Last week, the Oberlin Improvisation and Newmusic Collective (affectionately known as OINC) hosted CarnivOINC: a series of lectures, workshops, and concerts on campus, focusing on the art of improvised music. Visiting Professor of Electronic Music Per Bloland, Director of OINC, organized the five-day event, and helped to bring professional improvisers to campus to work and perform with students. These special guests included duo Tim Feeny and Vic Rawlings, duo Mike Strauss and Dana Jessen, duo Mike Bullock and Seth Cluett, and local musician Aaron Dilloway (founding member of the noise group Wolf Eyes).
From Tuesday through Saturday, the visiting improvisers worked in various capacities with Oberlin students, members of OINC, and community members. Public workshop events included an electroacoustic instrumentation and hardware workshop with Vic Rawlings, and a lecture entitled “Rehearsal Techniques of the BSC” given by BSC members Rawlings and Tim Feeny. The visiting professionals also worked privately with OINC members and TIMARA students in rehearsals and workshops throughout the week, showing examples of their work both inside and outside the realm of improvisation.
The first CarnivOINC concert took place Wednesday night in Fairchild chapel. The show began with a set from Feeny and Rawlings, and was followed by a set from the duo with eight members of OINC. Thursday night’s show featured one set from Mike Strauss and Dana Jessen with seven members of OINC, and Friday night’s show featured a set from local ensemble WAM (Women’s Art Music), followed by a set from Mike Bullock and Seth Cluett with seven members of OINC. Saturday night’s concert was the CarnivOINC grand finale, beginning with a set by Aaron Dilloway with nine members of OINC, followed by two sets from Dilloway with the OINCestra, which featured every member of OINC alongside all of the event’s visiting guests.
This legendary event was the first of its kind at Oberlin, and did an extraordinary job of both showcasing and strengthening Oberlin’s improvised music scene. Find more information about CarnivOINC here.
On March 15 at 7:00pm, WOBC will broadcast a concert directed by the new Director of Orchestras for the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Raphael Jiménez. Tune in at 91.5FM in Lorain County or listen online.
The program features excerpts from Maestro Jiménez’s debut with the Oberlin Chamber Orchestra: Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and three movements from the Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1, featuring violinist Nathan Lesser, currently a senior at Oberlin. It was originally aired on WQXR New York as part of the McGraw-Hill Companies Young Artist Showcase.
Thanks to Sugar Ray Ballard for coming out to WOBC’s 2nd Annual Block Party and bringing the good weather. We all had a blast. Can’t wait for next year!
WOBC would like to thank everyone who came out to see Ray Ballard at the 2nd Annual Block Party this Saturday. Stay tuned for some videos and pictures from the event. In the mean time, have a look at this video featuring Ray at Richard’s Premier Lounge in Lorain, introduced by Mr. P, Baby Blue, and Betty Crocker from WOBC’s It’s About Time Thursdays 2-4PM.
On Tuesday, April 12, Concert Board presents a night of local underground hip-hop featuring Mista Leo, Yung Slink, Gator & Kidd, Srill Gates, Pro, and J-Storm. The show costs $2 w/ OCID and $4 without, and will take place at the ‘Sco. All artists hail from either East Cleveland or Lorain. Facebook Event
Tune in to WOBC this Thursday from 2-4PM for Sugar Ray Ballard’s live performance on “It’s About Time” with Mr. P, Baby Blue, and Betty Crocker. On Sunday Stella, Elissa, and I got a chance to see Ray bring down the house at Richard’s Premier Lounge in Lorain. We had a great time and can’t wait to hear him on the radio. Make sure to check out these videos of Sugar Ray on youtube.
Every Friday at 12:15 pm, the Oberlin jazz community gathers for Jazz Forum at the Cat in the Cream, where audience members are treated to short sets from 2 or 3 of Oberlin’s small jazz ensembles.
This week, freshman pianist Shea Pierre led his sextet in a set of demanding original compositions, all written by members of the group. Despite the challenging nature of the chord changes and arrangements, the group played with confidence and cohesion, resulting in a fantastic half-hour of modern jazz.
Pianist Julia Chen’s quintet followed with a fine set of more traditional pieces. The group showed off its large dynamic range, startling the audience with a classic Dizzy Gillespie bop composition at blazing speed, and following with the slow, rollicking blues that Roland Kirk composed for his own funeral march.
