So a few months ago was a fascinating evening all about the legendary book Naked Lunch. This was a follow up to another great night all to do with William .S. Burroughs in which the The Cube Orchestra scored one of Burrough’s cut up films and I accompanied some poetry on drums.
Burroughs’ films are a firm fave of The Orchestra because they have lot of moods and interesting images for us to interpret through sound. Anyway there was also some rare stuff that Ben and gang had tracked down a well as some experts talking all about it. Sady I coldn’t stay for the whole thing but Ben captured some on video.
The night was a great example of what The Cube offers to Bristol that no where else can or does. Our thanks to everyone involved and to those who joined us.
Jazz in the Cube garden on a summer evening.. the idea might sound like one of those things that people would take on board as just a pleasant ambient backdrop for their conversations over a drink and a cigarette: something akin to “Dinner Jazz” playing on the radio as a background to a middle class dinner party. But when Dave Perry took his alto saxophone outside to play a solo set to kick off the live music for the evening, people were unusually attentive and became entranced by the bewitching sounds.
In typical Cube style we’d forgotten to turn on the garden lights, so as the end of day light faded into an ever-darkening twilight, the garden became illuminated as much by the unearthly glow of the Neon sign above as the sun itself and descended into a reverent hush. Not that sort of jazz gig nervous hush where people want to chat but feel too self-conscious about getting glares from nearby beard-stroking jazz aficianados, but relaxed sighs at beautiful tones and playfully lyrical excursions reverberating gently back from the surrounding buildings. In the background, the occasional distant sound of police sirens going up Stokes Croft seemed a world away (as well as too much of a soundtrack cliche to be real).
On the first few pieces, I can’t claim to have been able to follow quite where the music was going (but then I don’t think it was intended to be “understood” as such). Instead it was just a joy for me to hear someone making such warm and emotive sounds and to gradually tune in as he seemed to explore various melodic ideas – wandering away from anything as confining as a rigorous song structure to improvise over. There was also a certain playful element (cheeky even?) in the variety of sounds he was bringing forth from his sax – not that feeling sometimes associated with experimental music of someone trying to coax awkward sounds out of an instrument that it was never intended to play just to be seen to be pushing back the boundaries. No – this came across as much more of a man at great ease with – and having great sympathy for – his sax. It was a surprise to hear later that this was actually an instrument he had just recently borrowed from a friend and was rather unfamiliar with.
On some of the later pieces, a rhythmic groove seemed to evolve (though still a million miles from a vamp or a self-imposed jam) around which he intertwined his musical ideas. Even one of the Cube neighbours was reported to be seen nodding gently as they did the washing up. (Good to know that sound coming from the Cube can occasionally be enjoyed by our neighbours, rather than a cause for annoyance.. a tricky thing at times for a venue in a residential area).
The set came to an end to appreciative applause and smiles all round at having experienced something that was (certainly to my mind) rather special and touching. Those people who had earlier stepped in off the street and got no further than settling down on the metal steps down into the garden wandered inside to pay their entrance dues. The garden lights finally got switched on. And this was just the start of the evening..
(And thanks to my fellow volunteers that night, who so graciously let me derelict my duties to hear a bit more of the music).
Some orchestral musings from the worlds favourite Richie FACT. Thursday saw a collaboration between The Heavy Heads and Orchestra Cube for an evening dedicated to the Beat Writers. There were several very rare films, one of which had been saved and rearranged by Genesis .P. Orridge which featured good old Uncle BillBurroughs. This film featured a live soundtrack by The Cube Orchestra. I thought we did a really good job and we featured a good cross section of instruments; Pedal steel Guitar, keyboards (x3), Harmonica, tabla, saxophone, drums, therimin, electric, bass & acoustic guitars and violin. Good job chums.
After that I improvised some drums whilst Poet Bij did his thing
I have to admit I’ve always loved the Beats, especially Kerouac so to be able to do something like this was great, big thanks to The Heavy Heads for letting us have the opportunity.
Last month Totterdown, Bristol’s answer to Montmartre in gay Paris, staged it’s seventh Arts Trail, known as Frontroom. Frontroom was the first Arts trail in Bristol and similar things now happen across the City. It’s really good for the community and it warmed the cockles of my heart to see people wandering the hills of Totterdown enjoying themselves. Anyhow for much more go to the website:
http://www.frontroom.org.uk/
For the First time I opened up my Frontroom and there was a Cube edge to what was on show in the house. Mr. Hopkinson had his superb Cutting Up My Friends and Earlier in The Bar screened on the wall and when it was dark enough on the window (so it could be seen inside and out, dig)
I had some of my Cube Blog Photos on show (some of which you can see here) so maybe you were on show too.
I was also lucky enough to have American artist turned Bristolian Neko Griffen display her paintings.
But that was not all, My New Band Suzuki Boom Boom played on the friday night to a packed Frontroom (they were even spilling out onto the street).
Our spin on Contemporary Latin Jazz seemed to work with the assembled masses.
On the Sunday evening The Cube orchestra also played for an hour.
This was alot of fun, we played some really pretty music in a very Tortoise kinda way.
More pics of The Cube Orchestra available here from Will Iredale’s site by the way.
This was a really great weekend, I really enjoyed meeting lots of different people and a few familiar faces too, maybe I’ll do it next year too…………..
Thanks alot everybody who came along, even if you did just enjoy the view from my window, and extra big thanks to my neighbours.
Heygetoutahere Richie Paradise x
ps lighter pictures of Suzuki Boom Boom by Tom, thanks Tom
Richie Paradise x
Richie Paradise
Richie Paradise x