performances: Mathilde 253 with Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (Cork and Dublin, 2011)

March 2011: Performances in Cork and Dublin, Ireland, by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) with Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward: drums, percussion and melodica; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Ian Smith: trumpet and flugelhorn).

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

[Download press release (PDF)…]

Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith will also speak on ‘Ankhrasmation: A Systemic Music Language for Creative Music’ as part of the UCC Music Research Seminar Series. The talk is free, open to the public, and takes place at the UCC Music Building (Sundays Well, Cork) at 2:00 pm on 30 March.

  • Arts Council Ireland logo
  • Music Network logo

Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from UCC School of Music, Note Productions, the National Concert Hall and the Cork Opera House.

Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith

Mathilde 253 with Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith
(Cork and Dublin, Ireland: March 2011)

[Download press release (PDF)…]

Expect powerful and inventive musical interactions as internationally renowned composer-improviser Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith performs with the virtuosic, cross-idiomatic ensemble Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward, Han-earl Park and Ian Smith) in Cork and Dublin, Ireland in March 2011. This two-date tour marks Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith’s first appearance in Ireland, and the Irish debut of Mathilde 253.

Hailed as “one of the most vital musicians on the planet today” (Bill Shoemaker, Coda), legendary composer, multi-instrumentalist, improviser and educator Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith has been active in creative contemporary music for over forty years. He is creator of Ankhrasmation, a systemic music language, and his music traverses traditions as diverse as the delta blues, creative world musics, American experimentalism and live-electronics. His current ensembles include the Golden Quartet (currently with Vijay Iyer, John Lindberg and Pheeroan akLaff), Silver Orchestra (with J.D. Parran, Lindberg, Okkyung Lee, Harris Eisenstadt and others), Organic (with Nels Cline, Lee, Lindberg, akLaff and others), and his compositions have been performed by ensembles including the Kronos Quartet, Da Capo Chamber Player, New Century Players, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Del Sol String Quartet and New York New Music Ensemble. He is faculty member, and director of the African-American Improvisational Music program, at The Herb Alpert School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a longtime member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians.

Mathilde 253 consists of the pioneering avant-rock drummer Charles Hayward (This Heat, Camberwell Now, Massacre), rising Cork-based guitarist and improviser Han-earl Park (Paul Dunmall, Kato Hideki, Stet Lab), and Irish trumpeter and mainstay of the London improvised music scene, Ian Smith (Derek Bailey, The London Improvisers Orchestra, The Gathering). Mathilde 253 was formed to explore the spontaneous mashup of avant-rock, African-American creative musics, European free improvisation and noise, and collaborates with noted improvisers such as Lol Coxhill and Pat Thomas. Guillaume Belhomme described the music of the ensemble’s eponymous debut CD, released in 2011 by Slam Productions (SLAMCD 528), as “ordered and entwining… a tapestry of choice: that of another Mathilde, of a complete beauty”.

The Dublin event will open with a solo performance by the Dublin-based Paul G. Smyth, one of Ireland’s foremost free-improvising pianist.

The events take place: Wednesday, 30 March, Half Moon Theatre (Cork Opera House, Emmet Place, Cork), 8:00 pm; and Thursday, 31 March, Kevin Barry Room (National Concert Hall, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin) 8:30 pm.

Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith will also speak on ‘Ankhrasmation: A Systemic Music Language for Creative Music’ as part of the UCC Music Research Seminar Series. The talk is free, open to the public, and takes place at the UCC Music Building (Sundays Well, Cork) at 2:00 pm on 30 March.

Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from UCC School of Music, Note Productions, the National Concert Hall and the Cork Opera House.

