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NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS: | |||
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Flying Fingers Productions and the Shaking Ray Levi Society present: Battle Trance Amanda Cagle/Bob Stagner Duo Saturday, January 31, 2015, 8:00 PM Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave Chattanooga, TN 37404 $7-10 door (sliding scale) BATTLE TRANCE had an auspicious inception. One morning, Travis Laplante (Little Women and a trio with bassist Trevor Dunn and drummer Ches Smith) literally awoke with the crystal clear vision that he needed to start an ensemble with three specific individuals: Matthew Nelson, Jeremy Viner, and Patrick Breiner. Laplante was actually unfamiliar with their work as musicians and had only a minimal relationship with them as individuals. He was also aware that a band of four tenor saxophones could be the worst idea ever. In spite of this, Laplante followed through and contacted Nelson, Viner, and Breiner. He gave them very little information beyond his morning experience But no one hesitated - the ensemble formed that evening. Since many of the techniques used in Battle Trance's piece "Palace of Wind" are nearly impossible to notate in traditional form, it was transmitted via the oral tradition. The rehearsals were much like martial arts training: intricate sounds were rigorously copied and repeated by the ensemble members until they perfected the techniques. Many hours were spent building the sheer strength required to sustain continuous circular breathing for extended periods. Likewise, a steady focus on physicality was required to repeat rapid note patterns for long periods without sacrificing speed. "Palace of Wind" is such a demanding composition that there is a high risk of physically burning out before the piece concludes, as once it begins there is no opportunity for rest or even a quick drink of water. There was also extensive training in dissolving the distinct individual identities of the players into the greater collective sound: The band did various long-tone exercises, similar to group meditation, the purpose being to blend together into one sound, so that the origin of the collective sound's components is completely impossible to discern - even by the members of the ensemble. "Palace of Wind" does embrace both the cerebral nature of composition and the visceral act of performance, but immediately locates itself, the musicians and the audience in a purely spiritual space. It is a new kind of music and therefore modern, and yet it's absolutely primordial, the transformative act of human beings blowing air through tubes and producing something timeless. Members of Battle Trance have also performed with: tUnE-yArDs, Little Women, Tim Berne, Gerald Cleaver, Michael Formanek, Trevor Dunn, Ingrid Laubrock, Rafiq Bhatia, Ches Smith, Steve Lehman, Weasel Walter, Mat Maneri, John Hollenbeck, Tyshawn Sorey, Peter Evans and many others. "[Battle Trance] uses
hocketing patterns, furry multiphonics, and drones
fueled by circular breathing to create a constantly
changing piece that wends from the parade-ground
precision of Philip Glass’s small-group music to the
emotionally extravagant expressionism of storefront
gospel."
- Chicago Reader Bob Stagner is a percussionist, teacher, speaker and leader in arts advocacy for over 25 years. He co-founded the free improvisation duo, The Shaking Ray Levis, and the Shaking Ray Levi Society, an arts education organization that supports emerging artists in performance, art and film. He is the Southeast director of The Rhythmic Arts Project that provides music workshops for people with physical and mental disabilities. He has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists, including Derek Bailey, Rev. Howard Finster, Wayne White, Bob Dorough, Fred Frith, Min Tanaka, Amy Denio, Shelley Hirsch, and John Zorn. Amanda Rose Cagle studied Baroque strings and woodwinds at Case Western University and piano, double bass and clarinet at Hiram College. Returning to Chattanooga she began a study of modern improvisation with The Shaking Ray Levis. She has performed with the big band Sweet Georgia Sound, psychedelic jug band Big Kitty, poet-prophet Jack Rentfro and the Apocalypso Quartet, Ghanian drum and dance group Mawre & Co., polka partiers The Wurstbrats, rococo-horror trio Trigger Mortis, and speakeasy chanteuse Christabel.
The
Shaking Ray Levi Society is greatly saddened by the loss of
Julian Ray Norwood on February 16, 2014, who was a co-founder
and the first president of The Shaking Ray Levi Society.
