David Bernabo with Assembly: Owl Barns, Daniel Newman, Chris James, Brandon Masterman, and on record, Will Dyar, Clarence Grant, Julie Sokolow, Jairan Sedeghi, Josh Beyer, Raymond Morin, Jessica Fenlon, Ben Harris, Lindsay Clark, Lars and Scott
Influences
Recent Listening: The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca, Morton Feldman - Rothko Chapel, Matthew Herbert Big Band - Goodbye Swingtime, Conlon Nancarrow - Studies for Player Piano IV, Paul Giger - Ignis, John Cage - Four Walls, Explorer Series - Java Court Gamelan
Current Reads: The Eclipse and Re-Emergence of the Communist Movement by Gilles Dauve and Francois Martin, Miles by Miles Davis
Comprising two years of writing and recording, David Bernabo + Assembly’s Happener-Magicker presents a sweeping concoction of pop, jazz-rock, and modern classical, all with a subtle anarchist twist. The 25-piece Assembly includes Julie Sokolow (Western Vinyl), Will Dyar (ex-Oakley Hall), and the core Assembly live band of guitarist Daniel Gene Newman, II, drummer Owl Barns, bassist Christopher James, and saxophonist Brandon Masterman.
The shape-shifting group collaborates through a maze of harmonically intricate pieces from the swift rhythms and atonal beatbox of “Sub-Saharan” to the clipped structures of “Saxton” to the altered rock forms of “The Newest Thing” and “The Eclipse.” “Out There” combines Sokolow’s voice with prog guitar figures, achieving a triumphant blast of reassurance in the face of social downfall. The avant-funk of “Mahler Box” provides the greatest punch of politics, bleeding out lessons from Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky, Rudolph Rocker, and Kropotkin, all behind of haze of electronics and saxophone solos. The album closes with “My Gun”, a gentler ballad that sums up themes and hints at future work for Bernabo and Assembly.
During the two years of assembling this album, Bernabo completed a number of projects, all of which informed each other. In 2008, Bernabo collaborated with Corey Layman on the score to Nintendo WiiWare’s Critter Round-Up, utilizing a guitar technique later used in “The Library.” Performing in the 22-piece HiTEC, an improvising multimedia ensemble based on instructions, led to the more theatrical nature of Happener-Magicker, represented in the artwork and poster series.
The artwork by Owl Kahol depicts the Provo movement's concept of police officers transitioning into social workers in 1970s Amsterdam, but the concept can be applied on a higher level to governments and justice systems, in general. Looking at America's past with oppression of social democratic governments in Argentina, building prisons instead of developing social programs, and overlooking the criminality of corporations while imprisoning workers, the contradictions between what law enforcement and law officials put on paper and the actions of these forces tends toward farce. A poster series displaying the Happener-Magicker characters with either messages of super-capitalist interests or solutions for future is currently being circulated in Pittsburgh. The poster series will also be available in special promotions.
The culmination of these ideals, some new musical avenues, and a few admittedly fanatical detours into the music of Frank Zappa, Eberhard Weber, and Marvin Gaye, has produced an album brimming with excitement, a true assemblage of today’s environment.
oh n the stones, the pogues, the clash, a bunch like that, bowie, clapton, george harrison, lennon, even the Smurfs are missing...he had like 100 or so, kind of blue...miles smiles...monk, yeah whateva ya borrowed we'd love back-evening dance parties here! the speakers in every room, now we have ur record
yeah i remember there being, beatles, supertramp, the eagles, black crowes, the monkees, miles davis, blues, rock, the kinks maybe..steve martin...etc -there was a lil blue crate of like 20-30 records u had of dads...we only have a few left here-mostly elvis christmas...thanks
Hi, I'm pleased to announce that "Toughts of Rabbits Are Rabbits" album is finally OUT and it's available on iTunes at a very special price. Just click on the image here below to be redirected on iTunes:
hey dave / assembly- congrats on the new album, it really really sounds great. i couldn't make it out to the release show, but i heard it was amazing. hope to see you guys around soon. -matt / mariage blanc
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![Rainstation Zero [ALBUM PREMIER]](http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/112/s_758ac4d276e044548f221d5fbb31ce76.jpg)