Wednesday, December 05, 2007

updates

The concert at Bailey Hall was a success! I'll be posting video as soon as I get it myself. It was a blast, working with the orchestra, woth Chris Kim, the conductor, and with Paul Leary, the composer. I learned a lot on that project.

In the meantime, here's the video of my theremin project, in case you haven't seen it on my myspace page()



Peace,
Adam

Thursday, November 22, 2007

updates

Dear Friends and Fam,

Happy Thanksgiving, hope you and yours are safe and sound...eat hearty!

I am performing with the Cornell Chamber Orchestra, Dec. 2nd, at Cornell's 1000-odd-seat Bailey Hall. I am performing a piece composed specifically for me and the strings, by composer, Paul Leary, Professor at Denison University and Duke University Graduate Student, conducted by Chris Kim.

I am doing the last(this semester) in a series of experimental and improvised music sessions called "Cat and Mouth," here at Risley Hall, Cornell Unviersity. I've had awesome guests, including Hank Roberts, Julie Carney, Tim Feeney, and Eyal Maoz(Tzadik). The next and last one, Nov. 30th, will feature Pete Gerakaris and Jon Price, from the Woozyfly sessions:

www.woozyfly.com/adammatta

Speaking of video, I've put up a clip of my experiments with beatbox, and my new instrument, the theremin, as well as my bike wheel, and samples. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITjHMWibaPo

Still beatboxing for seven dance classes/week at the Dance department. Next week is our last week of classes(already!).

Stay in touch,

Best,
Adam

Friday, September 28, 2007

Monday, September 24, 2007

New Updates


I am working with the Cornell Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Music Ensemble, and we just finished a master class with Simon Shaheen(!) It was immensely enjoyable and educational. I learned a lot. I am drumming with the ensemble for now, but will begin incorporating the beatbox soon.

Please check out these photos taken by Brian Diaz, when I performed at the Re:Cycle Plays in Socrates Sculpture Park, Astoria, Queens, Sept. 15th.





Wednesday, August 29, 2007

End of August Updates

1.)I'm currently an artist in residence at Cornell University's Risley Hall. I am providing programming for the students who live here, based around music, performance and visual art. I'm starting up a bi-weekly music series, with guest artists and open to the university community and local musicians.

2.)I'm currently beatboxing for as many as 6 or 7 dance classes a week here at Cornell. I'm the accompanist for technique, improv and hip hop classes. I'm mostly the only accompanist in the class, providing beats and soundscapes for the whole session.

3.) I am recording a new album, in fact, I already have a number of songs done, I am hoping to add at least one more new track. I am still in the process of getting feedback about the CD, but I'm pretty excited about it. I am hoping to have it done by October, and hope to schedule a CD-Release party sometime late this year, or early next year.

4.) I am performing at the Recycle Plays Festival, September 15th. I will be doing beatboxing, bike drawing performance art and bike wheel sound sculpture performance. My piece is about how the peak oil trend is like the story of Icarus, and my theme is "sacrifice your car(for a bicycle instead)."

5.) I am participating in the launch of woozyfly.com. The start up company videotaped my friends and I jamming at a sweet studio, and will be including our video in their main launch campaign. This project is expected to launch in September, and is expected to draw quite a few people. Big up to DJ Tikka Masala for this one.

6.) Joe's Pub, with Sxip Shirey, September 17th. Not to be missed!

Stay in touch!



Thursday, August 09, 2007

Updates

Just got back from LA for the SNEAKER PIMPS tour; played at the Circus of Awesome put on by Heavy.com/Hot Tamales, on the same bill as Redman, Swizz Beats and Expensive Taste. Was really great to get out to LA.
Played Lincoln Center's Allen Room, with Bora Yoon. Stefano Zazzera, Kaki King and Luke Dubois were also on the bill. The show was incredible, with a naturally-occuring light show in the back drop, as the back wall of the theater looked out over Columbus Circle and the show was timed to coincide with the sunset.
Recording new EP. Will let you know more details as they become available.
Going up to Ithaca tomorrow! Begin residency tomorrow for the fall semester.
Starting up some band projects, one with Pete Gerakaris on guitar, and Jon Price on bass(video to come). Also working with bass superstar Tim Lefebvre, thanks to John McC at Living Jazz Archive. Check the video:

Sunday, July 08, 2007

msg, bma, etc.

