[written for Earshot Jazz] Among the many young ensembles creating action-packed music within Seattle’s productive jazz and creative music scene, the Syrinx Effect is a standout. Playing (usually) without a rhythm section, the soprano sax-trombone duo draws propulsive energy from the air like a wind turbine. The group’s second release, out this month, channels that … Continue reading “Review: Syrinx Effect, “Snail Songs””
Every December, KBCS invites producers to prepare a list of the year’s best recordings, so each year my Flotation Device co-host John Seman and I prepare our own top 15 lists. This year’s list draws from the sound worlds we provisionally describe as creative and improvised music, experimental soundscapes, etc. Pacific NW artists are represented … Continue reading “Flotation Device top 15 recordings from 2013”
I’ve been producing the creative and improvised music program Flotation Device at Seattle’s community radio station KBCS since the summer of 2001–feels like a long time! My biweekly cohosts have included “El Fred” Gilbert, composer Chris DeLaurenti and, now, bassist and local music organizer John Seman. On any given Sunday evening, listeners are likely to … Continue reading “Flotation Device”
The Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple (Seattle Buddhist Church) celebrated its centennial in 2001. For the temple and its multigenerational community, it was a year full of celebration and contemplation–and for Susan Gleason and I, an opportunity to capture an incredible story about a quietly resilient community. Before ever visiting the temple, Susan and I were … Continue reading “A Seattle Buddhist Centennial”
