Expanse
Breadth
The project name inspired by the concepts of space and restraint, this well-recorded live performance between multi-reedist/instrumentalist David Peck and drummer Michael Knoblach, both using a wealth of percussive devices and sonorous instruments, was live-streamed from the Boston Evil Clown Headquarters, showing the “Breadth” of their expansive ears.
Squidco Staff
Excerpt From Liner Notes by PEK
“… Most of the Evil Clown ensembles have core units, but seldom perform with only the core unit players, instead having different guests appear on various performances. I have noticed over years of doing this that the core unit acts a bellwether, guiding the improvisation and providing connectivity between the core unit and the guests. Later, when the core unit performs without guests, this experience of guiding larger ensembles reveals itself in very tight ensemble play and transparent communication across the ensemble…”
Breadth:
Expanse
Evil Clown Headquarters, Waltham MA – 26 November 2021
1) Breadth – 1:10:21
PEK – clarinet, contralto & contrabass clarinets, alto, tenor & bass saxophones, piccolo oboe, dulzaina, shenai, alto & bass flutes, bass recorder, bass ocarinas, gongs, plate gong, melodica, chromatic harmonica, crank siren, brontosaurus & tank bells, almglocken, chimes, Englephone, crotales, cow bells, Tibetan bowl, hand chimes, bells, woodblocks, temple blocks, castanets, seed pod rattle, ratchet, log drums, [d]ronin, spring and chime rod boxes, electric chimes, voice
Michael Knoblach – 36 in. bass drum, frame drum, busy box drum, tank drum, enamel bowls, crystal singing bowls, devil chasers axatse, African rattles, Fischer Price toys, sheep shears, slinky, wooden billiards triangle. titfer bells, antique child rattles, sand blocks, horses-ass-a-phone, basket of rocks, spooky world noise makers, spinning toy, acme siren whistle, mortar & pestle
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Liner Notes by PEK
In March of 2020, just before the onset of the pandemic, I had a first session with a new percussionist, Michael Knoblach entitled Main Sequence… Although Michael plays the drum set, in recent years he has been focused on percussion. This duet with the Evil Clown percussion arsenal along with instruments from Michael’s huge collection available enabled wonderful new sonority. Michael plays at a quieter mean dynamic than is typical for Evil Clown ensembles. Leap of Faith, in particular, has stretches of this quieter space in nearly every improvisation, but the mean dynamic is much louder. It was very interesting to focus an entire set on my lower volume vocabulary.
In May of 2021, I opened Evil Clown Headquarters to other fully vaccinated musicians, and the first session of the new age was scheduled to revisit this sound world. Michael and I both enjoyed the auspicious first set and this will now be an ongoing Evil Clown project, both as a duet for some sets and as a larger unit for others. As an ongoing project, it needed a permanent name, so after some thought I came up with Expanse which evokes space and restraint, the central idea behind this ensemble.
Now, at the very end of 2021, Michael and I have recorded two additional Expanse records and one record with Leap of Faith. Each of these 3 sessions are powerful improvisation with larger ensembles: Vacuum Energy (5/19/21) added saxophonist Michael Caglianone, Scope (8/8/21) added the other 3 members of Michael’s band the JMDE Quartet, and the Leap of Faith set, Revealing the Essence (10/13/21) added Glynis Lomon on cello and Vance Provey on trumpet.
The JMDE Quartet had a big gig a few days past and a couple of weeks ago Michael reached out and suggested that we might have an Expanse set at Evil Clown Headquarters using the same gear which would already be in his van. I don’t usually schedule sessions on holidays since most players have family obligations, but Black Friday was open on both of our books, so we scheduled it on short notice. Most of the Evil Clown ensembles have core units, but seldom perform with only the core unit players, instead having different guests appear on various performances. I have noticed over years of doing this that the core unit acts a bellwether, guiding the improvisation and providing connectivity between the core unit and the guests. Later, when the core unit performs without guests, this experience of guiding larger ensembles reveals itself in very tight ensemble play and transparent communication across the ensemble.
I was expecting this to be a great session and I was not disappointed. Evil Clown will emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever, so stay tuned for several new releases per month from the various ensembles!!!
– PEK, 27 November 2021
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