Bio:
Casual Decay is the ambient electronic project of Jon Nasrallah. With deep roots in the diy punk scene, Nasrallah imbues his work with a sense of social alienation, the chaos of hardcore and the gravitas of post-rock for a uniquely heavy take on ambient. Inspired by both ecological systems and cellular activity, Nasrallah uses a variety of synthesizers and sampling techniques to approximate the dynamics of the natural world. Semi-random fluctuations of noise, rippling arpeggios and melodic waves combine sound design and composition into singularly integrated soundscapes.
Socials:
Instagram – casual_decay
BIO
Mike Gamble is an adventurous guitarist and multi-instrumentalist whose work with electronic modes of composition are integrated endlessly into his setup. Gamble has spent the last 20 years immersed in the creative jazz, experimental rock and improvised music scene primarily in NYC, with close ties to New Orleans, Burlington, Boston, San Francisco and now the Pacific Northwest. He has had the pleasure of recording over 50 albums and has been touring the states, Canada, and Europe with his critically-acclaimed guitar trio The Inbetweens, Mike Gamble Solo,, and alongside doom-metal originators Earth. His more recent collaborators include Bobby Previte, Todd Sickafoose, Nels Cline, Wayne Horvitz, Esperanza Spalding, Matt Chamberlain and Lori Goldston.
Since relocating to Portland, Mike Gamble has dived into the jazz and experimental, Pop, Indie Rock, and electronic/modular scene and gigs 4-7 times a week. He currently holds a position as an Audio Production instructor at Oregon State University, and a guitar teacher at both Willamette University and Reed College and is the Artistic Director of Portland’s long standing experimental music organization, The Creative Music Guild.
Quotes
“He has a brain that seems to work faster than other human brains – maybe more like a hummingbird or a spider. Music comes flying out. You just sit and listen to what he thinks of next” Todd Sickafoose
“Mike Gamble is dangerous in the best way” Nels Cline
“Mr. Gamble knows his way around a drone, but he also puts a lot of shifting harmony and texture in his one-man sketches, some of which — like “I’m on Your Side,” with its abstracted trip-hop beat — come across as thoughtfully developed compositions” Nate Chinen NY TIMES
WEBSITE:
https://mikegamble.bandcamp.com/
Rick Parker casts a broad net with his trombone playing augmented by electronics and synthesizers. His music has been described as “an expressive new-breed fusion, informed by a few generations of downtown experimentation.” (Nate Chinen, New York Times). He has released 8 CD’s as a leader/co-leader on labels including Fresh Sound New Talent, Chant Records and OutNow Recordings. Parker has performed and recorded with a wide range of musicians including Tim Berne, the Mingus Big Band, Muhal Richard Abrams Orchestra, Frank Lacy, Lukas Ligeti and Michael Attias. As a bandleader, Parker’s music traverses multiple cultures and musical genres. His jazz quintet, The Rick Parker Collective, released two albums on Fresh Sound New Talent and WJF records. Parker also has two albums with Little Worlds, a collaboration that ventures into the music of classical composer Bela Bartok. 9 Volt, with Israeli guitarist Eyal Maoz, is a brash experimental jazz/rock trio, whose debut album on OutNow Recordings featured Tim Berne. In 2016 Parker entered into a collaboration with China based multi-instrumentalist Li Daiguo (cello, pipa, throat singing, beatboxing) with whom he has toured in both the US and China and released two albums. From 2014 thru 2018 Parker worked closely with electronic percussionist/composer Ravish Momin, with whom he released several recordings and toured extensively in Europe, Mexico, USA and Asia. His collaborations with electronic music producers has continued with tours with Daniel Brandt and the Eternal Something at the Wonderfruit Festival in Thailand, Eduardo Castillo’s Mardeleva in New York and Mexico and an upcoming recording with producer Le Fou. His most recent group, Bian Tai Quartet, features saxophonist Michael Attias, bassist Simon Jermyn and drummer Kate Gentile.
Instagram: @rparkersounds
https://www.facebook.com/rickparker2
Videos
Shapes for Rick and Daiguo, Video by Brian Edgerton https://youtu.be/oHQU61aAhZY
ZEPHYR
Saturday
June 25th
4-11pm
Destination Universe
8430 SE Harney st
Seamless improvisations w/sound sight dance
and free vegan food.
Open to all!!