Continue reading “performances: Mathilde 253 with Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (Cork and Dublin, 2011)”

performance diary 02-06-11 (Birmingham, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, London)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
February 7, 2011 The Roundy
Castle Street
Cork, Ireland
9:00pm
(doors: 8:45pm)
Stet Lab featuring Stephen Davis (drums) with Han-earl Park (guitar), plus Helena Reilly (voice), Kevin Terry (guitar) and Dan Walsh (drums).
Admission: €10/5.
[Details…]
February 15, 2011 The Lamp Tavern
Barford Street
Birmingham B5, England
9:00pm Fizzle presents a performance by Paul Dunmall (saxophones), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Mark Sanders (drums).
Admission: £5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
February 18, 2011 St Cecilia’s Hall
Niddry Street
Cowgate
Edinburgh EH1, Scotland
8:00pm Grind Sight Open Eye presents performances by Han-earl Park (guitar), and Matthew Collings, plus others (TBA).
Details to follow….
Recommended donation: £2.
[facebook event…]
February 19, 2011 Lewisham Arthouse
140 Lewisham Way
London SE14, England
8:00pm Performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)) with Pat Thomas (synthesizer) plus Zolan Quobble (spoken word).
Admission: £5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
February 21, 2011 Bar & Co.
Temple Pier
Embankment
London WC2R, England
8:30pm
(doors: 8:45pm)
Boat-ting presents a performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)) with Lol Coxhill (saxophone). Also performing are Sharon Gal (voice), Alex Ward (guitar) and Steve Noble (drums); Red Start (Noel Taylor (clarinet), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Noura Sanatian (violin)); and Sibylline Sisters (Sibyl Madrigal (poetry), Aromorel Weston (voice) and Kay Grant (voice)). Admission: £6/4.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
March 2011 The Netherlands I’m looking for performance opportunities in The Netherlands mid-March 2011. Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
March 30, 2011 Half Moon Theatre
Half Moon Street
Emmets Place
Cork, Ireland
8:00pm Performances by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) with Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)). Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from the UCC School of Music and the Cork Opera House. Tickets: €11 (€6) from the Cork Opera House.
[Get tickets…]
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
March 31, 2011 Kevin Barry Room
National Concert Hall
Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 2, Ireland
8:30pm Performances by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) with Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)), plus Paul G. Smyth (piano). Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from Note Productions and the National Concert Hall. Tickets: €12 (€10) from the National Concert Hall Box Office.
[Get tickets…]
[Details…]
[facebook event…]

Continue reading “performance diary 02-06-11 (Birmingham, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, London)”

performance: final Stet Lab as curator

Stet Lab logo

Monday, February 7, 2011, at 9:00 pm (doors open at 8:45pm): featuring Belfast-based drummer and composer Stephen Davis, plus Helena Reilly (voice), Kevin Terry (guitar) and Dan Walsh (drums), the final Stet Lab event with myself, Han-earl Park, as curator takes upstairs @ The Roundy, Castle Street, Cork, Ireland. Admission is €10/5. [Details…]

30+ events over 3+ years: it has been an interesting, sometimes exciting, by occasion wild, at times frustrating, but always fascinating ride. Thanks to all who’ve supported the Lab. Here’s hoping the next three years are just as fascinating. [Some thoughts from the midpoint (2009)…]

performances: Birmingham, Edinburgh and London*2

Upcoming performances in Birmingham, Edinburgh and London, February 2011 (see the performance diary for up-to-date info):

Hope to see y’all at these events!

