performance: Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky, Han-earl Park and Catherine Sikora) at Downtown Music Gallery, New York

Sunday, October 27, 2013, at 6:00pm: expect noise, melody, space and density in unexpected proportions and combinations as Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky: guitar; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Catherine Sikora: saxophones) performs for the (last?) time. The event, also featuring a set by Samm Bennett, takes place at Downtown Music Gallery (13 Monroe Street, New York, NY 10002-7351) [map…]. Free admission.

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

about Eris 136199

Eris 136199 plays on the crossroads of noise, melody, rhythm, space, density, contrast, synchronicity, asymmetry, serendipity and contradiction. Eris 136199 is the noisy, unruly complexity of composer, computer artist and guitarist Nick Didkovsky, the corporeal, cyborg virtuosity of constructor and guitarist Han-earl Park, and the no-nonsense melodic logic of composer and saxophonist Catherine Sikora.

A composer who enjoys blurry boundaries, Nick Didkovsky founded the avant-rock big band Doctor Nerve, and is a member of Swim This with Gerry Hemingway and Michael Lytle. He is a pioneer of small-systems computer music, and has composed music for ensemble including Bang On A Can All-Stars and the California EAR Unit.

Described by Brian Morton as “a musical philosopher… a delightful shape-shifter”, Han-earl Park is drawn to real-time cyborg configurations in which artifacts and bodies collide. He has performed with some of the finest practitioners of improvised music, is part of Mathilde 253 with Charles Hayward and Ian Smith, and Numbers with Richard Barrett.

Catherine Sikora is “a free-blowing player’s player with a spectacular harmonic imagination and an evolved understanding of the tonal palette of the saxophone” (Chris Elliot, Seacoast Online). She has a long-standing duo project with Eric Mingus, and performs as part of ensembles led by Elliott Sharp, François Grillot and Matt Lavelle.

Together, Didkovsky, Park and Sikora forges an improvisative space where melody can be melody, noise can be noise, meter can be meter, metal becomes metal, bluegrass turns to bluegrass, jazz transforms into jazz, all there, all necessary without imploding under idiomatic pressures.

final (?) performances: Eris 136199 and Metis 9, NYC

Eris 136199 and Metis 9 (NYC, October 2013)
Last chance to see? Coming up in October: what may be the final performances (for the foreseeable future) of two of my New York projects, Eris 136199 with Nick Didkovsky and Catherine Sikora, and Metis 9 with Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton (see the performance diary for up-to-date info).

If you’ve never caught these project… now’s the time!

thanks: Parker-Park (The Stone, NYC), Park-Sikora-Sinton (DSMC, Brooklyn) and Park-Parkins (The Living Gallery, Brooklyn)

Three gigs; and I couldn’t ask for a more varied and musically valuable seven days.

I learned a heck of a lot (about my capabilities as an improviser, and about the social dynamics of interactive play) performing with Evan Parker. Still reeling from the experience, I’m grateful for the opportunity to play with Mr Parker again, and to have sat in with the Bleeding Edge Trio.

The performance with Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton was the most craftily accomplished. We’ve been engineering, navigating and negotiating these improvisative, tactical considerations since February, and it’s been a pleasure and a privilege to be working with two imaginative and gutsy performers. I expect our performance at Harvestworks in October will be something else. (Plus thanks to Josh for the post-gig reflections.)

If I had to choose just one of these gigs as a stand-out though, it might have to be the duo with the stupendously creative Andrea Parkins. Insanely fun! Despite (or perhaps becuase of) severe technical limitations, I found myself in some very odd places. (Andrea was one of the first NYC people I contacted before moving here, so this performance was looong overdue.) Let’s play again. I had a blast.

Big thanks to coconspirators Michael Foster and Lisa Mezzacappa, to Mike Pride for the funniest post-gig story telling, and to the documetarists Don Mount and Jeremiah Cymerman. Finally, special thanks to Louise and Tom for bringing their new family to The Stone.

Next up: performances coming up in October as part of Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky, Han-earl Park and Catherine Sikora), and with Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton for another round with Metis 9. See the performance diary for up-to-date info.

performance diary 09-27-13 (Brooklyn, New York, Pittsburgh)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
October 27, 2013 Downtown Music Gallery
13 Monroe Street
New York, NY 10002
6:00pm Performance by Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky: guitar; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Catherine Sikora: saxophones). Also performing: Samm Bennett. Free admission.
[Details…] [DMG page…]
October 29, 2013 Harvestworks
596 Broadway #602
New York, NY 10012
7:00pm Performance of Metis 9 by Han-earl Park (guitar), Catherine Sikora (saxophones) and Josh Sinton (saxophone and clarinet).
Free admission.
[Details…] [Harvestworks page…]
November 7, 2013 ModernFormations
4919 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
8:00pm (doors: 7:30pm) Performance by Han-earl Park (guitar) and other as part of Crucible Sound. Details to follow…
Suggested donation: $7.
November 17, 2013 Downtown Music Gallery
13 Monroe Street
New York, NY 10002
6:00pm Performance by Viv Corringham (voice and electronics) and Han-earl Park (guitar). Details to follow…
Free admission.
November 21, 2013 Andrew Drury’s home
[Contact for location…]
Lefferts Gardens
Brooklyn, NY
7:00pm Soup and Sound House Concert with Jack Wright (saxophones) and Ben Wright (double bass) with Andrew Drury (percussion), Joe Moffett (trumpet), Dan Peck (tuba), Han-earl Park (guitar), Michael Evans (percussion) and others. Details to follow…
Recommended donation: $10.
2014– Europe I will be moving back to Europe at the start of 2014, and I am seeking performance opportunities for, in particular, my Europe-based projects including Numbers (with Richard Barrett), Mathilde 253 (with Charles Hayward and Ian Smith), and io 0.0.1 beta++ (with Bruce Coates and Franziska Schroeder). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!