Played with Beatboxer Entertainment at Madison Square Garden on Monday, June 18th. IT was for the halftime entertainment at a basketball charity put on by istarfinancial. The six of us, Masai Electro, Kid Lucky, D Cross, Yako, Yo Yo Beats, and myself, performed seven cover tunes, including White Stripes' Seven Nation Army, Missy Eliot's Work It, and Gnarls Barkley's Crazy. Then Semerock and Shockwave joined in and we freestyled till the end, all with Hypno, Pax Prime, and one other B-boy doing they thing on the court with us. We had a dope time, played in front of about 1500 people, although it looked like a small crowd, given the huge venue! and I got to meet and talk with Doug E Fresh.
This past weekend, I played with Toni Blackman at Brooklyn Museum, for First Saturdays. We performed some of Toni's tunes, and she spoke with the audience about her music, her travels(Ivory Coast, Senegal, South Asia, more), and her experiences as a woman in hip hop. She is a powerful speaker and role model, hope to work with her more in the future. Also connected with her guitarist, Tomas, about a project I had recently spoken over the phone with him about, but never met him face to face. Small world..
Last Friday, I played at LEMURplex's Tranzducer party. It was a small crowd, but it was great performing in a room full of musical robots hanging from the ceiling. I played my bicycle wheel, and a new system I have set up with a Chaos Pad and an Ipod. I'm stoked. I have video. Will post soon.
Working on a new album. Almost done...

Monday, June 04, 2007

Love on Ludlow

Last night, there were two events right next door to each other on Ludlow Street. At Piano's, Andy Action was having his wedding celebration, with 16 bands in one night, playing 10 minutes each. At Living Room, The Animators, the band I used to provide percussion for in '03-04, was having their final swan song performance as a band. It was a powerful night, with stunning performances going on simultaneously in both venues. I played at Andy's at 7, got to jam with the awesome Zef Noi$e, and Andy, then bounced over to do the gig with the Animators. Then bounced back. It was a sentimental, hopeful, mushy mushy kinda night on Ludlow St.

Friday, played Rubluad with Sxip(www.myspace.com/sxipshirey) and had a ball. Saturday morning was Root and Branch, which went really well. The kids did an awesome job, and it wasa beautiful day down on the pier on Red Hook. Saturday, I rocked out with the Creamsicles, at the River Cafe in Harlem, got hooked up with great food, the music was dope.

Will play with the Creamsicles again this Saturday in Riverside park. Sxip and I are trying to book some tours for later this year. Will be in touch.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Atomic Duos

The show on Tuesday was dope. Samita, Bora and DJ AK 88 kilt it, we had a great time. Thanks to Here Arts Center, again. Just finished a shoot for Stride Gum. June 21st, you'll see the launch of the online campaign, where you can pick me out of a line up of musicians doing our thing. More on that as it becomes available. This weekend, will be performing as part of the Hip Hop Cultural Center's Rap-a-thon benefit event. We're trying to create the world's longest continuous freestyle. I'll be holding down the beat for a portion of it. Check it out: http://www.globalartistscoalition.org/rapathon_page/index.html

Sunday, April 29, 2007

updates

Just played an amazing gig with Kenny Muhammad, Masai Electro, Krussia and Yo Yo Beats. It was the screening of the documentary, Planet B-Boy(www.planetbboy.com) at the Tribeca Film Festival. 6,000 people came out to see the movie and live shows. I rocked with the beatboxers(I tracked them down when Benson Lee, the director, asked me to get some guys together--I have a song in the film, written by Flavio Lichtenthal). I also rocked with MC/poet/singer Toni Blackman. The day was incredible, a groundbreaking, record-setting convergence of talent and positivity. Congrats to Benson Lee and everyone who made this film. It's a major milestone in hiphop and urban culture. The bboy demonstrations, and the ones you see in the film are unbelievable. My friend Ana says the film is definitely worth buying, and she never says that about any film!

