ISP Performer Archive of Events
This Saxophone Kills Fascists channels the energy of Spiritual Free Jazz in search of new forms and directions for contemporary PROTEST MUSIC. Abstraction in music as RESISTANCE. Not preaching to the converted, but here to offer prayer, strength and medicine for difficult times.
In late 2016 Arrington de Dionyso was the target of stalking and harassment due to his tangential relationship to the “Pizzagate” hoax conspiracy that was spread by Alex Jones and others prior to the election. In addition to death threats directed against him personally, the entire world kept getting worse and worse every day. Music is pretty much one of the only things keeping many of us alive right now, but it’s a powerful force in that regard.
False Face Society is a trio that tries to stay free yet build emotional connections. First is the obvious connection between the musicians. We feel more deeply involved with one another through our instruments than even friendship and close conversation can build. Next is the connection we hope to make with the audience. The music can be challenging but our hope is that as a musical context is created it encompasses not just us, the players, but the listeners as well. If we succeed then we all enter into a creative context and share something of ourselves with one another.
Justin Peake is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of new music, media, and performance. He releases recordings of original music under his own name as well as under the project Beautiful Bells. In 2016, Justin was awarded a research fellowship at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) to research and develop tools for variably structured improvisation in performance and education during which he explored political aesthetics, democratic performance, ecological media, and new music composition. Justin is the creator of FIGURE, a network based tool for improvisation which delivers cues instantaneously to a distributed ensembles as a new approach to collective improvisation and ensemble conduction. He has taught as an adjunct professor at both Tulane University & New York University.
Lie Very Still – John Savage (flute), Ken Ollis (drums), Michael Gamble (guitar)
Lie Very Still interprets the compositions of John C. Savage (flutes, saxophones), and features Ken Ollis (drums) and Michael Gamble (guitar).
Flutist and saxophonist John C. Savage has been compared to Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Herbie Mann, Noah Howard, Ian Anderson, and Colin Stetson. Savage has performed and recorded with, among others, Billy Fox and Mark Dresser, (The Uncle Wiggly Suite) the avant world-jazz duo Cartridge (The Black Heron and the Spoonbill), The Brooklyn Qawwali Party (eponymous release), the Andrew Hill Big Band (A Beautiful Day), The Kitsune Ensemble (The Kaidan Suite and Amanogawa), the jazz quintet Groove Revelation (Grindin’), releases with composer-drummer Ken Ollis on PJCE Records (Demolition Duo and Senses Sharpened), and the poetry and music duo, Thick In The Throat, Honey (Love Letters We Never Sent). Savage has received honors and awards from the Atlantic Center for the Arts, the Oregon Arts Commission, Bandcamp Weekly, The College Music Society, KMHD radio, and the Portland-based Regional Arts and Culture Council. He holds a Ph.D. from New York University in flute performance where he studied with Keith Underwood, Esther Lamneck, and Robert Dick.
Ken Ollis is a drummer, composer, and educator from Portland, OR. He has performed extensively throughout the US, Canada, and Europe, and has played with a variety of musicians including: Kenny Werner, Ingrid Jensen, Julian Priester, The Drifters, Bud Shank, John Stowell, Darrell Grant, John Gross, Dan Balmer, Chata Addy, Rob Blakeslee, Rich Halley, Glen Moore, and many others. Most recently, his projects have included work with Dominique Eade, Heather Masse (from The Wailin’ Jennys), Aoife O’Donovan (from Crooked Still), Pepe and The Bottle Blondes. Ken has several releases on PJCE Records, including The Demolition Duo with John C. Savage, and Senses Sharpened, which features both Savage and Dan Gaynor, and is comprised of Ollis’s originals that draw upon the compositional techniques of Messiaen, Webern and Tim Berne. His compositions have also been featured in the repertoire of the Paxselin Quartet, the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, PDX Ensemble, The Chamber of Commerce, and on his debut CD, Confluence. Ollis holds an M.M. in Jazz Performance from Portland State University.
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 15 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 the Pacific Northwest. He has had the pleasure of recording over 20 albums and touring the states, Canada, and Europe with his critically-acclaimed guitar trio The Inbetweens, Counter Record’s Cougar, and alongside doom-metal originators Earth. His more recent collaborators have been prestigious drummer Bobby Previte, bassist Todd Sickafoose, guitar virtuoso Nels Cline, and PNW cellist Lori Goldston. Since relocating to Portland Mike has been running a monthly Audio/Visual series featuring local and touring artists, encouraging them to play rare solo, duo, and trio sets with his own audio-reactive projection setup. Among working on soundtracks, web-series, and branded content for small businesses, Gamble currently holds a position as an Audio Production instructor at Oregon State University and is the Artistic Director of Portland’s longstanding experimental music organization, The Creative Music Guild.
