Oa is a collaboration between writer Hugh Behm-Steinberg and experimental musician Matt Davignon. Using CDs, tapes and samples from a growing pool of speakers, Oa breaks spoken language down to abstract sound elements, which are then improvised into musical textures and
passages

Oa's first CD was released on Edgetone Records in February 2015:  https://edgetonerecords.bandcamp.com/album/oa

Matt's solo music can be heard at: https://soundcloud.com/matt-davignon

THMPR is a Portland-based improvisational music project that was given birth on April 5th, 2016 and evolved from multiple late night sessions. Ralph Huntley, Jason Driver, Count Kellam, Jose Medeles and the other wordly Ralph Carney (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, B52's) met on a dark and beautiful musical plane. Instantly finding rapport and commonality amongst shared musical and experimental tendencies, THMPR began hosting improv sessions once a month at different studio and rehearsal spaces. 

It was questioned whether it would even translate to a live stage, and in August of 2016 that question was answered. Since that foray into the public eye, THMPR has only performed live, finding their current drummer Jason Carter (Frank Black) in December 2016 live on stage. 

January 2017, THMPR joined James Dineen and his radio show "Sessions from the Box" live in the studio for a monumental live improv performance, which was aired on his radio show and filmed live.

After several more shows, it was discussed amongst the band that it was time for an album. In May of 2017, THMPR did what they always did, came into the studio, set up their equipment and hit record. As the first piece unfolded, it was so appropriately the first track, as they continued through the rest of the songs, they all fit into place, in the order they were conceived. This ultimately determined the track listing. The album is as yet, unreleased.

THMPR continued in 2017 playing multiple venues, building a devoted base for their quirky, live exploration in sound. It seemed as though there was a bottomless well from which they could draw their ideas.

In December of 2017, Ralph Carney passed away unexpectedly. It was an overwhelming loss for us as a group, and it was quickly acknowledged how pervasive his spirit was in the musical community. We joined with thousands across the world in celebrating his legacy. THMPR realized that, if anything, he brought the rest of us together. With special guests such as Steve Berlin (los lobos), Ezekial Brown (Chocolate Giant) and others, we could continue to bring our special brand of improv to a stage near you.


Edward Schocker is a composer and performer who creates music with made/found materials and alternate tuning systems.

I like to be introduced as a "MUSICAL TRAVEL-AGENT".
ONSTAGE I'm mostly playing an Easel K (Buchla Modular Synth) and The Pipe (from SOMA Lab) which allows mouth-synthesis... I also manipulate unique vinyls with my sounds/musics, assaulting turntables to take advantage of the vinyl material to fondle released sounds, raking the needle across the record's grooves, rubbing their stylus on paper, cardboard, metal to process unusual noises and textures. I have a physical relation to my recordings and envision my live sets like performances. 
Gesture is also a very important part of my compositional process... While composing I am also relying on the use of real instruments such as Cymbalom, Pianos, Guitar and Percs that I play like a kid discovering a new toy, improvising and attaching great importance to gesture and stressing dynamics. My moves aren’t consensual, not cozying up potential listeners. A Punky approach even if throughout the past years I have been following courses of Composition + Electroacoustic Music at the Conservatory, specializing in Modular Synthesis. 
Pushing further my research in bringing together the Human and its Machine into a tapestry of sound which creates a deep sound assemblage of exotic Musiques Concrètes which guarantees to grow on you with repeated listens, slowly revealing its detailed richness…

charkrem is following