performance diary 01-26-11 (Birmingham, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, London)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
February 7, 2011 The Roundy
Castle Street
Cork, Ireland
9:00pm
(doors: 8:45pm)
Stet Lab featuring Stephen Davis (drums) with Han-earl Park (guitar), plus Helena Reilly (voice), Kevin Terry (guitar) and Dan Walsh (drums).
Admission: €10/5.
[Details…]
February 15, 2011 The Lamp Tavern
Barford Street
Birmingham B5, England
9:00pm Fizzle presents a performance by Paul Dunmall (saxophones), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Mark Sanders (drums).
Admission: £5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
February 18, 2011 St Cecilia’s Hall
Niddry Street
Cowgate
Edinburgh EH1, Scotland
8:00pm Grind Sight Open Eye presents performances by Han-earl Park (guitar), and Matthew Collings, plus others (TBA).
Details to follow….
Recommended donation: £2.
[facebook event…]
February 19, 2011 Lewisham Arthouse
140 Lewisham Way
London SE14, England
8:00pm Performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)) with Pat Thomas (synthesizer) plus Zolan Quobble (spoken word).
Admission: £5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
February 21, 2011 Bar & Co.
Temple Pier
Embankment
London WC2R, England
8:30pm
(doors: 8:45pm)
Boat-ting presents a performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)) with Lol Coxhill (saxophone). Also performing are Sharon Gal (voice), Alex Ward (guitar) and Steve Noble (drums); Red Start (Noel Taylor (clarinet), Benedict Taylor (viola) and Noura Sanatian (violin)); and Sibylline Sisters (Sibyl Madrigal (poetry), Aromorel Weston (voice) and Kay Grant (voice)). Admission: £6/4.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
March 2011 The Netherlands I’m looking for performance opportunities in The Netherlands mid-March 2011. Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
March 30, 2011 Half Moon Theatre
Half Moon Street
Emmet Place
Cork, Ireland
8:00pm Performances by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) with Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)).
More info to follow… Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from the UCC School of Music and the Cork Opera House. Tickets: €11 (€6) from the Cork Opera House.
March 31, 2011 TBC
Dublin, Ireland
TBC Performances by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) with Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)). Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from Note Productions. Details to follow…

Continue reading “performance diary 01-26-11 (Birmingham, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, London)”

Change of Venue! Jin Sangtae with Han-earl Park and Jeffrey Weeter

Jin Sangtae, Han-earl Park and Jeffrey Weeter 01-24-11 icons

Change of venue: The performance tonight (Monday, January 24, 2011) will take place at the The Phoenix Bar (Union Quay, Cork, Ireland). Same time—9:00pm (doors: 8:45pm)—same lineup—Jin Sangtae, Han-earl Park and Jeffrey Weeter. [Details…]

RTÉ: Nova: Mathilde 253

‘Mathilde 253’ (SLAMCD 528) CD cover
‘Mathilde 253’ (SLAMCD 528) CD cover

Waltzing Matilda? Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward, Han-earl Park and Ian Smith) get airplay on last night’s Nova on RTÉ lyric fm! [Listen again…]

Mathilde 253’s eponymous debut CD (SLAMCD 528) available on SLAM Productions. [More info…] [Get the CD…]

reminder: Jin Sangtae with Han-earl Park and Jeffrey Weeter

Jin Sangtae, Han-earl Park and Jeffrey Weeter 01-24-11 icons

This coming Monday (January 24, 2011) at 9:00pm (doors: 8:45pm): an improvised music performance by Seoul-based experimental electronic musician Jin Sangtae, with guitarist-improviser Han-earl Park, and composer, drummer and intermedia artist Jeffrey Weeter. The event takes place upstairs at The Phoenix Bar (Union Quay, Cork, Ireland) The Roundy (Castle Street, Cork, Ireland) and admission is €10/€5. [Details…]

updates

01–24–11: change venue.

performance: Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders at Fizzle

Tuesday, February 15, 2011, at 9:00pm: Performance by Paul Dunmall (saxophones), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Mark Sanders (drums) presented by Fizzle. The event takes place at The Lamp Tavern (Barford Street, Birmingham B5, England). Admission is £5.

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

Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders (original photos: HeP by Stephanie Hough; and MS by Andrew Putler)
Paul Dunmall, Han-earl Park and Mark Sanders (original photos: HeP by Stephanie Hough; and MS by Andrew Putler)

about the performers

For thirty years Paul Dunmall has carved out a reputation for himself and is now widely recognised as one of the most uncompromising and talented reed players on the international improvised music scene. Whether playing in small groups or big bands his musical sensitivity and imagination combined with a powerful sound make him one of the most distinctive improvisers playing today.

His octet and Moksha big band showcases his abilities both as a composer drenched in the Jazz and Folk traditions and as a sympathetic leader able to give maximum freedom to an elite group of fellow improvisers.