Dan Phelps is an artist/musician/producer living in Bainbridge Island, WA. His improvisation based work travels deep into the details of texture and timbre. His releases include “Modular”, a collaboration with Matt Chamberlain and Viktor Krauss, “Arc”, which is built on improvisations with drumming legend Jim Keltner, and his most recent record “VESSEL”, a solo guitar and laptop improvisation. For his live performances he improvises walls of ambience and shifting textures, moving seamlessly from abstract sheets of celestial sound, roots guitar, and astringent noise.
Rich Halley/Dan Clucas/Andre St James/Carson Halley
Rich Halley is a saxophonist and composer based in Portland, Oregon. He is known for his asymmetric and rhythmic compositions and his fiery playing. Rich has released twenty critically acclaimed recordings as a leader and has recorded over one hundred original compositions. He leads the Rich Halley 4 which has released six recordings, toured the US and features Los Angeles trombonist Michael Vlatkovich, Canadian bassist Clyde Reed and his son, drummer Carson Halley. As All About Jazz describes it: “The music’s appeal is its unusual and engaging mixture of structure and freedom – sometimes very wild freedom.” DownBeat said “Oregon-based saxophonist Rich Halley has been turning out smart, brawny music for a couple of decades.” Rich was also the leader of The Lizard Brothers, a four horn sextet; The Outside Music Ensemble, a horns and percussion group dedicated to unamplified outdoor performances; and the Rich Halley Trio. He has performed with Tony Malaby, Julius Hemphill, Vinny Golia, Bobby Bradford, Nels Cline, Michael Bisio, Obo Addy, Andrew Hill and Oliver Lake. For the last 24 years he has been the artistic director of the Penofin Jazz Festival, a small festival in Northern California that has presented many of the leading figures in creative jazz. Rich was a founder of the Creative Music Guild. Rich was educated as a field biologist. His lifelong interest in nature has informed his music and led him on many trips into wilderness regions around the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fziKTlpa5Rw
Dr. Amazon
We are a 6 piece band. Mike Lastra plays theramin, various toys, and samples. He is a documentary filmmaker. His films include, “Northwest Passage”, and “Satyricon Madness and Glory”, about the iconic punk club. Mike Lastra played with Gone Orchestra, played with Lee Rocky, and is an original member of Smegma. He owns and operates Smegma Studios, the studio of choice for many a local band. Amy Dewolfe plays bass, drums, piano, clarinet, violin, and vocals. She plays with Puppy Bunny, and was a founding member of Smegma. Bernd Minde plays drums and guitar. He has played with HairBedPeace, Dogbody, Tina, The Giant Anguish Machine, The Guerilla Tones, Alcoholics Unanimous, Rancid Vat, and Smegma. John Henault plays log and guitar. John is a founding member of 20 foot man, and has played with Mobius Strip, Slow Bump, Puppy Bunny, and Smegma. Josh Mong has a degree from PSU in Social Practice. He plays synthesizers, theramin, vocals. Has played with Mobius Strip, Lee Rocky, 20 Ft. Man, Puppy Bunny, and Smegma. Ed Gibson plays the tenor saxophone and guitar. He’s played with Puppy Bunny, Chubby Smith and His Orchestra, The Punishers, Fescue 911, and The Dustbowl Refugees. We’re possibly Portland’s weirdest band. Let’s argue.
Round Robin Duets
Featuring:
Noah Bernstein (Grammies) – alto sax
Dave Depper (Death Cab For Cutie) – electronic devices
Douglas Detrick (PJCE) – trumpet/laptop
Sage Fisher (Dolphin Midwives) – harp
Laura Gibson (Barsuk Records)- voice
Nat Hulskamp (Seffarine) – oud
Kyleen King (Bizarre Star Strings) – viola
Lamiae Naki (Seffarine) – voice
Ken Ollis (Demolition Duo) – drums
Andy Rayborn (Papergates) – bass clarinet
Mathieu Ruhlmann (Notice Recordings / 3Leaves) – electro-acoustic
John Savage (Demolition Duo) – alto sax
Wobbly (Negativland) – electronics–
