JazzTokyo: Jazz Right Now

Han-earl Park (Cork, 05-26-10)
Photograph © 2010 Stephanie Hough.

As part of his regular JazzTokyo column reporting on the new New York “21st Century Improvised Music” scene, Cisco Bradley (with Japanese version of the text by Takeshi Goda) writes about Anomic Aphasia (“one of the most interesting recent releases” in which “they dot, occasionally splash, and, at times, tear their collective portrait as they momentarily build, then cut, rearrange, dismember”), and talks of some of my collaborations in New York:

最も興味深い最近のリリース作品のひとつは、ギタリストのパク・ハンアルHan-earl Parkをリーダーとする二つの異なるトリオ演奏を収録した『アノミック・アフェイジア(Anomic Aphasia)』(SLAM Productions)である。ひとつはギタリストのニック・ディドゥコフスキー Nick Didkovskyとサックス奏者キャサリン・シコラ Catherine Sikoraとの<エリス136199 / Eris 136199>、もう一つはシコラとリード奏者ジョン・シントン Josh Sintonとの<メティス9 / Metis 9>。2月19日にリリースされたこのレコードには、パクのトレードマークの打楽器的アプローチによるギター・プレイが5曲の即興トラックに収めされている。アルバムは、エリスのギザギザで角のある楽曲が、メティスのより健全で流動的なナンバーに挟まれた構成になっている。本作はパクの2年間のニューヨーク滞在の成果である。その期間に、パクは上記二つのグループの他にもサックス奏者イングリッド・ラウブロック Ingrid Laubrock、ヴォーカリストのヴィヴ・コリンハム Viv Corringham、電子音楽の達人アンドレア・パーキンス Andrea Parkinsとも共同作業した。このレコードで、パクは白いキャンバスにサウンドで色を塗り、鼓舞されたバンドメイトたちも同様に絵筆を走らせた。彼らは一緒になって、描き上げたばかりの集合肖像画に点を穿ち、所々に飛沫を散らし、時には引き裂く。そして切り取り、並べ替え、分割する。2013年末にパクがアイルランドのコークへ帰国してしまって以来、ニューヨークでは彼の不在を嘆く声が絶えない。 [Read the rest…]

[One of the most interesting recent releases is Anomic Aphasia (SLAM Productions), led by guitarist Han-earl Park, including music from two different trios. The first is Eris 136199 with guitarist Nick Didkovsky and saxophonist Catherine Sikora and the latter is Metis 9 with Sikora and reeds-player Josh Sinton. Released on February 19, this record features Park with his signature percussive approach to guitar in five improvisations. The album is bookended by jagged, angular pieces by Eris surrounding the more wholesome, fluid numbers by Metis. The record is a product of Park’s two-year stint in New York during which time he built working relationships with the above groups as well as figures such as saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, vocal artist Viv Corringham, and electronics master Andrea Parkins. On this record, Park paints a sparse canvas with his sound and inspires his bandmates to do likewise. Together, they dot, occasionally splash, and, at times, tear their collective portrait as they momentarily build, then cut, rearrange, dismember. After his return to Cork, Ireland in late 2013, Park has been sorely missed here in New York.]

Thanks to Cisco for the profile. I am very happy and privileged to presented among such an amazing group of creative people… including a few old comrades (Hey, Andrew, Josh, Ingrid, Mike!).

After his return to Cork, Ireland in late 2013, Park has been sorely missed here in New York.

Ah, makes me a little homesick for Brooklyn. Hope to be back one of these days!

Out now: Anomic Aphasia

CD cover of ‘Anomic Aphasia’ (SLAMCD 559) with Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora, Nick Didkovsky and Josh Sinton (artwork copyright 2015, Han-earl Park)

Anomic Aphasia (SLAMCD 559) [details…]

Performers: Han-earl Park (guitar), Catherine Sikora (tenor and soprano saxophones), Nick Didkovsky (guitar), and Josh Sinton (baritone saxophone and bass clarinet).

