farewell, Brooklyn, it’s been a blast

Let’s start with a kind of personal Top Ten. In no particular order: Han-earl Park with Ingrid Laubrock; with Tim Perkis and Harris Eisenstadt; as part of Eris 136199 with Nick Didkovsky and Catherine Sikora; with Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen and Michael Evans; Gerald Cleaver; Tom Blancarte; Dominic Lash; Catherine Sikora and Josh Sinton; and with Evan Parker, Brooklyn and New York, 2012–2013. Videos by Scott Friedlander, Don Mount and Kevin Reilly.

I moved to Brooklyn back in December 2011, and I’m grateful and privileged to have been part of, even briefly, such a gracious, vibrant, creative, fun and welcoming community.

I’m particularly indebted to Andrew, Jesse, Michael, Adam, Anna and Andrea for introducing me to the (cultural) geography/neighborhood(s); to Bruce, Wadada and Ras who gave me my first few gigs; and to Tim and Evan for offering me sideman gigs. And a very big thanks to Josh, Catherine and Nick for much of the above, and for collaborating on some long-term projects. To everyone, I hope to repay the your generosity (and hope to catch up when I’m back in Brooklyn/NYC).

Now back in Cork, and, for what feel like the first time in a long time, I’m arriving without a gig in town (and, to my surprise, I’m not too unhappy about that). Some plans ahead (solo performance at SARC for starters), fingers crossed, something will work out.

Anyway, as posted earlier, I’m seeking performances for Numbers (Richard Barrett and Han-earl Park), Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky, Han-earl Park and Catherine Sikora) and Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward, Han-earl Park and Ian Smith). Interested promoters, venues, festivals and sponsors, please get in touch! [Details…]

Downtown Music Gallery: Numbers: Richard Barrett + Han-earl Park

CD cover of ‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) with Richard Barrett and Han-earl Park (copyright 2012, Creative Sources Recordings)
‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) © 2012 Creative Sources

The “intense exchange between these two gifted improvisers.” Bruce Lee Gallanter of Downtown Music Gallery reviews Richard Barrett and Han-earl Park’s ‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd):

Featuring Richard Barrett on electronics and Han-earl Park on guitar. Richard Barrett is a UK composer as well as an improvising electronic musician who plays in Furt, Forch and with Evan Parker, all of whom record for the Psi label. Originally UK-based guitarist Han-earl Park has been living in NY for the past couple of years and working with many Downtown players like Louise Jensen & Michael Evans (who he played with here at DMG last Sunday – 1/20/13), Harris Eisenstadt, Tim Perkis and Anthony Braxton. When Mr. Park was living in the UK, he worked with Paul Dunmall, Charles Hayward and invented a device called io 0.0.1 Beta, that played its own improvisations. An impressive resume for sure. Han-earl left us with this duo effort and I’m glad he did.

I dig the intense exchange between these two gifted improvisers. There are a number of bent sounds which make it hard to determine who is doing what. What electric guitar sounds I recognize are sharp, focused and quickly formed & let loose. Han-earl does not sound like a jazz guitarist and doesn’t play any of those popular licks. More often he is playing a series of broken yet tight phrases which fit perfectly with Mr. Barrett’s more rounded electronics. The fractured phrases that erupt throughout this disc often sound like just one musician playing by himself since we never know where one sound begins or ends or what it will turn into. There are a few rubbed string sounds which remind me of Fred Frith at times but that is the reference I can pull out of my own listening encounters. Otherwise this is duo is completely unique, exciting and engaging.

[Original newsletter…] [DMG catalog page…]

You can get the CD from DMG for a limited time price of $14 (normally $16)!

btw, I have yet to perform with Mr. Braxton (I assume Bruce meant Wadada), and I’m from California, but otherwise the description, especially “fractured phrases that erupt throughout this disc often sound like just one musician playing by himself since we never know where one sound begins or ends or what it will turn into”, is pretty accurate! Thanks for listening, Bruce.

