Flexure - In Residence

Sat. Jan 5, 2013 at 8:00pm EST
All Ages
Price: $12.00
All Ages
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Price: $12.00
All Ages
Event Description
Flexure - In Residence

Tickets $12 advance - $16 at the door
Box office opens - 7pm
Event - 8pm

After several years of working with primarily acoustic-based ensembles (Thoth Trio, OPEK), I wanted to assemble an electric-based ensemble that drew its initial inspiration from the Miles Davis ensembles of the early 1970s. His music at the time was experimental and very dark, but also was founded in rock-solid grooves.

Flexure is that group. Our repertoire falls into several basic categories:
• Compositions: reductionist works that can be played in whole or in part, as springboards for improvisation
• Entirely improvised pieces
• Improvisational hand cues, similar to systems created by Anthony Braxton, John Zorn and Gino Robair, which give the players the chance to spontaneously shift the direction of performance
• Random Access Melodies (RAMs), experimental composed works that can be added over any groove or texture.

At the center of Flexure is the rhythm section of Paul Thompson and David Throckmorton, whose group Beam (all-improvised drum-and-bass/hip hop) was also an inspiration for this group.

Flexure performances are fresh, spontaneous, grooving but also unpredictable.

Flexure will have the opportunity to develop, record, and perform new works as part of a residency made possible by a generous anonymous grant to the New Hazlett Theater. Our purpose is to collect recordings for potential release. As with prior recording sessions I have produced, some time will be devoted to playing selections from our established repertoire. We will also take time to shape materials in the studio to be edited and re-assembled for later release.

The residency will conclude with a live performance. We will be joined by Matt Wellins, who will create computer generated and processed visuals. Matt, himself an improvising audio artist, will spontaneously shift the visuals with the flow of the music.

-Ben Opie

Flexure is:
Ben Opie: alto saxophone, electronics
Ian Gordon: trumpet+
Chris Parker: guitar
Paul Thompson: bass
David Throckmorton: drums
George Jones: percussion etc.

Residency: January 3-5, 2012
Live performance: January 5, 8pm
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New Hazlett Theater Allegheny Square East
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
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