Tues June 21
7pm
They Gamble MetaOrchestra:
Machado Mijiga– woodwinds, Efx
Noah Simpson– Trumpet, Efx
Michelle Alany– Violin, Efx
Alexis Mahler– Cello, Viola, Efx
Andrew Jones– Upright bass, Efx
Alex Callenberger– Sound design, keyboards
Justin Peake– Drums, Glockenspiel
Devin Jane– Projections Artist
Mike Gamble– Guitar, efx, Synth, Musical Director
Jamondria Harris– streaming dance and sound
Short narrative films and experimental videos composed and edited in real time and with improvised sonic narrations /directed orchestrations.
Desert Island
645 N Tillamook St
Portland, OR
To Attend:
Please email for a reservation
$8-? Sliding Scale FEE
CMG Blue Butler SERIES
Nomad Trio / Alany.Peake.Jones
WED 6.29.2022
Venue: Blue Butler Studios
Cover Charge: $15-30 suggested
Vaxx Pass Required for entry/ Or recent negative test
Gordon Grdina has managed to place a finger in every corner of the jazz/world fusion room. —Pop Matters
Complex, intricate, idiosyncratic, and rockin’—those are the adjectives that best describe this cross-border collaboration between Vancouver guitarist Gordon Grdina, and New York’s Matt Mitchell piano, and Jim Black drums. Juno Award winner Grdina’s compositions give the nod to 20th century classical composition, rock, free jazz, and third stream, and this trio promises to explore those ideas at their highest levels.
Gordon Grdina is known for his incredible versatility and ability to bring a fresh and edgy vibe to any ensemble he joins or forms. His musical output is diverse, including 10-piece Arabic/avant-garde ensemble Haram, the intricate Square Peg feat. Mat Maneri, Shahzad Ismaily and Christian Lillinger, chamber improv trio Grdina/Helias/Shipp, and contemporary Persian-influenced ensemble The Marrow.
Jim Black is a legend in the downtown New York jazz and improv scene and a world-renowned drummer. He has been part of legendary groups Endangered Blood, Tim Berne’s Bloodcount, and Human Feel as well as leading his own groups the Jim Black Trio, Alas No Axis, and Malamute.
Matt Mitchell is a mainstay on the New York jazz scene playing with internationally acclaimed ensembles like the Dave Douglas Quintet, John Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble and Tim Berne’s Snakeoil. He also leads his own Quartet, Phalanx Ambassadors and Friction duo with Ches Smith.
gordongrdina.bandcamp.com
astralspirits.bandcamp.com
100 NE MLK BLVD
100 MLK JR BLVD Portland, OR 97232
Discordance VII is proud to have Jason Kahn who is visiting us all the way from Switzerland. His approach to modular synthesis is very interesting and physical. He’ll be performing some quadraphonic pieces for this one. Up next is local composer Robert Blatt who will be performing some microtonal pieces for classical guitar. Interestingly enough Robert’s work usually involves paper, spoken word, wind, field recordings and stones. Very earthen and cerebral. So this will be an interesting departure. And finally the show will open with a trio which will include an improvisational piece by Caspar Sonnet (lap steel) Lee Elderton (clarinet) and Daniel Surprenant (pump organ, stones)
IMPORTANT: Doscordance VII will be held at The Ivon House (4005 SE Ivon st, 97202) St. Philip Neri has closed its doors for live performances due to noise complaints, etc. So the series will be held in various areas from here on out, covid consideration included. The Ivon House will also have beverages and snacks outside for guests. Donation based.
A bit more about Jason:
Born 1960 in New York, Jason Kahn is a musician, artist and writer. He lives in Zürich.
As an electronic musician, guitarist, vocalist and percussionist Kahn collaborates with many international musicians in the context of free improvised music. He has also composed numerous electro acoustic pieces and graphical scores written for specific groups and musicians. His work can be heard on over two hundred solo, collaborative and compilation releases.
Kahn’s installations and interventions have been shown in museums, galleries, art spaces and public sites internationally. These works focus on the idea of space: the conceptual and physical juncture points, its production and dissolution, and our relation to it as a political, social and environmental medium.
Kahn’s written work has appeared in books, magazines and as liner notes to many audio publications. He has published four books: “Infinity Suite” (2020), “Voice and Sky” (2018), “Space Text Sound” (2017) and “In Place” (2015).
Kahn’s other activities include sound pieces for radio, film, dance and theater. He has also designed numerous CD, LP and cassette covers.
Kahn has performed and exhibited work in the United States, Europe, Argentina, Australia, Egypt, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, Turkey, Singapore, South Africa and Taiwan.
100 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