  • Founder member of groups Spirit Level, Tenor Tonic, Mujician, Paul Dunmall Quartet and Paul Dunmall Octet.
  • Has played in Nigel Morris’ trio, the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, Danny Thompson’s Whatever, several of Elton Dean’s ensembles, Brian Irvine’s 14 piece band amongst others.
  • Launched own improvised music record label with Philip Gibbs in 2000 called Duns Limited Edition, which has 52 releases to date.

“Whether in a trio with Mujician’s rhythm section or with the larger band of sympathetic fellow improvisers, Dunmall consistently produces powerful and passionate music.” (BBC Music Magazine)

“…Robust and heavy-hitting performer who has gone on to concentrate largely on free improvisation without sacrificing a rigorous melodic logic, a sparing lyricism and the technique to drop in on bebop occasionally.” (John Fordham, The Guardian)

Improviser, guitarist and constructor Han-earl Park (박한얼) works from/within/around traditions of fuzzily idiomatic, on occasion experimental, mostly open improvised musics, sometimes engineering theater, sometimes inventing ritual. He feels the gravitational pull of collaborative, multi-authored contexts, and has performed in clubs, theaters, art galleries and concert halls in Europe and America.

As a constructor of low- and mid-tech electronic and software devices, and as an occasional score-maker, he is interested in partial, and partially frustrating, context-specific artifacts; artifacts that amplify social relationships and, in some instances, objects that obscure the location of the author.

He is involved in collaborations with Bruce Coates, Franziska Schroeder, Alex Fiennes and Murray Campbell, and is part of Mathilde 253 with Charles Hayward and Ian Smith. Recent performances include Mathilde 253 with Lol Coxhill; duo concerts with Paul Dunmall, and with Richard Barrett; trios with Matana Roberts and Mark Sanders, with Kato Hideki and Katie O’Looney, and with Thomas Buckner and Jesse Ronneau; as part of the Evan Parker led 20-piece improvising ensemble; and the performance of Pauline Oliveros’ ‘Droniphonia’ alongside the composer. His recordings have been released by labels including Slam Productions, and DUNS Limited Edition. He has appeared at festivals including Sonic Acts (Amsterdam), the Center for Experiments in Art, Information and Technology Festival (California), dialogues festival (Edinburgh), Sonorities (Belfast) and VAIN Live Art (Oxford).

Park founded and curates Stet Lab, and teaches improvisation at the UCC School of Music.

Mark Sanders has played with most of the UK’s major improvisers including Derek Bailey, Paul Rutherford, Barry Guy, Lol Coxhill, Phil Wachsmann, John Butcher and Keith Tippett. He has also played with Roswell Rudd (with Elton Dean’s Ninesense), Tim Berne and Ned Rothenberg (with Evan Parker), trios with Charles Gayle with Sirone and William Parker, Mark Dresser, Butch Morris’ London Skyscraper, and John Tchacai and Leo Smith with Springheel Jack playing festivals in the UK, France and Portugal.

He has toured the UK and Scandinavia, and played Minnesota ‘Sur Seine’ Jazz Festival, with Peter Brötzmann; and has toured the USA and Canada, and played in Europe, Turkey and Japan, with Jah Wobble; and played in Europe USA and Canada with Evan Parker.

A member of many European groups including The ZFP quartet with Carlos Zingaro/Simon Fell/Marcio Mattos which has played Ulrichsburg and Coimbra festivals and released two CDs, a trio with Frode Gjerstad and John Edwards, and a trio with Lotte Anker and Peter Friis Nielsen. Sanders is also a member of SPEEQ with Hasse Poulsen, Luc Ex and Phil Minton or Sidsel Endresen which in the last two years has played Banlieaus Bleues, Jazz D’Or, Cheltenham jazz festival, Le Mans festival, Jazz Sur L’Edre, Luz , Pori, Poitiers and Bordeaux festivals, Offside Open (new Moers), Rendevous De L’Erdre, toured through Austria Denmark and Holland and appeared on Dutch National TV.

