| The question for musicians like myself has become
this: with venues for Jazz and Avant Garde diminishing each year,
how to present one's artistic output to the public? This small
website is my attempt at a positive response to the challenge.
This is a personal favorites selection of what I am fortunate to have been involved in over the years as a percussionist. The recording quality of the various tracks ranges from studio quality to audio tapes of jam sessions. While selecting the pieces for this page, recording technique became less of a focus than the desire to share, on a broader basis, what has in some cases been stored in the proverbial shoe box. If you have any comments for me, feel free to drop a line.
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Gesso
Petting Zoo Picture The World (And You're Not In It) Petting Zoo Don't Go Gentle Into That Good-Night Petting Zoo Joe Bartone - guitar Roger Leo Pelletier - bass Peter Gresch - drums These tracks were recorded at Danger Recording Studio/RI/USA in 1994 and were released on tape under the title "Off Like A Prom Dress. We recorded 5 songs in under two hours and the tracks were not really mastered, but they do capture the energy and artistic drive of us pretty well. Petting Zoo existed for less than a year before we all went separate ways. Joe Bartone, now, lives in Los Angeles, CA and Roger Pelletier calls Williamsburg, VA his home. Summer of 2010 may see the birth of another Petting Zoo recording. )
(click image)
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 Freedom Jazz Dance
QAZBolivia QAZ Robert "Buzz" Buzzerio - tp Kenny Carpenter - bass Peter Gresch - drums Recorded at Cats & Dogs Records in Providence/RI/USA in 1998 and released on CD under the title Alternate Routes For a number of years QAZ played the Arcade, the Custom House and the Pelham House in downtown Providence. With no guitar or piano to supply the harmonic cushion, the instrumentation made this a rather unusual trio. We relied a lot on energy and chutzpa at times to keep the audience engaged. Basically our sets featured only two ballads; the rest was decidedly "up". For more information click here. |
 Color
And Movement Wagner-Morsey-GreschTouisset Point Wagner-Morsey-Gresch Excerpt of Touisset Point with Photo Gallery Thorsten Wagner - piano Alex Morsey - bass Peter Gresch - drums Recorded at Sound Exit Records in Dortmund/Germany in 2009 and
released on CD under the title Touisset Point. A watershed recording
for me.
For more information about this CD please go to www.worldcometrue.com
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Foot Steps In My Soul
Steve Dawson / Peter Gresch This is a recording of a song written by Steve Dawson and performed by Steve and myself in 1993. This track was never released. Steve Dawson died in 2008. |
 Mother's Hands
WujiChris Turner - wind-&key Synthesizers, Rachel Maloney - synth violin Peter Gresch - percussion, cymbals (bowed and struck), gongs, bells * Recorded at Alea Studio in Providence, RI/USA in 2005 and released on CD under the title Cader. For more information, please go to www.wujimusic.com
* Recorded at Alea Studio in Providence, RI/USA in 2002 and released on CD under the title Ieldra Wings Chris Turner - wind-&key Synthesizers, Rachel Maloney - synth violin Peter Gresch - percussion, cymbals (bowed and struck), gongs, bells For more information, please go to www.wujimusic.com
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The Dance of Forgetting
The Third Program Chris Turner - flute, Winnie Lambrecht - percussion, Bob Jordan - modified guitar, Peter Gresch - glockenspiel, cymbals Recorded at the Second Story Theatre, Providence, RI in 1995 The 3rd Program is a Free Form music ensemble based in Rhode Island and has been performing for 20 years. The improvisations are always exploring new territory and often cross the assumed demarcation between music and performance art, as with this piece where at the core lies the sounds of a dance. |
| Drei Strassenszenen
(Three Street Scenes)
Wagner/Gresch
Der Nachtclub (The Night Club) Regen, 2 Uhr morgens (Rain, 2am) Haltestelle Am Werk (The Stop At The Factory)
Thorsten Wagner - piano Peter Gresch - drums set with added percussion Recording of three improvisations; Dortmund, Germany 1987
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In
C
The MaxiMinimals (Chris Turner conducting)
Terry Riley (composer) The classic minimalist composition performed for First Works on Sunday, October 5th 2008 at the RISD Auditorium in Providence, RI. For more information, please click here.
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Summer Guests Of Utopia
The Third Program Chris Turner - trumpet, Peter Gresch - marimbaphone, Winnie Lambrecht - percussion, Loren Mitchell - percussion, bass Mike Dee - drum set, Rachel Maloney - violin Recorded at the Second Story Theatre, Providence, RI in February 1995 "Summer Guest Of Utopia" paraphrases traditional style elements with the usual 3rd-Program intent to let the quirkiness of the music evoke strong imagery and internal dialogue in the listener. |
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Blutiger
Alltag
Firlefunk & Ralf Thenior Ralf Thenior - voice, Ansgar Striepens - trombone, Ralf Werner - cello, Peter Gresch - drums, Gil Mehmert - guitar , Joachim Striepens - saxophone, Ralf Meyer - bass, Guido Wellers - flugelhorn Recorded live at the Galerie Der Bogen in Neheim-Hüsten, Germany in 1983. )
This piece turned out to be the first collaboration between cellist Ralf Werner and poet/novelist Ralf Thenior. Many more were to follow. Blutiger Alltag is a composition by Ralf Werner and Ralf Thenior performs a poem from his book Traurige Hurras. The sound quality is poor, yet this is such a memorable coming-together of a handful of young musicians - mostly between 18 and 20 - and the poetic voice of an excellent German writer, that I had to include it. The title translates as Bloody Ordinary Day, and we surely played it with that certain German sense of angst.
Manhattan Firlefunk & Ralf Thenior Recorded live at the Stadtbücherei Werne, Germany in 1983.
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Sun (Music Of Changes)
3rd Program
Beneficent Church, Providence RI, 2009
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