© 2015 Han-earl Park.
℗ 2015 SLAM Productions.

video: studies (Cork, 04-24-15)

For those of you who were interested in such things… a couple of exercises/studies (the second inspired by one of Brahms’) I’ve been working on for a few days. Very rough, and very much work-in-progress. No commentary or breakdown (yet), but let me know if you have questions. More to come…

available: Anomic Aphasia

CD cover of ‘Anomic Aphasia’ (SLAMCD 559) with Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora, Nick Didkovsky and Josh Sinton (artwork copyright 2015, Han-earl Park)
‘Anomic Aphasia’ (SLAMCD 559) © 2015 Han-earl Park

Quick update: in addition to directly from the label and its distributor, ‘Anomic Aphasia’ (SLAMCD 559) with Han-earl Park, Catherine Sikora, Nick Didkovsky and Josh Sinton is now available from the following stores:

[Improjazz…] [Crazy Jazz…] [Jazzcds…]

If you prefer your music telematically delivered, you can also download the album (although you will be missing out on some of the artwork and the linernotes). Download from, among other places:

[iTunes…] [eMusic…]

Fingers crossed, the CD will (soon) be available from your favorite AWESOME record store (Downtown Music Gallery and Wayside Music included). And, not to forget, you can always corner one of the musicians after a gig for a copy.

[About this recording…]

Also from SLAM Productions…

‘io 0.0.1 beta++ (SLAMCD 531) CD cover (copyright 2011, Han-earl Park)

io 0.0.1 beta++ (SLAMCD 531) [details…]

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.

‘Mathilde 253’ (SLAMCD 528) CD cover (copyright 2010, Han-earl Park)

Mathilde 253 (SLAMCD 528) [details…]

Performers: Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn) plus Lol Coxhill (saxophone). [About this ensemble…]

© 2010 Han-earl Park.
℗ 2010 SLAM Productions.

performances: Han-earl Park and Dominic Lash (Manchester, Cambridge and London, May 2015)

May 2015: Han-earl Park and Dominic Lash perform in Manchester (with Corey Mwamba), Cambridge and London (see the performance diary for up-to-date info).

Hope to see y’all at these events!

Above videos from the last times I performed with Dominic Lash. With Mark Sanders at Fizzle and LUME. Video collages by Han-earl Park.

Just Improvisation, Belfast

Just Improvisation (flyer copyright 2015 Translating Improvisation)
© 2015 Translating Improvisation

May 29 and 30, 2015: I am honored and excited to be invited to participate in Just Improvisation: Enriching child protection law through musical techniques, discourses and pedagogies. The symposium, organized by Translating Improvisation, takes place at the Sonic Arts Research Centre (Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland). Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.

See the performance diary for up-to-date info.

updates

05–16-15: see update for program and list of participating musicians.

performance diary 04-14-15 (Belfast, Cambridge, London, Manchester)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
May 2, 2015 St. Margaret’s Church
Rufford Road
Whalley Range
Manchester M16 8AE
England
5:00pm Han-earl Park (guitar) and Dominic Lash (double bass) with Corey Mwamba (vibraphone) as part of the Tubers MiniFestival. Also performing: Bark! (Rex Casswell, Phillip Marks and Paul Obermayer), Cathy Heyden and Rogier Smal, Roseanne Robertson, Vitalija Glovackyte and Joe Snape, and Ortho Stice. Admission: £8.
[Details…] [Tubers pags…]
May 3, 2015 Music Room
Robinson College
Grange Road
Cambridge CB3 9AN
England
7:00pm Han-earl Park (guitar) and Dominic Lash (double bass). Also performing: David Grundy and Martin Hackett. Admission free.
[Details…]
May 4, 2015 Bar & Co.
Temple Pier
Embankment
London WC2R, England
8:30pm (doors: 8:00pm) Han-earl Park (guitar) and Dominic Lash (double bass) presented by Boat-ting. Also performing: Steve Noble (drums), Massimo Magee (saxophone) and Tom Wheatly (double bass); Tom Jackson (clarinet), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Daniel Thompson (guitar); Crush!!! (Ian MacGowan: trumpet; Sonic Pleasure: masonry; and Mark Browne: saxophone); and Sibyl Madrigal (poetry) and Alex Ward (clarinet). Admission: £8 (£5).
[Details…] [Boat-ting page…]
May 29 and 30, 2015 Sonic Arts Research Centre
Queen’s University
Belfast, N. Ireland
Program… Han-earl Park participates in the Just Improvisation symposium organized by Translating Improvisation.
Admission free.
[Details…] [Translating Improvisation page…]
2015– Europe I am based in Europe as 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 my trio with Dominic Lash and Mark Sanders. Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!

