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Taken from concerts during Thollem's 3-month European tour, at Centro d'Arte dell'Università di Padova; AngelicA at Teatro San Leonardo in Bologna; and Rassegna di Nuova Musica 39, performing on acoustic pianos or a Korg Wavestate, showing his technically impressive, creative drive over a diverse set of approaches to solo piano improvisation. |
In Stock Shipping Weight: 2.00 units Quantity in Basket: None Log In to use our Wish List ![]() Label: Astral Spirits Catalog ID: AS203CD Squidco Product Code: 31502 Format: CD Condition: New Released: 2022 Country: USA Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold Tracks 1 and 2 recorded at Centro dÕArte dellÕUniversitˆ di Padova at Teatro Torresino in Padua, Italy, on October 28th, 2021, by Jose Dicati. Personnel: Thollem McDonas-piano Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist. Highlight an instrument above and click here to Search for albums with that instrument. ![]() ![]() Artist Biographies: • Show Bio for Thollem McDonas "Thollem is a pianist, keyboardist, organist, composer, improviser, singer-songwriter, activist, author and teacher. He's spent his life skirting and erasing the edges of boundaries musically, culturally, geographically. His work is ever changing, evolving and responding to the times and his experiences, both as a soloist and in collaboration with hundreds of artists across idioms and disciplines. Though Thollem's widely known as an acoustic piano player, he's also the lead vocalist for the Italian agit-punk band Tsigoti and has recently branched out significantly into the world of electronics through a multitude of projects. Thollem was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, studying the standard classical piano repertoire, composing and improvising since he was a young child and absorbing the myriad of sounds of his culturally diverse upbringing. After dedicating his 20s and 30s to grassroots political activism, he's refocused his attention these last 15 years on a breadth of musics that incorporate his myriad experiences and curiosities. In this last decade alone, he has played well over 1,000 concerts throughout N. America and Europe as a soloist and in collaboration with hundreds of musicians, dancers, and filmmakers. As leader or co-leader, he has released over 50 albums in that span on 22 different vanguard labels to international critical acclaim. "Thollem is an astounding pianist who understands the huge scope of the instrument" (Terry Riley) and who continues to delve into the furthest reaches and sub-genres of Post-Classical, Free Jazz, Noise, Punk, dance and film. A brief cross section of his many recent collaborators include William Parker, Pauline Oliveros, Stefano Scodanibbio, Nels Cline, Mike Watt, Rob Mazurek, Martha Colburn and ACVilla. He is the founding director of Estamos Ensemble, a Mexican-American cross border ensemble for musical exchange as well as the lead singer of the Italian agit-punk band Tsigoti. Presently Thollem is developing an audio/visual experience about America through an 8 month, 48 state odyssey with his partner the videographer ACVilla. He's also a published author about art, politics and his travels in The Anthology of Essays On Deep Listening, Full Moon Magazine (Prague) and First American Art Magazine." -Thollem McDonas Website (http://www.thollem.com/bio.html)6/29/2022 Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography. ^ Hide Bio for Thollem McDonas ![]() 1. Assorted Selves 18:38 2. I Put My Shadow On The Wall 18:38 3. Cruising The Mystic Whole 18:45 4. TheWayToTheWayToTheWay 18:13 |
sample the album:
![]() "Obstacle Illusion is born out of my love for a wide array of musics that I've experienced and studied over the years. The album includes edited live concert recordings from my 3-month European tour at the end of 2021 (Centro d'Arte in Padova, AngelicA Festival in Bologna and the Rassegna di Nuova Musica in Macerata). The first and fourth tracks are solo acoustic piano. The second and third tracks are solely with the Korg Wavestate: all live, no overdubs. This music is the result of a collaboration between myself and the engineers who developed these instruments as well as the halls, the audiences and the dynamics of the world at large. The music is genre-bending, code- switching, omni-idiomatic, internationalist, intersectional and intentional. It represents the culmination of my life's experiences as a musician and a human being in dialogue with the universe. Deep gratitude to these historical presenting organizations: Centro d'Arte Padova, AngelicA Festival and the Associazione Nuova Musica. These are institutions that have been presenting musicians for decades, supporting and introducing new and vital works to their communities and the world."-Thollem McDonas "Its simple intricacies wipe the ashen windshield ![]() In Stock, Not Yet Cataloged Improvised Music Jazz Free Improvisation Piano & Keyboards Solo Artist Recordings West Coast/Pacific US Jazz New in Improvised Music Recent Releases and Best Sellers |