Please see my MySpace page for current and upcoming projects...
Chris Becker, Lewis 'Flip' Barnes and Lynn Wright in concert
June 28 and June 30, 2007
7:30 pm
All events take place at:
Studio 111, 111 Conselyea Street, No. 2L, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $5 suggested donation for all dates
Featured performers:
Chris Becker - Laptop computer running Ableton Live and AudioMulch
Lewis 'Flip' Barnes - Trumpet, effects
Lynn Wright - Electric Guitar, effects
With Special Guests:
Jeremiah Hosea - Electric Bass, Voice
Adrian Jevicki - Dance
Composer Chris Becker residency and concert
Presented by Racoco Productions
Funded in part through Meet The Composer's Creative Connections program
All events take place at:
Studio 111, 111 Conselyea Street, No. 2L, Brooklyn, NY
Cost: $5 suggested donation for all dates
Featured performers:
Chris Becker - Laptop computer running Ableton Live and AudioMulch, kalimba, harmonica, vibratone, Tibetan Bell and vocalizing
Lewis 'Flip' Barnes - Trumpet, effects
Lynn Wright - Electric Guitar, effects
Sharrif Simmons - Poetry
Leighton Edmondson - Video
and members of Racoco Productions (Rachel Cohen director)
03/29/2007 06:30 PM
Description: An open rehearsal. Chris Becker and Rachel Cohen describe the process of creating their latest collaborative work Thrown.
03/31/2007 03:30 PM
Description: An open rehearsal. Chris Becker describes his compositional process and techniques and directs his ensemble in a newly realized arrangement of the classic song Stagger Lee.
03/31/2007 07:00 PM
A pre-concert talk with Chris Becker and Rachel Cohen about their collaborative work Cornell Box - a mixed media piece dedicated to artist Joseph Cornell.
03/31/2007 07:30 PM
Description: A concert of original music, improvisations and music for dance. The program includes Cornell Box, Stagger Lee (with guest poet Sharrif Simmons), Thrown (choreography by Rachel Cohen, video by Leighton Edmondson) and a set of improvised music by Becker, Barnes and Wright.
Rachel Cohen and Racoco Productions and I have received a Creative Connections grant from Meet The Composer for a residency and concert of my music in March 29 - 31, 2007. The residency will include open rehearsals and a pre-concert talk where I can share my composition techniques and my approaches to collaboration (with musicians as well as choreographers and visual artists). The concert will include excerpts from a work-in-progress with Rachel entitled "Thrown" as well as a premiere of a new piece. Longtime friend and collaborator guitarist Lynn Wright (Gachupin, ...and the Wiremen, Bee and Flower) will join me in performance along with trumpeter extraordinaire Lewis 'Flip' Barnes (William Parker Quartet, Burnt Sugar). I will be performing on laptop computer using Ableton Live and Audiomulch.
The open rehearsals, a pre-concert talk and concert will all take place at Studio 111, 111 Conselyea Street, No. 2L, Williamsburg, New York. Times tba.
More details to come. Rachel and I are very excited about this upcoming residency and concert and are grateful to Meet The Composer for their support.
Buy Saints & Devils CD
John Schaefer will be playing some of my Saints & Devils CD on his long running popular radio show "New Sounds" this Monday, December 11th at 11pm. New Sounds can be heard on WNYC Radio 93.9 FM. The show also streams live on the web.
From the "New Sounds" website:
"Listen to old Americana recordings woven into tapestries of new music on this edition of New Sounds. There’s music by Moby, David Byrne and Brian Eno, and a brand new arrival of music by Chris Becker. Becker’s latest, "Saints & Devils," is a ten-part suite -inspired by rural blues, gospel and Cajun music- which uses samples from the Alan Lomax recordings, live instruments and processing to create a unique texture of sound sculpture and words. We’ll listen to parts of Becker’s suite along with A. Leroy’s work "Handa Wanda" for three saxophones, whose interlocking rhythms suggest New Orleans Mardi Gras drumming. And, of course, much more."
Saints & Devils is now available for purchase on CD Baby. This is a great online store selling a lot of strong independent music.
And finally, on the homepage of this site, you can download and hear a Saints & Devils podcast. The podcast includes excerpts from several tracks on Saints & Devils and portions of the interview I did on WWNO in New Orleans with Jacqueline Bishop for her series "Louisiana Artist."
Saints & Devils
Music by Chris Becker
10 tracks inspired by songs, stories and icons of the deep south.