Continue reading “performance diary 04-14-15 (Belfast, Cambridge, London, Manchester)”

performance: Han-earl Park, Dominic Lash and Corey Mwamba at Tubers MiniFestival, Manchester

Tubers MiniFestival. (Poster copyright 2015 David Birchall).
Poster © 2015 David Birchall.

Saturday, May 2, 2015, at 5:00pm: Han-earl Park (guitar), Dominic Lash (double bass) and Corey Mwamba (vibraphone) perform as part of Tubers MiniFestival at St. Margaret’s Church (Rufford Road, Whalley Range, Manchester M16 8AE). Admission is £8 at the door.

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

Also performing at Tubers MiniFestival: Bark! (Rex Casswell, Phillip Marks and Paul Obermayer), Cathy Heyden and Rogier Smal, Roseanne Robertson, Vitalija Glovackyte and Joe Snape, and Ortho Stice.

about the performers

Improviser, guitarist and constructor Han-earl Park has been crossing borders and performing fuzzily idiomatic, on occasion experimental, always traditional, open improvised musics for twenty years. He has performed in clubs, theaters, art galleries, concert halls, and (ad-hoc) alternative spaces across Europe and the USA.

Park engages a radical, liminal, cyborg virtuosity in which mind, body and artifact collide. He is driven by the social and revolutionary potential of real-time interactive performance in which tradition and practice become creative problematics. As a constructor of musical automata, he is interested in partial, and partially frustrating, context-specific artifacts; artifacts that amplify social relations and corporeal identities and agencies.

Ensembles include Mathilde 253 with Charles Hayward and Ian Smith, Eris 136199 with Nick Didkovsky and Catherine Sikora, and Numbers with Richard Barrett. Park is the constructor of the machine improviser io 0.0.1 beta++, and instigator of Metis 9, a playbook of improvisative tactics. He has performed with Wadada Leo Smith, Paul Dunmall, Evan Parker, Lol Coxhill, Mark Sanders, Josh Sinton, Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen, Gino Robair, Tim Perkis, Andrew Drury, Pat Thomas and Franziska Schroeder, and as part of large ensembles led by Wadada Leo Smith, Evan Parker and Pauline Oliveros.

Festival appearances include Freedom of the City (London), Sonorities (Belfast), ISIM (New York), dialogues festival (Edinburgh), CEAIT (Los Angeles) and Sonic Acts (Amsterdam). His recordings have been released by labels including Slam Productions, Creative Sources and DUNS Limited Edition.

Park taught improvisation at University College Cork, and founded and curated Stet Lab, a space for improvised music in Cork.

“Guitarist Han-earl Park is a musical philosopher…. Expect unexpected things from Park, who is a delightful shape-shifter….”

Brian Morton (Point of Departure)

Dominic Lash is a freely improvising double bassist, although his activities also range much more widely and include playing bass guitar and other instruments; both writing and performing composed music; and writing about music and various other subjects.

He has performed with musicians such as Tony Conrad (in duo and quartet formations), Joe Morris (trio and quartet), Evan Parker (duo, quartet and large ensemble) and the late Steve Reid. His main projects include The Dominic Lash Quartet, The Set Ensemble (an experimental music group focused on the work of the Wandelweiser collective) and The Convergence Quartet.

