This development had me worried, but I was able to get my pal Kersti Abrams to fill in. This kept Cosmists a quartet, with Thomas Harrison Jr. making his debut with us on bass.
After a really fine set from Jack Hertz, full of spaced out electronic meditations and glitches, we began our four movement set with a conducted improvisation called Layer Cake. I guess it was an attempt by me to use conducting methods, mostly influenced by reading about Butch Morris some years back. Just simple gestures, cuing in the other group members as I sat on the floor. Kinda Hippie, I guess. Still, it was fun and fulfilling to try. We also played a couple of purely improvised pieces and one piece from my graphic score Saturations With Jumps. That one is still developing. It never sounds quite like I have been hearing it in my head, but I guess that if one wants exact precision, one should write out scores with standard musical notation. As for the improvisations, one of them featured a really tight ending after some cool East Asian, almost Gagaku feels. Real good.
Back to the triumphal feeling: some people that I don't know showed up and stuck around. Just a few, but that's enough. I realize that Cosmists don't play music that is accessible, so, really, if anyone sticks around to listen, it counts big time. Thanks to whomever those people are. Glad that you're out there, and very grateful that you stuck around.
All told, a fun evening that ended with everyone happy and aesthetically, if not monetarily, fulfilled. Cosmists continue to do it for the pure joy of sound.
As usual, thanks to Outsound, Luggage Store Gallery, and those that showed up, especially Andrew, Thomas, Kersti, and Jack.
Below: Cosmists instruments
Below: Mark Conducts (photo courtesy of Jack Hertz, thanks Jack!)
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