Eroteme’s second concert in October brings together the extreme multiphonics of US contrabass clarinettist John McCowen: “minimalist principles with the impact of harsh noise!”

Plus, the electrical / mechanical synthesis of Eroteme regulars Lee Patterson & Sam Weaver in a newly formed duo!

South East Asian food again from the amazing Mekong Cat included with entry!

Timings
Doors & Food – 19:00
1st Set – 19:45
2nd Set – 21:00
£10 Adv – £12 OTD

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John McCowen

Pictured above: ISSUE Project Room 20th Anniversary Season Opening Concert with Roscoe Mitchell – Sept. 9 2023 – Photographer: Cameron Kelly McLeod

John McCowen’s musical life has become an obsession with discovering a polyphonic language on a historically monophonic instrument – the clarinet. This has led him to a unique acoustic vocabulary that is akin to a shifting soundscape of electronic feedback. John’s multiphonic approach is based in drones, difference tones, and beating harmonics as a means to showcase the compositional potential within a single, acoustic sound source.

His work has been described by The New Yorker as “the sonic equivalent of microscopic life viewed on a slide” and “an astonishing demonstration of pure sound and human will” by The Wire. He began playing in the American DIY circuit in a number of groups. These years led to international rock tours as a saxophone & flute player in his early 20’s. After burning out, he decided to pursue classical clarinet performance with contemporary clarinet pioneer, Eric P. Mandat. John plays the contrabass clarinet, bass clarinet, Bb & A clarinets, as well as recorders (soprano, alto, bass, & garklein).John has been artist-in-residence at Lijiang Studio in Yunnan, China in 2017 and 2019, as well as 2020 at ISSUE Project Room in Brooklyn, New York.

He has released documents on International Anthem, Edition Wandelweiser, Sound American, Astral Spirits, Superpang, and others. He currently resides in Reykjavík, Iceland where he teaches Music Improvisation at the Iceland University of the Arts.He has performed in spaces such as Borealis Festival, Jazzfestival Saalfelden, Cafe OTO, Edition Festival, Sequences Festival, Dark Music Days Festival, Roulette Intermedium, LAMPO, ISSUE Project Room, Q-O2 Oscillation Festival, Norður Og Niður Festival, and others.John has collaborated extensively with the composer and instrumentalist, Roscoe Mitchell.

He has orchestrated, arranged, and transcribed Mitchell’s works for orchestras and other ensembles as well as performing as a duo of bass saxophone and contrabass clarinet.John remains stubbornly dedicated to acoustic phenomena. His works do not utilize amplifier feedback or electronically-generated sounds unless specified.

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Lee Patterson

Through using sound recording to train his ears, Patterson has developed a dual practice that includes live performance and fixed works. By exploiting chemical and mechanical synthesis, he has created a range of amplified devices and processes that produce or uncover complex sound in unexpected places.

From rock chalk to springs, from burning nuts to aquatic life and insect chants inside plants, he eavesdrops upon and makes a novelty of playing objects and situations otherwise considered mute.

His collaborators have included Mika Vainio, Jennifer Walshe, Vanessa Rossetto, David Toop, Rhodri Davies and John Butcher, Greg Pope, Benedict Drew, Luke Fowler, Lucio Capece, Rie Nakajima, Angharad Davies, Keith Rowe, John Tilbury, Xavier Charles and Tetsuya Umeda.His works have featured on UK television, BBC Radios 3, 4 and 6, Resonance FM and on radio stations worldwide.He lives and works in Prestwich, Manchester, UK.

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Sam Weaver

Sam Weaver is a sound artist working the studio into a laboratory of sonic investigation. Instruments are re-routed and misused to deliberate abstraction – mostly a custom built Hordijk analogue modular synthesizer. Live performances exist somewhere between acousmatic music, free improvisation and experimental electronics – seeking to explore the dynamics between harmony and chaos.

One half of London outfit Hungryghost, Sam has recorded and performed with Charles Hayward, Miki Yui, Clive Bell, Otto Wilberg, Rachel Goodyear, Konstrukt & Kevin Drumm. He runs the electroacoustic imprint Cuspeditions, is the co-curator of a bi-monthly concert series Eroteme and one of three directors facilitating ‘Sine’s & Squares’ festival in association with NOVARS Research Center, (University of Manchester).