performance diary 01-18-11 (Birmingham, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, London)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
January 24, 2011 The Phoenix Bar
Union Quay
Cork, Ireland
9:00pm
(doors: 8:45pm)
Performance by Jin Sangtae (electronics) with Han-earl Park (guitar) and Jeffrey Weeter (drums).
Admission: €10/5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
February 7, 2011 The Roundy
Castle Street
Cork, Ireland
9:00pm
(doors: 8:45pm)
Stet Lab featuring Stephen Davis (drums) with Han-earl Park (guitar), plus Helena Reilly (voice), Kevin Terry (guitar) and Dan Walsh (drums).
Admission: €10/5.
[Details…]
February 15, 2011 The Lamp Tavern
Barford Street
Birmingham B5, England
9:00pm Fizzle presents a performance by Paul Dunmall (saxophones), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Mark Sanders (drums).
Admission: £5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
February 19, 2011 Lewisham Arthouse
140 Lewisham Way
London SE14, England
8:00pm Performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)) with Pat Thomas (synthesizer) plus Zolan Quobble (spoken word).
Admission: £5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
March 2011 The Netherlands I’m looking for performance opportunities in The Netherlands mid-March 2011. Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
March 30, 2011 Half Moon Theatre
Half Moon Street
Emmets Place
Cork, Ireland
8:00pm Performances by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) with Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)).
More info to follow… Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from the UCC School of Music and the Cork Opera House. Tickets: €11 (€6) from the Cork Opera House.
March 31, 2011 TBC
Dublin, Ireland
TBC Performances by Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (trumpet) with Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward (drums, percussion and melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet and flugelhorn)). Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award. Details to follow…

Continue reading “performance diary 01-18-11 (Birmingham, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, London)”

CD release: Mathilde 253

‘Mathilde 253’ (SLAMCD 528) CD cover
‘Mathilde 253’ (SLAMCD 528) CD cover

I’m very excited to announce that Mathilde 253’s eponymous debut CD (SLAMCD 528) is released today by SLAM Productions. [More info…]

[Get it from Slam Productions…]

[Get it from distributors/shops…]
[Downtown Music Gallery…] [Jazzcds…] [Squidco…] [Wayside Music…]

Or if you prefer your music compressed (I still recommend the CD)…
[iTunes…] [eMusic…]

personnel

Mathilde 253: Charles Hayward (drums, percussion, melodica), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Ian Smith (trumpet, flugelhorn), plus Lol Coxhill (saxophone; tracks 6 and 7).

track listing

Kalimantan (18:29), Similkameen (8:22), Ishikari (10:09), Jixi (8:09), Matanuska (6:52), Aachen (11:42), Oaxaca (10:52). Total duration: 74:37.

updates

01–18–11: add list of shops.

01–19–11: add list download services.

03–08–11: add Squidco to the list.

performance: Mathilde 253 with Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (Cork, 2011)

First official word on the performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward, Han-earl Park and Ian Smith) with Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith, Cork, Ireland, March 30, 2011. See the performance diary for up-to-date info. Details to follow….

[FUAIM program download page…]

Mathilde 253 with Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith (FUAIM program page)
Click to view PDF…

full text

In this special event, part of a two-date tour, the ensemble Mathilde 253 is joined by internationally renowned composer-improviser Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith in his first appearance in Ireland. Mathilde 253 features the pioneering avant-rock drummer Charles Hayward, London-based improviser Ian Smith and guitarist Han-earl Park.

Trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist, composer and improviser, Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith has been active in creative contemporary music for over forty years. He performs with three ensembles, Golden Quartet, Silver Orchestra, and Organic, and is currently a faculty member at The Herb Alpert School of Music at California Institute of the Arts. Other contemporary music ensembles, including Kronos Quartet, Da Capo Chamber Player, New Century Players, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Del Sol String Quartet and New York New Music Ensemble, have also performed his compositions. Smith is a Guggenheim Fellow and a long-time member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians.

  • Arts Council Ireland logo
  • Music Network logo

Presented with funding from the Music Network Performance and Touring Award, and support from the UCC School of Music and the Cork Opera House.