These intermixed sound fragments come from the Sound, Space and Politics session of the 2020 Annual Conference of the American Association of Geographers. Exploring themes of sonic borderlands, racialized epistemologies of sound, sounds and grief, audism and more, these clips consists of snippets from conference talks, non-verbal audio segments ranging from music to soundscapes to ethnographic field recordings submitted by authors, and supplementary mixing, improvisation and sound design that I contributed. 

Contributors in rough order of appearance

Alexander Liebman, Rutgers University
Gabriele Woolever, University of British Columbia
Natasha Rennolds, University of East Anglia
Michelle Collins, University of South-Eastern Norway
Alexander Margulies, University of Alabama
Katerina Manioy, University of Athens
Gill Harold, University of College Cork
Luke Leavitt, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sound Space Politics Mixtape

05 10 2022a Maybe

Commissioned and performed by the IU New Music Ensemble directed by David Dzubay and conducted by Andrew Downs. Recording and Engineering by Ben Wesenberg and the IU Audio Engineering Department.

Maujem is a deep exploration into my cultural upbringing and its dissonance in my current life, and an attempt at synthesizing the two emotionally. The title and much of the musical material is drawn from an Afghan proverb that my parents repeated to me many times as a child:

موجیم کی اسودگی ما عدم ما هست
ما زنده بر انیم کی ارام نداریم

We are waves, for our being is in unrest. 
We exist to be in motion

IU NME:
Tierney McClure, flutes
Renae Dishman and Jake Pierson, Clarinets
Lauren Hallonquist, Bassoons
Terrence Perrier, Horn
Daniel Lehmann, Trumpet
Lawson Quisenberry, Trombone
Josh Catanzaro, Piano
Seare Farhat, Live Electronics/Voice
Hannah Newsome and Carl Tafoya, Percussion
Jack Bogard and Bryson Karrer, Violin
Maeve Wheelan, Viola
Jaemin Lee, Cello
Will Kline, Bass
Andrew Downs, Conductor

Maujem (موجیم) for sinfonietta and live electronics

Andrew Smiley - Guitar
Danny Fisher-Lochhead - Alto Sax
Will Mason - Drums, Electronics
at MayDay, Providence RI

Andrew Smiley, Danny Fisher-Lochhead, Will Mason may 22

Andrew Smiley, Danny Fisher-Lochhead, Will Mason mayday may 22 pt 2

Vaughan String Quartet premiering Ka Spoojmai Shwa Poh Hala Ke by Seare Farhat at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity Evolution: Quartet in Summer 2022.

Ka Spoojmai Shwa Poh Hala Ke (like the halo around the moon...)

John Coltrane, "Central Park West" 
12.31.22

adieu, '22 / central park west

A live recording of the premier of a solo bass piece, written and performed for a concert of five different realizations/interpretations of James Tenney's "For Percussion Perhaps, Or... (Night)" (1971). Adapted/extended from an etude I wrote about a year ago with the purpose of training my ears and fingers for extended just intonation and microtonal shifts. The title alludes to both Tenney and to Tartini tones, of which I attempt to achieve expanded versions.

Performed December 21st, 2022 at Common Sage.
Ari Smith - Contrabass
Special thanks to Tim Russell and Liz Sexe for putting together the event.

Tar-Tenney Tones (for Solo Contrabassist)

For Bass Collab July 2023

melody

Steve Lacy -- Feline 
Ganelin Trio -- Vide 
Musician's Wren -- Musician's Wren 
Takehisa Kosugi -- Improvisation No. 4 
Laminal Anamil -- Electrostatic Fields on Felt 
Beatrice Harrison and nightingale -- Londonderry Air 
Nate Wooley -- (........) 
Dr. JK Sutherland -- Armenian Melodies Pt. 1
Maria Monti -- Il Pavonne
Kit Downs -- Kings 
Nancy Harrow Feat. Bob Brookmeyer -- You Go To My Head Christina Vantzou -- Glisten I
Laminal Anamil -- Dogs Roving Into the Distance 
Erik Kramer -- Rain for the Field

Feb_March Mix

Jazz and avant-garde bassist and contemporary classical composer, graduated from Oberlin Conservatory and College in 2019. Now pursuing a PhD in non-musical things at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and active on the Wisconsin improvised and experimental music scene.

Professional Website: https://ari-smith-research.github.io
Most recent release: https://avoidancepolicy.bandcamp.com/album/junct

Tar-Tenney Tones (for Solo Contrabassist)

Ari Smith

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Seare Farhat

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