New Quarantine Track: "Fields"

Artist Statement | from Neil Welch

“Sacramento-based guitarist Ross Hammond and I have collaborated on two new tracks while in quarantine. Ross and I met years ago on my first tour down the coast. Since then we have grown to become friends and collaborators, working together in one form or another at least once a year. A few days ago Ross sent me two tracks with a simple prompt--"do your thing." That's trust right there.

I am always inspired by Ross' musicianship. He is a deep player, and one of the strongest examples I have of an artist that goes goes goes no matter what. He is also one of the kindest people I know, which makes creating music with him very important to me. From start to finish these tracks were wrapped up in 3 days. I hope you dig them.”

New work debut Friday, Nov. 22nd. "No house on fire, no."

Friday, November 22nd I am thrilled to debut a major new work entitled "No house on fire, no." Scored for 5 musicians (flute, viola, double bass, saxophone, mixed piano/voice) the piece was commissioned by the outstanding performance ensemble Kin of the Moon. This 30 minute work was nearly 1.5 years in the making, and Friday will be our premier.

No house on fire, no. is sonically reflective of natural landscapes and a mediation on a poem by Alaska native poet Joan Naviyuk Kane. You will hear sounds of wind brushing against open fields of grass, breath tightly pushed and pulled from the chest, rhythms hewn from phonetic text painting, and dynamic melodies using tempered and non-tempered tunings. Every musician is asked to use virtuosic techniques on their instrument, with the score consisting of graphic material I developed specifically for this ensemble.

Friday, November 22nd
Chapel Performance Space at the Good Shepherd Center
$5-15 sliding scale
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/464628747728956/

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New Album Available Now: Here to Play

Formed in 2018, Here to Play is a hard-charging trio featuring Kelsey Mines on upright bass, Neil Welch on tenor saxophone / electronics, and Gregg Keplinger on drums and handmade percussion. This collaborative project came to fruition through casual hangs and blowing sessions, with their debut album the result of a shared urgency to document the sounds and moods of their hours spent creating sound together.

The self-titled album Here to Play was recorded during a day long marathon recording session in an old bait shop in Seattle, WA. Here to Play captures the inventive spirit of a hard charging 3 member collective deep in the throes of creation.

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