New digital release from Brandon Evans/Mark Pino!

New Infinite Plastic Internal track up at Bandcamp!

My interpretation of a piece written by Thaniel Ion Lee. Thanks for letting me do this, Thaniel!

Instagon #798, private residence, Richmond CA; 5/8/20

The new era of music performance is here. As I write this line, it's really a struggle to feel any emotion at all. Now, that's not to say that I did not have a great time doing an Instagon session with Lob. I always enjoy Instagon process, and playing #798 last night was no exception. We got into some interesting bass and drums grooves, ones in which I enjoyed the sparseness of having just those two elements, as well as just the human to human interaction of playing together.
I had hoped to use my electronics, but Lob didn't seem that into them, so, for the most part they stayed silent. Perhaps they'll emerge within some other scenario.
To get back to my opening sentiment, it just felt really strange to be playing "live" to a screen, and being aware that a few people were witnessing and/or listening. The human element of known friends and random strangers being within the same space as you while you play was notably absent for me, and I can't say that I enjoyed that absence very much. Of course, I must be grateful for any musical experience, especially as this new era unfolds, and I was. Still, the lack of other peoples' involvement in the process as flesh and blood witnesses is notable, to say the least.
If this in the new standard, I know that I'm in for some serious adjustments! Humans can get used to anything; I just' don't know if that's always a good thing.

Below: Instagon #798, hittin' in a garage

I will play with Instagon this Friday!

I'm happy to announce a gig! Instagon will be doing a live netcast this Friday, 5/8, from an undisclosed location, as part of the Owlfest Virtual Nightclub.
Instagon #798 will run from 8-8:40 Pacific Time at this link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/owlfestnightclub/

To say I'm simply looking forward to it would be a bit of an understatement! 

Archive pic and more musings

Here is a photo of me singing with Barney Cauldron in the summer of 2010. Hard to believe it's been damn near ten years since this event occurred, at the LiPo Lounge in SF's Chinatown. I wonder how that establishment is doing, currently. What a fun, funky place!
That's Jason Batzer in the green shirt. Jason took his own life in 2013, after years of being misunderstood, mostly as a result of his terrible fight with bi-polar disorders. I miss Jason a lot. I also realize that he was truly a stranger in a strange land, and I suspect that his decision to end his life came as a great relief to him.
Barney Cauldron ended unceremoniously in late October of that year. Kind of a blessing, really, as that lead to me playing within the fertile and fascinating SF Bay Area improvised music scene for many years hence.
Lately, there have been brief glimmerings of hope within the music world, as musicians use their creativity to find ways of presenting their sounds. It's been fascinating to watch. Clearly, though, this issue remains undetermined and unsettled, as I suspect that it will for some time.
I will be announcing my first effort at this "new method" a bit later this week. Stay tuned......