‘Numbers’ (CS 201 cd) is available from Creative Sources Recordings. [More info…] [All reviews…] [Get the CD…]

thanks: Perkis-Park-Eisenstadt (The Stone, NYC) and Evans-Jensen-Park (DSMC, Brooklyn)

Tim Perkis, Han-earl Park and Harris Eisenstadt (The Stone, NYC, September 7, 2012). Photo copyright 2012 Tom Djll.
Harris Eisenstadt, Han-earl Park and Tim Perkis (The Stone, NYC, September 7, 2012). Photo © 2012 Tom Djll.

Big thanks to all the performers over the weekend: Harris Eisenstadt, Michael Evans (drums), Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen, and, especially for the initial invite to perform at The Stone, to Tim Perkis, one of the very finest computer performers, and one of the few who understands the nuts’n’bolts of musicianship and performance.

Thanks also to Miguel Frasconi for curating the series at The Stone, and to Josh Sinton and Prom Night Records for putting together Save The Date #8 at the Douglass Street Music Collective; and to Kevin Reilly and Don Mount for the documentation. And, nothing to do with my own performances, but I want to mention Tom Djll who, with Andrew Drury (thanks for the transport back home, Andrew!) and Tim, presented borderline genius deconstructions—diabolical combinations of intelligent critique and humorous pastiche—that followed our set at The Stone.

And, as always, thanks to everyone who came to listen and witness real-time music in motion… including the one person in the audience who really did not dig what I was doing… at all %^}

reminder: Tim Perkis, Han-earl Park and Harris Eisenstadt at The Stone, New York

Tim Perkis, Han-earl Park and Harris Eisenstadt
This Friday (September 7, 2012), at 8:00pm: a performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Harris Eisenstadt (percussion) takes place at The Stone (16 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009). Admission: $10 (students 13–19: $5; children <12: free).

performance: Tim Perkis, Han-earl Park and Harris Eisenstadt at The Stone, New York

Tim Perkis, Han-earl Park and Harris Eisenstadt
Friday, September 7, 2012, at 8:00pm: a performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Harris Eisenstadt (percussion) takes place at The Stone (16 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009). Admission: $10 (students 13–19: $5; children <12: free).

See the performance diary for up-to-date info. [The Stone calendar…] [facebook event…] [Curator Miguel Frasconi’s page…]

performance diary 07-01-12 (Brooklyn, New York)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
July 24, 2012 The Backroom @ Freddy’s Bar
627 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
8:30pm Performance by Eris 136199 (Nick Didkovsky: guitar; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Catherine Sikora: saxophones), plus Christine Bard (drums, percussion and electronics), Bill McCrossen (bass) and Mercedes Figueras (saxophones), presented by On The Way Out.
Recommended donation: $10.
[Details…]
[Freddy’s page…]
[facebook event…]
September 7, 2012 The Stone
16 Avenue C
New York, NY 10009
8:00pm Performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Harris Eisenstadt (percussion).
Admission: $10 (students 13–19: $5; children <12: free).
[Details…]
[The Stone calendar…]
[facebook event…]
September 8, 2012 Douglass Street Music Collective
295 Douglass Street
Gowanus
Brooklyn, NY 11217
8:00pm Performance by Michael Evans (drums), Louise Dam Eckardt Jensen (saxophone) and Han-earl Park (guitar), plus Brad Henkel (trumpet), and Angelika Niescer Quartet (Angelika Niescer: alto sax; Florian Weber: piano; Chris Tordini: bass; and Tommy Crane: drums) presented as part of Save The Date #8.
Recommended donation: $10.
[Details…]
[DSMC page…]
late 2012 North America Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar) is seeking performance opportunities in North America, late 2012.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
2013 Europe Seeking performances in Europe, 2013 for the cyborg ensemble of interactive, semi-autonomous, technological artifact and machine musician io 0.0.1 beta++ (itself) with human musicians Han-earl Park (guitar), Bruce Coates (saxophones) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophones). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch! [Detailed proposal…]

