Monday, October 31, 2011

HERE IT COMES - PHASE 1













More info, photos and such on the Mother May I blog:

http://mothermayimakewaves.wordpress.com/

BETH FLEENOR: MOTHER MAY I
Work in Progress – Phase 1
November 4-11

Jack Straw New Media Gallery
4261 Roosevelt Way NE


OPENING: Friday, Nov 4_8pm
Featuring: Beth Fleenor (clarinets/voice/electronics), Michele Khazak (voice), Paris Hurley (violin/tape players), Samantha Boshnack (trumpet), Michael Owcharuk (keyboard), Paul Kemmish (bass), Tom Zgonc (drums)

ACTIVATION: Monday, Nov 7 – Friday, Nov 11_1-5pm
Fleenor will inhabit the installation performing 4hours of solos and duos daily. Artists including: Craig Flory, Stephen Fandrich, Michael Owcharuk, Paul Budraitis, Double Yoko, Evan Flory-Barnes, Paris Hurley, Nate Omdal, Brian Bermudez, John Teske, Whitney Lyman, Kevin Nortness, PK, Michele Khazak, Ari Joshua, Stephen Parris, and Brad Hebert, among others.

BUILDING THE FRAME



































More info, photos and such on the Mother May I blog:
http://mothermayimakewaves.wordpress.com/

Friday, October 28, 2011

WHEN DEATH COMES, EVERYTHING ELSE STOPS



Today I received news that my great friend (also one of my business mentors) passed away.

Carol Shiffman died a couple days ago - after a long, hard battle with cancer.

The last time I saw her we met at the Guggenheim, had lunch at a beautiful cafe called Elizabeth's, and took a walk in Central Park. Our very last moment was the quintessential New York goodbye - we were on the train...."Grand Central Station" it said...all upbeat, full of the strength and grace she always carried no matter what, she said "this is my stop!" - we kissed, left cheek, right cheek, a squeeze of the arm, and she bounded off the train. I watched her walk away until she was lost in the crowd. Then the train continued on....


The minute you know you've lost someone, every single element of the experience of them comes into focus. I suddenly can remember every detail about the way she stood, or held her head when listening, or the way her hands moved when she was communicating with an audience. I can remember every everything....and in such detail.

Carol had an immanent grace that is not easily summarized. It came both in the way she moved - her many years as a dancer and choreographer were evident even when she was riding the elevator - and the way she interacted with people.

She had a special way of receiving people - of really listening to them - of honoring them.

Once in talking about the old saying "this is business, it's not personal, it's business" she revealed the essence of her being...."yes it is business, but the person is always there - you can never overlook the person - the person always has to be considered"

That's not to say that she wasn't tough as nails when it came to business - just that she saw that with anything involving a human, the human must be recognized, considered, and above all else, RESPECTED.

She said that giving introductions was one of the concert producer's most important jobs - that you set the tone for the audience to receive what the artists are going to create....and that it's your job to personalize the experience, to humanize the experience, so that everyone can take the journey together - openly.

She had a way of navigating and mediating even the most tense of meetings/discussions. I observed situations where amidst great chaos she was able to give each person room to feel heard, seen and respected, even though opinions and ideas might differ greatly.

When we met, she had taken the helm as department chair of a music department, even though her background and training had been as a dancer (though she had MANY years of experience as an arts administrator working with music). Through this, she taught me alot about the core of art - how it is really all about the same thing no matter the medium it comes through - and she showed me how each discipline needs each other to learn and go deeper.

She taught me so much about feeling a space and filling a space.
about listening and being heard.
about silent confidence and unspoken channels of communication.
about the subtle lines of awareness that shape every conversation.

She taught me about believing in yourself, how to trust that everything you work on in the studio shapes your life, and that everything in your life shapes what you do in the studio....how to trust that no matter what new situation you are in, you can call on your personal history, on your personal voice to navigate the new with confidence. How to embrace the improvisation.

She taught me more things than I can possibly try to articulate through this sea of tears.

