Death Ambient
Encyclopedia
Death Ambient is a United States
experimental
and ambient music
trio
comprising Kato Hideki
(bass guitar), Ikue Mori
(drum machines) and Fred Frith
(guitar). The group was formed by Hideki and Mori in 1995 and recorded two albums, Death Ambient in 1995 and Synaesthesia in 1999. A third album, Drunken Forest with guest Jim Pugliese
was released in 2007.
ese bass guitar
ist Kato Hideki
, and founding member of Ground Zero
, moved to New York City
in 1992 where he began working with a number of musicians, including John Zorn
, Marc Ribot
and Christian Marclay
. In 1995 he encountered and began collaborating with Japanese drummer
and composer Ikue Mori
. Mori had moved to New York City in 1977 and joined DNA
as their drummer, without ever having played drums before. After DNA disbanded, Mori took to experimenting with drum machine
s which she modified to play samples
. To enhance their sound, Hideki and Mori asked English
experimental guitarist Fred Frith
to join the group. Frith, founding member of Henry Cow
, had lived in New York City for 14 years and collaborated with many of the experimental musicians there. According to Mori, the aim of Death Ambient was "... to create sounds and texture extravaganza and we invited Fred Frith to be a soul in it."
Death Ambient recorded their first album, Death Ambient at Green Point Studio in Brooklyn
, New York City in 1995. The ambient music
was a collection of improvised
pieces that included Mori's drum machine generated sound samples. The album was released the same year in the New Japan series on John Zorn
's Tzadik
record label.
In 1997 American
guitarist James Plotkin
temporarily replaced Frith for a United Kingdom
tour that included concerts in London
and Stirling
. The London concert was broadcast on BBC Radio 3
's show, Mixing It
.
Frith rejoined Death Ambient in 1998 and the trio gave a concert in , Germany
. It was the first time the original trio had performed together as a group. In June 1999 they returned to New York City to record their second album, Synaesthesia, using material from the concert in Germany. It was also released on Tzadik Records in 1999.
In May 2007, after six years in the making, a third album, Drunken Forest with guest percussionist Jim Pugliese
was released, also in Tzadik's New Japan series. The trio (without Pugliese) performed the album live at John Zorn's not-for-profit experimental music performance space, The Stone on May 4 and 5, 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
and ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
trio
Trio (music)
Trio is generally used in any of the following ways:* A group of three musicians playing the same or different musical instrument.* The performance of a piece of music by three people.* The contrasting section of a piece in ternary form...
comprising Kato Hideki
Kato Hideki
Kato Hideki is a Japanese musician and composer. He was a seminal member of the Tokyo Noise music scene of the late 80s and early 90s, collaborating with Japanese experimental musicians such as Otomo Yoshihide, Tatsuya Yoshida, Makigami Koichi, and Yamatsuka Eye. He led his own bands, Player...
(bass guitar), Ikue Mori
Ikue Mori
, also known as Ikue Ile, is a drummer, composer, and graphic designer.-Biography:Ikue Mori was born and raised in Japan. She says she had little interest in music before hearing punk rock...
(drum machines) and Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
(guitar). The group was formed by Hideki and Mori in 1995 and recorded two albums, Death Ambient in 1995 and Synaesthesia in 1999. A third album, Drunken Forest with guest Jim Pugliese
Jim Pugliese
Jim Pugliese is an American percussionist, drummer, composer and international recording artist on over ninety CDs of experimental, jazz and rock music.His performing experience is diverse...
was released in 2007.
Background
JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist Kato Hideki
Kato Hideki
Kato Hideki is a Japanese musician and composer. He was a seminal member of the Tokyo Noise music scene of the late 80s and early 90s, collaborating with Japanese experimental musicians such as Otomo Yoshihide, Tatsuya Yoshida, Makigami Koichi, and Yamatsuka Eye. He led his own bands, Player...
, and founding member of Ground Zero
Ground Zero (band)
Ground Zero was a Japanese noise/improvisation band during the 1990s led by guitarist and turntablist Yoshihide Otomo that had a large and rotating group of performers with two other regular performers-Musical style:...
, moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1992 where he began working with a number of musicians, including John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
, Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and composer John Zorn.-Biography:Ribot was...
and Christian Marclay
Christian Marclay
Christian Marclay is a Swiss-American visual artist and composer.Marclay's work explores connections between sound, noise, photography, video, and film...