Continue reading “performance diary 07-01-12 (Brooklyn, New York)”

performance diary 06-11-12 (Brooklyn, New York)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
June 22, 2012 Dustin Carlson’s home
285 Midwood Street
Brooklyn, NY 11225
8:00pm (doors: 7:00pm) Han-earl Park (guitar) and Josh Sinton (saxophone and clarinet), plus Anna Webber and Mariel Berger, and Natura Morta (F.L., Sean Ali and Carlo Costa).
[Details…]
June 24, 2012 Andrew Drury’s home
[Contact for location…]
Lefferts Gardens
Brooklyn, NY
7:00pm Soup and Sound House Concert #12 with Jack Wright (saxophones), Ben Wright (bass), Andrew Drury (drums) and Han-earl Park (guitar).
Recommended donation: $10.
[Details…]
July 24, 2012 The Backroom @ Freddy’s Bar
627 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
8:30pm Performance by Nick Didkovsky (guitar), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Catherine Sikora (saxophones), plus Christine Bard (drums, percussion and electronics), Bill McCrossen (bass) and Mercedes Figueras (saxophones), presented by On The Way Out.
Recommended donation: $10.
[Details…]
[Freddy’s page…]
[facebook event…]
September 7, 2012 The Stone
16 Avenue C
New York, NY 10009
8:00pm Performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Harris Eisenstadt (percussion).
Admission: $10.
late 2012 North America Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar) is seeking performance opportunities in North America, late 2012.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
2013 Europe Seeking performances in Europe, 2013 for the cyborg ensemble of interactive, semi-autonomous, technological artifact and machine musician io 0.0.1 beta++ (itself) with human musicians Han-earl Park (guitar), Bruce Coates (saxophones) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophones). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch! [Detailed proposal…]

Continue reading “performance diary 06-11-12 (Brooklyn, New York)”

performance diary 05-14-12 (Brooklyn, New York)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
May 27, 2012 ABC No Rio
156 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
6:00pm Performance by Nick Didkovsky (guitar), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Catherine Sikora (saxophones) presented by COMA: Citizens Ontological Music Agenda.Also performing: Jim Goodin, Frederika Kreier, and the Rocco John Iacovone ensemble.Admission: $5.
[Details…]
[ABC No Rio page…]
[facebook event…]
June 7, 2012 Andrew Drury’s home
[Contact for location…]
Brooklyn, NY
7:00pm Soup and Sound House Concert #11 with Andrew Drury (drums) and Han-earl Park (guitar), plus Bow Duo (Adrian Knight and Chris Cerrone).
Admission: $10.
[Details…]
June 22, 2012 Dustin Carlson’s home
285 Midwood Street
Brooklyn, NY 11225
8:00pm (doors: 7:00pm) Han-earl Park (guitar) and Josh Sinton (saxophone and clarinet), plus Anna Webber and Mariel Berger, and Natura Morta (F.L., Sean Ali and Carlo Costa).
[Details…]
July 24, 2012 The Backroom @ Freddy’s Bar
627 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
8:30pm Performance by Nick Didkovsky (guitar), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Catherine Sikora (saxophones) presented by On The Way Out.
More info to follow…
September 7, 2012 The Stone
16 Avenue C
New York, NY 10009
8:00pm Performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Harris Eisenstadt (percussion).
Admission: $10.
late 2012 North America Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar) is seeking performance opportunities in North America, late 2012.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
early 2013 Europe Seeking performances in Europe, early 2013 for the cyborg ensemble of interactive, semi-autonomous, technological artifact and machine musician io 0.0.1 beta++ (itself) with human musicians Han-earl Park (guitar), Bruce Coates (saxophones) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophones). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch! [Detailed proposal…]

