REVIEW OF ROTTY WHAT PERFORMANCE
REVIEW OF ROTTY WHAT PERFORMANCE
Photo West Gallery, Philadelpia, PA, Dec. 9, 2006
Roarburst
In sausage ears
Grind & bump nodes
Taste of strange
to rearrange
Fabric rent
With no relent
Sonic walls
In the new cause
Sounds like
STRYKERS in menopause…
Driven long, to
Arrive at old
Crossroads…
‘tis the sound
One hears
As IED’s enter
The mind, then
The body
Then the souls
Before the
Great galactic holes…
Something like
What Dubya
Listens to (“Mother”…)
Rocking him to
Ever gentle, and
Peaceful
Slumber!
A strange nite (indeed) in Philadelphia (at PHOTO WEST GALLERY) , where I’ve arrived for observation (first ever, for me) of a live performance by poet John M. Bennett… this outing in a group he’s labeled “Rotty What” (ben bennett, drums, john bennett, poems jack wright, saxes)
First act, which inspired the poem above, was a “wall of noise” act called “Mother” (stuart brent, laptop, pedals, doepfer pocket control matthew sanchez, laptop, CD players, pedals)… well-done, & not played at such sheer volume as to “wreck” my aural appendages…
“Rotty What” is up next, with their own quieter version of what freedom (sonic & elsewise) can mean… though I’ve played with John Bennett in years past, this grouping illustrates for the listener what “the magick” of improvised and experimental music is all about!
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard Jack Wright play…. I’ve reviewed much of his music since the late 1980’s ( IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION) , and watched him play on the West Coast as well (before he moved back to Philly)… his playing is just as robust and full of life, but in this “Rotty What” formation, there are stretches where he comes across as a “ghost”… little rushes, strange “puffs” & less of the “blowout” aspects than when I watched him play with my pal Jeffrey Morgan (3 years or so ago) in Olympia, Washington.
Ben Bennett (John’s son), on drums, is a monster talent… I’m sure I had met him, probably years ago, when doing studio work at John’s house, but this first introduction to his playing clearly demonstrates that being raised in a household where “out” is “in” can (& does, in this case) have a most desirable impact. He is right on with the other players, whether using mallets, blow tubes or straight-up drum licks – watch this boy carefully, he’s got success (insofar as that goes in this “underground” music world) written all over him! Thoroughly enjoyable.
As with most spoken-word performers, John is a wonder to behold… on the CD’s he and I have released, he is a unique voice, without doubt… but to actually see his poetry/performance makes for new insights… in his corner, he uses his bullhorn to speak out over the “high” stretches, & dispenses with it when the music is calmer… to ensure that he can view the words he reads/performs, he wears these curious-looking little flashlight-glasses (that remind me of coal miners)… the combination of his voice, his oddly combined phrasings & his (obvious) enjoyment in the collusion make for a superb experience that will give you a glimpse of what surreal really is!
The last act of the night (wade matthews, alto flute, bass clarinet, laptop synthesis, reuben radding, double bass andrew drury, percussion, calling themselves “Matthews, Radding, Drury) takes the subtlety to an even deeper level. I first heard Reuben on some CD’s from the Seattle area (Jack Gold’s SOL DISK label), & his playing is just as intricate in person as I heard on those CD’s I reviewed… Drury plays a “lone drum”… the normal complement of bells & little things to “drag” over the head pale in comparison to what he’s able to do with his hands/fingers… makes the observer feel like he’s somehow crawled down into the drum. & Wade Matthews reeds are splendorous in their ability to “play the silences”. Experimental fans everywhere will want to pursue recordings by these gents – they’re fantastic!
This entire experience was sort of like an “east coast mini-experimental festival” for me… players who weren’t (& aren’t) afraid to find new norms, and who continue to challenge the sonic definitions of what “acceptable” is. All of these acts emphasize the idea that there are new things to be discovered, and that it’s perfectly “ok” to pursue them. If these players show up on a playbill in your city – be SURE to check them out!
