01 Gathering – side 1 (21:38)
02 Gathering – side 2 (21:34)
Daniel Barber: assorted percussion
Patrick Barber: electric bass
Amy Denio: alt. saxophone, voice
Catherine Holmes: amplified cello
Jeph Jerman: drums
Ernst Lung K.: trumpet & amplified trumpet
Nick Sherman: electric guitar
Mary Shokes: electric violin
Adem Tepedelen: electric guitar
Hyla Willis: amplified loom, voice
Total time 43:12
LP coreleased by Giardia Recordings, Fusetron and Carburetor Records, WORM 003 – FUSE 006 – BRT 004, USA, 1995.
Hand-painted cover with stickers.
Blowhole was founded in 1987 in Colorado Springs by percussionist Jeph Jarman and the Barber brothers, with Scott Hiller, Fil Rodriguez and Dr. Soule. At one point there was one Blowhole in Colorado Springs and another branch in Seattle when Patrick Barber moved there. Starting 1987, Jeph Jarman also ran his Hands To solo electroacoustic project, turning to what he calls ‘concussion’ when playing with Blowhole – actually, an assortment of scrap metal objects including hubcaps, as is the case on this LP. Blowhole issued nearly 50 releases between 1987 and 1998, with some CD-R reissues in the 20th century. The music on ‘Gathering’ is culled from live and studio recordings from 1994. The fairly short tracks are interwoven to form 2 long suites. Some tracks are straight free jazz numbers with prominent saxophone and regular drumming, while others are more noisy rock affairs. Some are group efforts, while others are solos by one band member. The music would work perfectly as a soundtrack to a Rauschenberg painting: large scale, ironical and collage-like. This incarnation of Blowhole includes 4 women: Amy Denio, Catherine Holmes, Mary Shokes and Hyla Willis, the latter credited with ‘amplified loom’, an interesting nod toward Industrial Age, I guess.
Great album.
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Below: ‘Gathering’ LP alternative covers found on the net (each unique):
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The loom is a small, black “Structo Artcraft Loom.” The upright portion is about the size of A4/letter paper. I amplified it by affixing or rubbing homemade piezo contact microphones to the surfaces and using the loom percussively. At the time I thought it was funny to be using a “ladies machine” in the era when it was very hip to be having metal grinders & such in shows (& still do). And, the loom had a good range of sound-making possibilities, though it is not always easy to differentiate it from the other “assorted percussion.”
Thank you, Hyla. I will listen to the LP again and concentrate on the amplified loom’s sounds. Thanks for dropping by.
Hi,
Thanks for posting this. Blowhole was actually started by Jeph in 1987 as a solo project into which he invited various participants. In 1990 he formed the live unit that would release many tapes and the first LP, “A Love Extreme.” That unit was Jerman/Soule/Rodriguez/Barber/Hiller, and when (Scott) Hiller jumped ship, my brother Daniel stepped in as concussionist.
In 1991 I moved to Seattle and Jeph moved to Tucson AZ a couple years later, and as you mention we started two Blowhole units, one in each place.
Cheers
Patrick
Thanks Patrick for the info. I didn’t want to make Blowhole sound like a one man project in the first place. Though I’m not familiar with the early recordings, I feel ‘Gathering’ is a collective (even communal) effort with welcome contributions by musicans from a different background.
Nice blog you have, by the way!