Archive for Softpieces
In-House Collab with Soft Pieces
Our friend Zach Mason (Soft Pieces) drove down to our home in Charlottesville from Rockville, MD to jam and record with us today. We made a big meal of DIY vegan burritos to welcome him.
Zach gave us a noise-making toy that he constructed from a pill bottle, rubber bands, and a contact mic. We named it “Lander”.
We did a free improv jam. We tried various ways to set constraints such as “playing with Lander and letting it guide us.” We also used Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies that Zach brought during our last take. During this take, I was to experiment with the concept of humanization (“free of error”), Carey with frame and edges, and Zach with fakery.
We had a blast! It felt really good to do some serious experimentation.
It looks like we will be playing with Zach sometime in the near future. We’re concocting a performance possibly for the Femfest at Maya Gallery later this fall in Greensboro, NC.
Compilation for Reproductive Rights
The murder of Dr. Tiller inspired Zach Mason (Softpieces) to bring together experimental noise/sound artists to raise for issues related to reproductive rights. Zach asked us to perform and contribute to a compilation CD-R. Unfortunately the show is schedule during our visit in the UK. We will contribute the live recording of our performance of “Irigaray” at Queering Sound 09. Thanks to Steve Sanford for recording it.
Here are our liner notes:
//Grapefruit Experiment (Umi Hsu and Jacob Alden Sargent dedicates “Irigaray” to the compilation to support women’s rights to control their bodies. Inspired by the writing of Lucy Irigaray, we construct a feedback guitar/percussion/electronics system to create a non-linear sonic experience. Emphasizing the body, this piece outputs sound from bodily-engaged gestures.//
All the funds generated from the CD-R sales will go to the DC Abortion Fund.
Grapefruit Experiment | GFX 