We were very happy to return to the esteemed Big Ears Festival in March 2015. This year, our Found Sound Nation crew (Lorna Krier, Keith Milgaten, Chris Marianetti, and Elena Moon Park) spent two afternoons in Krutch Park, where we met with young singers and bucket drummers, childhood friends, random passersby, local poets, festival musicians and audience members to share sounds, songs, poems, and stories. From these two afternoons, plus a short studio before the opening reception at the Knoxville Museum of Art, emerged the following nine original tracks. Thanks to everyone who participated and to everyone at the Big Ears Festival for another weekend of spirited sound gathering.
TRIANGULATION // Big Ears Festival 2015
TRACK NOTES
1. Krutch
A day in the life of Krutch Park.
Vocal layerings and the Appalachian dulcimer provide a foundation for Tennessee born and raised musicians Allen McBride and Ellen Reid to reminisce about rope swings, computer camps, and crystals.
Sunday’s session began with a visit from a group of talented young bucket drummers from the Community School of the Arts, led by Knoxville-based drummer Nathan Barrett. The eight young drummers played a group piece, jammed on the Octopad, and displayed some rhythmic vocalizing. Another visitor stopped by to chant, clap and sing with the group, leading to this track.
4. Museum
A soundscape from our opening street studio at the Knoxville Museum of Art.
Our first session in Krutch Park featured a group of young singers from The Joy of Music School (and their parents!). It was quite chilly that morning, so you can hear some sounds of our chilliness. The students sing a prepared song, “We Come From the Mountain.” Do you know who you are?
6. Saturday
Our friend and brilliant Baltimore-based folk musician Anna Roberts-Gevalt visits the studio and lays down a dreamy guitar line. Then singer Moira Smiley, in town to belt out an energetic set at Big Ears with tUnE-yArDs, stops by to sing about Saturday.
On Saturday we were visited by a young guitarist and bassist, Louis and Tony, who laid down a few lines. On the sidelines, local Knoxvillian poet Jack Renfro watched the music develop and contributed some words of his own. The jam is rounded off with Anna and friends, plus the dreamy vocal stylings of Moira.
8. Dark Waters
A remix of the Joy of Music school singers, featuring heavy beats and trumpets.
We finish off our street studios with an enchanting mix of dulcimer, voices and other magical sounds.