What a year!

At this time last year, I was pondering what the fallout from the changes in my music life would look like. I was cautiously optimistic, despite the let downs that 2010 brought to me.
I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised in 2011! Interesting, fun gigs with Cloud Shepherd, Silencer Assembly getting a guitar player, Failure Cock recording with Dean Santomieri and Brian Lucas, jamming with Andrew Joron and his theremin: all of these have been GREAT, and well worth the effort.
It is my hope that 2012 brings further developments within all of these spheres.
I would like to thank and acknowledge my wife Melissa for putting up with my sometimes crazy musical schedule. Also, thanks to all of my musical compatriots for jamming with me. I really appreciate all of you guys.
Onward to 2012!

Firecracker Shrimp

Recorded in my garage, 12/24/11. Homage to East Asian percussion approaches, so advanced on so many levels!
http://soundcloud.com/mark-pino-on-drums/firecracker-shrimp

Cosmists-Solstice Within Mithraeum

New Cosmists track, recorded 12/21/11. Winter Solstice!

Barney Cauldron-Echoes off of Crumbling Walls

Barney Cauldron began its relatively short life at Sound Wave Rehearsal Studios in Oakland, June of 2007. This recording is a document of our guitar/drums duo phase, which lasted until 2008. It's not particularly virtuoso, but I like its skewed energy and stumbling Minimalism!
On this recording, Barney Cauldron was:
Scott Jones-Guitar, loops, phantom Blues voice
Mark Pino-Drums
http://soundcloud.com/mark-pino-on-drums/barney-cauldron-echoes-off-of

Old Million Eye v. Infinite Plastic Internal, live on the radio, 12/14/2011 4PM PT

http://dfm.nu/
Brian Lucas and I will be blending our respective sound worlds on live, internet radio this Wednesday at 4PM Pacific time. Tune in and trip out!

Birdsaw-Live at the Paradise Lounge, SF CA Feb 18, 1998

http://www.archive.org/details/Birdsaw-liveAtTheParadiseLoungeSfCaFeb181998

Cloud Shepherd with India Cooke, Berkeley Arts Fest 2011, 12/3/11, Berkeley Arts Store Front

Cloud Shepherd had the  honor of playing with world renowned violin maestro India Cooke, aka L'il Nimbus (her Cloud Shepherd moniker)  for a show in the Berkeley Arts 2011 Fest. To a man, we were stoked.
Thankfully, we had a pretty good size audience to play for, and performed two sets, both of which were made up of two distinct improvisations.

Above: me, setting up the Cloud Kit
Below: India wails, Andrew buzzes, I try to keep up

The night's music felt very rhythm-oriented to me; India's presence definitely had that effect on my playing. I spent a lot of time on the drum portion of the Cloud Kit, and even took a solo at one point. Hopefully it was fun to hear. I know we had fun!

Above: L'il Nimbus in full flight!
Below: L'il Nimbus and Baby Bro, preparing for launch!