Early Fall 2022 Newsletter
Dear Friends,
Being flexible seems a necessity these days for many reasons. For us, Covid created a little staycation and resulted in the canceling of our much anticipated Summer MilkBar event. We'll try again next Summer.
In the meantime, I have been studying musicianship. The time feels ripe for this as I am beginning a sequel to my recently premiered Quarry sound installation piece. The idea is that this fundamentals study and practice will deepen and inform this next work, to understand better what I am doing when I swirl around in my studio in ways that sometimes seem like a mystery.
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in this issue:
+A House Concert
+Musicianship
+From Quarry to Landfill
+A few feature articles
HOUSE CONCERT
FEATURING MARK GROWDEN AND MYSELF
We will be presenting a house concert here in Cotati on Saturday, October 1st at 8PM • $20-$100 sliding scale (NOTA)
The evening will include listening to my Quarry piece, as well as Mark Growden performing a set of his music.
Please RSVP to this email to make a reservation. Space is limited.
MUSICIANSHIP
In the Summer I began musicianship lessons with Mark, who had an artist residency here this June and July. He is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, choir director, jaw harp expert, painter, and teacher.
Working with Mark has been illuminating and humbling on many levels. His background and experience run deep. He is a passionate, present, and challenging teacher who doesn't miss a thing.
I now see this practice as an essential component to becoming the musician I wish to be and something to work on ad infinitum.
Mark is currently accepting new students. I would highly recommend lessons… you might not know how fun they are until you try!
Mark can be reached at: markgrowden@gmail.com
For more about Mark see: markgrowden.org
FROM QUARRY to LANDFILL,
EXTRACTION to REFUSE
Projects based on local issues continue to be a focus for me, and having completed the Quarry sound installation piece, I am shifting to shine light on a local landfill. I will begin by collecting field recordings and interviews at the dump in Petaluma. I was driving there the other day when I saw signs for road closures on Roblar Rd. Curious, I took the familiar and beautiful country road until I was rerouted at the quarry site where they are indeed beginning work by widening the road. As I made my way past, I could see materials being laid out on the hillside.
After around 40 years of efforts to construct this Quarry and with near-unanimous opposition from the community, the ground is finally being broken. I feel for the watershed, the neighbors, and the tiger salamander there. Please read more at merlinman.com/quarry (scroll toward the bottom of the page) if you are interested in the short history I have written on the issue.
You can now hear the entire Quarry work in a stereo mix here: merlinman.com/quarry.
It is intended for a quadrophonic system, but I think this version does it justice pretty well.
ARTICLES in MAGAZINES
I was pleased to be interviewed for articles in two publications this past Spring. One about the farm I helped to start and another about my story, the artist residency, and the community here on the land.
You can read the full articles here: merlinman.com/news-calendar
being (on) social (media)
I am sometimes engaging in the world of social media. Please find/follow/join me?
Instagram: @merlincolemann
Bandcamp: merlincoleman.bandcamp.com