Expanse
Depth
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Depth
Excerpt From Liner Notes by PEK
“… This is the first appearance of this particular quartet lineup, although all four of us have played together as a part of larger ensembles, and trios from this quartet have played in even more settings. The improvisation has a lot of space as well as great examples of three-part melodic improvised counterpoint between the horns. All three horn players spent substantial time during the set on the percussion and electronic instruments in the studio, so the broad palate concept is clearly articulated even by this small unit. The advanced instrumental and ensemble improvisation technique displayed result in a compelling concert length work.…”
Depth
Expanse
Evil Clown Headquarters, Waltham MA
26 October 2026
Depth – 1:09:58
Flavor – 5:28
PEK – clarinet, albert bass, contralto & contrabass clarinets, soprillo, alto & tenor saxophones, glissophone, shenai, bassoon, bass flute, wood flutes, sheng, melodica, bass ocarina, game calls, 17 string bass, [d]ronin, lfo percolator, moog subsequent, novation peak, Linnstrument controllers, ms-20, syntrx, concert marvin, gongs, plate gong, crotales, glockenspiel, wood & temple blocks, chimes, log drums, brontosaurus & tank bells, captain’s bell, Englephone, triangle chimes, Tibetan bells. chimes & bowls, almglocken, cow bells, balafon, xylophone, chimes, noise tower, orchestral anvils, chimes & castanets, crank lighthouse, crank siren
John Fugarino – trumpets, flugelhorn, trombones, French horn, melodica, ocarina, moog subsequent, novation peak, Linnstrument controllers, nord stage 3, prophet, lfo violin, drone boxes, concert marvin, triangle chimes, brontosaurus & tank bells, log drums, wood & temple blocks, almglocken, Tibetan bells & bowls, crotales, gongs, crotales, glockenspiel, chimes, spring & chime rod boxes, noise tower, seed pod rattles, balafon, xylophone, talking drum, array mbira, kalimba, orchestral castanets, flex-a-tone, shaker
Eric Dahlman – trumpet, voice & overtone voice, orchestral chimes, almglocken, bells. moog subsequent, novation peak, Linnstrument controllers, nord stage 3, prophet, drone boxes, concert marvin, 17 string bass, Englephone, gongs, plate gong, trine, rubber chickens
Michael Knoblach – bodhran, tank drum, metal buckets, hammered copper bowl, small gong, aluminum tray, sheep shears, seed pod rattle, maracas, shakers, ratchet, old party noise makers, ceramic insulators, meinl liquid triangle, concert marvin
Joel Simches – Live to 2-track recording, real-time signal processing
Depth
Full Video
Video Shorties
Depth
Liner Notes by PEK
In May of 2021, I opened Evil Clown Headquarters to other fully vaccinated musicians, and the first session of the new age was scheduled for the second set of the Expanse sound world. Michael and I both enjoyed the auspicious first set right before the pandemic shut down and the collaboration became an ongoing Evil Clown project. 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 at its inception.
Michael has been our most frequent percussionist across the current Evil Clown Ensembles and Expanse has had several different approaches over the last few years. Several Expanse Editions have explored the quiet and more spacious end of the Evil Clown Aesthetic Space, while some sets have trended away from the original idea toward a denser sound space.
Depth was scheduled to be a quintet which is a common ensemble size at Evil Clown, although many sets trend a bit larger. However, David Welans called in and the band was reduced to quartet. No biggie, improvisation is very tolerant of last second changes in lineup. We do not rely on repertoire, so finding a sub who knows the book is never needed, we simply adjust to the slightly different Aesthetic Problem posed by the change in resources.
This is the first appearance of this particular quartet lineup, although all four of us have played together as a part of larger ensembles, and trios from this quartet have played in even more settings. The improvisation has a lot of space as well as great examples of three-part melodic improvised counterpoint between the horns. All three horn players spent substantial time during the set on the percussion and electronic instruments in the studio, so the broad palate concept is clearly articulated even by this small unit. The advanced instrumental and ensemble improvisation technique displayed result in a compelling concert length work.
I was expecting this to be a great session, and I was not disappointed.
- PEK, 28 October 2026
Depth
Paul Brennan Photos
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