Posts by Kevin Good
IF IT WERE SAFE: Jodie Landau’s ‘Performance of Self’
As you enter the RedCat Theater to see Jodie Landau’s “Performance of Self” your attention is immediately caught by the transformation of the theater. It now resembles a dinner party or comedy club. There are tables of two with candles in front of the general audience’s seating. These tables are part of the audience but also create a more of a “date night at a restaurant” vibe than a traditional concert experience. This makes the entire audience look and feel like part of the show. It blurs the line between the stage and the audience. There are outfits and articles of clothing suspended above the stage in shadowboxes. The clothes range from dresses to blazers to boxers. There is also a screen playing a video of Jodie at seven years old singing and dancing along to “The Backstreet Boys” on loop.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this show. I’ve seen Landau perform a few times in a variety of contexts. I’ve seen him as a percussionist in Wild Up, a singer with Roomful of Teeth and a combination of both percussion and voice in the past. This was my first experience seeing Landau as a writer and host.
“Performance of Self” combines several different art forms. It’s part cabaret show, part stand up comedy and part musical. Combining these styles do not compromise them – instead it strongly ties together the common threads across them. “Performance of Self” does not force a blending of classical/ contemporary music with pop music which is often the case with these kinds of productions. When these shows try to blend too heavily with the classical world (instead of coming from the pop, musical, or theater tradition) they can become a watered-down caricature instead of a fully supported art form. That is not the case here. Landau’s embrace of pop music, audience interaction and storytelling works well and solidifies the authenticity of the music which in turn reaffirms the identity of the show.
Jodie is in a virtuosic role alternating between being a host, vocalist, comedian and dancer. He is so encapsulating and endearing as a presence and performer. His charm grabs our attention from the very beginning of the show and creates a level of trust to follow along on this ride. Jodie had the audience laughing along with him as he tells us about the common misgendering of his pronouns due to his love of wearing dresses and overall lack of conforming to gender-norms. He suddenly bursts into song, the chorus of which is “I’d wear dresses everyday” which eventually builds to add “if it were safe”. He was able to take an audience from laughing to worry by adding one sentence to a repeated motif. It’s a haunting look at the reality of the world outside these theater walls. One that seems to creep in and out of our attention throughout the show depending on where Landau takes us. His performance is all encompassing with incredibly personal and emotional narratives throughout. It covers gender, queerness, dating and familial relationships. Jodie lays bare his heart and soul for the audience. While there are these moments of introspection in the first half of the show, it’s personal in tone but generally quite lighthearted. The stories told are specific to Landau’s life but the themes are universal tales of loneliness, identity, love and community. His storytelling abilities have a natural way of connecting the audience to his journey in a way that relates back to their own.
While Landau is front and center throughout the show., he is far from the only person on stage. The band of about seven musicians covers a wide range of keyboards, drums, bass woodwinds, strings and live Ableton electronics. Orchestrationally, the ground covered in a pop setting without guitar is incredible and extremely full. At times I was fooled into thinking the ensemble was much larger than it actually was, and at other moments the band hid in the background whenever it was appropriate to let Landau be in the spotlight. This relatively small ensemble provides a dense and full bed of sound for Jodie’s vocals to lay on throughout the show. The ensemble is made up of Jherek Bischoff, Darian Donovan Thomas, Matt Evans, Joshua Rubin, Jacquelyn Schreiber, Drew Sensue-Weinstein and Brian Walsh. Each of whom are not only expected to be fantastic players but active performers and actors that must bounce off of Jodie’s banter and comedy and do so wonderfully.