Dick Metcalf, aka Rotcod Zzaj
Photo West Gallery, Philadelpia, PA, Dec. 9, 2006
Roarburst
In sausage ears
Grind & bump nodes
Taste of strange
to rearrange
Fabric rent
With no relent
Sonic walls
In the new cause
Sounds like
STRYKERS in menopause…
Driven long, to
Arrive at old
Crossroads…
‘tis the sound
One hears
As IED’s enter
The mind, then
The body
Then the souls
Before the
Great galactic holes…
Something like
What Dubya
Listens to (“Mother”…)
Rocking him to
Ever gentle, and
Peaceful
Slumber!
A strange nite (indeed) in Philadelphia (at PHOTO WEST GALLERY) , where I’ve arrived for observation (first ever, for me) of a live performance by poet John M. Bennett… this outing in a group he’s labeled “Rotty What” (ben bennett, drums, john bennett, poems jack wright, saxes)
First act, which inspired the poem above, was a “wall of noise” act called “Mother” (stuart brent, laptop, pedals, doepfer pocket control matthew sanchez, laptop, CD players, pedals)… well-done, & not played at such sheer volume as to “wreck” my aural appendages…
“Rotty What” is up next, with their own quieter version of what freedom (sonic & elsewise) can mean… though I’ve played with John Bennett in years past, this grouping illustrates for the listener what “the magick” of improvised and experimental music is all about!
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard Jack Wright play…. I’ve reviewed much of his music since the late 1980’s ( IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION) , and watched him play on the West Coast as well (before he moved back to Philly)… his playing is just as robust and full of life, but in this “Rotty What” formation, there are stretches where he comes across as a “ghost”… little rushes, strange “puffs” & less of the “blowout” aspects than when I watched him play with my pal Jeffrey Morgan (3 years or so ago) in Olympia, Washington.
Ben Bennett (John’s son), on drums, is a monster talent… I’m sure I had met him, probably years ago, when doing studio work at John’s house, but this first introduction to his playing clearly demonstrates that being raised in a household where “out” is “in” can (& does, in this case) have a most desirable impact. He is right on with the other players, whether using mallets, blow tubes or straight-up drum licks – watch this boy carefully, he’s got success (insofar as that goes in this “underground” music world) written all over him! Thoroughly enjoyable.
As with most spoken-word performers, John is a wonder to behold… on the CD’s he and I have released, he is a unique voice, without doubt… but to actually see his poetry/performance makes for new insights… in his corner, he uses his bullhorn to speak out over the “high” stretches, & dispenses with it when the music is calmer… to ensure that he can view the words he reads/performs, he wears these curious-looking little flashlight-glasses (that remind me of coal miners)… the combination of his voice, his oddly combined phrasings & his (obvious) enjoyment in the collusion make for a superb experience that will give you a glimpse of what surreal really is!
The last act of the night (wade matthews, alto flute, bass clarinet, laptop synthesis, reuben radding, double bass andrew drury, percussion, calling themselves “Matthews, Radding, Drury) takes the subtlety to an even deeper level. I first heard Reuben on some CD’s from the Seattle area (Jack Gold’s SOL DISK label), & his playing is just as intricate in person as I heard on those CD’s I reviewed… Drury plays a “lone drum”… the normal complement of bells & little things to “drag” over the head pale in comparison to what he’s able to do with his hands/fingers… makes the observer feel like he’s somehow crawled down into the drum. & Wade Matthews reeds are splendorous in their ability to “play the silences”. Experimental fans everywhere will want to pursue recordings by these gents – they’re fantastic!
This entire experience was sort of like an “east coast mini-experimental festival” for me… players who weren’t (& aren’t) afraid to find new norms, and who continue to challenge the sonic definitions of what “acceptable” is. All of these acts emphasize the idea that there are new things to be discovered, and that it’s perfectly “ok” to pursue them. If these players show up on a playbill in your city – be SURE to check them out!
Dick Metcalf, aka Rotcod Zzaj
posted by jim leftwich at 1:25 PM
<< Home