She was a beautiful, graceful, and fiercely strong individual - my life is so much better because of my experiences with her.

She believed in me.
She supported my business when I was just starting out.
and she always supported me as an artist and wanted me to promise to never stop playing - no matter how much administration I got wrapped up in.

Carol Shiffman was my great friend and mentor.

and she called me "Cookie"


(I will love you for always - you are with me on every stage and in every meeting - and you will live forever in our hearts. Rest in peace dear friend - and give 'em hell on the other side)

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

LIVING ROOM PARTY 59

Sketch_Push Through




(letting release rituals be seen)

LIKE WATER

I believe in the power of sound to clear the body and cleanse the soul - bathe in it

TRIO COMMANDO IMAGES

Taken by Daniel Sheehan at the September 30, 2011 performance presented by Nonsequitur







THE NATURE OF THINGS

life is a series of experiences
that no one else can experience
that everyone is experiencing simultaneously

Monday, October 24, 2011

MOTHER MAY I DEVELEOPMENT

It's coming....opens November 4....

MOTHER MAY I
Work in Progress Phase 1
(a sound/art/processing installation)

Opening Ensemble Performance:
Friday, Nov. 4 / 8pm

Daily solo and duo performances:
Monday-Friday, Nov. 7-11/ 1-5pm

Jack Straw New Media Gallery
4261 Roosevelt Way NE
Seattle, Washington 98105

INFORMATION: http://mothermayimakewaves.wordpress.com/







LIVING ROOM PARTY 58

CRYSTAL BETH
IMPROVISATION



(dear self - please find better location for camera placement)

CRYSTAL BETH'S FIRST TIME

Losing my Crystal Beth virginity....this was August 2010...
surrounded by friends I braved into the scariest performance incarnation I have yet to encounter - the solo voice set...

Playing clarinet for 200,000 people - no problem.
Singing alone for 10 - scariest shit ever.



BUDDHAS & THE BITCHES

TRUE SELF

BLINDFOLDED RECORDING - SJCE

SJCE recorded 4 different takes of Movement Exercise No. 1 for Blindfolded Ensemble....
this is the first studio recording of any of my blindfolded compositions!!



SJCE RECORD

The Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble was in the studio this month, recording new works by a huge range of composers. One of the things that amazes me about this project is truly how much of the community it engages and reaches out to. I've never played in a jazz big band that incorporates so many different styles in the jazz canon - which is a direct result of cross-pollinating all of the different jazz scenes in Seattle and pulling them into one hell of a organism.

This is something to support for the long haul - and we need more ensembles like this!!



























































The Composers:
Samantha Boshnack, BF, Jim Knodle, Chad McCullough, Nate Omdal, Michael Owcharuk, & Mike Catts.

The Band:

Samantha Bosch - Flute
Beth Fleenor - Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
Ethan Thomas - Alto and Tenor sax
Mike Dodge - Tenor sax and clarinet
Brian Bermudez - Alto, Tenor, and Bari sax
Chad McCullough - Trumpet
Samantha Boshnack - Trumpet
Jim Knodle - Trumpet
John Terpin - Trombone
Michael Owcharuk - Piano and Accordion
James Baumgart - Guitar
Nate Omdal - Bass
Tim Carey - Bass
Max Wood - Drums

NAKATANI GONG ORCHESTRA












This month I had the great honor and privilege of playing with Tatsuya Nakatani and the Nakatani Gong Orchestra.

Nakatani has developed a method of playing gongs with bows and large mallets - all of which he makes himself - to create these incredible breathing, undulating, otherworldly baths of resonant sound....it is truly spectacular...

His level of precision and openness combine into a masterful tutorial as he pulls together individuals in each city to form each incarnation of the N.G.O.

I have so many things to say about this brilliant artist/experience. and I wish I had some documentation of the INCREDIBLE solo set he did with a modified drum set that included 3 large and 1 medium gong and a collection of metal objects that he played on the drums....but I was too captivated to even think of turning on a camera.