$12.00 (this includes shipping/handling costs)
Hear samples and buy the CD...
Recorded in New York City and New Orleans June 2001 to August 2005
...musical performances by:
Keith Bonner - Flute, Wooden Irish Flute, Penny Whistle
Nick Beaudoing - Cajun Accordion, Washboard
The Reverend Vince Anderson - Preaching
Chris Michael - Tambora, Tambourine
Jon Petrow -Violin, Electric Bass
Charlie Miller - Trumpet, Flute
Lynn Wright - Electric Guitar
Eyal Maoz - Electric Guitar
Dana Schechter - Vocal
Louis Romanos - Drums
James Hall - Vocal
Sampled material courtesy of the Alan Lomax archives
CD artwork by Jon Graubarth
Recorded, Mixed and Produced by Chris Becker
"As a composer and producer, I know that the music I compose will take on additional and unexpected meaning and affect listeners in ways I could not have imagined at the time of its creation. This ten-track suite entitled Saints & Devils - mastered just two weeks before hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. gulf coast - is a good example of this. It is my hope that Saints & Devils - as a listening experience - honors the victims of this contemporary disaster and resonates in our collective consciousness to bring about a better future." - Chris Becker (2006)
My CD Saints & Devils will be available for purchase in early November. A little later than I had anticipated, but for a project that has been nearly five years in the making - what's another few weeks?
(Photo from If The Shoe Fits performance by Robert Polkosnik)
Thursday, October 19, 12:30 pm take your lunch break in downtown Manhattan at the World Financial Center as it presents Racoco Productions' critically acclaimed If The Shoe Fits and other repertory as part of its fall performance series in the beautiful Winter Garden. Invite your friends - it's free!
This program includes If The Shoe Fits and Recidivistas
Choreography by Rachel Cohen. Original music by Chris Becker.
The World Financial Center is bordered by West Street , the Hudson River, Vesey and Liberty Streets, New York, NY.
Directions...
My CD Saints & Devils will be released in October 2006. A little later than I had anticipated - but if you work close to five years on a project to bring it to its conclusion - what's a few more weeks?
My recent interview on WWNO has resulted in emails from strangers who want to purchase the Saints & Devils CD. Feel free to
email me and request a copy of the CD. I'll get in touch with you as soon as they are ready. You will be able to purchase the CD online using PayPal.October 19, 2006 12:30pm at World Financial Center - Winter Garden (w /Racoco Productions)
Racoco Productions presents two dance theater works: Recidivistas and If The Shoe Fits
Choreography by Rachel Cohen. Original music by Chris Becker.
The World Financial Center is bordered by West Street, the Hudson River, Vesey and Liberty Streets. , New York City, NY
I'm very excited about this gig...
September 20, 2006 at 5:50pm (Eastern Time)
WWNO 89.9 in New Orleans (and live via the Internet)
Tune in as New Orleans artist Jacqueline Bishop interviews Chris Becker as part of her radio series "Louisiana Artist."
The new date for the performance of Cornell Box is:
September 21, 2006 8pm at Galapagos Art Space
70 N. 6th Street btwn Kent and Wythe, Williamsburg, NY 10001 Cost: $7
Chris Becker (laptop) and Lewis 'Flip' Barnes (trumpet) perform Becker's sound installation/composition Cornell Box for laptop, four speakers, and trumpet. This is part of an evening length program of works by friends of choreographer Rachel Cohen and Racoco Productions (Racoco Shows The Inside).
My CD Saints & Devils will be available for purchase in late September. Time is being taken with the artwork to make sure the outer packaging does justice to the music contained within. Details to come...
Two gigs coming up:
September 21, 2006 8pm at Galapagos Art Space
N. 6th Street btwn Kent and Wythe, Williamsburg, NY 10001 Cost: $7 and two-drink minimum
Chris Becker (laptop) and Lewis 'Flip' Barnes (trumpet) perform Becker's sound installation/composition Cornell Box for laptop, four speakers, and trumpet. This is part of an evening length program of works by friends of choreographer Rachel Cohen and Racoco Productions (Racoco Shows The Inside). Cornell Box is an homage to Queens county surrealist Joseph Cornell. Prerecorded sounds of vinyl records, quasi-Impressionistic piano (performed by pianist Daniel Kelly) and dialogue from the film "To Have And To Have Not" surround the audience to create the experience of being inside one of Cornell's mysterious box constructions. 'Flip' Barnes' trumpet will add an additional layer of character and emotion to this aural homage to one of New York's most influential, hermetic and mysterious artists.
