soundCd no. 1 celebrates the lively matrix of experimental practice in Los Angeles. The two CD set features over 40 musicians working in unique improvisational combinations as well as in solo performances. All were organized as a part of the sound. concert series.
Spanning 4 years of activity, soundCd no. 1 documents performances from trios as diverse as Joseph Hammer, Marina Rosenfeld and Mike Watt from the 1998 event angels gate dusk: installations + trios pulled from a hat and Bonnie Barnett, Rick Potts and Carla Bozulich from voices that scrape souls at Sacred Grounds. Unique group performances are interspersed with solos: tracks by Nels Cline (acoustic guitar), Lynn Johnson (saxophone) Rick Potts (double bass) and Michael Intreiere (cello) are juxtaposed with performances as players in group improvs with Devin Sarno, Rich West, Heather Lockie and Rod Poole.
Co-published with SASSAS by 1301PE and lemon sky projects + editions, soundCd no. 1 is available as a limited release of 1000 copies: 900 in cardboard gatefold sleeves and 100 in a special artist’s edition collaboration by Cindy Bernard and Tom Recchion. The special artist’s edition is a 30-pocket vinyl grid with monochromatic cards featuring images documenting various performances from sound. The cards can be freely rearranged to create different combinations. For storage, the grid folds down to a CD size package housed in a frosted vinyl case.
In addition to the artist’s edition, the two week exhibition will feature CDs from several of the musicians on soundCd no. 1, including Solid Eye, Mike Kelley, Pauline Oliveros, Miya Masoaka, Joe Potts, Geoff Brandin, Alex Cline, Steve Gregoropoulos, Julie Fowells, Gabie Strong, Extended Organ, Mitchell Brown, Sara Schoenbeck, Philip Gelb and G.E. Stinson.
soundCd no. 1 is the first release of soundNet recordings, a project of SASSAS (The Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound) a non-profit organization serving as a catalyst for the creation, presentation, and recognition of experimental art and sound practices and which acts as an umbrella for sound. In her liner notes, producer and SASSAS/sound. founder Cindy Bernard writes of three motivating principals: “encourage new relationships through unusual improvisational combinations, guarantee the musicians compensation for their labor regardless of door and provide a comfortable place for the audience to listen.”
Tom Recchion, art director and designer on soundCd no. 1, co-founded the LAFMS (the Los Angeles Free Music Society) a ‘disorganization’ dedicated to experimental music and art practices. Not only has Recchion made significant contributions to experimental music and art, but he has received international recognition as an art director/graphic designer of music packaging. Working with a wide range of artists, musicians and composers (Terry Riley, Hermann Nitsch, David Lynch, REM, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, Prince, Jon Hassell, Harold Budd, John Cale and Lou Reed, Christian Marclay and many others) Recchion has a quartet of Grammy nominations and copious design awards.
Online information for soundCd no. 1 is available at www.soundNet.org.