Before that, I played with Sxip at Joe's Pub, great show, man the sound is SO GOOD there. Masai came through and joined us on the last tune, and the rafters started caving in.

Before that, I played at Rebar in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Beautiful space, beautiful time, great beers! Hope to play there again soon.

Been working on Roots and Branches, by Jesse Phillips-Fein, a dance piece working with Arab and Jewish youth. We've been meeting with an awesome Debke troupe from Bay Ridge, incorporating some modern-style gestures into their traditional style movements, and I've been providng all the beats for the runthroughs etc. We'll be performing June 2nd at the Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival. It should be a beautiful, fun piece. I also collaborated with Jesse at her class she teaches at Brooklyn Friends' School, we worked on vocal sounds and the kids came up with some awesome beatbox/vocal effects/throst singing combinations. It was really fun jamming with them all.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Panama City

Tonight, I'm playing at this fine event:

LOVE
tuesday, 20 march, 2007
7pm until
QT Hotel
125 west 45th street
(swimwear encouraged)

In other news, I just got back from Panama City, FL. Heavy.com flew me down there--they found me on the web--and I performed with nine other talents--a contortionist, a b-boy, a yoyo pro, etc. The crowd decided who was the hottest and who was the coolest, they decided I was the coolest, and I won a snowboard! The event was sponsored by Hot Tamales Ice. There is video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLwVMpq1euo. The event was on the beach, at a Spring Break party beach house, with a wakeboard demonstration in the afternoon. It was a lot of fun. I had a great time meeting, performing and chilling with everyone.
Before that, I was at Cornell, doing the live score to a dance performance. The piece involved ten different-style groups coming out and dancing, and I beatboxed for each one and tied everything together. We had great crowds all four performances, but man was it cold!
More soon,
Adam

Saturday, March 10, 2007

updates

Dear Friends and Fam,

I’ve been touring, having a great time in Ithaca, NY, as well as performing at Exploris Museum in Raleigh, NC, and Wake Forest University. Tonight is the third night of “N2 Da Fu Cha Cha,” the dance piece which I’m scoring with live beatbox, at Cornell University; it’s been going really well. Next week, I’ve been invited to perform for Heavy.com, at their unveiling of a new online video channel, “Circus of Awesome.” That’s in Panama City, FLA, which I’m looking forward to, after the Ithaca snow squalls and wind. Then I end up in DC for the East Coast Acappella Summit, performing and giving workshops with Yo Yo Beats(great beatboxer). This is Mar. 23-25.

In other news, Splicemusic.com is an online music editing, sampling and sharing site; they recently had a competition to mix music solely created from the voice, and I ended up winning the comp! You can check out my profile at http://www.splicemusic.com/user/amatta/

Also, I now have music for sale on my myspace page! so check it out, and download some stuff…
http://www.myspace.com/adammatta

There also a clip of me on youtube, if you havent’ seen it yet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Zqh4NR3UM

Keep in touch, hope to cross paths soon.

Best,
Adam

Monday, February 26, 2007

Press

"Matta is the soul of ['Beatbox Bard'], and because his mic covers his face throughout, we only see his impassive almond eyes and his quiet, rhythmic physical presence — until the curtain call, when the mic drops and the person behind the performer breaks through. With throat, tongue, voice and breath he creates not just beatbox rhythms (an urban tradition already a quarter-century old), underscoring or counterpointing the play's action, but an entire soundscape."--Ithaca Journal

"...his ability to remix his own voice is remarkable, at first singing over a synced beat and then slowing it down, speeding it up, dubbing, scratching, even using the layrngeal equivalent of a wah-wah pedal. He's wonderful to watch in these moments, right hand on the mic, left hand flailing in time, drops of spit and sweat flying off him. He must get terribly dehydrated..." -- The Village Voice

