La Spectra, April 23 and 24th at The Tank

Video above is by Adrian Jevicki. Music by Chris Becker (from the CD Saints & Devils)

April 23 and 24th, 9:30 pm at The Tank, Movement Pants dance performs "La Spectra" with choreography by Adrian Jevicki and company and original music by yours truly.

La Spectra has changed quite a bit since it's first performances back in December 2008. And its score is in a process of being cut up, rearranged, and remixed to compliment the now augmented ensemble of five performers who in a "vaudevillian half-way house...rescue themselves from the cutting room floor..." to entertain their audience. Themes surrounding neurodiversity are (as they were in the December performances) still present, but the piece has morphed over time into something else altogether. Adrian is coming at these themes from at least a few different angles. At the beginning of our collaboration, I told Adrian that the score could be cut up, rearranged, and recontextualized (is that a word?) as I knew he would continue to develop La Spectra possibly into a full evening work. This week and next we'll finalize which and where elements from my score will be placed in what is now a 40 minute work.

The score features vocals from Helga Davis and electric bass from Jeremiah Hosea. Fellini's film and Nino Rota's score for La Strada was a point of reference for me while composing the music, as was certain scenes and music cues from one of my all time favorite films Wings of Desire (the library scene, the angel wandering around Berlin looking for his circus girl, and of course Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' awesome song "The Carny"). But ultimately it's the performers and their movement and theater that guides me as the composer. I was and continue to be inspired by the individual performers in Movement Pants Dance.

Anyway, COME SEE THIS. This is the kind of art that's gone after it's been performed. You can film it, but it ain't the same as being there. Kind of like the circus.

Finally, for no other reason I can think of except it suits my mood, here's Bowie and co's incredible "Heart's Filthy Lesson" from "the late 90's..." Enjoy. Hugs. CB.