Archivi tag: Thollem McDonas

pearls / neo archē. 2023

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https://neoarche.bandcamp.com/album/pearls

Neo Archē explores new possibilities for ancient Japanese instruments only used in Gagaku ceremonial music (the shō mouth organ, the gaku-biwa lute, and the uchimono percussion set). We use the tuning, some melodic segments, and the modes of classical Gagaku, which often date back to almost a millennium, but with a contemporary sensibility, and a large part of our music is improvised. In Pearls we continue our experiments in improvised world/ambient music, this time with the contribution of guest artists (musicians, a poet, and a painter) from the US, Japan, and Italy. The result oscillates between free jazz and contemporary classical music, with touches of progressive rock.

credits
released April 4, 2023

Fabio Rambelli shō, uchimono, and saxophone
Rory Lindsay gaku-biwa and effects
With Lish Lindsey (ryūteki), Nobuo Nishimura (trumpet and effects),
Andrea Raos (lyrics, voice, and electric bass), Takashi Seo (contrabass and percussion), and Ryan Song (cello).

Recorded 2020–2022 in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, New York, Rome, Sapporo, and Tokyo
Mixed by Rory Lindsay at King Druma’s Cellars, Santa Barbara
Mastered by Chris Kung at João Carvalho Mastering, Toronto
Produced by Fabio Rambelli and Rory Lindsay
Cover art by Roberto Pagnani (Arboreal Skin 2020, Flora Fragmenta 2020, Fluxus a 2021)
Cover design by Gert Rude Music
A special thanks to Rent Romus of Edgetone Records, Lish Lindsey, Thollem McDonas, Nobuo Nishimura, Roberto Pagnani, Andrea Raos, Takashi Seo, Ryan Song, Dina, Avery, and Ellen.

Andrea Raos’ text (track #7) is from I cani dello Chott el-Jerid, Arcipelago, ChapBooks series, Milan, 2010.

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