. In 1995 he encountered and began collaborating with Japanese drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and composer Ikue Mori
Ikue Mori
, also known as Ikue Ile, is a drummer, composer, and graphic designer.-Biography:Ikue Mori was born and raised in Japan. She says she had little interest in music before hearing punk rock...
. Mori had moved to New York City in 1977 and joined DNA
DNA (band)
DNA was a No Wave band formed in 1978 by guitarist Arto Lindsay and keyboardist Robin Crutchfield. Rather than playing their instruments in a traditional manner, they instead focused on making unique and unusual sounds...
as their drummer, without ever having played drums before. After DNA disbanded, Mori took to experimenting with drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
s which she modified to play samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
. To enhance their sound, Hideki and Mori asked English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
experimental guitarist Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
to join the group. Frith, founding member of Henry Cow
Henry Cow
Henry Cow were an English avant-rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade together, but drummer Chris Cutler and bassoonist/oboist Lindsay Cooper were important long-term members...
, had lived in New York City for 14 years and collaborated with many of the experimental musicians there. According to Mori, the aim of Death Ambient was "... to create sounds and texture extravaganza and we invited Fred Frith to be a soul in it."
Death Ambient recorded their first album, Death Ambient at Green Point Studio in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York City in 1995. The ambient music
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
was a collection of improvised
Free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician involved. The term can refer to both a technique and as a recognizable genre in its own right....
pieces that included Mori's drum machine generated sound samples. The album was released the same year in the New Japan series on John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
's Tzadik
Tzadik Records
Tzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by the eclectic composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995; Zorn is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases...
record label.
In 1997 American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
guitarist James Plotkin
James Plotkin
James Plotkin is an American guitarist and producer, famous for his role in bands such as Khanate and OLD, but with an extensive catalogue outside these bands. He has performed guitar duties for bands Phantomsmasher and Scorn and continues to remix tracks for bands such as KK Null, Nadja, Sunn...
temporarily replaced Frith for a United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
tour that included concerts in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
. The London concert was broadcast on BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
's show, Mixing It
Mixing It
Mixing It was a radio programme showcasing experimental music. Its original remit was to showcase "crossover" music that blurred the established boundaries between genres...
.
Frith rejoined Death Ambient in 1998 and the trio gave a concert in , Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It was the first time the original trio had performed together as a group. In June 1999 they returned to New York City to record their second album, Synaesthesia, using material from the concert in Germany. It was also released on Tzadik Records in 1999.
In May 2007, after six years in the making, a third album, Drunken Forest with guest percussionist Jim Pugliese
Jim Pugliese
Jim Pugliese is an American percussionist, drummer, composer and international recording artist on over ninety CDs of experimental, jazz and rock music.His performing experience is diverse...
was released, also in Tzadik's New Japan series. The trio (without Pugliese) performed the album live at John Zorn's not-for-profit experimental music performance space, The Stone on May 4 and 5, 2007.
Members
- Kato HidekiKato HidekiKato Hideki is a Japanese musician and composer. He was a seminal member of the Tokyo Noise music scene of the late 80s and early 90s, collaborating with Japanese experimental musicians such as Otomo Yoshihide, Tatsuya Yoshida, Makigami Koichi, and Yamatsuka Eye. He led his own bands, Player...
– bass guitar - Ikue MoriIkue Mori, also known as Ikue Ile, is a drummer, composer, and graphic designer.-Biography:Ikue Mori was born and raised in Japan. She says she had little interest in music before hearing punk rock...
– drum machines, (since 2007) laptop computer - Fred FrithFred FrithFred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
– guitar
Discography
- Death Ambient (1995, CD, Tzadik RecordsTzadik RecordsTzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by the eclectic composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995; Zorn is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Synaesthesia (1999, CD, Tzadik RecordsTzadik RecordsTzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by the eclectic composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995; Zorn is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) - Drunken Forest (2007, CD, Tzadik RecordsTzadik RecordsTzadik Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in avant-garde and experimental music. The label was established by the eclectic composer and saxophonist John Zorn in 1995; Zorn is the executive producer of all Tzadik releases...
, U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
)