Structurally, one of the most successful aspects of the show is its pacing. Its use of repetition to iterate on its themes creates a satisfying sense of resolution. To start the show, Landau tells us anecdotes that are mostly comedic and endearing. We feel a bit lulled into a sense of relaxation and go along for the ride. There is however, a sense that something is being withheld from the audience. It feels like the show couldn’t possibly sustain itself by just being lighthearted romp but our guide is aware of this. It’s in the last thirty minutes or so that Landau pulls back the curtain revealing just how much information he has intentionally curated for us. We do not hear about his queer relationships and up to this point when we learn about his family it’s through childhood stories and silly coming of age embarrassments. In a meta moment he then literally explains this to the audience. We are alerted to just how much information has been kept from us intentionally. We are not given answers to everything we’ve missed but some are presented to us. This lack of a full picture helps the audience use their imagination to fill in the blanks that have been omitted from the stories. Perhaps even filling the missing spaces with our own life lessons. One of the difficult subjects we are let into is the grief of losing a father. In another fourth wall breaking moment we hear from Landau directly how his Dad influenced this show. Not just in its development but also during its first public performances after being created. We see his touch on the very show that we are watching. There are references to earlier numbers and we see how Jodie’s dad reacted to them whether during a performance or providing feedback after each show. Thus the show begins to fold in on itself. This takes us right back to the beginning, the home video of Jodie singing and dancing along to the “Backstreet Boys” now revealed to be filmed by his father. Something we may have known all along but feels enlightened. This time we get a special treat. We are also treated to Landau standing on stage by himself recreating the dance his seven year old self is doing on the screen behind him. It’s an emotional and hilarious way to wrap up all the ideas we’ve seen. We feel the emotional catharsis of ending at the beginning of the journey. I couldn’t help but giggle and smile while a tear ran down my cheek.
More than a piano trio: House on Fire with Piano Spheres at 2220 Arts & Archives
A few Tuesdays ago I had the opportunity to see Piano Spheres’ emerging artist: House on Fire.
House on Fire could be described as a trio of pianists consisting of members; Richard An,
Wells Leng, and Andrew Anderson. That description doesn’t feel sufficient enough, considering
the vast ground they cover. I’ve seen House on Fire several times over the past few years and
each show has been different from the last. Richard mentioned at one point during the show
that one of the interesting aspects of performance for house on fire is how to approach
differentiating the texture of three pianos or taking the opposite approach and leaning into their
sameness. Since House on Fire are open to doubling percussion, keyboards, cello and other
found objects the ability to stretch the instrumentation of three pianos is vast. Rarely does a
House on Fire performance actually take place on just three pianos.
Perhaps the piece I’ve seen them performing the most is the very one that opened this show
“qsqsqsqsqqqqqqqqq” by Tristan Perich. This has become a staple opener for House on Fire.
Each of the three pianists are playing toy pianos that create near-constant ascending lines
along side Perich’s signature 1-bit electronic accompaniment. I love Perich’s work but this
particular piece has a very personal connection with me. The sound-world crafted by the
precision of House on Fire’s interpretation sounds to my ear like the slot machines I grew up
hearing in Las Vegas. It’s a bit odd to think of the obnoxious sound of slots as a soothing
meditation but that is what hearing these toy pianos transports me right back to. I am not alone
in hearing this piece as meditative, I noticed the older couple next to me close their eyes and
lean back into their seats to listen deeply to the ringing of the instruments.
The second piece on the concert was Erin Rogers’ Cold Countries. This was one of three
premieres on the program and was commissioned by Piano Spheres for this show. The piece
itself is quite still when compared to the rest of the program. It largely consisting of soft icy
sounds created through the use of some percussion played by Richard and keyboard samples
by Andrew. The texture is grounded and rounded out by Wells on Piano. There is also a spoken
element mostly performed by Wells, who’s voice works perfectly for this. Their voice being soft
and calm almost makes it difficult to hear, nearly a mumble however I was still able to discern
the text for the most part. The text appears to be made of different arctic countries and facts
about their environments. There’s a cinematic feel to the piece and when the text and music
come together it works wonderfully. This piece would benefit from multiple listens as there are
many layers to peel back in this composition.
Matthais Kranebitter’s Pitch Study No. 2 is perhaps the most quintessential House on Fire
piece. It is tightly packed with dense and complicated material moving between the keyboards
and the piano. The piece is a pitch study mapping each key on the piano to a sound played
back via keyboards and electronics. The material itself is at times comical and always everyday
approachable sounds. This is what makes it a classic House on Fire performance, material that
is challenging in someways yet accessible in others with incredibly impressive chamber music
skills and ensemble interplay.
