"We're in a spaceship here," composer Paul Rudy said as he pointed to the futuristic protuberance on the ceiling of the foyer of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art. "It's just masquerading as a museum."
An audience of about 125 heard the world premiere of Rudy's "Martian Chronicles" on Friday, March 1. Mark Southerland's saxophones and horn sculptures took the lead during the spacey piece as the members of New Ear provided accompaniment. After I realized that the rudderless composition didn't have a determined destination I was able to enjoy the ride. Only the repeated use of an irritating and incongruous vibraslap-style percussion effect interfered with the celestial journey. (KCUR produced an excellent piece about "Martian Chronicles.")
The first half of New Ear's "Strangely Familiar" program across the street at All Souls Unitarian Church was even better. Lawrence Figg's cello playing over the spectral prerecorded sounds on "fits + starts" clearly blew the minds of the stoned college-age kids seated near me. Robert Pherigo's work on treated piano during " Still Sorrowing" blew my mind in turn. Jan Faidley and Thomas Aber evoked the work of the World Saxophone Quartet on the Tim Berne-inspired "We Speak Etruscan." Only a composition by Chong Kee Yong failed to delight me. It sounded a riot in a yoga studio.
The Kansas City Star published a proper review of Friday's concert.
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I reviewed a concert by 3 Doors Down, Daughtry and Aranda.
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I introduced selections by six locally-based artists on Friday's edition of KCUR's Up to Date.
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"We had that Bannister Mall crackin'!" Here's the video for Kutt Cahoun's "I Been Dope" from his new Black Gold album.
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Here's a four-minute promo video for Kanrocksas.
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Van Cliburn has died.
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The openng segment of a new documentary about the Flaming Lips' The Soft Bulletin is amazing.
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Gionvanni Guidi's City of Broken Dreams seems promising.
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I listened to the new ambient album Selected Studies, Vol. 1 by Lloyd Cole (yes, that Lloyd Cole) and Hans-Joachim Roedelius as I read last night. Thumbs up.
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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