Monday, February 12, 2007

more on ithaca and updates

Wanted to let you all know about Bara Sapir's work, check out Www.barasapir.com and www.testprepny.com. I appear on her latest CD project, a test prep music-based study guide.
Ithaca was dope, went out with a bang, Saturday, we had a show in the afternoon, a show at 8(which got a standing ovation), then I went downtown to play an hour improv set with the unbelieveable Bora Yoon(got to meet some awesome Ithaca folks), then went back up to campus for our cast party, where I played for another two hours on Phil's Loop Station, bumping all kinds of beats with Molly, Bennett, Evan and Phil that everyone danced to until the wee hours. Then a show on Sunday. Then a chill cast party at Bruce's house, then a mellow, really fun hang at Bora's friend's family's house for a nice way to wind down a great month in Ithaca. I'm looking forward to going back March 1st to get started on Jim Self's multi-genre dance performance.
Peace y'all, stay warm.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Ithaca Updates

The play, Beatbox Bard, is going excellent. We've been written up in all the local papers, ( i.e., http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070125/ENTERTAINMENT03/701250319/1082, http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17738072&BRD=1395&PAG=461&dept_id=216611&rfi=6). We got a review in the Ithaca Journal(http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070208/ENTERTAINMENT03/702080306/1082), thanks to all the local papers and journalists who have been interested in our show, and in beatboxing in general.
Have been having a great time chilling with Cornell students and faculty. Went to Ithaca College to perform for a Recording Techniques seminar, visited two local elementary schools and performed for over a couple hundred kids, got to sing/beatbox a medley of songs with Fall Creek Elementary, beatboxed for Jim Self's and Jumay (??)'s dance classes here at Cornell, improvising beats for an Explorations and an Advanced Modern class. Last night, Cornell beatboxer and Chem Major, Bennett Fox, had a party at his house, and bluegrass band, the Howling Brothers, showed up, and we jammed together, tearing the low basement roof off the sucka. All in all, Cornell's been a great haul. Two more shows tonight and tomorrow, then it's back to NYC for a gig with Sxip Shirey at Tonic, Feb. 13th. Then it's down south for a series of gigs. In addition to MMC 11, and Exploris Museum, I've been asked to appear on a panel about entreprenurialship at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC. Looking forward to that, and to reconnecting with vocal artist, Lynn Book, an old teacher of mine. Then, I'm actually coming back to Ithaca, I've been asked to beatbox for Open Portal, a major dance presentation featuring a wide variety of styles, here at Cornell. So, I'm coming back to good ol Ithaca. More soon, stay in touch.
Peace.

Friday, January 26, 2007

Video from Makeshift

This is a video that was part of my multimedia show at Here Arts Center. Hope you enjoy it.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Press!

Dear Folks,
I'm excited to say that I have been reviewed in the Village Voice, as part of the Culturemart Series at the awesome HERE Arts Center, where I've been a resident artist for the past year. The article, which is mainly about the space in general, but has a huge picture of my bike wheel sculpture in the print issue, is at http://www.villagevoice.com/theater/0702,soloski,75489,11.html .
Check it out let me know what you think.
Sunday, I go to Ithaca for Beatbox Bard, looking forward to that. Then it's a gig with Sxip Shirey at Tonic, Feb. 13th, then down to Pennsylvania for the Millenium Music Conference, then Raleigh, NC, to the Exploris Museum, where I'm teaching a course in world vocal music mixed with beatboxing. Much afoot, stay abreast, many blessings,
Adam
btw, in February, I will be performing in New York State and Minnesota AT THE SAME TIME. That is, I'll be on stage in Ithaca, with Beatbox Bard, and then in Minnesota, my voice and beats will be heard in the simultaneous production of Marsupial Girl, a fantastic children's musical, written by Lisa D'Amour, and scored by Sxip Shirey.

Followers