Even more visually based, was Yifeng Yvonne Yuan’s I Wrote You a Letter (A Letter Is what I
Wrote You) which prominently featured Richard writing a letter using a typewriter amplified and
projected onto a screen for the audience to see. The clicking and ringing of Richard’s
typewriting was accompanied by Wells and Andrew on prepared piano. The prepared piano
often blends with the sound of the typewriter creating a homogenous sound. The use of
prepared piano and typewriter is pretty genius, it creates a cohesive sound and visually the
piano is essentially functioning as a typewriter. This sound world allowed for the written letter to
be the emotional core of the composition and provided space for the audience to follow along
with the visual cinema of the piece.
Continuing our cinematic journey Erich Barganier’s Interstate Glitches VII – Salton Sea – Los
Angeles is a piece for keyboards and piano written for House on Fire which also revolves
around a video. The video is of deserts and forests landscapes. The video (as the title
suggests) glitches and melts away in and out of focus like an Escher or Dali painting.
Compositionally, it does an incredible job of creating a nostalgia for a road trip that I wasn’t on.
The Last two pieces on the program were written by Richard and Wells and were a perfect
demonstration of the two approaches to writing a piece for House on Fire. Richard’s Carbon
Copy begins with vibraphone and pianos playing the same pitch in unison alternating
sustained notes and muted notes. Slowly, the row of pitches is expanded on piano and
eventually toms and bongos accompany the piano and are pitched to match the exact notes of
the piano. Wells’ repas à plusieurs plats takes the approach of differentiating each member of
the ensemble; Wells is featured on melodica while Richard plays glockenspiel and Andrew is on
piano. The piece is set up as a tasting menu of themes and motives that allow each member to
have a featured moment. These short cadenzas pack a punch and are fast, complex and
exciting but pass in a moment. Wells’ culinary comparison is at its finest in these moments,
creating the sonic equivalent of an hors d’oeuvres one might get at a Michelin star restaurant.
House on Fire is not to be missed. They are a truly unique group. Each concert is different from
the last. If you weren’t able to catch them at this concert they have a few upcoming shows in
March and April. The March show will be at Oracle Egg and the April show is at 2220 Arts and
Archives and features a piece written for them by Greg Saunier of Deerhoof. You will not be
disappointed seeing any House on Fire concert and will feel rewarded by seeing this young
group grow and challenge what it means to play music written for three(ish) pianos.
“Clouds” emerge and dissipate throughout Monkspace
On October 10th 2023, I found myself at Monk Space attending my first concert presented by People Inside Electronics (PIE). The concert was the premiere of a new fifty minute piano piece “Songs and Clouds” written by Matt Sargent and performed by Andrew Anderson. While this was my first experience at a PIE event, this is far from my first time hearing Matt’s music performed. I first met Matt during my undergraduate studies at The Hartt School in Connecticut. I took a few electronic music classes with him and soon after we developed a professional relationship performing and recording each others music.
One of the pieces I’ve worked on with Matt is his piece “Third Illumination” which was recorded and premiered by my percussion duo with Katie Eikam, desoduo. “Third Illumination” is part of Matt’s “Illumination Series” a series which uses a generative score that creates materials for the performer to read in real time. This generative score creates a unique performance and allows a variance to exist in each performance. The generative score is also the basis for “Songs and Clouds;” in the moments most closely resembling music from the Illumination series, a lush bed of sustained harmonic material from the electronics underlines the piano, in which it gently sits and emerges through small melodies and additive patterns.
However, as the materials present themselves and disperse over the course of the performance
it becomes clear these processes are unique to “Songs and Clouds;” this is a different harmonic one, one which deserves its own moniker, rather than sharing a name with the aforementioend Illumination Series. Several years ago I saw Matt’s piece “Separation Songs.” also at Monk Space, as part of Cold Blue Music’s release of Matt’s album of the same name. “Separation Songs” uses musical material from the New England composer William Billings’ Songbook. The use of the Billings material, though most heavily utilized in to “Separation Songs,” is subtly present here in “Songs, Clouds.” The result of employing these songs as melodic material in this generative process is a harmonic landscape that, emotionally, borders on sentimental, but has an underlying complex process that unfolds melodies which keeps the listener present.
