Art + Music + Technology

When one of the listeners suggested Omri Cohen for an interview, I had to do a little research. And 'a little' is key - one quick search on YouTube made it clear that this was someone I'd want to talk to. And once we started chatting, we got on a roll - Omri is a great cat, and is so open to sharing, that we got on like brothers. Whether it's talking about his background or his approach to hybrid modular systems, he combines a deep understanding about what he's doing with a relaxed way of explaining that causes everything to immediately make sense. That's an amazing gift - and makes him one of the most effective tutorial-makers out there. If you want to check out his videos, the easiest way is to check out his channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuWKHSHTHMV_nVSeNH4gYAg. He also releases music on Bandcamp - some of which he features as 'Making Of..." options on his video channel - at https://omricohencomposer.bandcamp.com/. I love his work, and this has really inspired me to make some interesting work in

I'm on the receiving end of a lot of interesting PR blasts, including those from Mute Records. I received a note about A Quiet Corner In Time, a collaboration between sound artist Simon Fisher Turner and ceramicist Edmund de Waal. This was a curious enough project 'statement' that I had to check it out - and I was charmed. It's a beautiful work with surprising detail, and I ended up reaching out to Mute for an interview with Simon. Talking with Simon Fisher Turner was a breeze - he's such a pleasant guy, and has so many stories. Just talking about the sound collection for this new album, with recording trips to Vienna and LA, in-studio sessions with Edmund de Waal's ceramics, and the process of creating the whole sonic fiber of the release - it was all just fascinating. But I also got a chance to talk with Simon a bit about his background, his escape from pop music, and his continued obsession with sound; it all worked its way into a organic whole. Then when we started to talk about live performance, it was c

Philippe Petit is a whirlwind! He's produced a ton of recordings - and many of them are collaborations, some of them with surprising collaborators (Lydia Lunch and Cosey Fanni Tutti, for example). I describe him as 'fearless' in his approach to music creation: he's willing to use whatever tool is at hand, and dive in 110%. Lately, his main tool has been the Buchla Easel - but he's employed everything from a Moog to turntables, all the while making uniquely Philippe Music. In our discussion, we chat about everything from his background DJing and running labels, to his views on the social nature of music, through his excitement behind the Modulisme radio program and his recent exploits with the Buchla. All of it is massively interesting, and the Modulisme site provides a great location to immerse oneself in the modular work of some amazing artists.  To learn more about Philippe (a self-described Musical Travel Agent...), you can check out his website (http://www.philippepetit.info/), listen to a variety of work

I got to know Andrea Mazzariello fairly soon after I moved to Northfield Minnesota. I saw him perform his one-man performance project at a local theater, and hung around after to talk. Things led to other things, and we started talking about Max, playing drone bits in his basement and more. This podcast was prodded into action by a release party for his new album, which dropped at the end of February. This piece - Make A Wish Then Build A Ladder  (https://www.onemorerevolution.com/am-jt) features something new for Andrea - working with another percussionist. In our discussion, he talks about that decision, how he translates this back to working a live/solo show, and how it helps him cope with the stresses of creating his work. But we talk about a lot of other stuff as well. I mean, who remembers the old Brother MIDI Sequencer? Well, Andrea does, because that was his starting point for electronic music. Who is willing to talk about the affordances - both positive and negative - of modern software? Andrew is. I

Robert Rich is one of my favorite musicians in the world, and I'm always happy for the opportunity to have a chat with him. With his current efforts - working with Paul Schreiber of Synthesis Technology - in developing on a new effects platform, it seemed like a chance to talk to my friend about something that is somewhat different. In this case, we do get a chance to talk about some music (I'd been dying to ask him about his percussion background), but we quickly move to effects development, and it is pretty fascinating to hear how a musician can have a critical role in the development of something as highly technical as a hardware effects module. From algorithm ideation to howling filter blowups, we get a great view of being on the inside of working on a development team for a hardware device. This is something that we don't often hear about, so it was pretty cool to get the blow-by-blow view of the project in action. The E520 early bird offer is only available for another week, but the device will probably

I'm very happy to offer this interview. Matt Black has been at the front lines of a lot of efforts: early cut-up based dance tracks as Coldcut (if you don't know it, you've *got* to check out Doctorin' The House...), some ground-breaking software development to support their live shows (both audio and visuals) and the development of Ninja Jamm and their newest app: JammPro. I didn't want to push Matt into just talking about Coldcut History, but it turns out that so many of the decisions about other work was based out of the Coldcut experience - so we ended up getting into it by default. But we also learned a lot about both Matt's personal tech journeys as well as the various collaborations that he's pulled together over the years. There're some interesting stories - and interesting results - that came out of Matt and Jon's efforts. You will want to learn more after listening to this interview. Probably the best place to start is coldcut.net, which is kind of ground central for the music, AV, apps, Live device

