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Free
Improvisation
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 photo by Jeff Kozera |
| Bruce is very involved in free improvisation and holds regular sessions with some of New York's best players of the genre at his studio in Manhattan's East Village. |
| Here are some mp3 examples: Go For It - Featuring Bruce Arnold and Tom Hamilton Last Session, First Take - Featuring Bruce Arnold and Ursel Schlicht |
| For many years he has used the guitar in combination with sound processors to create the palette of sounds used at these sessions. Many times it's hard to tell that it is even a guitar that is creating these sounds. Sam Prestianni from Jazziz Magazine says "Arnold wrenches creaking and bell-like nuances from his prepared ax... a perfect mix of the organic and the otherworldly." The improvisations rely more on aesthetic and gut instincts, rather than worked out ideas in an effort to get as close as possible to spontaneously created new music. "Musicians need to be masters of their instruments and genres to interact in an informed manner. " Bruce notes, "Even in free improvisation there are clichžs. We try to avoid them." |
| Bruce has also spent time teaching and giving clinics on sound processing and effects applications at Berklee College of Music, Princeton and New York Universities. |
| Bruce currently performs with the group Act of Finding, a collective quartet dedicated to free improvisation. This group is comprised of Thomas Buckner, voice, Tom Hamilton, synthesizer, and Ratzo B. Harris, bass. An audio sample of this music can be heard by clicking on the button below. |
| Release the Hounds is another group Bruce performs with. This trio is comprised of Chris Dahlgren, bass and Jay Rosen, percussion. |
| Bruce also has a free improv quartet with Herb Robertson, trumpet, Tomas Ulrich, cello, and Jay Rosen, percussion, and you can check for their concert dates on the upcoming performance page of this site. |
| "New York has a fantastic collection of great free improvisors. Each month there will be an audio sample that was recorded at one of the many jam sessions I host at my studio in New York. I would love to hear your feedback (no pun intended!) on these audio samples." |
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