Continue reading “performance diary 09-27-13 (Brooklyn, New York, Pittsburgh)”

reminder: Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton at Douglass Street Music Collective, Brooklyn

This Sunday (September 22, 2013), at 8:00pm: a real-time rendering of Metis 9 by Han-earl Park (guitar), Catherine Sikora (saxophones) and Josh Sinton (saxophone and clarinet), plus a performance by the Lisa Mezzacappa Trio (Chris Welcome: guitar and voice; Lisa Mezzacappa: double bass; and Mike Pride: drums), Douglass Street Music Collective (295 Douglass Street, Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY 11217) [map and directions…]. $10 suggested donation.

video recordings: YouTube playlist… redux

Thanks to the efforts of the Downtown documentarists—Don Mount, Kevin Reilly and Scott Friedlander—there’s been a lot of changes to my YouTube channel and playlists since my last announcement almost a year ago. In terms of project specific playlists, I’ve updated the Eris 136199 playlist [watch…], and created one for Metis 9 [watch…]

download release: Catherine Sikora, Han-earl Park and François Grillot, ‘Tracks in the dirt’

Catherine Sikora, Han-earl Park and François Grillot, ‘Tracks in the dirt’ (copyright 2013, Clockwork Mercury Press)
Design and artwork by Eric Mingus (© 2013 Clockwork Mercury Press)

Clockwork Mercury Press releases Catherine Sikora, Han-earl Park and François Grillot’s Tracks in the dirt (Clockwork Mercury Press 003). [Bandcamp page…]

personnel

Catherine Sikora (soprano saxophone), Han-earl Park (guitar) and François Grillot (bass).

track listing

Helix of the Endless (10:34), The Chopping Block (11:39), Driftwood (13:43), Afternoon Song (15:53). Total duration: 51:49.

recording details

All compositions by Catherine Sikora, Han-earl Park and François Grillot.

Recorded September 26, 2012 at 56 Kitchen, New York.
Recorded by François Grillot.
Artwork and design by Eric Mingus.

© + ℗ 2013 Clockwork Mercury Press.

Also available for download [more…]

Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders: Dunmall-Park-Sanders (Birmingham, 02-15-11)

Dunmall-Park-Sanders (Birmingham, 02-15-11) [details…]

Performers: Paul Dunmall (saxophones and bagpipes), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Mark Sanders (drums).

(cc) 2013 Paul Dunmall/Han-earl Park/Mark Sanders.

Murray Campbell, Randy McKean with Han-earl Park, plus Gino Robair and Scott R. Looney: Gargantius Effect +1 +2 +3 (Nor Cal, 08-2011)

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.

Han-earl Park plus Marian Murray: Park+Murray (Cork, 07-29-10)

Park+Murray (Cork, 07-29-10) [details…]

Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar) plus Marian Murray (violin).

(cc) 2012 Han-earl Park/Marian Murray.

Jin Sangtae, Han-earl Park and Jeffrey Weeter: Jin-Park-Weeter (Cork, 01–24–11)

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.

Han-earl Park and Franziska Schroeder: Park-Schroeder (Cork, 03-26-09)

Park-Schroeder (Cork, 03-26-09) [details…]

Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophone).

(cc) 2012 Han-earl Park/Franziska Schroeder.

Catherine Sikora, Ian Smith and Han-earl Park: Sikora-Smith-Park (Cork, 04-04-11)

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.