In this final 'episode' of interviews curated by Seth Cluett, we get to meet Zosha Di Castri - a composer that seems to enjoy it all! Whether it is working with orchestra, string ensemble or small groups - or dance, or installation or architectural performance - Zosha seems to have a voice for it. She seamlessly mixes notated performance with improv, classical instruments with electronics, and a smattering of fixed media and voice throughout. She also embraces dynamic surprise - something we dive into during our discussion. This was an interesting discussion because we spent a fair amount of time talking about how she 'imagined' her pieces into existence, and how she takes these imaginings and turns them into performable pieces. Part of her practice is solitary, but another part of it is deeply collaborative, and the work ends up being an extension of the performers that engage with it. I hope that you'll take the opportunity to engage with it yourself; you can find a lot about her work at her website (http:/

When Seth Cluett first introduced me to Angelica Negrón, I was also introduced to a few videos, including a documentary produced by Bric TV (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VFGvqdMVnA) that was super-revealing. It showed Angelica gathering vegetables for use as a sensor-based instrument, as well as playing with a collection of toys she'd collected over the years. It was simultaneously disarming and intriguing. Perfect for an interview! Checking out other videos, including a performance of Gone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM_FmJt4yyQ) and a description of Chorus Of The Forest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZhumROJem8&t=19s), I saw the breadth of her work and the inventiveness that she brings to it. And in discussing that work, she always speaks of demystifying the interaction of technology, sound and art.  Whether creating orchestral work, small group compositions or site-specific performances, Angelica's efforts as a composer combine thoughtfulness, complexity and fun in a really unique way. In o

Doing this interview - one of the series of interviews curated by Seth Cluett - was pretty challenging. Typically, when I speak with someone, their artistry is fairly easily identified: they are performers, composers, makers or something discrete. Lainie Fefferman is definitely not discrete: she's simultaneously fulfilling all of these in order to manage her practice. So the interview flies around extensively, tracking the composition process, her performance work, and the fact that her love of people is at the heart of all her efforts. As part of this discussion, we actually get into a few things that I was really curious about - especially her ability to create compositions that include a wide range of instrumentation and performance groups. From laptop orchestras to chamber quartets, Lainie consistently create awesome work that is really performance-specific. Hearing about her 'digestion' model of composition makes all of this more understandable. I really enjoyed this chat, and I hope that you enjoy liste

This is the first in a series of podcasts curated by Seth Cluett. I hope you enjoy it! Yvette Janine Jackson has taken a new approach to composition: by combining her experiences in theater, in tape-based studios and at Columbia, she's created her own personal genre - Radio Opera - that combines music, spoken word and field recording into a compelling and performative brew. In our chat, we go into the concept behind Radio Opera (as well as the narrative soundscapes that she is simultaneously developing), as well as the process that she goes through in creating these large format works. She also describes her journey into composer-hood, which is really instructive in terms of learning about her combination of influences. Super exciting to hear about how this work is brought together. You can learn more about her work at http://www.yvettejackson.com/, and I strongly suggest you check it out - it's a revealing view into the life of an active and hyper-inspiring artist. Enjoy!

I seem to have known about Sarah Belle Reid for ages - I think I often happen to be in places where she's playing, so it seems like she's been around for a while. I was surprised, therefore, when I heard that her recent release - Underneath and Sonder - was her first recorded release! Listening to it is a treat: there's a constant melding of processing, extended technique (on the trumpet) and lyrical melodies that make for a super-compelling set of track. It took a while, but we've finally been able to have the interview we promised each other - right before Sarah was jumping into the NAMM whirlpool. It gave us a chance to talk about gear and devices, as well as her development of MIGSI (a sensor system for her trumpet), how she maps the data into useful processing, and how she imagines technology to be a stepping-stone for her work. I really enjoyed hearing about her approach to her 'voice', and the way that the trumpet - as an extension of her body - was the perfect tool for getting data out there. I also a

I'm always curious about the direction a guitarist is going to take instrument building - especially when extensive electronics will be involved. Sometimes it is an attempt to lock into existing gear (MIDI Guitar), while other times it is seeks to meld comfortable technique with new technology. The Smomid, created by Nick Demopoulos, it all about that. By combining technology he ran into at Eric Singer's LEMURplex, with code from local NY contacts and a bunch of self-learning, Nick has wrapped his arms around the idea of extending his musical reach, incorporating microtonal scales, hands-on sample manipulation and bespoke sequencing tools into his device. While the Smomid is his guitar-shaped controller system, he's also been working on a desktop (and increasingly standalone) device called the Pyramidi; the combination works as both his studio and live performance rig. You should check out the gear at http://www.smomid.com, where you can not only see the devices themselves, but also hear the results in a musi

I first ran across Joe Caputo's work during some random YouTubing, where his "Voltage Control Lab" was a real eye-opener - especially for a few under-supported modules like the Ornaments and Crime. Shortly thereafter, I ran into him at the NAMM show, where I got a VCL button from him - and the rest of the history is in the podcast... Joe has pivoted the show into a live show-and-tell-and-interview format, but has also been very active in the educational realm as well - most notably as an instructor at Musician's Institute and Icon Collective. He also continues producing music (as Computo), and... I assume he's taking a nap occasionally or something! In our chat, we talk about education, video production (and production burnout), collaboration and the primacy of music-making. We also talk a bit about 'getting out', sharing your work, and being open to new experiences. Very interesting and inspiring. You can check out his personal thing at https://iamcomputo.wordpress.com/. Voltage Control Lab is at https://www

