NGA JIWA: Difference between revisions

From ChicagoPunk
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
mNo edit summary
 
(16 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
NGA JIWA was essentially [[Scott Harris]]'s project, but many of his players were drawn from some of the most interesting bands in Chicago Punk.  Harris would spend well more than 18 months between performances making by hand the instruments.  Harris built instruments using micro-tonal voicing in a number of forms.  Examples include:  
'''NGA JIWA''' was a performing ensemble that used microtonal constructed instruments and found percussion objects.  A sort of music-based performance art, each event was a costumed tribal ritual inspired by gamelon, Harry Partch, industrial music, and Tibetan sky burial.  Using micro-tonal pitch structures, and rhythms at times based on odd numbers of beats, the music was both primitive and experimental.
 
NGA JIWA was essentially [[Scott Harris]]' project, but many of his players were drawn from some of the more interesting bands in Chicago Punk.  Harris would spend more than 18 months between performances constructing all of the instruments and composing the music.  Along with strictly composed sections performances also had structured improvisational sections.
 
== History ==
 
Harris built instruments using micro-tonal voicing in a number of forms.  Examples include:  


* Hammered Dulcimer-like instruments, played with hand carved wooden beaters or picks
* Hammered Dulcimer-like instruments, played with hand carved wooden beaters or picks
* a xylophone made of carefully cut industrial iron tubing, played with orchestra mallets
* A xylophone made of carefully cut industrial iron tubing, played with orchestra mallets
* a vertical rack of many small tuned drums, played with standard drum sticks
* A vertical rack of many small tuned drums, played with standard drum sticks
* long horns 15 feet or more in length, played like a bugle
* Horns 15 feet or more in length, played like a bugle
* finely made concert-marimba-like instrument with robustly tuned resonators.   
* Finely made concert-marimba-like instrument with robustly tuned resonators.   
* various stringed instruments
* Various stringed instruments


But there were more industrial instruments as well such as;
But there were more industrial instruments as well such as;
Line 12: Line 18:
* "Tank Drums" - 40 gallon fuel tanks suspended with bun-gee cables on a large metal frame, played with tympani beaters, metal posts and metal rods.
* "Tank Drums" - 40 gallon fuel tanks suspended with bun-gee cables on a large metal frame, played with tympani beaters, metal posts and metal rods.
* "Sheet Gong" - a single 7' by 4' piece of steel plate similarly mounted n a frame, again played with tympani beaters, metal posts and metal rods.
* "Sheet Gong" - a single 7' by 4' piece of steel plate similarly mounted n a frame, again played with tympani beaters, metal posts and metal rods.
* "Water Drum - where a larger tub is half filled with water, and then an upside down large bowl is floated on the water, and pressed into the water with varying depths, while playing a single stick rhythm with the other hand.  This motion can be modulated to make the drum "talk".  At one point near the end of the performance two drummers play fast rolls on the outer tub without the top bowl drum, and the water sprays upward.  This was a nice visual effect in the limited lighting (all by candle).
* "Water Drum" - where a larger tub is half filled with water, and then a smaller upside down plastic tub is floated on the water, and pressed into the water with varying depth. While playing a single stick rhythm with one hand, the submerging motion can be modulated to make the drum "talk".  Near the end of a performance two drummers could play fast rolls on the outer tub without the top drum, and the water would spray upward.  This was a nice visual effect, especially in the limited lighting (all by candle).


All of the equipment was either constructed or found by Harris.
All of the equipment was either constructed or found by Harris.


Earlier Harris was a visual artist, and his skills in this regard were evident in the finely designed posters he made.
Earlier Harris was a visual artist, and his skills in this regard were evident in the finely designed event posters he made.
 
There were only 2 different pieces, with one performance of the first piece, and two performances of the second piece on one day. Both events took place at [[Links Hall]].  The dates noted here are from the actual posters for the events as well as a web page maintained by [[Michael Zerang]], Founder and Artistic Director of the Links Hall Performance Series.
There were only 2 different shows, with one performance for the first piece, and two performances on one day for the second piece.
 
 
Here are the entries extracted from  [[Michael Zeroing]]'s Founder and Artistic Director of the Links Hall Performance Series.


11/23/85 - music - Nag Aiwa Sextet (Invented Instrument Ensemble)
== First Performance ==


Builder/Composer Scott Harris (AKA Mousetrap and formerly of [[Terminal Beach]] and A [[Mason in Ur]]) . While Scott built all the instruments and composed the music, many Chicago punk band players participated at one time or another.  Bands drawn from include: Da. Terminal Beach, Silent Language, Monads, ???
11/23/85 - Advertised by Links Hall as Nga Giwa Sextet (Invented Instrument Ensemble) - note spelling error on the part of Links Hall


More like music-based performance art, the concert was actually a ritual influenced by germinal, harry partch, industrial music, and Tibetan sky burial.  Using micro-tonal pitch structures, and rhythms based on odd numbers of beats, the music was both primitive and experimental.
As noted above this project was lead by builder/composer Scott Harris (AKA Mousetrap and formerly of [[Terminal Beach]] and [[A  Mason in Ur]]) . While Scott built all the instruments and composed the music, many Chicago punk band players participated at one time or another.  Bands drawn from include: [[Da]]. [[Terminal Beach]], [[Silent Language]], [[Monads]], and others.


