releasessounds

22.12.05 – this is my horn, vol. 1 out now

Hi all, pleased to share this first release in a series I hope to periodically revisit called “This Is My Horn”. Cover and info below. I’ve also amended some of my approach and all releases are freely available on the Releases page. I will, for now, continue to post them on Bandcamp as well. Thanks to my friends who helped and are credited below.

Connor Bell – sound
Guy Birkin – art
Josh Mason – text layout
Billy Gomberg – words

Most musicians have a passion for listening that matches their passion for playing. Tracing the influences and reflections that end up on a single recording can be a messy task if we commit to real geography of the phenomenon, instead of the poetic, abstracted interpretation we end up listening to and weaving into our own archives.

Connor Bell has been practicing and playing and releasing music for a while (as Shedding and in various bands), and on TIMH he connects his own listener’s passion and musician’s commitment into process and product. Working from his love of solo jazz recordings, Connor approached a design of his synthesizer as something capable of gestures that move through texture and a free sense of melody. An instrument he can play, a language we hear and start to understand.

Leaning back into a wistful bearing on easy tempo solos, Connor’s performance finds overlays of timbre like mutated multiphonics, resisting calm while gathering a soft neon glow as edges appear, suddenly bristling or momentarily melancholy. Given his intention, Connor’s solos hold an inviting space to a listener – robust and skilled, this is deceptively complex music keeping a room warm for you.

sounds

18.07.17 @ kin ship in charleston, wv

Started listening and sorting through set recordings from the tour.  I mixed things up quite a bit from show to show and enjoyed challenging myself and taking some chances.  The idea of playing a similar set for 14 or whatever shows was really not appetizing.  Anyway, Charleston, WV was probably the most satisfying from start to finish.  Maybe that’s a sign I should’ve been bolder with my chances that night?  Thanks to Dan and Hillary at Kin Ship for having us.