Based in Bristol, Lash has performed in the UK, Austria, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and USA. For nearly a decade he was based in Oxford and played a central role in the activities of Oxford Improvisers; much of 2011 was spent living in Manhattan. In 2013 and 2014 he is taking part in Take Five, the professional development programme administered by Serious.

Festival appearances include Akbank Jazz Festival (Istanbul), Audiograft (Oxford), Freedom of the City (London), Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Hurta Cordel (Madrid), Konfrontationen (Nickelsdorf), LMC Festival (London), Manchester Jazz Festival and Tampere Jazz Happening.

His work has been broadcast on a number of radio stations, including BBC Radios 1 and 3 and Germany’s SWR2, and released on labels including Another Timbre, b-boim, Bead, Cathnor, Clean Feed, Compost and Height, Emanem, Erstwhile, FMR, Foghorn, Leo and NoBusiness.

Since moving to Bristol he has been involved in organising concerts under the banners of Bang the Bore and Insignificant Variation. A new venture is the monthly series happening every second Wednesday at the Arnolfini entitled Several 2nds. Events include performances, workshops, film screenings and discussions.

“Following in an illustrious lineage from Barry Guy through Simon Fell… breathtaking.”

John Sharpe (All About Jazz)

Born and based in Derby, Corey Mwamba’s commitment to jazz and improvised music in Britain and Ireland drives all aspects of his work, whether through composition, playing, or promoting new music.

Corey predominantly plays vibraphone; he also plays dulcimer and uses audio processing software. He is recognised as a highly creative improviser and composer working across a wide range of jazz and contemporary music, called to work with musicians such as Tony Kofi, Pat Thomas, Alexander Hawkins, Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, Arun Ghosh, Quantic, Cerys Matthews, Mat Maneri, Lucian Ban and Ty.

Mwamba’s distinctive approach and tone can be heard in the critically acclaimed Yana with Dave Kane (bass) and Joshua Blackmore (drums). This group exemplifies a core ideal of creating an “open, living music”; listening and responding spontaneously as a unit to make music that has love, language and a groove. Their first studio release don’t overthink it was hailed as “engaging and evocative” (All About Jazz) and described as “the sound of three minds working together in a utopian zone, way beyond the individual ego – and producing something quite beautiful in the process” (Jazzwise). He is a member of the Anglo-French quartet Sonsale with bassist Andy Champion, drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq and cellist Valentin Ceccaldi. Corey also works with Andy in an improvising trio with saxophonist Ntshuks Bonga. He also plays in duos with saxophonist Rachel Musson; pianist Robert Mitchell; percussionists Martin Pyne and Walt Shaw; and the multi-instrumentalist Orphy Robinson.

Corey contributes to saxophonist Nat Birchall’s quintet, saxophonist and composer Martin Archer’s large ensemble Engine Room Favourites, and trumpeter Nick Malcolm’s quartet. He plays with Nick and drummer Simon Roth in Our Own Decay.

An active advocate of the arts, Corey Mwamba strives to argue the case for the arts. He petitioned for fair pay to artists during the London Olympics, and helped engineer a moratorium and review of arts funding cuts in Derby through debate with the city council; he has also worked with many regional arts organisations. He has held board positions for Derby Jazz, World Song Derby, Derby Cultural Diversity Arts Network, and Arts Council England (East Midlands). He is also an adventurous programmer of new music in Derby, setting up One Note Sunday and The Family Album as well as programming Derby Jazz’s improvised music stream called 2ndline.

Corey was granted a PRSF/Jerwood Foundation Take Five artist development award in 2007; was short-listed for the Innovation category in the BBC Jazz Awards in 2008; and was awarded an AHRC studentship for a Master of Research degree in Music at Keele University; he graduated with a distinction in 2014.

newsletter

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small print

Small Print: This newsletter is announcement only: subscribers cannot use it for discussion, and traffic should be minimal (I anticipate no more than two or three post per quarter). I will not reveal your contact details to other subscribers, nor pass them to another party. I will not use the newsletter to cross-promote anything that is not related to my music activities. You may unsubscribe at any time.

