Maximal Animal
Signal 2 Boyz
Large Marge & Robotrake
Ko Koed
Howard's Dilemma
SIGNAL 2 BOYZ is Philly's most angular, funky, and explosive electro-acoustic improv unit, featuring the legendary Charles Cohen! Utilizing a deceptively simple system known as "Transformative Groove", the ensemble creates shifting grooves, timbres, patterns, and structures that are about as unpredictable as they are infectious. Signal-2-Boyz is: -Charles Cohen (Buchla Music Easel Synthesizer/electronics) -Amnon Freidlin (guitar/loops) -Andrew Gaspar (turntables/electronics) -Joe Lentini (MIA: Jamaica) -Evan Lipson (bass/devices) -Dave Smolen (analog electronics). The ensemble's general aesthetic has evolved into a process of sonic layering or lamenationin which sounds may be frozen in real time (and/or from a previous moment), by a hyper-subtle process of looping and manipulation. Careful attention is paid to aspects of foreground and background texture, dynamics, density, pulse, contrasting colors, as well as various modes of poly-rhythmic/metric/tempic playing.This type of playing is smoothly juxtoposed with a more freewheeling yet interlocking language of varying complexity, where a large emphasis is placed upon purely timbral and sonic experimentation. These two areas freely flow in and out of each other, creating a sound that can often become quite raucous and 'grooving' (in the truest sense of the word...an area that S2B generally feels is largely ignored by most in the field of experimental improvisation), or very spatial and reduced in texture...
KO KOED is an accordion duo of Alban Bailly and Dustin Hurt. Exploring the possibilities of this instrument, these two improvisers coax surprising and unheard sound from their amazing squeeze boxes. By using a very large pitch and textures register, they create music that ranges from intimately quiet to violently striking. They are going to create some irresistible tension that would, almost, make you wish you were one of the reeds of their accordions. KO KOED's experimentation is a celebration of the bittersweet taste.
MAXIMAL ANIMAL is a free improvisation trio from Philadelphia. The players include Nick Millevoi - guitar, Evan Lipson - bass, and Robert Ludington - drums. The group formed after playing together in a recent Philadelphia performance of John Zorn's Cobra, when they decided to try and take things out as a trio. The music is loud, but also quiet. Free-wheeling, but also reserved.
VJ LARGE MARGE & ROBOTRAKE: It's as if a computer has taken over Doug Noe's brain and turned him into ROBOTRAKE. He is half man, half machine musical creation. Robotrake is a self taught keyboardist, who uses found field recordings and computer driven beats to create a soundtrack for some long lost David Lynch film. He performs this original music as a DJ, and dares to break free of these traditional forms while creating original compositions. VJ LARGE MARGE is well known around the city, for his innovative homespun live visual choices which use educational, pop, and obscure video slices and mash-ups.
