Toronto Composer Nick Storring sends listener on a journey with “Gardens”

Nick Storring — Gardens

1. Open Your Eyes And Forget (16.21)
2. (Come To My) Thicket (5.30)
3. Unexpecting (3.52)
4. Nothing Seems To Rhyme (7.25)
5. Inside Every Man Lives the Seed of a Flower (13.21)

 Gardens was composed, performed, recorded and mixed spring 2011-autumn 2013. All instruments performed by Nick Storring. The work was designed as an informal tribute to arranger/ producer/ composer Charles Stepney. Its titles refer to the Come To My Garden by Minnie Riperton which Stepney co-wrote, produced and arranged. No musical materials were borrowed, however.

The creative processes which birthed this album was funded by the 2011 Toronto Emerging Composer Award, which is administered by the Canadian Music Centre and generously supported by Michael Koerner and Roger D. Moore. No effects processing was employed aside from simple dynamics, equalization, mixing, and spatialization. Other ‘processing’ is strictly through acoustic or electromechanical means.

Instrumentation: violin, cello, electric mandola, electric bass, guitalele, Strumstick, banjo, harpsicle, autoharp, esraj, kemence, rebab, ananda lahari, Hohner Pianet-T, Yamaha CP60M stage piano, glockenspiel, steel pan, thumb pianos, toy pianos, roto-toms, snare drum, djembe, khol, bells, thunder tubes, rainstick, woodblocks, cymbals, other found/ homemade percussion, jaw harps, melodicas, harmonicas (diatonic and chromatic), tuning reeds, harmonium, khêne, mey, hulosi, xaphoon, concert flute, bansuris, sulings, recorders (alto, soprano, sopranino), various other flutes, mijwiz, been, pan pipes, kazoo, found wind instruments, voice.

Additional implements: bows, mallets, plectra, e-bow, handheld fan, electric toothbrush, vibrator, microphones,contact microphones, amps, speakers, earbuds, Headrush Shockrock vibration speaker, Danelectro Free Speech Talkbox, Sansui RA-700 spring reverb.

Many thanks to those who offered listening, feedback, instruments, support and exposure (through various channels) during the creation of this work. There are many of you, and I truly value your contributions.

© 2013 Nick Storring

all tracks SOCAN

www.nickstorring.ca

www.scissortailrecords.com

Supplemental- Blouin Artinfo article about Nick’s recent practice the première of Terminal Burrowing at the AKOUSMA Festival, October 2013

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