated and specified by Han-earl Park.
Metis 9 has ‘glorious noise’ or ‘frenzy’ at its root, yet it is not so much structuring the noise as it is a meta-layer of complexity that performers can introduce at will. Metis 9 does not tell the performer what to play, or provide all the details of how to interact, but it is an additional network protocol for interactive possibilities. Group improvisation is always the primary protocol; Metis 9 provides secondary or tertiary tactics that create an additional focused complexity. The decision for each bloop and bleep is still retained by the ensemble. These macros enable specific interactionist schemes to be expressed in an open improvisative context; it is improvisative play channeled by group consent.
Free Jazz: Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders (Birmingham, 02–15–11)
At Free Jazz Blog, as part of his review of the state of the guitar in the outer realms of improvised music, Paul Acquaro describes Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders’ download album as an “expert lesson on group interplay and spontaneous compositions”.
…[Han-earl] Park’s guitar is sliding and sputtering, delivering accents and tonal clusters neatly between Mark Sanders pulsating percussion and Paul Dunmall’s intense and melodic saxophone work. The three musicians are nicely balanced, each instrument an integral voice in the improvisation. Dunmall is the main voice as the first track picks up, and when Park’s guitar emerges as the driving force, he relies on creating biting textures and rhythmic figures intersecting with percussion.
Sanders and Dunmall are veterans of free jazz and have worked together many times in the past. Here, as usual, Sander’s percussion work is invigorating, pushing the musicians and directing the energy. There are moments where he drops out, or holds back, that reveal how powerful of a presence he is. Dunmall seems to always have the most appropriately unexpected lines, whether the solo voice or providing comping. Park is a newer voice, and he holds his own with this virtuosic crowd. His approach on the electric guitar veers between clean and slightly overdriven tones, and has unique melodic approach, favoring fragments and tonal clusters, often filling in the spaces and painting with contrasting colors. [Read the rest…]
[More about this recording…] [All reviews…]
Also available for download…
Gargantius Effect +1 +2 +3 (Nor Cal, 08-2011) [details…]
Performers: Murray Campbell (violins, oboe and cor anglais), Randy McKean (saxophone, clarinets and flutes) with Han-earl Park (guitar), plus Gino Robair (energized surfaces, voltage made audible) and Scott R. Looney (hyperpiano).
(cc) 2012 Murray Campbell/Randy McKean/Han-earl Park/Gino Robair/Scott R. Looney.
Park+Murray (Cork, 07-29-10) [details…]
Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar) plus Marian Murray (violin).
(cc) 2012 Han-earl Park/Marian Murray.
Jin-Park-Weeter (Cork, 01-24-11) [details…]
Performers: Jin Sangtae (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Jeffrey Weeter (drums and electronics).
(cc) 2012 Jin Sangtae/Han-earl Park/Jeffrey Weeter.
Park-Schroeder (Cork, 03-26-09) [details…]
Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophone).
(cc) 2012 Han-earl Park/Franziska Schroeder.
Sikora-Smith-Park (Cork, 04-04-11) [details…]
Performers: Catherine Sikora (saxophone), Ian Smith (trumpet) and Han-earl Park (guitar).
(cc) 2012 Catherine Sikora/Ian Smith/Han-earl Park.
frantically jagged (audio clip: Numbers: Richard Barrett + Han-earl Park)
Bazillions of events… for the joy of individuals who take pleasure in getting their brain zapped and scrambled by the rivalry between transonic beauty and extreme structural atomization. This is in fact a full hour of frantically jagged live improvisation…. [More…]
— Massimo Ricci (Touching Extremes)
I’m enormously proud of ‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd), the duo CD with Richard Barrett released by Creative Sources Recordings, which I feel has some of my best playing on record. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be posting up audio excerpts from the album. The first clip is from the track ‘creens.’ May your brain be “zapped and scrambled” in the best possible way. [About the recording…] [About this duo…]
Audio clip courtesy of Creative Sources Recordings.
Music by Richard Barrett and Han-earl Park.
Audio ℗ 2012 Creative Sources Recordings. Please do not distribute audio file, but instead share the link to this page.
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‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) [details…]
Performers: Richard Barrett (electronics) and Han-earl Park (guitar). [About this duo…]
© + ℗ 2012 Creative Sources Recordings.