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Gino Robair
"...holds the listener captive as he oscillates between the accidental and the
intentional; between the tiniest, most delicate noise
and a torrential outpouring of sound." -San Francisco Bay Guardian
"Robair is an enormously talented percussionist, with a thorough-going
musicality and an instinct for the unexpected." - The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD
"Robair has taken the notion of open-ended improv to its logical endgame;
milking maximum-impact rhythms from the most unlikely sources."- Jazziz
Gino Robair is a percussionist,
music journalist, and published composer living in the
San Francisco Bay Area. Gino frequently tours North America and Europe
as a soloist and often improvises in ad-hoc groups.
He has performed and/or recorded with Anthony Braxton, Tom Waits, John Butcher, LaDonna Smith, Otomo Yoshihide,
Eugene Chadbourne, John Zorn, Nina Hagen, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Myra Melford,
ROVA Saxophone Quartet, The Club Foot Orchestra, and he
is a founding member of the Splatter Trio.
Gino Robair
selected discography.
Further Information:
Interviews with Gino Robair
Bettine, Michael (2001),
Percussion Profiles, Soundworld Books (2002)
Bettine, Michael (2001),
Percussion Deconstruction Avant no. 18 (Spring 2001)
Prestianni, Sam (2000),
Tales From The Junkyard S.F. Weekly (June)
Ito, Glen (2000),
Gino Robair interview All About Jazz Online (May)
Nai, Larry (1999), Gino Robair interview. Cadence, vol. 25, no.11,
(November).
Morgan, Jon (1999), A Different Drummer, Signal to Noise, no. 10,
(March/April).
Ryan, Jim (1999),
Gino Robair interview Outside, no. 8, (March).
Rsnes, Thore (1997), Upptcktsresande i Ijud, Grnslst, no. 3,
(September).
Smith, Damon and J. Lindsay (1995), Heavy Metal Dust Pan, Something Else!!!, #1.
Writings by Gino Robair
Diary of a Meta Percussionist (1999), Rubberneck, no. 30.
Singular Pleasures (solo percussion improvisation):
Gino Robair has developed a
unique approach to the ordinary drumset by treating the drums as both a
complex resonator and a secondary sound source. Each drum head is divided up
into sections using mutes, preparations and heavy objects (such as an
automobile muffler). The partitioning of the heads develops organically
throughout the course of a performance, changing constantly and incrementally.
For example, a towel might be placed over 3/4 of a drum head, on which
resonant objects are placed, sometimes overlapping and colliding with each
other, often falling off of the drum and striking other objects on the floor.
Typical preparations include towels and cloth mutes, duct tape, paper, metal
clamps, small cymbals, wood blocks, glass and ceramic tiles, chains and
marbles. Objects are stacked and toppled from each drum. Things occasionally
break or explode.
Gino has also expanded the traditional stick choices to include a variety of
implements that strike or rub the instruments. These include battery operated
devices (such as the Black and Decker hand mixer), metal files, bows,
balloons, game calls, rubber balls, marbles, knitting needles and other
household objects. Sometimes cymbals are struck against the drums or each
other. Any sound is fair game, and the safety and well being of the
instruments themselves are never a consideration.
Gino treats other percussion instruments (and some string instruments) in a
similar fashion, though the possible element of damage is minimized depending
on the durability of the instrument involved. Vibraphones and Marimbas lend
themselves quite well to the use of preparations and mutes, as well as guitars
and mandolins.
Gino Robair vs. Gino Robair: The Virtual Duet:
In these performances, Gino uses specially designed compact discs (CD-R's) of
solo performances to create an improvised "virtual" duet with himself. These
CDs are unmarked so that it is difficult for the performer to learn or
remember what is on each track, which leads to a more realistic duo situation.
It's as if you know how the other person plays but you never know what they're
going to do next. In these performances, audience members are often invited to
"play" the CDs, adding an additional element of surprise to the performance.
What on earth is an EBow Snare?
Using a pair of EBows (electromagnetic devices designed to sustain guitar
strings), Gino is able to play melodic material using the metal snares of his
snare drum. Different pitches can be played by stopping or stretching a snare
strand with the fingers. The timbre is somewhat reminiscent of the Theremin,
especially when a contact mic is used to amplify the snares.
"The theremin in my life"
Gino uses a late 60's Maestro theremin that he bought in a pawn shop in Reno,
Nevada for $70. (It was sitting next to the typewriters...) It's odd as far as
theremins go because the antennas are diamond-shaped plates, and
the volume antenna works contrary to other theremins: closer means louder. Run it
through a whammy pedal, envelope filter, pitch shifter, distortion, and you
get...noise!
Gino has used his theremin on a number of recordings including:
Club Foot Orchestra - "Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat" for CBS
Eric Muhs/Myles Boisen - "Notochord" (Invisible)
Vacuum Tree Head - "Oob Eye Works" (Megaphone)
Eskimo - Some Prefer Cake (Vaccination)
Theremin vs Ebow Snare (7" on Lucky Garage Recording Co)
Festival and Performance Highlights:
DuMaurier Jazz Festival: Vancouver, BC, Canada (June 2001)
Time Flies Festival: Vancouver, BC, Canada (February 2001)
Dreamin' California Festival: Palermo, Italy (December 1998)
Angelica New Music Festival (soloist): Bologna, Italy (May 1998)
New Music Circle (soloist): St. Louis, MO (April 1998)
Subtropics Festival (soloist): Miami, FL (March 1998)
San Francisco Jazz Festival: San Francisco, CA (October 1997)
London Musicians Collective Festival (soloist): London, UK (May 1997)
Seattle Improvised Music Festival: Seattle, WA (March 1997)
Anthony Braxton Tri-Centric Ensemble: New York, NY (October 1996)
Birmingham Improv Festival (soloist): Birmingham, AL (August 1996)
San Francisco Jazz Festival: San Francisco, CA (November 1995)
Art of the Improvisers (w/ ROVA Sax Quartet): San Francisco, CA (April 1995)
Birmingham Improv Festival (soloist): Birmingham, AL (April 1995)
Otomo Yoshihide/Carl Stone (w/Splatter Trio): Berkeley, CA (April 1995)
Anthony Braxton Tri-Centric Ensemble: New York, NY (February 1995)
Tallahassee New Music Festival (soloist): Tallahassee, FL (January 1995)
Alternate Currents Ensemble: (soloist): San Francisco, CA (December 1994)
October Revolution Festival: San Francisco, CA (Oct. 1994)
University of Alaska (soloist/lecturer): Fairbanks, AK (September 1994)
Glass Slipper (Splatter Duo w/ Paul Plimley): Vancouver, BC (September 1994)
Bumbershoot Music Festival (w/ Splatter Trio): Seattle, WA (Sept. 1994)
Percussive Arts Society International Convention (soloist/lecturer):
New Orleans, LA (November 10, 1993)
The post-set stage...
(Photo by Steve Malagodi)
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