January Moon ...

Oculus No.3

"Years ago you said,

"In essence, I am matter of light."

And even now, whenever you rest

on the broad shoulders of sleep,

or even when they cast you

on the numb breast of the sea,

you seek corners where the blackness

has worn off and does not persist;

groping, you search for the appointed spear

to pierce your heart

that it may open to the light."

On A Ray Of Winter Sun,  George Seferis

Art, Music & Time ...

Changing Seasons is the new CD by the Absentee Ensemble.
Recorded live at the New Arts Program - St. John's UCC in Kutztown, PA on September 21st of 2012.
True to the Ensemble's fashion, digital data was remixed and aurally enhanced through the magic and expertise of Bruce Siekman's Studio in New Jerusalem, PA.

The concert was an intense, one hour and seven minute experience of live improvisation, tape loops, samples, and pre-recorded environmental sounds synched with more that 1200 images of paintings, drawings, and nature images relating to the four seasons and Spirit of Place at Harryn's Studio.
Thomas Kort accompanied Harryn's bass and compositions with keyboards and sound events.

Ron Shira, contributing writer for the Reading Eagle, accurately portrayed the event in this review.

Michael Stephans, jazz drummer and musicologist, describes Harryn's music in the following comments:
In jazz and other improvisational music, we often say that our work glimmers and shines and resonates best when we are truly in the moment; that is, all parts of the cosmos are in alignment with one another and all of the elements of our work seem to spontaneously fit together in a mysterious but wholly welcomed and effortless fashion. The best music is like that. It stays with you long after the final notes have evaporated into the air or perhaps found their way to a higher starlit plane. Paul Harryn's artistry resonates in much the same way and reflects his love of the work of such musical luminaries as  master saxophonist John Coltrane and composer John Cage. He builds a foundation which honors the modern masters, yet moves quickly away into a deeply personal realm unlike any other. In short, he is not only a visual and aural improviser whose command of melody, harmony and rhythm on both the canvas, keyboards, and bass is formidable, but he is also an important visionary -- an artist whose work ebbs and flows before our eyes and through our ears, creating a bridge between stillness and movement that stays with us long after the music of sight and sound  has ended.

A short video of the event is available on vimeo.

A.W., publicist