Pre-Pandemic: Inbetween Series, Bongus

Posted on by Thor

CityArts (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801) presented Bongus as part of the Inbetween Series. These monthly shows happen inbetween the art being hung in the galleries.

Bongus
is an improvisation collective based out of Orlando, Florida. Combining
elements of free jazz, electronic noise, and no wave styles, Bongus’s
music is high energy and textural. It’s core members include Thomas
Milovac (double bass) and Syoma Klochko (electric guitar). They are
joined by Jim Ivy on wind instruments. 

For some reason the drum set was covered in fabric as the audience filled in the space. Once the drummer stated performing, it was bundled up on the base drum. I had a blast letting the lines flow to the music. Of course the next Inbetween series has been canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is now impossible for me to find such public performances to draw. I may have to start doing still lifes. 

Listen to the Tic Toc Hamster, Stay Home, Stay Safe.

Jim Ivy’s Tangled Bell Ensemble at Avalon Island

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The In-between Series is held at The Gallery at Avalon Island (39 S Magnolia Ave, Orlando, Florida) features unique musical acts in the art gallery when one art show has come down and another is about to be mounted. In May, the gallery hosted Jim Ivy’s Tangled Bell Ensemble. The performance used the early 20th century poetry work of Japanese author Akiko Yosano as
inspiration for the performance entitled “Midaregami” (Tangled
Hair). Jim, who performed on saxophone and acted as the conductor, assembled a cast of 11 members. Many of these performers met for the first time that evening.

Though structured, since there was sheet music, the evening also featured mystical and haunting improvisation. Several Buddhist prayer bowls and a hanger found their way into the music mix. The Japanese lyrics added to the my site of the orchestrated store that unfolded. Wires flowed like tangled hair from sound boards and the electronic signals were mixed by a sound man working on his laptop. When the singer stepped up to the mic, the piece felt operatic in scope.

Improvisation shifted from one band member to the next with unexpected twists and turns. Ivy let loose on his sax in a joyous explosion. However, much of the performance was abstract and tinted with sadness. 

Sunday Afternoon Improv

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Sunday January 27th I went to Urban ReThink,(625 East Central Blvd, Orlando FL) for Sunday Afternoon Improv. I didn’t check the invite closely and I thought I was going to sketch some comedians. Patrick Greene and Jim Ivy introduced the event which will be happening quarterly. Jim explained that the theme of the show was, “Of the Earth”. Musical sounds would be created with natural objects like stone, wood, water or metal. Jim was the first to perform. He sat on stage in the retro 60’s chair and opened his laptop. The laptop generated sounds and then he began to play what looked like a Frankenstein altered clarinet that had a long PVC body. Perhaps it was a flute played with a reed mouth piece.

All of the performances were improvised and experimented with found objects. At one point a pizza pan was amplified. Dan Reaves performed second followed by Christopher Flavo and A.J. Haring. Just about everyone in the audience was a musician.

Daniel Gruda experimented with pots and pans and a tea kettle. The whole time he adjusted an electronically generated tone using a foot pedal and tons of wires. A skull decorated his microphone. With a second sketch finished, I decided I should get home. As I left, more speakers were being loaded out of a car. In all the improv went on for a good four hours.

Sunday Afternoon Music Improv

Posted on by Thor

SUNDAY AFTERNOON MUSIC IMPROV featured musicians from Central FL, Jax, and Miami. The session was on August 18th from 3-7PM at Urban ReThink (625 E Central Blvd, Orlando). When I arrived, Dan Reaves and Lucy Bonk were performing on stage using electronics and a wide assortment of found objects. Lucy used several kitchen bowls, using them like gongs. Dan’s instruments were gathered on a sheet of corrugated steel. He used a foot pedal and a dial with his right hand to modulate the electric sounds which sounded like someone scanning a short wave radio for a signal. Several large nuts on a screw were turned and he had a cow bell, a brass bell which he would use for percussive effects. The performance was on the edge of absolute dissonance. At times the beat and rhythm was mesmerizing to sketch to. When they were done, the electronic sound persisted making it hard to know when, or if, to clap.

Four musicians set up on stage with more traditional instruments. They were Dan Kozak, Kris Gruda, Jim Ivy and A.S. Herring. They had a game show spinning wheel which could be spun to decide if the piece performed would be a solo, duo, or quartet. Large foam dice would be rolled just to pick which musician would spin the wheel. A laptop displayed a visual representation of the next performance but I never got a glance at the screen. Various sayings were used to inspire the performances. For instance one was, “Life is a lamp flickering in the wind” and another was “The fallen flower never returns to the tree.” It was a fun idea to help structure the improvisation adding chance and luck into each piece. Perhaps ten to fifteen people were in the audience with new arrivals all the time. As I was getting ready to go, Chris Belt who organizes the Accidental Music Festival ran into the room drenched head to toe from the rain. Nothing will stop people who want to experience something new, cutting edge and different in Orlando.