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1.
Artificial Life 2007: Page One 10:00
2.
Artificial Life 2007: Page Two 18:40
3.
Free Improvisation 19:54

about

GIO first worked with George Lewis in 2003 when he came to Glasgow with The International Composers and Improvisers Ensemble from Munich. That first collaboration took the form of a joyous large workshop lead by George and a stage filled to bursting with musicians from both ensembles. We maintained links with George and in 2007, commissioned him to write a new piece for us. The resultant composition, Artificial Life 2007, was first performed in December of that year and is a key composition for the band in terms of opening up new possibilities for large ensemble improvisation. Exploring these possibilities with George was a watershed moment for us. The final rehearsal, where we played completely free, was so powerful and liberating that we felt it marked a real development for GIO, so we released it as a CD: Metamorphic Rock. However, the recording of the premier of Artificial Life was lost and we had to wait until 2012 and our 10th anniversary festival to record this piece, again with George playing. This time we were also lucky to have one of our other great collaborators and source of inspiration, Maggie Nicols, join us.

George's approach explicitly gives musicians permission to play freely but in a way that retains respect for other people's aesthetic and personal sensibilities within an overarching structure of collective responsibility. Rather than technical virtuosity the piece requires, and perhaps engenders, a type of social virtuosity: virtuosic listening and virtuosic decision making and problem solving. Whether or not we achieve these goals is for others to decide, but we always aimed for this ideal. George's original programme note is included below.

One of our drummers, Rick Bamford, had to rush off to hospital halfway through the recording session to be at the birth of his daughter. Georgina was born before the rest of us finished recording. This CD is dedicated to Marianna Georgina Bamford with our love.

- Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra, October 2013


Artificial Life 2007 is designed to realise a model of group improvisation based on negotiation and local intelligence. The work is composed in two parts, either or both of which may be performed as desired, consisting of a set of instructions, presented graphically on a grid. The moment of execution and the kind of sounds and silences produced are chosen according to the improvisers considered judgement unless indicated otherwise.

Although structural components and sonic gestures do recur throughout the work, in performance the use of intuition and snap judgements are preferable to teleological thinking, and attempts to articulate or impose global form are entirely eschewed by both composers and performers. As with all improvisations, including our everyday-life human efforts, all aspects of the performance are achieved through negotiation and consensus, and the success of the performance is less a question of individual freedom than the assumption of personal responsibility for the sonic environment.

- George Lewis, December 6th 2007. Glasgow.

credits

released October 1, 2013

Personnel:
Rick Bamford - drums
Stu Brown - drums
George Burt - acoustic guitar
Neil Davidson - electric guitar
Robert Henderson - trumpet
Fergus Kerr - French Horn
George Lewis - Trombone
George Lyle - Double Bass
Nicola MacDonald - Voice
Raymond MacDonald - saxophones (alto & soprano)
Jim McEwan - Rhodes and electronics
Una MacGlone - double bass
Nicole McNielly - trombone
George Murray - trombone
Peter Nicholson - cello
Maggie Nicols - voice
Anne Rankin - oboe
Emma Roche - flute
Gerry Rossi - piano
Liene Rozite - flute
Armin Sturm - double bass
Graeme Wilson - baritone saxophone

Recorded at the CCA, Glasgow on 02.12.12
Recording engineer - Kenny MacLeod
Mixing - Jim McEwan
Mastering - Shawn Joseph at Optimum Mastering
Produced by Una MacGlone and Raymond MacDonald
Paintings by Raymond MacDonald

With thanks to Creative Scotland and CCA

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Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra Glasgow, UK

Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra is a large improvising ensemble of around 20 musicians from diverse artistic backgrounds. They perform across the UK and Europe, host an annual festival of improvisation and run regular events.

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