Category Archives: Performance

StoryCorps at the Fitzgerald Theater

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I am excited to announce that I was commissioned by Minnesota Public Radio to compose music with Cody McKinney for a StoryCorps event at the Fitzgerald Theater on Thursday, April 5th at 7:00pm. Tickets are free and can be reserved on the event page.

As we have learned in the last couple of weeks, composing music to be performed live as accompaniment for recorded stories poses a number of interesting challenges that are significantly different from composing music for film, animation, games, and even podcasts. First of all it is important to stay out of the way. The compositions are short and simple vignettes that may simply emphasize a point or enhance an emotional state. More than that might obscure the story or twist its message. Secondly, fewer is better than more parts. Often one instrument is enough, but more than two and you might be starting to interfere with the dialogue. The parts generally need space and atmosphere rather than density and complexity.

Thirdly, sound design is music. Yeah I said it. I believe it shouldn’t be separated from the music in this instance. Treating the sound design as an instrumental layer in the compositions has been a very good way to approach this task. Giving the sound design meter, dynamics, and rests allows it to fit well within the piece. Rests and dynamics might seem obvious, but what about meter? I don’t mean meter in the sense of literal tempo and time signature, but instead a sense of pacing so that the sound design elements enter and exit with purpose.

Fourth, but not last, including an element of theater is a valuable approach. Theatrics in music definitely gets me out of my comfort zone. Generally I am the last to agree to anything that resembles theater. However, because the stories are not being delivered by a performer, it’s helpful for the audience see what the musical performers are doing to illustrate the depth of the narratives. To that end we will be providing “tells” for many of the sound design elements, and performing most of the parts on instruments and noise making devices.

Sound / Simulacra: Leah Ottman (LOTT) with Keston and McKinney

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On March 22nd, 2017 Sound / Simulacra featured Leah Ottman aka LOTT. These recordings were captured by Dave Kunath during the second set and add John C.S. Keston on Rhodes / electronics and Cody McKinney on bass / electronics.

The core inspiration for LOTT’s compositions is the Romantic Period of classical music. The chordal structures, intervals, and melodies heard throughout her songs are reminiscent of those used by Antonin Dvorak, Alexander Borodin, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, French Impressionist composer, Maurice Ravel, and then condensed into pop songs. She explores the range on her violin by utilizing a looping pedal and similar techniques employed by looping violinist pioneers, Andrew Bird, Kishi Bashi, and Owen Pallet.

LOTT has been likened to a modern day torch singer of indie music – both in her lyrical themes and vocal styling. She has been greatly influenced by Patsy Cline’s catalogue of songs about unrequited love and heartbreak.

LOTT was awarded “Best Vocalist” in 2016 and “Best Acoustic Performer” in City Pages Best Of the Twin Cities 2015.
“…With a looping pedal hooked up to her instrument, Ottman layers intricate melodies that combine classical beauty with an adventurous ear for contemporary experimentation not unlike Andrew Bird. Her voice, loaded with attitude and a penchant for flowing leaps, sweetens the deal…”

Sound / Simulacra: Sophia Deutsch with John Keston and Cody McKinney

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This improvised performance from cellist Sophia Deutsch, myself, and Cody McKinney was recorded by Dave Kunath on Wednesday October 25th, 2017 at Jazz Central Studios during Sound / Simulacra.

Sophia Deutsch is a multi-faceted artist involved in many musical and visual art projects around the Twin Cities. As an artist, Sophia believes in an organic creation of music and art, using improvisation and emotion to drive the sounds. As a musician, her interests lie in the dichotomy of organic sound generation with cello being the genesis and the perversion of this via live distortion and/or electronic manipulation.

The series explores musical improvisation as a “faithful and intentionally distorted” representational process bringing together some of the Twin Cities most unique voices to “recreate, distort, and create the hyperreal”. Please enjoy listening!

Sound / Simulacra: Nichols/Healey/McKinney Part 1

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This improvised performance from Bryan Nichols, Cory Healey, and Cody McKinney was recorded by Dave Kunath on Wednesday April 26th, 2017 at Jazz Central Studios during Sound / Simulacra.

Bryan Nichols is a pianist, composer, and educator based in Minneapolis. Often found playing jazz and improvised music, but at home in a variety of musical worlds, he leads and composes for his own trio, quintet, and nonet in addition to performing, recording, and touring with forward-thinking artists like Nicole Mitchell, Ron Miles, and Olga Bell, and groups like the Gang Font, Dead Man Winter, and Halloween, Alaska. He has taught jazz piano at MacPhail Center for Music, University of Minnesota – Morris, and University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, while presenting clinics and masterclasses at a variety of colleges and high schools around the midwest. www.bryannichols.org

Cory Healey’s unique drumming has led to collaborations with artists from many different genres. He has toured North America and Europe and had the privilege of performing with Kenny Wheeler, Dr Lonnie Smith, John Abercrombie, and David Berkman. While living in Chicago, he performed and recorded with Algernon, Fareed Haque’s Flat EarthEnsemble, W.W. Lowman, Ike Riley, and Scott Hesse. In 2013, Healey moved to the Minneapolis, where he’s worked with some of the Twin Cities’ most prominent artists including Dead Man Winter, Dosh, Marijuana Deathsquads, and Anthony Cox. www.coryhealeymusic.com

The series explores musical improvisation as a “faithful and intentionally distorted” representational process bringing together some of the Twin Cities most unique voices to “recreate, distort, and create the hyperreal”. Please enjoy listening!