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Absurdist Pop Mashup POPCOLLAGE Debuts Thursday at Chestnut Studios

 Concerts  No Responses »
May 022012
 

Shane Harrison – Absinthe

If you were at the Gallery F closing party, you may have witnessed the preview of the new project by JJ JONES THE HUMAN SNOWGLOBE, MIKE HIEGEMANN, and STIJN SMEETS : POPCOLLAGE. They only performed one song, a mashup of Burning Ring of Fire and Burning Down the House called The Fire Trilogy. (Theatre Intangible recorded it. Check it out here.) People went crazy over it!

I got to listen to PopCollage practice in my basement. The music is absurdist, brilliant, and completely sincere. Now, you have a chance to witness their first full concert, Thursday, May 3rd at Chestnut Studios.

Here’s the letter JJ sent me:

Greetings!

A new project PopCollage will play in Nashville Thursday May 3, 2012 at 7:30.

At my wife Sabine Schlunk’s studio on Chestnut Avenue near Sounds Stadium. (directions below).

PopCollage is completely improvised with electronic beats and electric bass (Mike Hiegemann, Bochum DE) and classical violin (Stijn Smeets, Brussels BE) and the vocals of JJ Jones (Nashville/Munich).

We weave improvised sounds with famous lyrics from the popular music of history (with recognizable and unrecognizable melodies),as well as parts of fairy tales and famous lines from films.

Please join us. It will be fun.

Location: Chestnut studios are in an old brick factory near the railroad tracks ACROSS FROM 452 Chestnut St. Nashville around the corner from Sounds Stadium. The studio is on the main floor ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE END OF THE HALL.

More info on the Facebook page.

Free Downloads! Gallery F Closing Performances!

 Concerts, Free Downloads  No Responses »
Mar 192012
 

JJ Jones stylin' at the Gallery F Closing Party

The Gallery F closing show was a phenomenal night of art and music and a bittersweet ending to one of Nashville’s most innovative spaces. (Note: It may one day relocate elsewhere on the campus of Scarritt Bennett Center.) Thomas Helton and a group of Nashville improvisers performed Theatre Intangible episode 81 Ghosts in the Hollow live at the gallery. That was just one of many spectacular performances. If you weren’t there, well . . . sucks for you!

Not so fast, cowboy! I recorded several of the performances, and now I offer them up for your listening pleasure.

First, we have what for lack of a better name I’m calling “The War Improv,” starring Randy Hunt on double-bass, Chris Murray on sax, Craig Schenker on sax, Tommy Stangroom on drums, and yours truly on samples. Craig Schenker conceived this structured improv around the Gallery F closing exhibition “23 Years Without War.” I’m pretty sure we blew eardrums with the grenade-filled finale.

Next up is Mike Hiegemann and Rhendi Greenwall performing “The Nashville Scene,” a sharp commentary on the state of music in Music City. Rhendi created the visuals, which were projected over Mike as he performed the music. I wasn’t able to videotape the performance, but the duo is planning on releasing a video soon.

Finally, we have “The Fire Trilogy” by Pop Collage, a project by The Human Snowglobe JJ Jones and Mike Hiegemann. Words. Can’t. Describe. Just. Listen.

Right click to save. Left click to stream. Enjoy!

1. War Improv

2. The Nashville Scene

3. The Fire Trilogy

GALLERY F to Close February 26th! Last Hurrah feat. THOMAS HELTON / THEATRE INTANGIBLE & More

 Concerts, Theatre Intangible LIVE, Visual Arts  No Responses »
Jan 312012
 

You don’t know what you’ve got ’till it’s gone. On February 27th, the space where Gallery F resides at Scarritt Bennett Center will be converted into a student center. There are talks to relocate Gallery F to another area on the Scarritt Bennett campus, but the award-winning art space’s future is uncertain.

I’ve been helping to organize a show for experimental jazz bassist THOMAS HELTON at Gallery F on February 26th for some time. The show was to coincide with the closing reception for the exhibition “23 Years Without War.” With the news of the gallery’s closing, we’ve decided to turn the show into one last hurrah for Gallery F.

Director Sabine Schlunk has been a tireless supporter of experimental art in Nashville, and the gallery’s absence will be sorely felt. Sabine tells me the powers that be at Scarritt Bennett are thinking of moving the gallery to another area on campus, but the details are still up in the air. One thing is for certain though: This will be the last Gallery F event at the current space.

Come show your support for one of Nashville’s most innovative spaces. Be sure and tell Sabine Schlunk what Gallery F means to you. And stay for the kick-ass lineup of performers:

* Thomas Helton
* Theatre Intangible Live
* Craig Schenker TBA improv group
* The Nashville Scene (Mike Hiegemann and Rhendi Greenwell)
* JJ Jones

THOMAS HELTON is a composer and experimental jazz double bassist from Houston, Texas. Inspired by the great improvisers Peter Kowald, Evan Parker, and William Parker, Thomas plays every inch of his double bass — bowing, plucking, beating, and scratching out otherworldly timbres. He performs around the world and with jazz greats such as Tim Hagens, Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander, Mark Elf and Ernie Watts. Thomas plays like a man possessed, lost in communication with some invisible entity, blind to everything but his instrument and the music. Thomas appeared on one of my favorite T.I. podcasts to date. Check it out: Podcast 9 –  Crow Helton Rauh Schenker.

Thomas will be screening his brand new video “I,” a synesthetic collaboration with video artist Jonathan Jindra. See a preview of the video below.

Saxophonist CRAIG SCHENKER will perform an improv based on the exhibition’s theme of war featuring a to-be-announced roster of local talent.

Thomas will join Craig and others for a THEATRE INTANGIBLE live improvisation based on the exhibition’s theme of war.

“THE NASHVILLE SCENE” aka RHENDI GREENWELL and MIKE HIEGEMANN (not to be confused with the local weekly paper) will reprise their celebrated Nashville City Limits audio-visual performance. JJ JONES (The Human Snowglobe) will close the night with cappella songs. All have appeared on Theatre Intangible at one time or another.

$5 suggested donation to the touring performer. More details on the Facebook event page.

February 26th, 5:30 – 10:00pm
Gallery F @ Scarritt Bennett
1000 19th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37212