In addition to being a composer, Matt Sargent is also a performer. This week I’ve had the chance to see him perform several times on pedal steel guitar. I couldn’t help but notice that Andrew and Matt have very similar presences as performers. Both of them, but especially Andrew, present information matter-of-factly. In Andrew’s performance of “Songs and Clouds” there are no extra performative movements or gestures beyond what is needed to showcase the material, in the most efficient manner possible. The music and the material speaks for itself through Andrew’s mastery as a performer. Andrew’s touch is subtle and delicate. His control over the dynamic possibilities of the piano allows him to glide freely
from section to section. His execution in differentiating the rising melodic lines while delicately playing chordal clouds at a softer dynamic are paramount to the success of the piece.
This was the season opener for People Inside Electronics and if so this was an incredibly strong start. If this is the direction PIE continues to go in, then this will certainly be far from my last PIE concert. I eagerly look forward to whatever they plan on offering to the concert goer next, as well as seeing what will come next from Andrew and Matt.
https://www.mattsargentmusic.com/
https://andrewandersonpiano.com/
https://peopleinsideelectronics.com/
Shaker Loops and Pergolesi make for an interesting yet arresting combination, especially when sung by mold-breaking talent Samuel Mariño.
Camerata Pacifica wrapped up their 2023 season on May 16th, 2023 with a wonderful concert featuring the music of Adams, Bach and Pergolesi. The concert opened with John Adams’ Shaker Loops; I first heard Shaker Loops during the first year of my undergraduate studies and fell in love with it instantly. My career as a musician began as a percussionist, and Shaker Loops was my introduction to string ensemble music outside of a string quartet, and I hadn’t had the chance to hear it live until now. The septet of three violins, viola, two celli and double bass creates an enormous sound that is rhythmically driving from beginning to end. Immediately the technical and musical abilities of each performer were on display as they played sixteenth notes in rhythmic unison, edging ever so slightly towards a sound that could unravel at any moment – but never does. A gradual system brings us into the slower middle movements which display a beautiful array of harmonics; the faster notes return and we arrive at the final sections of the piece, once again revealing the impressive speed of the ensemble in its entirety. It was an incredible way to open a concert and while it is both the newest and the longest piece on the program it certainly succeeded in setting the stage of what was to come next.
The next two pieces, Cantata, “non sa che sia Dolores” by Johann Sebastian Bach and “Salve Regina in C Minor” by Giovanni Pergolesi used a larger ensemble of twelve musicians. I was eagerly awaiting the conductor’s entrance but was pleasantly surprised when it became clear the ensemble would perform without a conductor. The orchestra’s ability to communicate and listen freely without a conductor was clear right away. There was the sense that an overall stronger cohesion of time and interpretation was present because they didn’t have to use a conductor. Normally, a conductor is used to help guide the orchestra through their own interpretation but when a large ensemble doesn’t have a conductor they need to use their ears and communicate to one another. I believe this results in a more fluid and group oriented interpretation that rises above any individual. This group collective consciousness was on full display with these musicians.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to mention the extremely captivating performance of the soloist Samuel Mariño. Samuel commanded the audience’s respect and admiration the moment he walked on stage dressed in red pants and fingerless gloves with silver painted nails; the audience was both curious and immediately drawn in. As soon as the male soprano sang his first note, the audience was on the edge of their seats. Mariño had the audience screaming and standing by the end of the performance for an encore – a request he granted, with “Quella fiamma, che il petto m’accende” from Handel’s opera Arminio. The Handel allowed Mariño an extended cadenza in which he showed not only his impressive vocal range, speed, and projection, but also his ability to entertain; he had the audience laughing along when he wiped the sweat from his brow to prepare himself for an incredibly high note out of nowhere. He had them gasping in shock when he mimicked an oboe line (from oboist Nicholas Daniel) that was dauntingly fast and high for an oboe, let alone a vocalist. Samuel is certainly a figure in modern music to keep an eye on. This concert was part of his first tour in the United States and you will certainly want to keep note of his next appearance.
‘Camerata Pacifica’ at The Huntington
Camerata Pacific closes their ’22-’23 season with a performance of John Adams’ Shaker Loops , J.S. Bach’s Non sa che sia dolore, BWV 209 and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s Salve Regina in C Minor, with soprano soloist Samuel Mariño.
7:30pm. Tuesday May 16, 2023