Pexo: A Soundpainting Symphony CD

Using a technique he calls "soundpainting," Walter Thompson composes the way a visual artist might approach a large canvas, with broad, sprawling strokes that mix colors in wildly rhythmic swirls. Thompson's "system" encourages musicians to improvise based on hundreds of different signals (approximately 90 of which are used here) that he conveys during a performance, not entirely dissimilar to Butch Morris' conduction technique or Anthony Braxton's approach to some of his large-scale projects. This version of Thompson's orchestra contains only a few names that are immediately recognizable, including trumpeter Rob Henke and trombonist Christopher Washburne, but Thompson builds on the strengths of the collective, using it in effect as his instrument, the way that Duke Ellington did. The six movements of "PEXO" are intended to aurally translate and spoof a trip to a television studio, and include a game show, a news program, recording crews, and preparation of the studio audience. The three actors speak the various parts, with the orchestra accompanying and often taking the lead. The composition can be listened to on at least two levels, as a sort of operatic drama with a loosely based plot, or simply as a stand-alone composition. Either perspective works for the most part, although the dramatic and often humorous voices of the actors and actresses are sometimes unrealistically formal. It is easy to imagine the theatrical versions of the piece being inherently easier to follow and much more satisfying, though the recording forces the listener to imagine the possibilities. From a strictly aural perspective, Thompson's gestures challenge the players to start and go, and engage in cacophonous interludes and clipped solos, often with wondrous results. With so much going on at one time the project runs the risk of imploding, but to Thompson's credit he maintains a stark discipline that keeps it all focused. He is particularly effective at integrating and interweaving complex spoken and instrumental lines. ~ Steven Loewy

Soundpainting is the composing/conducting sign language created by New York composer Walter Thompson for musicians, dancers, actors, poets, and visual artists working in the medium of structured improvisation. At present the language comprises more than 750 gestures that are signed by the composer/conductor indicating the type of improvisation desired of the performers. Direction of the composition is gained through the parameters of each set of signed gestures. Simply put, Soundpainting is live composition created through the use of a sign language. For more information on Soundpainting please visit Soundpainting.comPEXO-A Soundpainting Symphony is a Soundpainting composition based on the concepts of games. Board games, politics, sports, television quiz shows, mind games, pranks, and children's games, among others. PEXO was first conceived as a theater work during a summer residence at the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony in Woodstock, NY. The theater version of PEXO incorporates musicians, dancers, actors, and visual artists. PEXO, the theater work, later premiered in New York City in March of 2002 at the HERE Arts Center.PEXO-A Soundpainting Symphony is an aural representation of the theater work. The symphony is not intended to imitate an evening of the theater version but rather to extend the concept through the recording medium. PEXO is my abstracted sound vision of a visit to a television recording studio-seeing the taping of game shows, news programs, the personalities of the hosts, the technical crew making it happen, and the preparation of the audience and their required participation. PEXO is composed in six movements, each related to the others through the repetition of specific Soundpainting gestures. There were approximately 90 gestures used to compose the entire symphony. PEXO is a live composition, composed in its entirety during the recording session. There are no edits.Walter Thompson - Composer, Conductor, W