I dislike classifying genres but it seems to unclutter some of my output by putting my experimental stuff here, so hold tight and wallow in the formlessness:
Exotic Connections & Other Such Stuff Vol 1
Very pleased to be included in the “Dukes of Scuba” compilation “Exotic Connections & Other Such Stuff Vol 1” with part of our LMnO performance at Abergwaun Jazz Festival in August 2021. Wales continues to have a rich history of Avant music activity ranging from free jazz to performance art, happenings, and free improvisation and this project aims to bring this to a wider and new audience.To help document and promote the current Welsh scene, Dukes of Scuba partnered with The South Wales Improvisors to create this first volume in a series of download compilation albums of free improvisation and experimental music which shine a spotlight upon new music from across the whole of the country.
Toru
2022 has seen the birth of a new free-form project “Toru”, namely Phil Gibbs (guitar), Ashley John Long (Double Bass), Alex Goodyear (Drums) and myself on Tenor & Soprano sax, and Gaita Galega. We’ve had a couple of wonderfully creative evenings and it feels that we work well together in this form. Its such a delight to play with such creative players from South Wales. Some musings on the process are at https://lyndonowen.cymru/whats-all-this-free-form-malarkey-and-why
”arwyddion ffyrdd Cymru/Welsh Road signs”
The summer of 2021 gives just a slight respite to live music performance and in particular a few festivals are starting to happen. How long this will last who knows? The opportunity to re-establish working bands and to start to realise new projects is immense. So, onto a “new” project for three Welsh free improvisers with our first outing at Abergwaun/Fishguard Jazz Festival. LMnO (Long, Moyes ‘nd Owen) playing a series of free-form interpretations based on the road signs of Wales. Full story at lyndonowen.cymru/arwyddion-ffyrdd-cymru-welsh-road-signs/
Sonic Fruit and Veg Machine
As the Welsh “Fire-Break” finished (31/10/20) I’d prepared a project which conformed to all the social distancing regulations whilst still managing to engage as many people as possible regardless of their musical skill or aptitude. I’ve always liked this non-elitist socialist approach towards composition shown by Cornelius Cardew and his contemporaries. Full story at https://lyndonowen.cymru/sonic-fruit-and-veg-machine/
Piece for audience and 4 keyboards
In these times of limited interaction I’ve been trying to identify or develop ideas around how to perform music publicly whilst obeying the hygiene rules and empowering as many people as possible. Promoting the usual format of band and audience wouldn’t work at the moment in our regular venues. My thoughts turned to making the audience the performers and being inclusive by not requiring any musical skills at all. Full story at https://lyndonowen.cymru/piece-for-audience-and-4-keyboards/
John White’s “Drinking and Hooting Machine”
An alternative take on John White’s “Drinking and Hooting Machine” One of the really hard hitting aspects of lock-down for me has been the social restrictions resulting in the inability to interact with people when trying to be experimental, interactive and to collectively extemporise. In more direct terms “its hard making stuff up with other people if there are no other people”. So a homage to beer and experimental music: A solo performance of John White’s “Drinking and Hooting Machine”. It had to be “Corona” of course! Full story at lyndonowen.cymru/corona-beer-solo/
The Slaughterhouse Sessions
A series of recordings undertaken during lockdown gave rise the “the Slaughterhouse Sessions”. Not as dark as one might think; they were recorded in the old disused “Slaughterhouse Arches” in Monmouth which does have a certain “feel” and “acoustic”. One of these I did thinking of the great experimental bass player, Simon Fell and overdubbed several tunes on Dodouk and the videos just for resolution and discord to weave their dance around each other. Full story at lyndonowen.cymru/the-slaughterhouse-sessions/