Solo piano originally commissioned for a student film at Sarah Lawrence College. Two variations on a piece for two scenes that began identically before changing, diverging.

Composed by Seth Andrew Bearman
Performance by Martin Goldray

Andagain II

Andagain I

A warm, wintry experimenting gating an ever-changing synth texture (Buchla 100 series) to the intensity of my trumpet improvisation. Three short episodes begin with the same saucy motif.

Recorded on a snowy night in 2018, in the Carriage House Electronic Music Studio @ Sarah Lawrence College

Spice (Clove, Mostly) | pt. i ii & iii

Among the most developed tracks from the project 'Snippets,' this chordal guitar improvisation in a waltzy 11/8 meter crashes like the uneven tide.
I rediscovered this in my sophomore year apartment's tiny, narrow kitchen, coming home alone at one in the morning. I was amazed at the layers and subtlety in the voice-leading and the rhythmic motif (which, in one bar only, switches backward on itself in a devilish twist; see if you can spot that one), for something I played into Samsung Notes' audio recorder on a whim. I had no recollection of recording this, or practicing it beforehand. It was unwritten, unplanned. I put the little phone speaker up to my ear, closed my eyes, and danced with myself.

Discovering this demo was the impetus for creating and publishing 'Snippets' under my other recording name, Small Batch Campari.

'Snippets' is retroaural album of glorified demos, created to release my all-but abandoned song ideas and sound experiments without intention of finishing them; also meant to highlight and demystify my songwriting process in the year or so from 2017-2018. Primarily guitar improvisation on cell phone recordings, manipulated and slightly mastered in Audacity. 'Snippets' can be heard for free over on the Small Batch Campari bandcamp site.

Released May 26, 2018.

Dance With Myself

A piano and drum kit free improvisation, which asks, lingers, and then shuts itself away in its own troubling thoughts. At times shimmering and boisterous.

This is the final track from the dark, distinctly dissonant free-improv sessions that came be the Small Batch Campari release 'Buzzing Breath.' This track, "The Dextrous," is a departure from the rest of the collection, a more contemplative and connected duo between myself (piano) and my friend and close collaborator, Sam Kurzydlo (drums). Forgive the sound quality, we trysted away in the basement of our college's music building in the final minutes before it closed at 1am to bang this one out.

'Buzzing Breath' can be heard for free over on the Small Batch Campari bandcamp site.

Released February 11, 2018.

The Dextrous

This is me on trumpet, playing Art Farmer's beautiful melody over "Darn That Dream" from his 1958 album 'Modern Art.' This is one of my favorite jazz standards, and Art's take showcases the endless variations a player can get out of this head with just a bit of imagination. This is my own transcription.

Darn That Dream

Omit/Transmit Orchestra debuts 'Orbituaries' live at Burlington Bar on Feb. 12, 2025. This is the first version of a multi-movement piece about the soloistic nature of life, energy, and panic, set in a solar system of unique planets, represented by each instrument.

The music is largely improvised according to a main structure (a format written together by the group, called Orbits), with two partially-improvised interludes. This performance is fully instrumental: electric guitar, violin, upright bass, flugelhorn, and 3 synthesizers.

The piece incorporates theatrical elements for the stage. The six musicians each have a personally-selected lamp lighting them in the dark, turned on and off by a footswtich. Over the course of the narrative, a large roll of tinfoil is unfurled between two microphone stands to act as a canvas, a metallic planetary surface, which players manipulate by crinkling, drawing on it with fingernails, or even ripping and dismantling it.

To learn more about O/TO and how dramatic, experimental music is improvised live, read at: https://sethandrew.bearman.us/portfolio-items/omit-transmit-orchestra/

Omit/Transmit Orchestra - Live @ Burlington Bar 02.12.25

This chapter, this book, for the unheard musician and composer.
songs | new music | sound experiments

Seth Andrew Bearman

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