Continue reading “performance diary 05-14-12 (Brooklyn, New York)”

performance diary 04-18-12 (Brooklyn, London, New York, Scarborough)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
May 3, 2012 Performance Space 2
University of Hull: Scarborough Campus
Filey Road
Scarborough, England
7:30pm Performance by Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar).
Tickets: £4 (£3).
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
May 6, 2012 Cecil Sharp House
2 Regent’s Park Road
Camden
London, England
2:00pm Performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward: drums, percussion and melodica; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Ian Smith: trumpet and flugelhorn) as part of Freedom of the City.Also performing: John Edwards, Caroline Kraabel and Lee Patterson; Terry Day; and the London Improvisers Orchestra.[Deatils…]
[FOTC page with ticket info…]
[facebook event…]
May 7, 2012 The Oxford
256 Kentish Town Road
London, England
9:00pm
(doors: 8:30pm)
Performance by Mark Hanslip (saxophone), Dominic Lash (double bass), Phillip Marks (drums) and Han-earl Park (guitar) presented by Jazz @ The Oxford.
Admission: £5.
[Details…]
[facebook event…]
May 27, 2012 ABC No Rio
156 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
6:00pm Performance by Nick Didkovsky (guitar), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Catherine Sikora (saxophones) presented by COMA: Citizens Ontological Music Agenda.Also performing: Jim Goodin, Frederika Kreier, and the Rocco John Iacovone ensemble.Admission: $5.
[ABC No Rio page…]
[facebook event…]
July 24, 2012 The Backroom @ Freddy’s Bar
627 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
8:30pm Performance presented by On The Way Out.
Details to follow…
September 7, 2012 The Stone
16 Avenue C
New York, NY 10009
8:00pm Performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Harris Eisenstadt (percussion).
Admission: $10.
late 2012 North America Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar) is seeking performance opportunities in North America, late 2012.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
early 2013 Europe Seeking performances in Europe, early 2013 for the cyborg ensemble of interactive, semi-autonomous, technological artifact and machine musician io 0.0.1 beta++ (itself) with human musicians Han-earl Park (guitar), Bruce Coates (saxophones) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophones). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch! [Detailed proposal…]

Continue reading “performance diary 04-18-12 (Brooklyn, London, New York, Scarborough)”

performance diary 04-04-12 (Brooklyn, London, New York, Scarborough)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
April 8, 2012 Douglass Street Music Collective
295 Douglass Street
Gowanus
Brooklyn, NY 11217
8:30pm Gowanus Company IV with Michael Bates, Matt Bauder, Ken Filiano, Brad Henkel, Ingrid Laubrock, Weston Minissali, Han-earl Park, Josh Sinton, Vinnie Sperrazza, Jesse Stacken, Booker Stardrum and “secret, special guests”.
$10 suggested donation.
[Details…]
[DSMC page…]
May 3, 2012 Performance Space 2
University of Hull: Scarborough Campus
Filey Road
Scarborough, England
7:30pm Performance by Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar).
Tickets: £4 (£3).
May 6, 2012 Cecil Sharp House
2 Regent’s Park Road
Camden
London, England
2:00pm Performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward: drums, percussion and melodica; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Ian Smith: trumpet and flugelhorn) as part of Freedom of the City.Also performing: John Edwards, Caroline Kraabel and Lee Patterson; Terry Day; and the London Improvisers Orchestra.[Deatils…]
[FOTC page with ticket info…]
May 7, 2012 The Oxford
256 Kentish Town Road
London, England
9:00pm
(doors: 8:30pm)
Performance by Mark Hanslip (saxophone), Dominic Lash (double bass), Phillip Marks (drums) and Han-earl Park (guitar) presented by Jazz @ The Oxford.
Admission: £5.
May 27, 2012 ABC No Rio
156 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
7:00pm Performance by Nick Didkovsky (guitar), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Catherine Sikora (saxophones) presented by COMA: Citizens Ontological Music Agenda.
Further details to follow…
Admission: $5.
July 24, 2012 The Backroom @ Freddy’s Bar
627 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
8:30pm Performance presented by On The Way Out.
Details to follow…
September 7, 2012 The Stone
16 Avenue C
New York, NY 10009
8:00pm Performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Han-earl Park (guitar) and Harris Eisenstadt (percussion).
Admission: $10.
late 2012 North America Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar) is seeking performance opportunities in North America, late 2012.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
early 2013 Europe Seeking performances in Europe, early 2013 for the cyborg ensemble of interactive, semi-autonomous, technological artifact and machine musician io 0.0.1 beta++ (itself) with human musicians Han-earl Park (guitar), Bruce Coates (saxophones) and Franziska Schroeder (saxophones). Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch! [Detailed proposal…]

