This segment from the piece Ostracon by Keston and Westdal was recorded on June 21, 2009 at the Kitty Cat Klub with Graham O’Brien on drums. This was toward the end of the piece and the laptops weren’t doing anything except providing a click for Graham. All of the obligations to the arrangement had been met, so with a small, but dedicated audience we let ourselves wander into an extended improvisational outro.
Ostracon Outro Without Laptops
This section of Spring in December by Keston and Westdal with Graham O’Brien on drums was recorded at the Kitty Cat Klub on Sunday, June 21, 2009. As an ensemble we have been improvising more and more within the arrangements of our current material. This is a result of our comfort with the material, but also the monotony of playing mostly the same repertoire for over a year. Recently we’ve been making an effort to change this by scheduling rehearsals to refine new material for recording and performances.
Spring in December Outro
Here’s another segment of video from the Flashbelt after party on June 8, 2009. The music is still Graham O’Brien on drums and me using the GMS.
However, the visuals shown are mostly part of an excellent piece on gender transformation by Sinan G. of minneapolisartonwheels.org.
I think this short chunk of video is an accurate illustration of the spirit of the party.
In my mind the best parties are always in alleyways, sometimes in warehouses, and once in a while in apartment kitchens.
Click to view a 640 x 480 version of GMS Ensemble Live Segment #2.
This segment of Ultraviolet Amphibian was recorded during a live performance at the Nomad in Minneapolis on June 10, 2008. I’m including it as today’s sound to give you an idea how Keston and Westdal’s live performances sound compared to our studio recordings. There’s more improvisation during our live shows as well as the addition of live drums. This performance features Graham O’Brien.
Unfortunately board mixes like this one are rarely balanced because the sound is being mixed for the room. Anything loud or amplified on stage like bass guitar or drums don’t come through very well. Since the laptops, Rhodes and synth are going direct they are much louder in the board mix. I ran the recording through some pretty complex equalization and compression to try and bring out the bass guitar, but it still lacks the luster of the mastered studio version.
Tonight we are playing at the Kitty Cat Klub in Minneapolis. Tuesday, September 2nd we are performing at Peavey Plaza in downtown Minneapolis for a pro-art and political progress rally put on by TheUnConvention.com, and held during the Republican National Convention. For more information please visit our shows page on unearthedmusic.com.
Ultra Violet Amphibian Live Segment
Studio Version of Ultraviolet Amphibian