the Jack Hylton room

 

 

 

while rehearsing with maja and adam in lancaster, there was a steinway grand in the room, and could not help have a play. i stayed behind to practice my saxophone but instead did some recordings.

hitting just one note sounds fantastic in the resonance of the room. i could have listened to clusters of tones, sustain and interact in the tail off, for hours on end.

fortunately, i had my pocket size zoom H2n with me, and decided to record a Sounding Out style improvisation on piano and then sax.

while playing, it occurred to me i should put the two together to see what happens. i placed the two files on the timeline so the beginning of each recordings would be in sync and listened to the mix…

i had to cut out a few bits, like a the ubiquitous hand claps for impulse response at the beginning (this is why the sax starts later) or a pause in between takes etc. but making sure the two files retain the same timing.

 

 

 

this is the result of mixing together two pieces, recorded independently but in the same space:

 

every other step
improvisations recorded back to back then synced together from start of file
hylton room, lancaster university
alto saxophone and piano, 03 may 2019

 

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drops and ripples
improvisations recorded back to back then synced together from start of file
hylton room, lancaster university
alto saxophone and piano, 03 may 2019

 

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sounding out herefordshire 2019

 

during a visit into wales, which included working outside in a garden, digging soil and chopping wood, i had a break from activities and visited one of my favourite places in the area, dore abbey. i got to play in this wonderful space on two separate occasions and managed to get enough material in between visitors. the second day was quieter and i could get deeper into the vibe. i am very pleased to hear, when listening back, that my research is gradually merging into my playing. the harmonic work that supports the melodic narrative of my improvisations keeps getting more intricate and interesting while remaining accessible.

this post features a couple more locations, both visited on the same day. the spaces are similar sizes and yet the mood inspired music that is varied. in skenfrith, the faster flowing and brighter tone brought out angular playing. while garway seemed to inspire a contemporary sparseness and a gentler touch.

there is also a short interlude, in between the two recordings of dore abbey, on 2.4 shakuhachi in the welsh small church of st gastyn’s.

i hope you enjoy listening to the tracks in this post. more recordings in this series can be found under the category ‘sounding out’.

 

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opening time
alto saxophone, 11 march 2019
dore abbey

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in conversation with space
alto saxophone, 11 march 2019
dore abbey

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vestiges of verticality
alto saxophone, 11 march 2019
dore abbey

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duality
2.4 shakuhachi, 12 march 2019
st gastyn’s church, llangasty

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venturing the windings
alto saxophone, 13 march 2019
dore abbey

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golden vales
alto saxophone, 13 march 2019
dore abbey

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a slow climb ahead
alto saxophone, 13 march 2019
dore abbey

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suddenly it all makes sense
alto saxophone, 14 march 2019
st bridget’s church, skenfrith

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surface tension
alto saxophone, 14 march 2019
st bridget’s church, skenfrith

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coloured squares
alto saxophone, 14 march 2019
st bridget’s church, skenfrith

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stratum
alto saxophone, 14 march 2019
st michael’s church, garway

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multiphonos
alto saxophone, 14 march 2019
st michael’s church, garway

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mechanisms invertum
alto saxophone, 14 march 2019
st michael’s church, garway

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Imploding Stars

“An excellent and ingenuous musician Perez is an authentic master of his instruments, which he builds into sequences of impure electroacoustic processing then allowing himself episodes of sparse noise and endless ventures into the almost inaudible.”
Giuseppe Aiello, Blow Up 05.19

Imploding Stars is a series of improvisations on soprano saxophone with live processing, using a range of plug-ins to manipulate the sound of the saxophone, cut fragments and explode them into nebulae of sounds.

The work on the saxophone is mostly extended techniques, sounds peripheral to the instrument; and although some notes can be heard at times, most of the noises you’ll hear from the saxophone is stripped down to the basis of breath and some overtones.

This essential material of breath becomes metaphorical for the most essential material that exists; and ensues a series of pieces with a common theme around space, the universe. So as my first solo CD, the process of recording this becomes an act of creation with the breath as its beginning.

Out of emptiness, vibrations. Then particles of sounds are created and the rest is history. The album takes you through world systems and different universes, some more or less populated and dense, some very minimal. Each track has a different approach and treatment of the sax, and I hope you’ll find that is a sonic treat with surprising variations along the way.

I am very grateful to Andy at Focused Silence who supported me with this release. You can listen to tracks on bandcamp, while the CD is available from the label’s website.

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