For the most up-to-date information about what I am up to, go to beingart.com .
I am, among other things, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, instrument maker, educator, and bandleader. I live in Memphis, TN; travel fairly extensively in the US (with plans for more traveling abroad); and own an arts-based business, Being:Art, with artist/landscape architect/dancer/designer/educator Anne Wike. I have performed with such artists as The Meters, Galactic, Robert Randolph, Paul Winter, and Clyde Stubblefield. I studied classical and jazz tuba at the University of Memphis while working towards a BFA in Music History with a focus on Ethnomusicology. This myspace is simply a way for me to disseminate some of the different musical ventures I am currently involved in.
Info on the musical samples:
"MacNasty" is a very funky loop I created while warming up/practicing for a Moving to Learn Workshop in Nebraska City. It consists of multiple layers of tuba, udu, shakers, body percussion, voice, and brushes on tuba. Just pure fun! Unfortunately, I didnt record it as I layered it, but it turned out so good I hooked up the recorder just so I could capture the final outcome. I plan to rerecord it later and capture everything as it evolves and then see where it goes from there. And yes, that's Anne and I having entirely too much fun doing a little James Brown inspired vocals.
"Memphis Underground" (Herbie Mann, arr. Sean Murphy)
Sean Murphy: mississippi bass harp, didjeridu, shakers, tuba loops, sousaphone
Jason Northcutt: cajon, mbira, drum set
Eric Mullins: tenor sax
Jeremy Shrader: trumpet
This track was recorded for an upcoming release by Electric Room Records here in Memphis. It will be a compilation of Memphis artists playing Memphis related music. The CD is being released in conjunction with the Memphis Tourism Bureau or something like that (I'll get better details up shortly.)
"Unlearning Fear" is an improvised duet for didjeridu and bansuri. Both parts are played by myself. This composition is from the soundtrack of "Learning with Nature", an educational video created for the Dimensions Educational Research Foundation & the Arbor Day Foundation produced by Valerie Cuppens. Val and I have collaborated on 3 videos now, the latest of which is a Public Service Announcement for Dimensions & Arbor Day. Keep your eyes open for it as it will be playing on all the major networks very soon! To view it now, go to arborday.org .
"Floating" is an example of the droning improvisations that I use in the Restorative Yoga class that I play for with Anne Wike teaching every Thursday evening here in Memphis at Midtown Yoga. I send my tuba through a loop pedal which allows me to create atmospheres of sound over which I can choose to play many different sounds (often I also play frame drums, world flutes, didgeridoo, and tibetan bowls in these classes.) For more information, go to http://www.midtownyoga.com.
Enjoy the music and feel free to drop me a line if you would like any additional information.
My World Visitor Map!
