Tim Daisy: Percussion
Matthew Dotson: Guitar
Dan Mohr: Harmonium, Voice
William Jason Raynovich: Cello
Tobin Summerfield: Contrabass
Katherine Young: Bassoon

Engineered by Nick Broste at Strobe Recording, June 7th, 2012

Mixed by Dan Mohr at Experimental Sound Studio

•••

On January 12th, 2012, after hitting a rock which tore a 50-meter hole in its hull, Carnival Cruise Lines' Costa Concordia listed, ran aground and capsized, its entire starboard side submerged in the sea. The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, who deboarded well before all the passengers were evacuated, encountered a storm of world-wide censure for his handling of the tragedy, and was charged with multiple counts of manslaughter. Thirty-two passengers have been confirmed dead (including one 5-year-old girl), and 2 remain missing; the ship spilled a large amount of fuel, which continues to threaten the local ecology. 

Following the incident, the press released incriminating videos of the crew's lackluster reaction in the ship's bridge, as well as audio recordings of phone calls between Schettino and Coast Guard Captain Gregorio Maria de Falco. In these recordings, Schettino repeatedly makes sheepish excuses as to why he is not on board the ship assisting in the evacuation of its passengers, despite all of de Falco's heated threats about the dire consequences of Schettino's conduct. 

‹‹ ho fatto un guaio, non sto scherzando ›› (which translates as "I made a mess, I'm not kidding") is the first movement of a larger, to-be-completed work that takes a cinematic view of the tragedy from the points-of-view of both Schettino and de Falco, as well as an omniscient (and somewhat sympathetic) narrator. The text comprises a collage of material from transcripts of the exchange between the two captains, and from Italian articles about the tragedy (and their online comment threads) deciphered by Google Translate. Accompanying the players is a time-stretched and digitally manipulated recording of one of the aforementioned phone conversations between the captain and the Coast Guard.


"The rescue seen
from the head of a policeman:
Schettino, sitting on the rocks,
looks the tragedy
and could do it again.

Costa Concordia:
the cards of the harbor,
crisis of the cove...

After all:
EVERY LEADER IS A DISGRACE."

‹‹ ho fatto un guaio, non sto scherzando ››

A valentine for Casey Ryan Mather. Written and recorded 02/14/14.


•°•°•°•°•°•


The call came in 'round quarter to one.
You sounded so upset
and I was so concerned
I nearly coughed up a lung.

I'd left the scent of vetiver in your beard.
The words you said were maybe the prettiest I'd ever heard.

You said we had won.
You said we were one.

This morning
you drove my heart to Itasca.
Don't you know a polar vortex is due?
Do you think you'd bring it back if I ask ya?
Because I don't know what I'm gonna do
without that part.

No artful tissue regeneration,
nor a night class in space-time manipulation
could do what you're doing for me.
So the only place I want you to be is with me,
home from Schaumburg safely.

Itasca

cover of Scott Walker's "It's Raining Today" from Scott 3.

It's Raining Today (Scott Walker cover)

Recorded March 13, 2012 at Hyde Park Art Center, as part of resident artist Sarah Best's Dance Films Kino programming. The ensemble played blindfolded, accompanying dancer Mikey Rioux's dance film, "Richard Rioux July 4, 1926 - July 11, 1995."

Clifton Ingram: guitar
Jeff Kimmel: clarinet
Dan Mohr: harmonium, voice
Katherine Young: bassoon

Richard Rioux July 4, 1926- July 11, 1995

Horde:
Ben Babbitt: Pump Organ, effects
Alex Inglizian: Juno 60, effects
Dan Mohr: Vocoder, effects
Tyson Torstensen: Ensoniq ESQ1

Recorded 10/10/12 at Experimental Sound Studio by Alex Inglizian.

HORDE: 101012

My contribution to Whistler Records' Glad Cloud Ambient Music Series Vol. 1 compilation. Composed and performed and recorded by Dan Mohr, additional vocals by David Seeber.

Dan Mohr

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