cartesian nostalgia

from a performers point of view this weekend’s RealNewMusic 2008 festival was one one of those rare events that was a joy to participate in from start to finish. no backstage drama, rivalries, one-upmanship or back handed compliments. walking in to soundcheck and seeing scott mcintosh (pbe partner in crime) playing in john mahr’s group (brother mallard) brought back a wave of nostalgia from when the three of us used to play in csuf’s diverse instrument ensemble (d.i.e.)

also performing sat night was steve moshier’s liquid skin ensemble. both steve and janine livingston (who were members of the original cartesian reunion memorial orchestra ((crmo)) and have been playing together for close to 25 years). this was the first show that we ever played together and i was happy to finally hang out with steve and have a chat longer than a handshake or a online exchange.

thanks again to shane cadman for bringing in another successful year of producing the RNM festival. i also need to thank shane for pushing me to apply for the redcat spring studio. i usually don't have pieces (new and unperformed) that fit those more "official" festivals and thought it would be an interesting experience to write something on a pretty quick deadline for a change. (like many of my movie brethern)

its also worth pointing out (and getting back to the nostalgia) that before becoming the new music impressario that he is today, back in the 80's shane (as well as scott and john) used to play in the illustrious theatre orchestra (ito) that was playing gig’s at royce hall and getting regular airplay on kcrw and kusc (which used to have a great alt-classical radio show hosted by bonnie grice). although i really miss the crmo and the ito, on saturday night it was easy to see and hear that the "carteisan school" is alive and well in all of our groups.

the russian and the clarinet

found during routine blog maintenance... not sure why this was unpublished (original date 8/14/04), but a very funny early story of the pbe.


it must have been last spring, we had a pretty crappy rehearsal at the ave 50 studio in highland park. the rehearsal details are kind of sketchy, but i vaguely remember being very rude to everybody at the end. needless to say things were not hitting on all cylinders that night. i think scott (clarinet/bass clarinet) was also out of it and fighting a cold.

so we have packed our equipment and are ready to roll. some nights we all want to hit a local bar (the little cave, mr. t's), but tonight it is just scott, sean ferguson and i. the mood is dark, everybody probably has had a shitty day teaching/working, and rehearsal is supposed to help lift the mood. oh well, maybe all we have left is the "hang" to salvage our wretched lives.

of course we all mumble, just one beer, gotta get some sleep, got a early day tomorrow...
but then the russian walks in.

i catch our regular bartender (abel) roll his eyes and give me one of those looks. the russian sits down and it immediately starts, able yells "man, no way, i told you no more, now get out." the russian pulls a stack of bills and says "i am in the russian mob, i could make you disappear" this goes back and forth until able lets the russian buy the whole bar drinks, but still will not serve him. of course we notice the free round coming our way and join the fun. scott is still feeling down, but the free drink boosts his spirit. as scott moves over to check out the situation, the russian cheers and points like a little kid at scott's clarinet case. before we know it the clarinet is on the counter and the russian has it out of the case and is starting to put it together.

what??? scott thinks this is kind of cool, and is happy to engage in a late night show and tell, but sean and i see the future pretty quick. barfight... broken clarinet... mob hit... witness protection...

so we jump in, point out that playing the clarinet in the bar is not a great idea... i push the fact that scott is coming down with a cold and the russian looks at scotts pale yellow skin and realizes that he might be sick. standing off to the side the bouncer looks at clarinet, thinks 'always something new', jumps in to 86 the russian before clarinet is thrown or becomes weapon. sean pulls out pack of cigs and offers them to russian, russian realizes that the cigs are a good way to save face, clarinet is returned and the russian leaves without fight a balance is restored to our pitiful world once again.

as the bar returns to normal, we all realize we should just cut our losses and head home before any real damage is done.

the cartesian reunion "school" (a short history of a long tradition 1979-present)

Although I have decided to at least temporarily continue to make my music available, I am entirely finished with the music establishment. No mainstream American music institution will be permitted to perform my work (Not that there's much chance of it anyway). Why? Because it's a rigged game and because it's run by the elite; the same people who profit from dead Iraqi women and children. Some of the same people who stage terror attacks. Am I saying that, for instance, Esa-Pekka Solonen is a terrorist? No, but I am saying he works for terrorists, among others. I don't want that job.Publish

william houston- socal composer/music director/bomb thrower

the above statement could sound like sour grapes from a bitter artist who has not been 'anointed' by the mainstream. knowing a little about our little antisocial 'club' can put this bomb-throwing statement into a proper context.

in any type of music making, being an independent/alternative artist means that we don't accept the status quo. "the content of the media (composition/creation) is irrelevant, the form of the medium is what changes our consciousness." marshall mcluhan's statement that the medium is the message means as much today as when it was first thrown (1964) into the public discourse. technology makes it possible to freely bypass the 'official' delivery systems of art music (through bittorrent, youtube, myspace, and blogs like this), while we freely compose, perform and distribute our compositions and performances however we like.

unlike some students who sit in the back of the class quietly waiting to be called on, we do not wait. our current situation hearkens back to an outdated patronage system based on control and that expects everybody to know their place. today, for most composers, getting music performed means that the music is submitted for approval by committee. in this world musicians are expected to audition for the privilege to perform. some of us have chosen the alternate path, the path less traveled (and of course less profitable).