October 19, 2006 12:30pm at World Financial Center - Winter Garden (w /Racoco Productions) Cost: Free
Racoco Productions presents two dance theater works. Recidivistas and If The Shoe Fits (excerpts).
Choreography by Rachel Cohen. Original music by Chris Becker.
The World Financial Center is bordered by West Street, the Hudson River, Vesey and Liberty Streets. , New York City, NY
On September 21 (date was changed), 8pm at Galapagos I'll be presenting a revised/remixed version of my piece Cornell Box for laptop and four speakers. I'll be joined in this new version of the piece by Lewis 'Flip' Barnes on trumpet. 'Flip' can be heard with the William Parker Quartet, Burnt Sugar and incarnations of drummer William Hooker's ensembles. 'Flip' will add another layer of emotional resonance to this textural piece that includes the sound of scratchy vinyl, distorted pianos and dialogue from the film "To Have And To Have Not." The piece is dedicated to artist Joseph Cornell and is meant to evoke the inner world of his mysterious box constructions. My piece is being presented as part of the ongoing performance series Racoco Presents...curated by choreographer Rachel Cohen. More details to come.
The Saints & Devils artwork is nearly done. It looks stunning. Should have it all ready for a release in late August.
New Orleans artist Jacqueline Bishop interviewed me for WWNO 89.9 this past June. The interview will air and be available as an archived streaming broadcast in September. Details to come. WWNO is located at the University of New Orleans. Jacqueline and I have collaborated in the past and she wanted to speak with me about my time in New Orleans and the new Saints & Devils CD.
And man, it's hot...
The full length ten track version of Saints & Devils will be released in August 2006. More specifics to come including a press release, one sheet for radio stations and other details about this project. Saints & Devils is a suite of music inspired by stories, songs and icons of the deep South and in particular the time I spent living and working in New Orleans. The CD has been in production for almost four years and was recorded in New Orleans and New York - with performances from Lynn Wright (Cordero, Bee and Flower, Gachupin), Jon Petrow (The Cloud Room), Eyal Maoz, The Reverend Vince Anderson, Charlie Miller (Dr. John, Thelonious Monk), James Hall, Nick Beaudoing (The Doc Marshalls), Keith Bonner, Chris Michael (Coba, Folklore Urbano) and Dana Schechter (Bee and Flower). A three track EP version garnered much praise and airplay here in the U.S. and overseas. I'm very excited about this CD and look forward to humbly unleashing it upon the world. Stay tuned...
June 8, 2006 8pm
Galapagos Art Space (70 N. 6th Street btwn Kent and Wythe) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn $7 cover
Chris Becker Quartet (with special guest Sofia Koutsovitis) guest star on the premiere of "racoco shows the inside", a new show featuring the collaborations of performing and visual artists.
Chris Becker - Composer, Laptop
Daniel Kelly - Keyboard, Sampler
Chris Michael - Percussion
Lynn Wright - Electric Guitar
and Sofia Koutsovitis - Vocals
I am pleased to be the featured guest of the first in this new series presented by Racoco Productions (Rachel Cohen director/choreographer) at Galapagos Art Space. The June 8 show features my collaborations with Rachel and the company, plus my New Orleans Suite.
The evening's program includes excerpts from my and Rachel's current work-in-progress, Thrown.
There will be a performance of the trio Recidivistas (choreography/direction by Rachel Cohen) with my prerecorded score.
The quartet and Sofia will also perform my New Orleans Suite - an ongoing personal and political reportage of that city's post-Katrina landscape.
racoco shows the inside, at Galapagos Art Space, June 8 Thursday, June 8, racoco productions kicks off its new series, "racoco shows the inside," at Galapagos Art Space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. A show of a different variety! Each month racoco productions explores new territory. This month is "Sediment," featuring dancers in pots, blindfolded black belts, clay-covered salseros, and the music of Chris Becker and his Quartet.
Rachel Cohen (director/choreographer Racoco Productions) is one of New York Times chief dance critic John Rockwell's ten best for 2005. He calls her work "like being lost in a fun-house mirror."
Directions...
