research – Han-earl Park

April 11, 2024April 11, 2024

‘Contiguity’ (#onetakestudy Nº 8)

My latest study in the #onetakestudy series is a super simple, quick little improvisation. This one is partly a response to some of the issues I had with study Nº 6. This study does, I think, what it needs to do, and no more. Enjoy.

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

April 4, 2024April 16, 2024

‘Don’t Overthink It’ (#onetakestudy Nº 7)

I came away from a session with Kaffe Matthews with some fragments of ideas—not themes, barely motives—let’s call them random arrangement of atoms. This study is an unprepared (without even a warm-up) first-run of some of these. Think of it as a soup made from whatever’s at hand.

I’ve taken the title for this latest study (‘Don’t Overthink It’) from an album by Corey Mwamba. (I hope you don’t mind, Corey.)

Kaffe and I are performing on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at REH (Kopenhagener Straße 17, 10437 Berlin).

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

March 26, 2024March 26, 2024

‘Bees on a Summer Day’ (#onetakestudy Nº 6)

Latest in my series of single-take improvisations, the title for this one is taken from Laurie Anderson’s United States (I hope she won’t mind). And lighting design again courtesy of the Berlin sky.

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

March 16, 2024

‘Halt’ (#onetakestudy Nº 5)

Latest single-take improvisation, this one is, in part, a response to the shortcoming of study Nº 4. Of that study, I wrote:

There’s aspects of this I really, really don’t like. I hate that it’s that constant, artless thud-thud-thud through out. But there’s some parts—the way it’s contoured like waves—that might be salvageable. [Source…]

Let me know what you make of this one.

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

March 10, 2024

‘Grace’ (#onetakestudy Nº 4)

Latest improvisation part of the ‘#onetakestudy’ series. Enjoy! (I honestly couldn’t tell you if that’s an ironic title.)

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

February 22, 2024February 22, 2024

‘Drift After’ (#onetakestudy Nº 3)

A quick, ‘no-prep’ improvisation as part of the ‘#onetakestudy’ series: here’s what my guitar sounds like, straight out-of-the-case, the day after a gig. (Guitar tuning thanks to Aidan Baker and Katharina Schmidt, plus lighting design courtesy of the Berlin sky.) Enjoy!

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

January 30, 2024

‘On The Way Out’ (#onetakestudy Nº 2)

A quick one-take made before heading out. A simple, take-a-line-for-a-walk improvisation as part of the ‘#onetakestudy’ series. Enjoy!

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

October 25, 2023October 29, 2023

‘Rain Day’ (#onetakestudy Nº 1)

A ‘first-take’ made on a rainy day. First in a new series of studies (‘#onetakestudy’) that folows on from the #lockdownminiature series, and on parallel tracks to #spliceimprov.

I’m not 100% sure this improvisation holds focus entirely for its duration, and it could do, for my taste as a listener, with more contrast, but it meanders in a pleasing way. A kind of reverie on an overcast day. Enjoy.

As the looper becomes more a part of my sound, I begin to again question the disconnect between gesture—visible, weighty—and the auditory. As I watch myself in play (in video playback), I find myself alienated from the experience. [Read the rest…]

See the pinned comment to read my thoughts about this piece, and what I think doesn’t work about it.

Out on NEWJAiM Recordings

Of Life, Recombinant (NEWJAiM9) [details…]

Personnel: Han-earl Park (guitar) with Anne Wellmer (voice on track 4).

Track listing: Game: Mutation (5:38); Naught Opportune (≥ 10:42); Are Variant (≥ 8:06); Of Life, Recombinant (≥ 29:22). Total duration ≥ 53:48.

updates

10-29-23: added quote, and link to the pinned comment.

July 25, 2023July 25, 2023

SPLICE: ‘Trace,’ A Study

An experiment: testing out ideas for a piece, and a preview of a work-in-progress. The piece will premiere on October 13, 2023 at KM28 (Karl-Marx-Str. 28, 12043 Berlin).

See the performance diary for up-to-date info.

Gefördert von initiative neue musik berlin e.V.

April 26, 2023

‘Babel’ (#lockdownminiature Nº 22)

A ‘first-take’ ditty (it’s been a while since I posted a straightforward improvisation without any videographic or compositional concerns). I think maybe the first thirty seconds or so is a bit shaky, but I’m pretty happy with my playing here overall. I think it shows what I’ve been interested in, and working on, in regards to my approach to the guitar in the context of improvisation.

And a big, big thanks again to Musikfonds / Neustart Kultur for enabling me to continue, and build-on, these studies.