Posted on

Michelle Kinney Recordings

On November 28, 2018 Sound / Simulacra featured cellist, Michelle Kinney. Michelle performed three inspiring solo pieces in the first set. For the second set John C.S. Keston and Cody McKinney joined Michelle and performed two lengthy improvisations adding keyboards, synthesizer, bass, electronics, and voice to the ensemble. Please enjoy these recording of the performance.

Michelle’s work as a composer/performer has been recognized and supported by the The McKnight Foundation (Composer Fellowship, 2014), Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, 2014, The Bush Foundation (Bush Artists Fellowship 2004), The Jerome Foundation, MN State Arts Board, NEA/Rockefeller, Harvestworks/Studio Pass, and the American Composers Forum.

*Kinney’s improvisations in Solo Piece 1 are based on the merging of 2 melodies: In a Silent Way by Joe Zawinul and Vasanthi by Nirmala Rajasekar.

Posted on

Cellist Michelle Kinney

Wednesday, November 28, 2018, Sound / Simulacra will feature cellist Michelle Kinney

While living in NYC for 13 years, Michelle was lucky enough to work with some of the most respected innovators in new music, including the unforgettable Butch Morris, Henry Threadgill, Jason Hwang, Brandon Ross, Stomu Takeishi, Myra Melford, Bun Ching Lam & Shi-Zheng Chen.

Michelle’s current projects include Maithree – The Music of Friendship, a collaboration led by South Indian Veena virtuoso Nirmala Rajasekar, Michelle also leads her own band What We Have Here, performing Michelle’s original compositions. She also co-leads the two cellos and tabla/drum quartet Jelloslave which has made two critically acclaimed recordings which as performed all over the Twin Cities and the state for the last 12 years.

Michelle’s work as a composer/performer has been recognized and supported by the The McKnight Foundation (Composer Fellowship, 2014), Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, 2014, The Bush Foundation (Bush Artists Fellowship 2004), The Jerome Foundation, MN State Arts Board, NEA/Rockefeller, Harvestworks/Studio Pass, and the American Composers Forum.

Set 1: Michelle Kinney (cello, electronics)
Set 2: Michelle Kinney (cello, electronics) / John Keston (keyboards, synthesizer, electronics) / Cody McKinney (bass, voice, electronics)

Posted on

Sophia Deutsch Recordings

This improvised performance from cellist Sophia Deutsch, myself, and Cody McKinney was recorded by Dave Kunath on Wednesday October 25th, 2017 at Jazz Central Studios during Sound / Simulacra.

Sophia Deutsch is a multi-faceted artist involved in many musical and visual art projects around the Twin Cities. As an artist, Sophia believes in an organic creation of music and art, using improvisation and emotion to drive the sounds. As a musician, her interests lie in the dichotomy of organic sound generation with cello being the genesis and the perversion of this via live distortion and/or electronic manipulation.

The series explores musical improvisation as a “faithful and intentionally distorted” representational process bringing together some of the Twin Cities most unique voices to “recreate, distort, and create the hyperreal”. Please enjoy listening!