I just returned from New Orleans - my second visit since Hurricane Katrina. My friend artist Jacqueline Bishop interviewed me for her radio series on 89.9 WWNO that explores contemporary art and artists in New Orleans. The interview was taped and will broadcast later this summer. Although I'm no longer a New Orleans resident, I spent five years making music there, and my Saints & Devils CD project features performances by New Orleans musicians. Jacqueline Bishop and I have also collaborated on a mixed media installation called Terra that was shown in several galleries and museums between 1999 and 2002. Jacqueline's questions were very thoughtful and I really enjoyed the experience. Shout out to Fred Kasten at WWNO who produces this series.
Also while in New Orleans, I worked with artist (and friend) Jon Graubarth on the artwork for my forthcoming Saints & Devils CD - and I am incredibly pleased with the results. Jon's work is totally unique and he's brought a whole other layer to the Saints & Devils music that deepens and intensifies the tracks (which were already deep to begin with). By the end of June 2006, the CD will be ready for sale.
There's so much I could write about my visit that has to do with the current challenges that New Orleans and its populace are facing down as hurricane season and the runoff election for Mayor approaches. New Orleans is hurting. I had a wonderful time while I was there, but I also heard a lot of sadness, anger and frustration. I will write more about the trip and post some pictures soon.
Aid for New Orleans Musicians
Katrina No More
Installation performance created by choreographer Rachel Cohen with sculptor Tom Howell featuring live original music by composer Chris Becker performing on laptop with special guest guitarist Lynn Wright.
Thursday May 4 (open dress rehearsal)
and Friday May 5 (performance)
5:30-7:30 pm
Adams House Art Space
10 Linden Street
Cambridge, MA
Free Admission
"This is the culmination of Rachel Cohen's residency at Harvard University and the beginning of our latest choreographer/composer collaboration Thrown.
Thrown is a deconstructed creation myth, a tactile excavation of the human body and its relation to earth and clay. Performers, potters, and musicians together will mine the physical and metaphysical connections between earth and the body through movement, sculpture, and music. Lynn and I will be performing my score live accompanying movement by Rachel Cohen in an installation environment created by Sculptor Tom Howell.
The music is primitive, ritualistic, and grimy. Some inspirational references include Neil Young's Dead Man soundtrack, essays by Morton Feldman, and religious and ritualistic music from Mexico, Korea and Tibet. Vocalist/Composer Sofia Koutsovitis contributed several vocal performances that appear in sampled/looped form along with the laptop and electric guitar textures.
We will be presenting excerpts of this work in progress in New York City this summer.
I will be performing at Harvard University the first week of May providing music for Rachel Cohen and dancers in an installation environment. Rachel is a Harvard University alum and Clifton Visiting Artist for 2006. More details to come. I'll be rockin the laptop accompanied by Lynn Wright on guitar and effects pedals. Dates, times, and additional info will go up soon.
I'll also be sharing a bill with Rachel at Galapagos on June 8th. I'll be performing with my still unnamed quartet featuring Lynn, Daniel Kelly (keyboard, sampler), and Chris Michael.
Visit www.myspace.com/beckermusic. There are some very interesting musicians in my "friends" area - some I've only just met via MySpace.
I've just started using My Space in conjunction with this website for promotion and networking. My Space is very addictive - but I can really see how the site can help artists build up their fan base and even find and book gigs. Somehow, it seems to inspire support and good spirits among its users (at least the ones I've met so far...). I will be playing out live (on laptop in combination with friends and dancers) more often as we move into Spring and Summer (and as the release of Saints & Devils approaches) and My Space along with my website might help me reach out to even more listeners.
Visit www.myspace.com/beckermusic.
Big THANK YOU to everyone who came out to The Creamery gigs. We had a lot of fun. Shows continue at The Creamery through March 12. Schedule is at Dreemykreem
Live performance!
March 2nd and 9th, 8pm at The Creamery
(at Chashama located at 266 W37th St. b/w 7th & 8th).
Original, improvised and Djed music performed by:
Chris Becker - Laptop
Daniel Kelly - Keyboard
Chris Michael - Percussion
Lynn Wright - Electric Guitar
I will be performing March 2nd and March 9th on laptop with friends Daniel Kelly (Duets with Ghosts, Lauryn Hill, Harvie S.), Chris Michael (Folklore Urbano, Coba, Marianne Ebert), and Lynn Wright (Gauchupin, Cordero, Bee and Flower) joining me in various combinations. The sets will combine DJing with live composed and improvised performance.
