TONIGHT..NAKED IN THE RAIN...

Yes... tonights even is happening. rain. shine. moonlight. clouds. tornados unicorn attacks etc. all of it. It's not called Wonderland for nothing people. Online ticket sales have ended but you can buy tickets at the door on a first come first serve basis, until we are at capacity. We will let more people in throughout the night as we are able..  See you in Wonderland. xx

Sets are as follows:

5:15 - Brian Coogan

6:15 - Zoe Boekbinder

7:30 - Naked Orchestra

8:30 - Glenn Hartman

9:30 - Anna Pardenik

STAR FIELD. SATURDAY. NEATO

New Music Fans! Take a moment and turn your attention to STAR FIELD , the latest collaborative effort helmed by our friend and fellow composer, James Partidge.  We asked James about the intention that drove such an elaborate collaborative effort and his thoughts about presenting new music in a contemporary art/gallery setting,  here is what he had to say..

 We wanted to present this concert in a space that we were able to define ourselves.  That is why it seemed a natural fit to approach Parse Art Gallery. We're using the beautiful third floor space and installing are own artwork to match each piece of music. Jacques Duffourc has created a revolving screen that will have projections thrown on it as each piece is played.  Therefore, not only the projections but the backdrop will shift for each song.  These 7 different backdrops, for 7 different pieces of music (written by 7 different composers!), will be painted by Jacques Duffourc, Page Goss and Francis Wong.  We've created a fully immersive concert experience.

Partridge describes Star Field  as an interactive performance between musicians, artists, and community members. Seven  diverse groups of people living in New Orleans converged with  seven New Orleans  composers who each wrote one piece of music related to their respective community group. The resulting compositions will be played by Partridges large ensemble, The Giant Peach, which features Simon Lott, Emily Fredrickson, Jason Weaver, James Partridge, Jeronne Amari Ansari, Ricio Fruge, John Maestas. Collaborating composers on for the project are  Rex Gregory, Simon Lott, Jeronne Amari Ansari, Allen Hall, Ricio Fruge, Jacques Duffourc, and Jimbo Walsh. Visual projection and installation by Jacques Duffourc, Page Goss, Francis Wong, and filmographer Ana Dunjic.

ALL OF THIS is happening one night only, THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 18 at 7:30PM  at Parse Gallery in the CBD. If you are reading this blog post, we think you should make it your personal mission to attend this unique event.  We have also been informed that your ticket to the show includes an open bar... Nice one James. 

 


 

 

SONO + DOSTI MUSIC PROJECT MARCH 9-17

THE SOUND OBSERVATORY is pleased to announce our first New Orleans new music residency in partnership with Bang on a Can's FOUND SOUND NATION. March 9 we will welcome ten Dosti Music Fellows to the Bywater for 8 days to collaboratively write, record and perform an album of original music born out of these collaborations. 

The Dosti Music Project brings together musicians from Pakistan, India, and the U.S. for a monthlong residency and tour (February 23-March 21, 2015). An initiative of the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan, produced by Bang on a Can’s Found Sound Nation, Dosti invites four Pakistanis, four Indians, and two U.S. musicians from a wide variety of traditions, ranging from Sufi singing to beatmaking to avant-garde jazz, to collaboratively write, record, and perform original music, re-invent traditional music, and develop initiatives that will make a positive impact on communities locally and internationally. Dosti, which means friendship in both Urdu and Hindi, seeks to transcend political and cultural barriers through cross-cultural musical collaboration.

SONO has curated a first class New Orleans experience for these innovative musicians starting with a crash course in New Orleans styles and history from the Lady herself, Germaine Bazzle and master Mitchell Player. The Fellows will perform some of their new work in small and large ensembles collaborating with some of the city's most innovative and encompassing musicians in a variety of different settings. They will erect a free, public street studio outside of Dancing Grounds on St. Claude Avenue during second Saturday and invite everyone to lend their musical talents ( or lack thereof ) to the collaborative effort. They will experience Super Sunday, a dinner pop-up at the Tigermen's Den, a lecture and demonstration for a 9th ward middle school orchestra and a classy culminating performance at the legendary Snug Harbor before moving on to the dusty chaos of the SXSW Music Festival. We will keep you updated on the happenings and you give us a shout if you want to get involved.. deal?



THE FUTURE IS NOW.

Happy Jazz Fest New Orleans! As we watch people from all over the world make the annual pilgrimage to the fairgrounds I'm reminded of the adventurous and pioneering spirit that founded the festival in the 1970's. It's easy to keep this on the front brain as we announce SONO and our mission to the world. In fact, SONO headquarters occupy the former residence of Alison Miner herself!  At that time, a festival that celebrated the rich musical culture here in New Orleans was a genius idea. It allowed artists traveling the world the time, space and funds to do their thing, in their hometown, allowed for collaboration and special musical moments that are still recalled to this day. Now, in 2014, the music festival model has become a force in popular music. The New Orleans festival has modernized to compete with other commercial festivals in breadth, attendance and long term viability. It is safe to say it is quite a different beast than the one idealized and actualized in the 70's and we are left to develop a new model to address the current needs of our creative community. The times have changed but the spirit remains the same.  You will see Brad Walker, Paul Thibodeaux and Aurora Nealand playing in all sorts of bands all over the fairgrounds, but since the impetus for the free jazz tent has yet to manifest, you might have missed this gem of a trio. Enjoy!