everybody knows where the 'money' (though not easy money) is. if you play by their rules you can be in their club. we have chosen to bypass the 'approved' media of the art music delivery system (concert hall and orchestra). we have chosen to form our own institutions, and perform in our own venues. i'm proud to be a member of this loose collective of southern californians that have been composing and performing an alternative/art music that has been largely undocumented for almost 30 years.

as you can see below, our little 'club' has grown over the years to make music for our own ensembles on our own terms. now it should be easy to see the teeth behind Bill Houston's words. Starting in 1979 the founding members of the Cartesian Reunion Memorial Orchestra (Michael Bayer, Chuck Estes, Douglas Hein, William Houston, Steve Moshier, Frank Riddick, and Lloyd Rodgers) have blazed a trail through many actions and few words, lending force to the credo: "say little, do much." when every once in a while one of them pops into the zeitgeist with something to say, we might want to listen.

a short history of southern california new music ensemble-based composer collectives

Cartesian Reunion Memorial Orchestra (1979-1992)
this groundbreaking group featured compositions by Michael Bayer, Chuck Estes, Douglas Hein, William Houston, Steve Moshier, Frank Riddick, and Lloyd Rodgers. at various times, the orchestra featured musicians Jannine Livingston, harpsichord; John Glenn, bass; Lloyd Rodgers, clarinet and keyboard; Douglas Hein, acoustic guitar; Diana Halpern, violin; Joeseph Goodman, violin; and Michael Baer, violincello

Domes (1987-1990)

performance orchestra featuring the works of Jeff Fairbanks, Mary Thompson, Michael Coleman, Alysse Sanner, Chris Tardif, Martin Tardif, and Stuart Miller. featuring performers William Houston, vocals; Martin Tardif, electric bass; Dave Black, string bass; Steve LaCoste, flute; Jeff Fairbanks and Steve LaCoste, percussion; Joe Bouchard, guitars; Brian Beshore, violin; Eric Berkqvist, bass trombone; Diane Barkauskas, accordion/keyboard; and William Houston, keyboard.

William Houston Ensemble (1988)
Alan Lechusza, saxes; Diane Barkauskas, accordion; and William Houston, keyboard.

Illustrious Theatre Orchestra (1992-1999)
Shane Cadman, Paul Greenhaw, John Hoover (composers); Shane Cadman, tenor saxophone, keyboard; Christine Dietrich, vocals; Paul Greenhaw, keyboard; John Hoover, baritone sax; Scott Mcintosh, clarinet; Douglas Fairbanks, keyboard; and others.

Liquid Skin Ensemble/Steve Moshier (1998-present)
Steve Moshier, vibes; John Glenn, bass; Jannine Livingston, keyboard; and others

Lloyd Rodgers Group (1993-present)

Lloyd Rodgers, keyboard; John Glenn, bass guitar; Bruno Cilloniz, vibes and percussion; Gary Hung, violin; Mellisa Rodgers, trumpet; and Luigi Cilloniz, marimba and percussion. other members have included Sean Ferguson, electric guitar; and Paul Greenhaw, vibes

Music Action Corps (2001-2003)
composer collective featuring the music of Sean Ferguson, electric guitar; Matt Menaged, bass guitar; Bruno Cilloniz, vibes and percussion; Jeremy Reinbolt, vibes and percussion; and Eric Hendrickson, keyboard

paulbaileyensemble (2002-present)
featuring works by Paul Bailey and other composers, living and dead, performed by Scott Mcintosh, clarinet; Carl Stronach, bass guitar/vibes; Bruce Gallegos, electric guitar; Ryan Nunes, vibes; Eric Hendrickson, keyboard. other members include Sean Ferguson, electric guitar; Matt Menaged, bass guitar; Nelson Ojeda, keyboard; Bruno Cilloniz, vibes; Sam Formicola, violin; Sam Fisher, violin; Shalini Vijayan, violin; Feranado Vela, viola; and Christopher Searight, bari sax. vocalists include Nicole Baker, Nike St. Clair, Susan Taylor Mills, Karen Hogle, Sean Mcdermott, and Paul Cummings.

Counterpoint Culture/Jon Brenner (2005-present)
Yemila Alvarez, flute; Xico Castaño, clarinet; Mike Lasserre, saxophone; Dave Kurutz, guitar; Carl Stronach, percussion; and Jon Brenner, electric bass.

Paul Greenhaw Duo (2006-present, nyc)
Paul Greenhaw and Sean Ferguson, keyboards

Diverse Instrument Ensemble (D.I.E, 1992-present)

A California State University Fullerton chamber ensemble (the barbarians are at the gates) founded by Lloyd Rodgers to serve as an alternative outlet for all of the university's musicians to receive chamber ensemble training through exposure to a wide variety of great music by (mostly) dead composers. over the years the d.i.e has become a de facto training ground for many of these composers and ensembles. d.i.e alumni include:

Yemila Alvarez, Paul Bailey, Jon Brenner, Bruno Cilloniz, Luigi Cilloniz, Sean Ferguson, Paul Greenhaw, Eric Hendrickson, Gary Hung, Mike Lasserre, Scott McInstosh, Ryan Nunes, Veronica Paez, Melissa Rodgers, Carl Stronach, and Nicole Baker (faculty guest soloist) and Jennifer Cheek, Flute/Piccolo 1992 - 2005

my apologies to any who have been omitted. please feel free to send your corrections and comments along