The voices of Mardi Gras Indians, Shaolin Monks, and Daniel's great Granddad (and many, many others…) will be heard in combination with trip-hop, jungle, and ambient grooves. There will be plenty of opportunity for all of the respective musicians to stretch out. I'll be playing Ableton Live with Supatrigga and Bionic Delay plug-ins. Lynn will bring all of his stomp boxes, Daniel will cast his spells with keyboard and sampler, and Chris Michael will bring the spirits via the berimbau and other percussive vessels…
We are performing as part of The Creamery - a site-specific installation of (silent) film and video curated by my friends Robert Hardin and Cathleen Grado. The Creamery happens at Chashama (located at 266 W37th St. b/w 7th & 8th).
More details at Dreemykreem
Come on out - it's going to be a lot of fun.
My friends Robert Hardin and Cathleen Grado who maintain their own Dreemykreem website have a residency at Chashama (located at 266 W37th St. b/w 7th & 8th) March 1st through March 15, 2006. Robert and Cathleen are curating site specific installations of film, video and experimental sound under the collective name of The Creamery. I will be performing March 2nd and March 9th on laptop with friends Daniel Kelly, Chris Michael, and Lynn Wright joining me in various combinations. My sets will combine DJing with live composed and improvised performance. There will be plenty of opportunity for all of the respective musicians to stretch out. I'll be using Ableton Live and a few unusual plug-ins as my instrument. I will provide more details as we approach the dates. Should be a LOT of fun.
This Thursday, Racoco Productions presents a condensed, 10-minute version of If The Shoe Fits as part of The Construction Company’s showcase for the 2006 APAP (Association of Performing Arts Presenters) conference, also featuring work by eight other emerging dance companies. And it’s absolutely free.
Racoco Productions presents
If The Shoe Fits (condensed)
directed by Rachel Cohen
music by Chris Becker
set and costume design by Agata Oleksiak
featuring Katie Brack, Karen De Luna, Adrian Jevicki, Kelly Kocinski, Max Olivier, Michelle Vargo, Chris Woodrell
6:00 PM, Thursday, January 19th, 2006 (Doors open about 10 minutes before showtime)
racoco productions will be performing at 7:20
Free
New 42nd Street Studios, Studio 3A, 229 West 42nd Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues)
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED (call 212-924-7882 or email concodance@yahoo.com)
SHUA Group 6:00 PM
Carolyn Lord and Dancers 6:10 PM
Rindfleisch 6:20 PM
Ariane Anthony & Company 6:30 PM
Dance Cedric Neugebauer 6:40 PM
Christopher Caines Dance Company 6:50 PM
Rebekah Windmiller/Solo Dance 7:00 PM
Martha Williams/The Movement Movement 7:10 PM
racoco productions 7:20 PM
Two showcase styled performances of excerpts from If The Shoe Fits take place this weekend (January 21 and 22) at the Association For Performing Arts Presenters 2006 conference here in New York City. But these performances aren't public - they are for an audience of presenters looking to bring innovative dance and music to wider audiences.
NY Times dance critic John Rockwell chose choreographer Rachel Cohen's If The Shoe Fits (which I scored) as one of the best dance performances of 2005. A big congratulations to Rachel - it's a pleasure working with her and her imagination. And a special thank you to the musicians (Keith Bonner, Lainie Diamond, Daniel Kelly, Chris Michael, Jose Ramos and Lynn Wright) without whom I could not have created the music for this production.
Here's to 2006...
Mixing lots of string performances for percussionist Chris Michael's track Pivete which will appear on a CD compiliation next year...trying to digest the entire contemporary musical culture of Mexico as part of my research for the next piece I'm scoring for choreographer Rachel Cohen...working on various grant applications...2006 will be here before you know it...
I've contributed music to a short video featuring the work of artist Harriete Estel Berman. Harriete is a sculptor and metalsmith. She and film maker Will Zavala have created a fast-paced, collage-like video that in addition to featuring Harriete's work, offers some wry commentary on consumerism and stereotypes of women. My contribution to the video's score combines almost industrial like crunches, hisses, and clangs with earthier more "musical" sounds including berimbau, brushes on a snare, and the mysterious yet insanely easy to play vibratone! Lynn Wright contributed some toy kora and electric bass performances to the mix.
The resulting video will be screened at a variety of venues. Will and Harriete were a pleasure to work with.
This month (September) I received a monetary award from ASCAP's Standard Awards Panel as recognition for my activities as a composer. This is an annual award given to composers creating works for unusual performance venues (such as galleries, public spaces, clubs, etc). I appreciate the award - and I commend ASCAP for continuing to develop innovative methods of recognizing and supporting it's writer and publisher members.
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