Patrick Grant / sTRANGEmUSIC: Update Summer 2000

01 August 2000

For Immediate Release:

1. PATRICK GRANT BACK INTO STUDIO TO RECORD TWO NEW CDS

I*, and members of the Patrick Grant Group, began tracking sessions on
19 July for what will become two new CDs scheduled for Fall 2000 and
Winter 2001 release.

Tracks being recorded are:

"Music for an Imaginary Horror Film"
[17']
(fl., cl., bsn., tb., e.gtr., 2 perc., theremin, soprano, 3 synth.,
va., vc, & e.bass)
Werkmeister III tuning

"Influx"
[21']
(fl., cl., tb., 2 perc., 3 synth., va., vc, & e.bass)
just intonation

"5ØUSA: 10 Marches and 50 Variations"
[25']
(4 synth. & perc.)
just intonation

"Keeping Still"
[4']
(4 perc., & piano)
polymicrotonal

"StepTime"
[7']
(2 e.gtr., 4 synth. & perc.)
just intonation

"tHE wEIGHTS oF nUMBERS - pART 1"
[9']
(4 synth. & perc.)
just intonation

"tHE wEIGHTS oF nUMBERS - pART 2"
[6']
(4 synth. & perc.)
just intonation

"Marblehead"
[9']
(gamelan & perc.)
slendro and pelog tuning

"Puzzle Dust"
[7']
keyboard solo
multiple just intonation

... and other titles TBA

As a preview of the first of these two CDs, and, in time for Halloween
2000, a CD single of "Music for an Imaginary Horror Film" will be
released early October.

As of this release, the participating artists include, Marija Ilic:
keyboards, John Ferrari: percussion, Darryl Gregory: trombone, Thomas P.
Oberle: clarinet / bass clarinet, Johnny Reinhard: bassoon, Joshua
Pierce: keyboards. Other artists TBA.

The recording is being done on a combination of interfaced software and
hardware made by DigiDesign, Cubase, Cakewalk, Roland, and E Magic Logic
Audio at sTRANGEmUSIC's newly constructed project studio at 200 E 65
Street.

No, I'm not a paid spokesperson for the above companies (in fact many of
you may know of my wont to "blank out" corporate logos) but, I do find
it interesting that, despite the current trend and "holy grail" of the
hard-wired-everything-in-a-box aesthetic, that we're getting excellent
results just by synching everything up (via SMPTE, MIDI, and MMC) and truly
customizing it to our purposes. Whaddya know ... it works! At this
point, if they made pin-stripes and tail-fins for computers, I'd
probably get them too.

All tracking and editing will be done in-house. Mixing and
mastering will be done with a producer at a studio TBA. (surprise-surprise).

Refer to item #3 for updates.

(* I'm done with referring to this guy's work in the third person.)

2. SCOTLAND TRIP IN AUGUST FOR MUSICOLOGICAL RESEARCH

I'll will be traveling to Grantown-on-Spey, Inverness, Scotland, from
August 10 through 17. The purpose of this trip is a combination of
participating in the Millennial Gathering of Clan Grant (yeah, I'll be
doing the kilt-thing) and of doing musicological research of highland
folk music and its tunings (intervals in relation to the drone ... at
least). I've never been much into the "identity politick" thing but, I
guess for me, this is Mecca and I should make the
one-trip-in-my-lifetime. Plus, I must say, I do look pretty convincing
in my clan's tartan.

Since I've always made a lousy tourist, be it Bali or Baltimore, I feel
more credible if I can dig (sic) into whatever indigenous musical scene
is existing. I'll use this opportunity to rectify whatever ill feelngs
that I may have had towards the bagpipes, bodhrains, etc. and make contact
with the local artists, record stuff on my portable DAT, and ask a lot of
uninteresting questions.

Hopefully, this work will be fruitful because I'm already scheduled to
have it manifest in the new piece "The Rock of Alarm (Craigellachie!)"
to be premiered at the American Festival of Microtonal Music's Microthon
2000 at the Quaker Meeting House in NYC on November 11.

The title refers to my clan's family motto ("Stand Fast") and even more
so to the precipice upon which Castle Grant at Loch Ness sits.
Sometimes, I love a good title as a creative port-of-entry, and, I feel
that this one will work for me in that the double entendre of "rock"
says a lot about my generation's preference of a kick-and-snare backbeat
(although it will probably be deconstructed into a 5- or 7-feel, as I'm
oft to do) over the jazzier ride-cymbal-propulsion of earlier
contemporary musical language. If you know what I mean, then you know
what I mean. Otherwise, please come to the performance.

This work will be scored for 2 microtunable synthesizers and percussion
will be performed by myself, Marija Ilic, and John Ferrari.

More info on the AFMM and the Microthon 2000 TBA in the Fall.

3. sTRANGEmUSIC.cOM - WEBSITE GOING UP - Fall 2000

Yep. I've succumbed. After two years of unethically keeping a
domain-sans-content (believe-or-don't, I've had numerous requests to
transfer that name), I'll be going legit and posting pages that will
serve as the future primary info source for my music, recordings, and
performances. You name it, I'll be posting it. Text, photos, MIDIs,
MP3s, etc. etc. etc.

Yes, I'll keep it on-topic and promise NOT to include JPEGs of my pets
(AKA the politically-correct "companion animals"), favorite films, et al, and
concentrate
on music: my music, and links to musician/composer colleagues who I find
to be and have been a source of inspiration within our
corner-of-any-said-scene here
in NYC.

News regarding the upcoming CD releases will be posted here as well.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Need it be said, that, despite any perceived "sense-of-humor" found above
(can't stomach those pretentious or heavy-heavy-heavy (heavy-heavy)
announcements meself):

(N)ew (M)usic is a serious business.

So ... let's hear it for ephemeral air-sculpture in spacetime ...

I say yeah,

PG
NYC
Summer 2000

+++++++++++++++++

sTRANGEmUSIC iNC.
200 E 65 Street
Floor 41
New York, NY 10021

"How's My Driving?" c/o info@sTRANGEmUSIC.cOM