performance diary 08-31-13 (Brooklyn, New York, Pittsburgh)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
September 19, 2013 The Stone
16 Avenue C
New York, NY 10009
10:00pm Performance by Evan Parker (saxophones) and Han-earl Park (guitar).
Admission: $20 (students 13–19: $10; children <12: free).
[Details…]
[The Stone calendar…]
September 22, 2013 Douglass Street Music Collective
295 Douglass Street
Gowanus
Brooklyn, NY 11217
8:00pm Performance of Metis 9 by Han-earl Park (guitar), Catherine Sikora (saxophones) and Josh Sinton (saxophone and clarinet). Also performing: Lisa Mezzacappa Trio (Chris Welcome: guitar and voice; Lisa Mezzacappa: double bass; and Mike Pride: drums). Recommended donation: $10.
[Details…]
[DSMC page…]
September 25, 2013 The Living Gallery
1094 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11221
9:00pm Performance by Han-earl Park (guitar) and Andrea Parkins (accordion and electronics). Also performing: Marc Edwards (drums) and Ernest Anderson III (guitar), and Tristan Shepherd (turntables) and Michael Foster (saxophone). Recommended donation: $8.
[Details…]
October 27, 2013 Downtown Music Gallery
13 Monroe Street
New York, NY 10002
6:00pm Performance by Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky: guitar; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Catherine Sikora: saxophones). Details to follow…
Free admission.
November 7, 2013 ModernFormations
4919 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
8:00pm (doors: 7:30pm) Performance by Han-earl Park (guitar) and other as part of Crucible Sound. Details to follow…
Suggested donation: $7.
November 17, 2013 Downtown Music Gallery
13 Monroe Street
New York, NY 10002
6:00pm Performance by Viv Corringham (voice and electronics) and Han-earl Park (guitar). Details to follow…
Free admission.
October 2013 New York and surrounding areas I am seeking opportunities to perform Metis 9 in small and large ensemble contexts with, at its core, the trio of Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton. In particular, I am seeking performance opportunities for Gargantius Effect +4 (Murray Campbell and Randy McKean with Gino Robair, Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch! [Details…]
2013– North America Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky: guitar; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Catherine Sikora: saxophones) is seeking performance opportunities in North America, and, in 2014, elsewhere in the world.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch! [Detailed proposal…]
2014– Europe I will be moving back to Europe at the start of 2014, and I am seeking performance opportunities for, in particular, my Europe-based projects including Numbers (with Richard Barrett), Mathilde 253 (with Charles Hayward and Ian Smith), and io 0.0.1 beta++ (with Bruce Coates and Franziska Schroeder). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!

Continue reading “performance diary 08-31-13 (Brooklyn, New York, Pittsburgh)”

video: Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky, Han-earl Park and Catherine Sikora) at Douglass Street Music Collective, Brooklyn

I’ve uploaded the video of ‘Monopod’ from the June 5 performance by Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky, Han-earl Park and Catherine Sikora). With the second improvisation, already uploaded back in June, you can now hear/watch the entire set. Thanks again to Scott Friedlander for the videography. ‘Monopod’ is dedicated to Don Mount.

Whether it’s the most creative interjections from Catherine, the merging of Nick and Catherine’s sounds, the moments of Roscoe-Mitchell-plays-the-music-of-Napalm-Death, or something akin to the sound of a broken ECM record, I’m enormously proud of this performance and this ensemble.

Eris 136199 is next performing on October 27, 2013 at Downtown Music Gallery, NYC. See the performance diary for up-to-date info.

performance: Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton at Douglass Street Music Collective, Brooklyn

Sunday, September 22, 2013, at 8:00pm: Han-earl Park (guitar), Catherine Sikora (saxophones) and Josh Sinton (saxophone and clarinet) explore interactive noise and improvisative complexity via Metis 9. Also performing: Lisa Mezzacappa Trio (Chris Welcome: guitar and voice; Lisa Mezzacappa: double bass; and Mike Pride: drums). The event takes place at Douglass Street Music Collective (295 Douglass Street, Gowanus, Brooklyn, NY 11217) [map and directions…]. $10 suggested donation.

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

about Metis 9

Metis 9 is a collection of improvisative tactics, and higher-level interactive macros for ensemble performance 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.

in preparation: Catherine Sikora, Han-earl Park and François Grillot, ‘Tracks in the dirt’

Catherine Sikora, Han-earl Park and François Grillot, ‘Tracks in the dirt’ (copyright 2013, Clockwork Mercury Press)
Design and artwork by Eric Mingus (© 2013 Clockwork Mercury Press)

Coming soon: Catherine Sikora, Han-earl Park and François Grillot’s Tracks in the dirt (Clockwork Mercury Press 003). Recorded September 26, 2012 at 56 Kitchen, New York. More to follow…

thanks: Gerald Cleaver and Han-earl Park at Douglass Street Music Collective, Brooklyn

Like I said last time, necessity is the mother of invention. Two things sparked this second duo*3 event at DSMC: Gerald Cleaver was going to be available (been trying to corner him with a gig since January), and Viv Corringham had just moved to New York. I then asked Chris Pitsiokos if he’d like to contribute a set after Anna Webber had to drop out (as much as I enjoyed Chris and Philip White’s set, and I wouldn’t substitute it for anything else, would loved to have heard what Anna might have brought to the table—next time). And like the last duo*3 event, because of the performers, the results were unimaginably better than the minimal curatorial hand I played.

So big, big thanks to all the performers at the August 13 event: to Chris and Philip White for their sense of play (and for consistently hitting the resonance frequency of the DSMC buzzer); to Viv and Andrea Parkins for a performance full of humor, and a kind of cargo-cult elegance; and to Gerald for his limitless imagination, for the 45 minute creative, musical and physical workout, and for making the set sound just that much better. And kudos again to Don Mount for the indefatigable work as video documentarist [watch/listen…].

Next up: performances coming up in September with Evan Parker as part of his residency at The Stone, and with Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton playing Metis 9. See the performance diary for up-to-date info.