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Signup to the newsletter [details…].

I don’t expect to be sending updates more than a few time a year (busterandfriends.com will remain the most up-to-date source for my activities), so signing up to the newsletter shouldn’t contribute heavily to your inbox detritus. Also, possibly more importantly, unsubscribing to these updates should be significantly easier than in the past.

I’ll be the first to admit this is long overdue, but with performances coming up in Cork, Manchester, Cambridge, London, Belfast and elsewhere (sorry, I didn’t get this up and running in time for Berlin), this seemed like a good time for a kick-off.

updates

05–15-18: update the small print.
07–22-19: update anticipated number of posts.

reminder: Hilary Jeffery, Han-earl Park, Andrea Parkins and Simon Rose at Ma Thilda, Berlin

This Thursday (March 26, 2015), at 9:00pm: Hilary Jeffery (trombone), Han-earl Park (guitar), Andrea Parkins (accordion and electronics) and Simon Rose (saxophone) perform at Ma Thilda (Wildenbruchstraße 68, Neukölln, 12045 Berlin, Germany). Admission free; donation recommended.

performance: Han-earl Park at gulpd, Cork

Poster copyright 2015 Han-earl Park. Click to view PDF…
Poster © 2015 Han-earl Park. Click to view PDF…

Sunday, April 12, 2015, at 9:00pm: a rare solo performance by Han-earl Park (guitar) at gulpd (Triskel Arts Centre, Tobin Street, Cork, Ireland). Admission free.

It seems a long time since I last played solo (a.k.a. duet between guitar and guitarist) because… well, it was a long time ago and a long way ago. (Let’s see what it’s like to play catch-up with an old partnership.)

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

updates

04–04-15: add Facebook event.

performance diary 03-20-15 (Berlin, Cork, London, Manchester)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
March 26, 2015 Ma Thilda
Wildenbruchstraße 68
Neukölln
12045 Berlin, Germany
9:00pm Hilary Jeffery (trombone), Han-earl Park (guitar), Andrea Parkins (accordion and electronics) and Simon Rose (saxophone).
Admission free; donation recommended.
[Details…]
April 12, 2015 gulpd
Triskel Arts Centre
Tobin Street
Cork, Ireland
9:00pm Han-earl Park (guitar).
Admission free.
[Details…]
May 2, 2015 St. Margaret’s Church
Rufford Road
Whalley Range
Manchester M16 8AE
England
5:00pm Han-earl Park (guitar) and Dominic Lash (double bass) with Corey Mwamba (vibraphone) as part of the Tubers MiniFestival. Also performing: Bark! (Rex Casswell, Phillip Marks and Paul Obermayer), Cathy Heyden and Rogier Smal, Roseanne Robertson, Vitalija Glovackyte and Joe Snape, and Ortho Stice. Admission: £8.
[Details…]
May 4, 2015 Bar & Co.
Temple Pier
Embankment
London WC2R, England
8:30pm (doors: 8:00pm) Han-earl Park (guitar) and Dominic Lash (double bass) presented by Boat-ting. Also performing: Steve Noble (drums), Massimo Magee (saxophone) and Tom Wheatly (double bass); Tom Jackson (clarinet), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Daniel Thompson (guitar); Crush!!! (Ian MacGowan: trumpet; Sonic Pleasure: masonry; and Mark Browne: saxophone); and Sibyl Madrigal (poetry) and Alex Ward (clarinet). Admission: £8 (£5).
Details to follow…
Early-May 2015 England Seeking performance opportunities (depending on dates, for my trio with Dominic Lash and Mark Sanders) in England, around 2 and 4 May. Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
2015– Europe I am based in Europe as of 2014, and I am seeking performance opportunities for, in particular, my Europe-based projects including Numbers (with Richard Barrett) and Mathilde 253 (with Charles Hayward and Ian Smith). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!

Continue reading “performance diary 03-20-15 (Berlin, Cork, London, Manchester)”