S o u n d B i t e s B o d y

I initiated, curated and facilitated a performance-improvisation event, Sound Bites in July 2012. Now called SoundBitesBody, it focuses on the extended use of body, voice, objects and instrument. This event creates a continual dialogue between practitioners in the Blue Mountains and other Australian and international performers. Originally conceived as a monthly event at The Paragon's Cafe Cocktail Lounge, SoundBitesBody has moved into the intimacy of home properties and project venues.

Thank you to all the artists across the disciplines of sound, dance and installation practice who have such a passion for improvisation. And many thanks to the residents of the Blue Mountains who have opened up their property for SoundBitesBody to take place: Billy Gruner and Sarah Keighery (The Beachcomber, Faulconbridge and WEST Projects, Hazelbrook), Jerel Mani (The Ol’ Skoolhouse, Katoomba) and Rae and Yuri Bolotin (Bilpin International Grounds for Creative Initiatives).

#23 SoundBitesBody at BigCi Bilpin, the Blue Mountains - 6 February 2016

Sound Bites Body #23 February 2016 presented in collaboration with BigCi's Artist Residency on the edge of the Wollemi National Park, with artists:

Ash Baker (electronic), Laurie Scott Baker (double bass, samples), Chris Caines & Jon Drummond (synth, video machines), Damian Castaldi (sound, electronics, percussion), Tess de Quincey (dance), WeiZen (voice, body), Bang Murtala (dance), Alfira O'Sullivan (dance), Benjamin Samuels (clarinets), Alan Schacher (body, props), Hirofumi Uchino aka Defektro (built electronic and analgue devices), Gary Warner (sound, installations)

#21 SoundBitesBody - part 2 long

#21 Sound Bites Body was held on 5 September 2015, at Hotel Blue, The Attic in Katoomba and the footage was kindly videoed by Jerel Mani, founder of The Ol' SKool House.

The performers featured here are:

Alex Salter aka Grey Area (analogue synth)

Henrietta Baird (dance)

Shota Matsumura (trumpet) + Jim Denley (saxophone) + Laurence Williamson (guitar) + Axel Powrie (flute)

Alan Schacher (books)

WeiZen Ho (objects, body)

sound bites #20 - sound bites body 2, 2nd May 2015

Ash Baker (deep industrial sound waves)

Mayu Kanamori / Terumi Narushima (AWASE MISO performance)

WeiZen Ho (sound-body-objects)

Linda Luke (dance)

Zeb Olsen (electric guitar)

Alan Schacher (body, props)

Gary Warner (harmonograph)

Photos of sound bites #20 - sound bites body 2, on this website by Alex Gooding

Drawings from Gary Warner's Harmonograph

Photos of sound bites #20 - sound bites body 2, on this website by Alex Gooding

photos of sound bites #20 - sound bites body 2, on this website by Alex Gooding

sound bites #19 - sound bites body 1, 21 February 2015

Margaret Bradley (flute, percussion)

Ryuichi Fujimura (dance)

WeiZen (sound-body-objects)

Sawung Jabo (guitar, implements)

Phillip Mills (movement)

Alan Schacher (body, props)

Clayton Thomas (double bass)

curated by WeiZen + Alan

Photos of sound bites #19 on this website by Mike Myers

Photos of sound bites #19 - sound bites body 1 on this website by Mike Myers

Photos of sound bites #19 - sound bites body 1 on this website by Mike Myers

S p l i n t e r O r c h e s t r a

Although not a core member of Splinter Orchestra, I am filled with appreciation to be part of this improvisational ensemble. I was invited by Martin Kirkwood to play with them at the Rocks in 2012.

Every now and then, I travel from the Blue Mountains to join their practice sessions and performance event.

Twenty-one members of the Splinter Orchestra took a road trip from Sydney to Adelaide, to perform as part of the Tectonics Festival.

A detour to Mungo National Park for three days was part of the plan to spend intensive immersion time playing together amongst the sand sculptured dunes depicting the vastness of time passing. We played in the shearing sheds, the bush and an abandoned air strip at dawn, dusk, midnight...

This was the result: a 3-CD set titled M U N G O, the first release in ten years

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S o u n d B i t e s B o d y

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