I hope this is the first of many opportunities to swim with Tatsuya Nakatani.

ACTION/RESULT

Frank tappy tappy on the keyboard all day...phone, text, email, web, phone, text, email, web.....

CLARIFY - ARTICULATE - AMPLIFY

for each event - each single aesthetic opportunity - hours and hours and hours of energy have been spent in the process of creation...

(photo by Paul Budraitis)

TANGO AHORA! OCTOBER

This band is so incredibly beautiful - the music and the people...on every level.
LOVE!



October's performance featured the Tango Ahora! quartet with special guest Lalo Bello (percussion).

I'm a huge admirer of Lalo's playing - and was once lucky enough to be gifted a cajon lesson from him which really helped me get some direction with that instrument. It was fantastic to finally get to make music together.

BF (clarinet)
Maria Scherer Wilson (cello)
Jason Parker (trumpet)
Michael Owcharuk (piano/accordion)
Lalo Bello (percussion)

I love these people. Pure greatness.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

DOUBLE YOKO IN THE PARK

if you listen through the wind, there is beauty...

Double Yoko at Sounds Outside 2010

Sunday, October 16, 2011

LIVING ROOM PARTY 57

SKETCH_RALLY

(a post nap Crystal Beth session)

LIVING ROOM PARTY 56

SKETCH_IT COMES FROM INSIDE

(a post nap Crystal Beth session)

SLAUGHTERHOUSE 3

Music for the Peoples
Slaughterhouse 3
(Beth Fleenor / Michael Owcharuk / Paul Kemmish)



Thursday, October 13, 2011

LIVING ROOM PARTY 55

SKETCH_MOHAI RITUAL
Crystal Beth



"Mohai is my heart. Mohai is your heart. Mohai is our collective heart. This separation is an illusion. Mohai is my heart - it is your heart - it is our collective heart. We are one....can you feel Mohai"

GOOD BYE OLD CAVE

The closing of a major chapter - starting an exciting new book!

Thank you cave, for providing sanctuary for so many brilliant humans!











TRIO COMMANDO



CRYSTAL BETH - NEW MOON

LIVING ROOM PARTY 54

LIVING ROOM PARTY 53

LIVING ROOM PARTY 52

LIVING ROOM PARTY 51

(first time letting Crystal Beth out post Bright Archer tour...)

YOKO/ABUNDANCE STRIKES AGAIN

I'm Human.
You're Human.
We're all Human.
It IS a shared experience.

TRUTH

B'SHNORKESTRA

Frank had the great honor of working with composer (and great friend) Samantha Boshnack on the premiere of her new ensemble - the B'shnorkestra!

Concerts Sept 22 & 24 at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center










The B'shnorkestra is a new large ensemble project featuring the work of Seattle based composer, Samantha Boshnack.

Bold and undulating, there is a majestic grandness to Boshnack's compositions, regardless of the project featured. In the B'shnorkestra, strings and percussion orchestrate the soaring melodic and tightly punctuated horn lines she's celebrated for, taking this new work to a cinematically inspired place.

Comprised of 12 instrumentalists and two very special guests, the B'shnorkestra brings together musicians from many different Seattle music communities including: jazz (free, modern, straight-ahead), rock, avant garde, salsa, pop, klezmer, Balkan, neo-sould/hip-hop, reggae, and classical. The music draws from and blends these genres into a language all its own, showcasing the wealth and variety of the talents found in the B'shnorkestra players. The ensemble will premiere eight new works this Thursday and Saturday.

*9/24 post concert reception with the composer

Information: www.bshnorkestra.com

GIFTS

From my mentor, Denney Goodhew...





MOTHER MAY I - DEVELOPMENT

"Mother May I learn from you but find my own voice, transforming difficulties of the past into opportunities for the future"





THE SOUTH - MOTHER MAY I RESIDENCY

Atlanta, GA
Bristol, VA/TN
New Orleans, LA