Performance Archive

Gene Pritsker’s Sound Liberation

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 at 10:00pm Le Poisson Rouge

158 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012

Subway: B,C,D,E,F,V to West 4th Street

Gene Pritsker’s Sound Liberation is based on the philosophy of “ending the segregation of sound vibration.” An eclectic chamber band, Pritsker’s compositions mix classically-infused melodies with rhythms that derive from hip-hop and rock. Praising Pritsker for his multiple talents, The New York Times recently called his work “audacious,” describing “hip-hop turntable scratching (played on a laptop computer), flamboyant tango rhythms, an art-metal guitar solo and occasionally clubfooted beats, yet its Bach-derived framework was always evident.” At Le Poisson Rouge on January 6, Sound Liberation will be performing work from their recent release, Open Up Your Ears and Get Some (Col-Legno Records); the song “No Truth” from the album was featured in the film The Wedding Brothers (Universal Home Videos) this summer. They will also be performing works from Pritsker’s chamber hip-hop opera Money and the VRE Suite to be released next year on Pao Records.

Founded in 1996, Sound Liberation has developed a local following through its performances at Le Poisson Rouge, Joe’s Pub, Drom, the Knitting Factory, the Blue Note, and a variety of other venues. In May 2009 Sound Liberation presented two nights at the Flea Theater, performing Gene Pritsker’s one hour VRE Suite written for the Sound Liberation Quintet and a concert with B3+. In May of 2008 Money was performed at the Etna music Festival in Catania, Sicily and Sound Liberation played in Ragusa, Sicily. Also in 2007 Sound Liberation performed at the Estonian House and presented Money at the Players Theatre and Flea Theatre. The group has performed at the Outreach Festival ‘06 and again in ‘07 in Austria.

Sound Liberation Orchestra Personnel:

Gene “Noizepunk” Pritsker, leader, composer, guitar, rapper

David “Criminal Cello” Gotay, rapper, cello

Charles “Das Kronner” Coleman, vocals

Chanda Rule, vocals

Melanie Mitrano, vocals

Franz Hackl, trumpet

Greg “B-man” Baker, guitar

Dan Cooper, bass

Joe Abba, drums

Astrid Steiner, live visuals

This performance is made possible with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.