== Members ==
(This list of performers is tentative and subject to change)


(Member list is tentative with info subject to change)
* [[Scott Harris]] AKA Mousetrap - Instrument Builder, Composer, Instrumentalist  
 
* [[Scott Harris AKA Mousetrap ]] - Instrument Builder, Composer, Instrumentalist*
* [[Dave Thomas ]] - Instrumentalist
* [[Dave Thomas ]] - Instrumentalist
* [[Jed Fox]] - Instrumentalist
* [[Jed Fox]] - Instrumentalist
Line 40: Line 40:
* [[Philip Galanter]] - Instrumentalist
* [[Philip Galanter]] - Instrumentalist


9/26/87 - music - Nag Aiwa Ensemble Plays The New Musical Instruments of Lang Darma
== Second Performance ==


This program for this performance read "ISU TEH BAKAN HNORI" and then "A creation myth in seven parts".  The seven parts are "coming of the thunder spirit", "the flood", "rise of the seven eyes clan", "war of evil spirits", "head-takers dance", "the second flood", "prayer wheels"
9/26/87 - Advertised by Links Hall as Nga Jiwa Ensemble Plays The New Musical Instruments of Lang Darma


== Members ==
The program for this performance read "ISU TEH BAKAN HNORI" and then "A creation myth in seven parts".  The seven parts are:


* [[Scott Harris AKA Mousetrap ]] - Instrument Builder, Composer, Instrumentalist*
* coming of the thunder spirit
* the flood
* rise of the seven eyes clan
* war of evil spirits
* head-takers dance
* the second flood
* prayer wheels
 
(This list of performers is tentative and subject to change)
 
* [[Scott Harris]] AKA Mousetrap - Instrument Builder, Composer, Instrumentalist  
* [[Dave Thomas ]] - Instrumentalist
* [[Dave Thomas ]] - Instrumentalist
* [[Jed Fox]] - Instrumentalist
* [[Jed Fox]] - Instrumentalist
Line 57: Line 67:
* [http://www.michaelzerang.com/text/lhps.htm Michael Zerang and Links Hall]
* [http://www.michaelzerang.com/text/lhps.htm Michael Zerang and Links Hall]
* [http://www.linkshall.org/ Links Hall]
* [http://www.linkshall.org/ Links Hall]
== Links ==


[[Category:Bands]]
[[Category:Bands]]
[[Category:Dave Thomas]]
[[Category:Da]]

Latest revision as of 21:54, 7 August 2016

NGA JIWA was a performing ensemble that used microtonal constructed instruments and found percussion objects. A sort of music-based performance art, each event was a costumed tribal ritual inspired by gamelon, Harry Partch, industrial music, and Tibetan sky burial. Using micro-tonal pitch structures, and rhythms at times based on odd numbers of beats, the music was both primitive and experimental.

NGA JIWA was essentially Scott Harris' project, but many of his players were drawn from some of the more interesting bands in Chicago Punk. Harris would spend more than 18 months between performances constructing all of the instruments and composing the music. Along with strictly composed sections performances also had structured improvisational sections.

History

Harris built instruments using micro-tonal voicing in a number of forms. Examples include:

  • Hammered Dulcimer-like instruments, played with hand carved wooden beaters or picks
  • A xylophone made of carefully cut industrial iron tubing, played with orchestra mallets
  • A vertical rack of many small tuned drums, played with standard drum sticks
  • Horns 15 feet or more in length, played like a bugle
  • Finely made concert-marimba-like instrument with robustly tuned resonators.
  • Various stringed instruments

But there were more industrial instruments as well such as;

  • "Tank Drums" - 40 gallon fuel tanks suspended with bun-gee cables on a large metal frame, played with tympani beaters, metal posts and metal rods.
  • "Sheet Gong" - a single 7' by 4' piece of steel plate similarly mounted n a frame, again played with tympani beaters, metal posts and metal rods.
  • "Water Drum" - where a larger tub is half filled with water, and then a smaller upside down plastic tub is floated on the water, and pressed into the water with varying depth. While playing a single stick rhythm with one hand, the submerging motion can be modulated to make the drum "talk". Near the end of a performance two drummers could play fast rolls on the outer tub without the top drum, and the water would spray upward. This was a nice visual effect, especially in the limited lighting (all by candle).

All of the equipment was either constructed or found by Harris.

Earlier Harris was a visual artist, and his skills in this regard were evident in the finely designed event posters he made. There were only 2 different pieces, with one performance of the first piece, and two performances of the second piece on one day. Both events took place at Links Hall. The dates noted here are from the actual posters for the events as well as a web page maintained by Michael Zerang, Founder and Artistic Director of the Links Hall Performance Series.

First Performance

11/23/85 - Advertised by Links Hall as Nga Giwa Sextet (Invented Instrument Ensemble) - note spelling error on the part of Links Hall

As noted above this project was lead by builder/composer Scott Harris (AKA Mousetrap and formerly of Terminal Beach and A Mason in Ur) . While Scott built all the instruments and composed the music, many Chicago punk band players participated at one time or another. Bands drawn from include: Da. Terminal Beach, Silent Language, Monads, and others.

(This list of performers is tentative and subject to change)

Second Performance

9/26/87 - Advertised by Links Hall as Nga Jiwa Ensemble Plays The New Musical Instruments of Lang Darma

The program for this performance read "ISU TEH BAKAN HNORI" and then "A creation myth in seven parts". The seven parts are:

  • coming of the thunder spirit
  • the flood
  • rise of the seven eyes clan
  • war of evil spirits
  • head-takers dance
  • the second flood
  • prayer wheels

(This list of performers is tentative and subject to change)

External Links

Retrieved from "https://punkdatabase.com/w/index.php?title=NGA_JIWA&oldid=7767"