For the opening event of 2020 Sound / Simulacra will present Improv with Soundwalks. John C.S. Keston and Cody McKinney will be improvising with recently recorded soundwalks of urban and natural environments. Using a multiple channel sound system, the artists will experiment with electronics to craft soundscapes that compliment and contrast the unaltered found-sound that they captured. Please join us at Jazz Central Studios on January 22, 2020 at 8:30pm.
For the final Sound / Simulacra of the 2019 program we presented Jesse Whitney, Wednesday, November 27, 2019. Jesse started the evening by performing a solo modular synthesizer set. Between sets Jesse repatched his setup to sample and process the signals from John C.S. Keston (Rhodes, piano, synthesizers), and Cody McKinney (bass, voice, electronics).
On October 23rd, 2019 Sound / Simulacra featured multi-instrumentalist Tasha Baron at Jazz Central Studios, Minneapolis, MN. In the first set Tasha improvised two pieces playing piano, synthesizers sounds, and electronic percussion. The second set add Cody McKinney on bass / electronic and John Keston on Rhodes / Prophet REV2.
On September 25, 2019 Sound / Simulacra presented bassist, guitarist, and composer Erik Fratzke. Erik started off the evening with a fascinating series of bass improvisations along with samples from Hong Kong martial arts films, signal processing, and a bass duet with Cody McKinney. For the second set we performed two trio pieces.
On August 28, 2019, Sound / Simulacra presented violinist, Kip Jones of ETHEL Quartet at Jazz Central Studios. Kip started off the evening with a beautiful solo set of violin and voice. The second set includes the addition of Cody McKinney (bass, voice, electronics), and John C.S. Keston (piano, Rhodes, synthesizers, electronics).
Sound / Simulacra featured electronic music artist Darwin Grosse on May 22, 2019. These recordings include a wonderful solo set followed by three trio pieces based on graphic scores by Darwin. These graphic scores were beautifully printed on laminated postcards as shown in the images below.
Sound / Simulacra continues with featured artist Darwin Grosse, May 22, 8:30pm at Jazz Central Studios, Minneapolis. Darwin Grosse works at the intersection of creativity, electronics and code. By applying an engineer’s toolkit to live performance, he builds complex sonic landscapes out of whole cloth. In addition to his active live media performance work, Darwin is part of the Cycling ‘74 software development team, writes for several media arts outlets and in an occasional university instructor. Oh, and he probably drinks more coffee than you. In this performance, Darwin will be working with a modular synthesizer and several computing platforms (Akai MPC Live, Monome Norns) to produce both ambient/melodic washes and noise walls.
Set 1 – Darwin Grosse (electronics)
Set 2 – Darwin Grosse (electronics), John C.S. Keston (piano, Rhodes, synthesizers), Cody McKinney (bass, electronics, voice)
On December 26, 2018 @ 8:30 pm – 10:30 pm Sound / Simulacra presented guest artists Don House and Al Church.
Set I
Don House — guitar, electronics
Al Church — guitars, keyboards, electronics
Set II
Don House — guitar, electronics
Al Church — guitars, keyboards, electronics
Cody McKinney — bass, voice, electronics
This October 24, 2018 Sound / Simulacra will feature Martin Dosh. Both me and Cody have had the pleasure and privilege of collaborating with Dosh over the years. Marty and me have bonded over our love of the Rhodes electric piano, DIY electronics, and similar musical ideals. This is bound to be a quite special performance in the intimacy of Jazz Central Studios, 407 Central Ave SE. Minneapolis, MN 55414. Please do join us for this event on October 24, 2018. Music starts at 8:30pm. Or checkout the Facebook event.
Dosh’s work with Andrew Broder in Lateduster and Fog gave him an experience that helped him begin to perform solo. In 2002, Dosh released his first album Dosh. He had recorded it himself, mostly in his basement. The album developed a following in the local Twin Cities scene. After playing many shows, City Pages voted him second on their annual “picked to click” list. Dosh was re-released internationally on Anticon in 2003. It was reviewed in Village Voice, URB, Flaunt, XLR8R, The Big Takeover and a number of online magazines. Dosh has toured extensively with Andrew Bird. He contributed significantly to Andrew Bird’s albums, Armchair Apocrypha and Noble Beast. Dosh is a member of The Cloak Ox, a four-piece band featuring Andrew Broder, Jeremy Ylvisaker and Mark Erickson. — Last.fm
Set 1: Martin Dosh: Drums, keyboards, electronics
Set 2: Martin Dosh: Drums, keyboards, electronics +
John Keston: Keyboards, synthesizer, electronics +
Cody McKinney: Bass, Voice, electronics
On August 22nd, 2018 Sound / Simulacra presented Kaleena Miller, co-director of the Twin Cities Tap Festival and director of Kaleena Miller Dance. Miller is a founding member of Rhythmic Circus, and toured extensively with the group from 2009-2017.
Kaleena is a 2015 McKnight Dance Fellow and was named one of DANCE Magazine’s “25 to Watch” in 2016. She has received funding from the Jerome Foundation and Minnesota State Arts Board, and has been commissioned to create work for the Walker Art Center, Southern Theater, Wayzata Symphony Orchestra, Hear Here! Festival, and SPCPA. Kaleena recently worked with Derick Grant on a solo, commissioned by the McKnight Fellowship. In 2016, she spent a month in solo residency at Air Le Parc in Pampelonne, France.
Set 1 – Kaleena Miller (dance)
Set 2 – Kaleena Miller (dance + electronics), Cody McKinney (bass, voice, electronics), John Keston (piano, rhodes, synth, electronics)
