ABOUT MERIDIAN GALLERY EXHIBITIONS:
Meridian Gallery opened its downtown performance and exhibition space in the summer of 1988 with a show curated by Rolando Castellón (co-founder and first director of the Galería de la Raza) called Drawings from the Fourth World. That arresting show of work by seven San Francisco Bay Area artists from seven cultures and ethnicities set the pattern for much that was to come: Performances of music, film, poetry, occasionally – dance – and from the beginning, Saturday Afternoon Forums, where dozens of interdisciplinary artists have given voice. By “The Fourth World” Castellón (who was also the curator for the SF MOMA “MIX” program), meant “…that space that exists between geographical, political, and aesthetic borders.” That space is the one that Meridian with its shows, events and concerts of New Music consistently explores. The interns program is sited at the core of the gallery.
Influences
Meridian Interns Program [MIP]
The MIP is a paid internship for low-income teens from all over San Francisco in which Artist Instructors integrate art-making workshops with training in job-related skills such as gallery management, art installation, curating, writing and publishing a magazine. The Society for Art Publications of the Americas applies for support to sustain its Meridian Interns Program which uses a designated studio in its non-profit Meridian Gallery as a base for experiential work in the arts. Youth are taught by a team of five or six artists. Conceived as a natural offshoot of the programming of Meridian Gallery, MIP transforms the knowledge and energy of the people and resources associated with Meridian Gallery into a unique educational experience, providing approximately 34 youth each year the chance to work with and learn from professional interdisciplinary artists.
Meridian Music: Composers in Performance is a monthly concert series featuring performances of experimental, electronic and acoustic, and improvised music. Tom Bickley is currently the curator of the series, and welcomes proposals from performers. Performances take place on the second Wednesday of every month at Meridian Gallery, a non profit exhibition and performance space in downtown San Francisco.
Past performers include: Pauline Oliveros, Fred Frith, Chris Brown, Carla Kihlstedt, India Cooke, Walter Kitundu, Philip Gelb, Joelle Leandre, Brenda Hutchinson, Larry Ochs, Matt Ingalls, Gino Robair, Carl Stone, and many others.
Recorded: live on March 16, 2003 at the Beta Lounge in San Francisco
In 1967, San Francisco’s Fifty Foot Hose were certainly one of the
innovators of a sound that took Psychedelia to new heights and was
captured on the band’s one record, Cauldron. They are a totally
unique hybrid—on one hand pulsating bay area acid rock, on the other,
fractured electronic freakery, becoming one whole cohesive being. The
sci-fi-ish video game-like artwork hinted at the sounds within, as did
the Limelight label’s pedigree for truly progressive sounds. Band
leader, Cork Marcheschi, used homemade electronic devices to create
crude and experimental soundscapes and instrumental compositions that
were sprinkled throughout the album.
Often starting shows with a swelling rumble that exploded into the
first song, they soon developed a rabid following on the SF scene,
though there was the occasional totally wrong gig, like when a
very-pregnant Nancy had to perform at a Catholic Girls’ school! Still,
the group wowed the crowds, performing with greats like Chuck Berry and
Fairport Convention.
I have some incredible shows coming up. I really hope you can make it out.
Austin: NOISE @ Light Bar Saturday, May 9th NOISE @ Light Bar Saturday, May 16th NOISE @ Light Bar Saturday, May 23rd NOISE @ Light Bar Saturday, May 30th DAMIAN LAZARUS @ Light Bar Thursday, June 11th BENNY BENASSI @ Club Rio Thursday, May 21st
Outsound Presents Luggage Store Gallery New Music Series 1007 Market St. @ 6th Street SF
8:00 PM Phillip Greenlief's birthday party! with solo saxophone improvisations
9pm "Duology" Michael Marcus/Ted Daniel duo CD release tour (NY)
"Duology is one of the most exciting jazz partnerships we’ve run across in a long time. On their self-titled Boxholder debut, clarinetist Michael Marcus and brassman Ted Daniel—two undersung veterans with a lengthy shared history—demonstrate a finely tuned duo concept; writing duties are shared, and the improvisations display the kind of rapport and structural logic that could arise only from years of collaboration." - Time Out NY
¡Oye!, es buena musica, y Buenos nuevo año! (I mean), ¡Buenos año nuevo! He, he, he! (I just like to clear up that since I was born in the U.S., a Puerto Rican American who likes to speak my own style of spanish language. And make you wonder because it's a mixture of english and spanish!) Have a Happy Nuevo Year!!! 2008!!!! -Jose'
december, 29 2007 first church of the buzzard 2601 Adeline Street 150 (enter on 26th Street - look for sign with buzzard), Oakland, California 94607
come out to celebrate the close of another year in babylon! we’ll have some snacks and beverages and live music from some friends from providence and local oakland improvisers the mis-spelled trio.
the first church of the buzzard is a west-oakland loft occupied by my pal vincent avalos - a multi-discplinary mexican-american artist originally from los angeles...it’s a great space with massive sculptures and artwork. come check it out!