Continue reading “performance diary 04-04-12 (Brooklyn, London, New York, Scarborough)”

performance diary 03-15-12 (Brooklyn, London, New York, Scarborough)

upcoming performances
date venue time details
April 1, 2012 Downtown Music Gallery
13 Monroe Street
New York, NY 10002-7351
6:00pm 6:00pm: ‘April Fool’s Day Mystery Set.’
7:00pm: Han-earl Park (guitar).
Free admission.
[Details…]
[DMG page…]
May 3, 2012 Performance Space 2
University of Hull: Scarborough Campus
Filey Road
Scarborough, England
7:30pm (TBC) Performance by Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar).
Tickets: £4 (£3).
May 6, 2012 Cecil Sharp House
2 Regent’s Park Road
Camden
London, England
2:00pm Performance by Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward: drums, percussion and melodica; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Ian Smith: trumpet and flugelhorn) as part of Freedom of the City.Also performing: John Edwards, Caroline Kraabel and Lee Patterson; Terry Day; and the London Improvisers Orchestra.[Deatils…]
[FOTC page with ticket info…]
May 7, 2012 The Oxford
256 Kentish Town Road
London, England
9:00pm
(doors: 8:30pm)
Performance by Mark Hanslip (saxophone), Dominic Lash (double bass), Phillip Marks (drums) and Han-earl Park (guitar) presented by Jazz @ The Oxford.
Admission: £5.
May 27, 2012 ABC No Rio
156 Rivington Street
New York, NY 10002
7:00pm Performance presented by COMA: Citizens Ontological Music Agenda.
Details to follow…
Admission: $5.
July 24, 2012 The Backroom @ Freddy’s Bar
627 5th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
8:30pm Performance presented by On The Way Out.
Details to follow…
September 7, 2012 The Stone
16 Avenue C
New York, NY 10009
8:00pm Performance by Tim Perkis (electronics), Harris Eisenstadt (drums) and Han-earl Park (guitar).
Admission: $10.
April–May 2012 Europe More dates TBC, but some dates still open: Mathilde 253 (Charles Hayward: drums, percussion and melodica; Han-earl Park: guitar; and Ian Smith: trumpet and flugelhorn), plus Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar) are seeking performance opportunities in Europe, April to May 2012.
In addition, Han-earl Park (guitar) is available for formal or ad-hoc performances.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!
late 2012 North America Numbers (Richard Barrett: electronics; and Han-earl Park: guitar) is seeking performance opportunities in North America, late 2012.
Interested promoters, venues and sponsors, please get in touch!

Continue reading “performance diary 03-15-12 (Brooklyn, London, New York, Scarborough)”

thanks: Ishmael Wadada Leo Smith’s Silver Orchestra at the Roulette, Brooklyn

Happy 70th Birthday, Wadada

I feel honored to have been part of an orchestra of performers of that caliber. As best I can make out, the final lineup of the Silver Orchestra on the night was:

Silver Orchestra lineup 12-16-11

Thomas Buckner (voice), Jennifer Choi, Wendy Law (strings), Casey Anderson, Casey Butler, Jamie Baum, Marty Ehrlich, Sara Schoenbeck, J. D. Parran, Jason Mears (winds), Ted Daniel, Taylor Ho Bynum, Mark Taylor (brass), Yuko Fujiyama (piano), John Lindberg (bass), Han-earl Park (guitar), and Bobby Naughton, Susie Ibarra, Martin Obeng, Harris Eisenstadt (percussion).

Was great to catch up with some old acquaintances, and meet many new people. Some things to take away: the trio of drummers to my right (Susie, Martin and Harris) always sounded fantastic; Mark’s fluttering, playful solo was a highlight; Angelica Sanchez for her sense of humor; musing with Jason about the possibilities (and practicalities) of large ensemble creative music; and Yuko and Taylor making the sections breaks clearer for the rest of us.

And of course, thanks to Wadada for taking time to guide us through his compositions; always a pleasure. Happy Birthday, Wadada!