Times
Free Press
obit Funeral
Service for Julian Norwood  "VSA Tennessee teaching artist, Bob Stagner, recently completed an artist residency at the Dawn School in Chattanooga involving studying the relationship between music and architecture. In this residency, the students first had to comprehend two art forms, then begin to understand advanced concepts for sound formation and structures, and build a vocabulary with a variety of percussion instruments. The students worked in groups with electronic devises and building models as well as with a variety of percussion instruments. The stories below are shared by the teaching artist with the permission of the students and their families: Adeline is a 6th grader at Dawn School with severe depression and learning disabilities. She’s a delicate, soft spoken young lady who rarely talks above a whisper and remains part of the woodwork in most classes. Our workshop included architectural city shapes and their sound wave counterparts. Adeline created wave forms using two Moog devices, one for constant sound, the other for tone manipulation: vibrato, tempo, rate, pitch, and frequency. The result was a dynamic shift in her mood as she turned each dial to a new setting to match our cityscape of over 15 models. Her smile showed pure joy as she retained the concept and gained control of understanding wave/sound shape and an architectural shape. Victor is 6th grader at Dawn School with Autism. His speech therapist felt our project would be ideal to encourage speech. After our 1st week, it was clear he would retain the exercises and gain confidence. Victor’s mother has remarked how excited her son was to be a valued group member. He has also shown more focus with tasks/lessons at home. Victor seemed very proud of new skills and has proved to be a strong class leader. Funding provided by a grant through the VSA offices of the John F Kennedy Center for the Arts and the Tennessee Department of Education." We at the Shaking Ray
Levi Society are deeply saddened by the passing of Dennis
Palmer, SRLS co-founder and artistic director for over 26
years, on February 15, 2013.  Chattanooga native Dennis Palmer, 55, was a beloved musician, visual artist, storyteller, educator, mentor, and devoted friend of many. A singular vocalist and nontraditional musician, called "the world's most colorfully inventive synthesizer player" by Creative Loafing, he co-founded the acclaimed free improvisation group The Shaking Ray Levis with drummer Bob Stagner in 1986, which was the first American band to record an album for the legendary British label Incus Records. Palmer has performed internationally with collaborators including Derek Bailey, Steve Beresford, Reverend Howard Finster, David Greenberger, Col. Bruce Hampton, Shelley Hirsch, Frank Pahl, Roger Turner, and Davey Williams. As a visual artist, Palmer has exhibited his paintings, silk-screened prints, and other unconventional artwork both locally and internationally in cities including London and Los Angeles, and he has designed many CD and record covers. A leader in the arts community, Palmer promoted the ideas of improvisation and creativity in thought, performance, and visual art to students of all ages through his work with the Shaking Ray Levi Society and developed outreach programs for under-served populations including students with developmental, emotional, or physical disabilities. Palmer served as President of The Association for Visual Arts (AVA) and on the board of directors for Mark Making, and he taught art in Hamilton County schools. When teaching children, Dennis would ask them about the last time they had a good feeling. In his own words: "Clap your hands once and put your hands over your heart and give that good feeling to yourself. Next is to clap your hands again and sound off and give that feeling to everybody within the room. The third thing is to clap your hands, sound off and give that feeling out off to the whole universe." Dennis was an inspiration for many and a strong advocate of "living in the moment" and "doing the highest good for all" in the community and beyond. Body tribute Chattanooga Pulse tributes: one, two Chattanoogan obit. Creative Loafing tribute Times Free Press tribute Memorial Service for Dennis Palmer Wednesday, February 20, 2013 Visitation: 2 to 4 PM Service: 4 PM Chattanooga Funeral Home, East Brainerd Chapel 8214 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421 423-698-2541
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| PAST EVENTS ARCHIVES | ||||
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The Shaking Ray Levi Society
celebrates its 25th anniversary
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