A few weeks ago, I got a ping from a listener to check out Jon Sonnenberg's work. A sprinkle of information here and there led me to some really interesting work. Dashing off an email got me wired in, and here's the result! I realized that I'd first run across Jon in the I Dream Of Wires documentary, where he got to show off some of his studio gear and inventions. But the more I learned, the more I realized that I'd been tracking his work over a longer period of time - just not by name. So we ended up having a lot to talk about. In addition to his gear collection and instrument building, Jon does a lot of musical creation - in fact, all of the other aspects of what he does is in service of the song. As you'll hear in this interview, he has some very specific ideas about what constitutes a song (even in electronic music terms), and how he approaches the songwriting process. You can learn more about Jon's work by checking out his Art Of Travelogue website (www.artoftravelogue.com), and by checking out his Bandc

There are a few modules that have been quietly creeping into discussions - and modular rigs - over the last few months. One manufacturer that keeps coming up is Schlappi Engineering - and especially the Angle Grinder module. I'm not sure how you make a quadrature oscillator sexy - but Eric Schlappi seems to have done it! In this chat, we go over Eric's background, how he came up with some of his modules, some of the technologies that he's exploring for the future, and his own music-making (and performing) process. His modules are opinionated (in that they have design decisions that can drive you in certain directions), but in a way that can still allow you to maintain your own voice. He also talks about his own obsession with analog monosynths, and how this has influenced his own electronics development. In addition to his modules, you can check out some of his recorded work on his Bandcamp site (https://ericschlappi.bandcamp.com/). Also, for Tier 2 (and above) Patreon supporters (https://www.patreon.com/darw

You know how there are some people that just make you feel better for having had a talk, email or forum exchange with them? Dan Derks is one of those people. He has such a great way of viewing the world - and of sharing it with others. He also is energy-filled, carrying on multiple simultaneous projects - and all of them are fantastic. In our chat, we talk about his background, his work within in the lines community and his supporting efforts for the new monome crow device. We also talk about his releases (available on Bandcamp), and how he developed the vision for those creations. I'm a fan of the work, and I think you might be too! Enjoy!

There is something kind of fascinating about clock systems. They are the beat of our systems - regardless of artform. They need to be unwavering, but also need to be responsive to our changes. The product that Ed Guild creates - The Missing Link - is a hardware clocking device with a different: it can attach to, and interact with, an Ableton Link timing network! When I first saw this in action, I was pretty blown away. When I got farther into the product, I was even more excited - rather than a hacker-ific kludge, The Missing Link is as pro as you can imagine, with thoughtful design and a super-clear system setup procedure. This was one of those devices that *had* to have someone interesting behind it, so I reached out to Ed to get the word. What I found was a dedicated guy that was focused on doing things right. Getting procedures right, making the casing right, doing the right thing with software updates - Ed's ideals came through in the product, and the company that supports it. In our talk, we get into ev

There are many ways to create a body of work. You can crunch away at tracks, canvases or blocks of marble, building more and more until you have the body of work that you can share as your work. Or, alternatively, you can create a system, fine-tune it, and use it to create an array of work that is representative of your ideas - and the expression of you working with your system. This is how William Fields works. The system that he's created - through years of iterating, integrating and coding - is the basis for his FieldsOS radio show work (found here: https://williamfields.bandcamp.com/album/fieldsos), his live performances and his releases on several labels. Digging into his website (https://williamfields.com/), you'll be able to experience the many different ways he approaches using the work - and you can track his releases over the years as well. This was a super-exciting interview for me, and reminded me of the power of long-form work; iterating on your systems can have a powerful effect on the work you

Scott Morgan's Loscil music project has been in my ears for a while. He's one of the people that folks have always had in their 'favorites' list - and would recommend to me quite often. With a ton of releases going back to the early 2000's, his body of work really stands the test of time. And the music sounds so good... In our discussion, we talk about his background, his working process and his vision for both recording and performing. I've appreciated Scott's work - his interviews in the past always pointed to a thoughtful approach to the work, and the sound is always impeccible. You can check out his work on his website (http://loscil.ca/), or at his Bandcamp site (https://loscil.bandcamp.com/). As you will be able to hear in the interview - I'm a big fan... Enjoy!

Kenneth Kirschner's music first got on my radar in a New Music Minnesota email, which pointed to a fabulous video  (https://youtu.be/I9P2Whq_-uc). In this video discussion, Kenneth talked about his process - and his feelings about recorded work as its own 'thing'. I found it fascinating, and reached out - and this chat is the result! If you want to see an artist 'put it all out there', you need to check out http://www.kennethkirschner.com/. This is a rolling history of Kenneth's work, and it goes back to 1989! The music ranges from cinematic to experimental, but always seems to walk the knife's edge of classical, electronic, experimental and, well, Kenneth's own voice. It's a great body of work, and it is amazing that it is all so freely shared. Kenneth was so free in revealing his process, his ideas (even his naming process...) and his compositional system, and this is one of those occasions where learning about the creation process loops back into ones enjoyment of the listening. After our talk, I found mys