http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet Stet Lab is a space, based in Cork, Ireland, for improvised music. A celebration of the diverse practices of improvisation (whether you call it free improvisation, open improvisation, idiomatic, non-idiomatic, pan-idiomatic, etc), Stet Lab is a musical meeting place for improvisers of varying backgrounds (whether novice, veteran; student, teacher; part- or full-timer; local or visitor). Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:13:37 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Normally, nothing runs through my head when improvising. Occasionally, a thought will suggest, in an unobtrusive way, “Oh, that’s quite cool, you should copy that”. Or, as when I was first messing around with extended techniques on my bass, “My luthier’s gonna kill me…” But, at this Stet Lab, for ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/07/30/lab-report-july-10th-2008-consequences-of-a-noisy-head/ It’s good, I think, to think tactically about improvisation, and group improvisation in particular. You know, however, that you’ve lost the game in improvisation when you’re preempting the music. You don’t want to be thinking this is how it should be, goddamnit, and I will fit that square piece into ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/07/25/lab-report-july-10th-2008-fitting-the-square-piece-into-that-triangular-hole/ Audio recordings of the July 10th Stet Lab are now online. A very warm thanks to Mike Hurley who not only demonstrated his abilities as, to quote Eoin Callery, a “sh*t-hot pianist”, but also demonstrated his generosity as a performer. Thanks to Neil O’Loghlen for keeping Mike company on stage. And thanks, ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/07/14/stet-lab-july-10th-2008-audio-recordings/ The Cork Indy has a little article on Mike Hurley and Stet Lab. [Mike Hurley:] “I have improvised in quite a free and gestural way since I was too young to know what free improvisation and free jazz were. …Like anything there was a fair bit of ‘trial and error’ when ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/07/10/stet-lab-and-mike-hurley-in-the-cork-independent/ This month’s evening of improvisations and extemporizations will take place this Thursday (July 10th). The ninth Stet Lab will feature guest artist Mike Hurley on piano, who will be joined by bassist Neil O’Loghlen. [Details…] The evening’s second ‘rhythm section’ will be The Real-Time Company (for the Ad-Hoc Association) of… Tony ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/07/07/stet-lab-july-10th-2008-reminder/ I’ve often wondered what goes through an improviser’s head during group improvisation. The improvised public performances I’ve participated in before have been more like improvised compositions in a sense—one person takes charge, or there’s a kind of plan vaguely sketched out (usually with the proviso that things might happen differently). ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/07/07/lab-report-june-12th-2008-thoughts-of-a-newbie-improviser/ Next Stet Lab (featuring Mike Hurley) will be on Thursday, July 10th 2008, Ó Riada Hall, UCC Department of Music, Sundays Well, Cork, Ireland [map…]. Please note the new venue and earlier start time! Up-to-date details… Stet Lab featuring Mike Hurley plus The Real-Time Company (for the Ad-Hoc Association) of… Thursday, July 10th 2008 7:30pm ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/06/27/stet-lab-july-10th-2008-update/ There’s a lot to be said for being the odd-one-out: you can be lazy. There’s also a lot to be said for putting two ‘alikes’ together; be it the same instrumentation, or people who share a name. Okay, AFAIK, tactically, as an improviser, that latter factor doesn’t make an iota of ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/06/26/lab-report-june-12th-2008-being-the-odd-one-out/ “This was possibly the noisiest ‘hoedown’ ever.............................................” —Everybody’s sub-conscious Anyway, it began with several short burst to get things started, from the house band of the evening. This comprised Eoin Callery (mountain dulcimer), Susan Geaney (flute), Tony O’Connor (bass guitar) and Barry Twomey (guitar). A very well behaved bass player who ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/06/17/lab-report-june-12th-2008-noisiest-hoedown/ The next Stet Lab (featuring Mike Hurley) will be on Thursday, July 10th 2008. [Details…] Please not that, due to circumstances beyond our control, there is unfortunately likely to be a last minute change of venue. Please sign-up to the list or subscribe to the news feed to stay up-to-date. [More ... http://www.busterandfriends.com/stet/2008/06/15/stet-lab-july-10th-2008/