New Stream Brass band: Fun on the new bayou!

I can admit without making my wife jealous, that I have a major soft spot for women with kind of a boyish trait. Be it the way of dressing, mannerisms, a kind of behavior, a cute short haircut, I gravitate to people like that. 

It's a liking not a loving, that's why she doesn't mind, she knows very well I believe she is spectacular!

I also appreciate a direct approach, so when Eriko personally contacted me and asked me to come to the show and take pictures I could not say no!

To avoid having to explain the connection of boyish and Eriko I'd better change the subject.

No doubt when Singapore was born about 50 years ago the waterfront was bustling with commercial and domestic activities like washing laundry. 

In amazingly impressive rapid speed that world changed. The original waterfront is not the waterfront anymore,

and the new land beyond became the foundation of one of Asia’s most important financial centers. 

 New land allows for new streams and new waterfronts. 

The new water line demarcation is set by parks and venues where activities are no longer the, what many Singaporeans used to perceive as the basic life necessities, but is now mainly focused on leisure, for a healthy balance between concentration and relaxation.

The esplanades outdoor theater is such a venue!

Last Sunday was gorgeous Sunday evening. I find all evenings in Singapore beautiful, weather wise,  but thanks to a steady breeze that has been dominating the climate, the sky was crystal clear and allowed for amazing light to back up the musicians!

 

I met Eriko and Yohei at Blu Jaz shortly after they started to live in Singapore. 

Work life was all set so they came to Blu Jaz to find their footing for their music passion. Their search resulted in the founding of the New Stream Brass Band.

Vignesh Mohandasan (trumpet)

Dan Z'berg (trumpet)

 
Eriko Murakami (trombone)

 
Leo Jeoh(trombone) 

 
Kie Watkins (sousa phone)

 
Nicolas (sousa phone)

 
Yohei Kanda (snare drum)
 

Hafez Masterpiece (bass drum)

 
Lance DuBos (wash board)

 

Daniel Chia (tenor saxophone)

I am told that the band is practicing at least weekly and the result was there last Sunday. They put together two wonderfully entertaining sets of New Orleans style brass music. 

The hard working Singaporeans clearly had some fun on the bayou!

 

 

 

 

 

 

ArtScience Late: 'Bout sound and vision

Don't you wonder sometimes

'Bout sound and vision 

 David Bowie

In my previous post on C.H.O.P.P.A. I made the statement “sound by feeling rather than feeling by sound”. In context and this was in relation to how and when people move while making music. At  C.H.O.P.P.A., to me it appeared that the order of things were more, emotion, movement, sound than emotion, sound, movement The difference may be minor but I do believe it can be there and that the latter is more what occurs at other stages than C.H.O.P.P.A.

I had no idea how soon I would see more evidence of that!

Last Thursday we decided to finally follow up on an invite by Vanini Belarmino for one of her Thursday night ArtScience Late shows. I said we because I have visited earlier events but my wife had not. ArtsScience late fills one Thursday a month with Avant Garde performances by artists from all over the globe. 

I have to admit that I have been secretly admiring Vanini (no this is not an early Valentine's declaration) on her ability to source and plan these events. I met Vanini in 2013 at the launch concert of Sing Jazz and was back then already impressed with what I saw of her organizational energy. 

What ArtScience late added, is that I am amazed by her knowledge of the contemporary arts scene and her ability to organize performances here in Singapore, with success. Thursday was extremely well attended. The lobby the Arts and Science museum at MBS was filled to the max. 

The performance is called Hypermnesia and revolves around a small round stage with i a pole n the center (as in pole dancing). The stage is created by Composite, a mix of artists and engineers. It is an interactive platform and pole and it contains sensors that respond to body heat, touch and movement. I recently read about Hypermnesia in a book titled Subliminal about the unconscious mind (more coincidences, or not?). 

Before I would not have thought it was a real word! Even Microsoft forgot to add it to the dictionary. It means something like vivid and/or very exact memory. Not exactly something I suffer from. That’s why I take photos!

 

Vanini wrote in her introduction “The randomness of contact will see the reversal of rules and roles in the usual creation of music and dance” This statement put a smile on my face because I saw the connection with my own observation around the timing of movement and sound.

I had noticed that the stage was round so there was no real front or back. I wanted to be as much in front as possible but of course did not want to bother other viewers so positioned myself on the side next to a table that was filled with a sound mixer and various computers. A person approached Vanini who at that point was standing next to me and told her that, for the right effect, during the performance the sound engineer should not be behind the table. 

It was only when I was putting this post together that I understood why. It was essential for people to understand that all light and sound was produced by contact and movement of the intense dancer, Eisa Jocson!

 

I did a little bit of Googling on Eisa and found that she is quite a character, if I may describe her like that. I think she gained name and fame by two projects that have in my perspective both a strong artistic as well as a social message. 

It appeared from what I read, that like Vanini, Eisa doesn’t accept an easy way out and does not like half measures. A trade I have seen in many of the female part of the country where these two lovely ladies are from. 

In many other places this may be true to some extent but in this case particularly, it may be good if the men in that country would only help set the stage, and leave woman to perform!