Rhys Chatham

Rhys Chatham (New York, September 19th, 1952 -) is a Compositeur, Guitariste and American Trompettiste , whose fields of experimentation approach to the Minimalisme and the Avant-garde. It is known in particular for its " orchestras for guitares" , where it directs several tens even hundreds of guitarists. He lives in France since 1987.

Biography

First years

Rhys Chatham began its musical career like tuner from piano and harpsichord for two pioneers of the musical avant-garde: Assembles It Young and Glenn Gould. He studied then with two figures of the minimalism at the time: Morton Subotnick and Tony Conrad, with which it formed a group. In 1971 whereas it was only 19 years old, Chatham founded and directed during a time the musical program of The Kitchen to Manhattan. Its first compositions as Two Gongs (1971) were inspired largely by work by Young and other minimalists. But quickly, its works gained in importance and amplitude.

A certain number of artists like Maryanne Amacher, Robert Ashley, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk, Pauline Oliveros and Steve Reich took part in its scenic performances and experiments, just as of the musicians of alternative rock'n'roll like Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, John Lurie and Fred Frith. In the years 1980, Rhys Chatham worked much with the plastics technician Robert Longo.

Rock'n'roll influences

From 1977, after having attended the one in the first concerts of the Clean, Chatham and its music was seriously influenced by the movement Punk rock'n'roll. It took share with the emergence of a new musical current baptized later No Wave and which was influenced by the Minimalisme of Tony Conrad. It is this year that Chatham started to play Guitar Trio with Manhattan with Glenn Branca and Nina Canal (of the group Ut). For this period it composed several works for great formations of guitars, and in particular Drastic Classicism for which it collaborated with the dancer Karole Armitage. The members of a group of the New Yorkean scene Noise rock'n'roll, Band off Susans, began their career in the formations of Rhys Chatham. Later, in 1991, they took again Guitar Trio on their album The Word and the Flesh . Same manner, the members of Sonic Youth, group Noise rock'n'roll New Yorkean, began in the formations from Glenn Branca as well as from Chatham.

Trumpet

Chatham began the study of the trumpet in 1983. Its more recent work explores the improvisation in trumpet soloist. It is itself which plays, by using effects which he already worked for the amplification of the guitar, on rates/rhythms of techno and of drum “low synthesized by the English type-setter Martin Wheeler. These explorations which date from years 1990 left on compilation Neon Ninja Tune Records.

Discography

Albums

Factor X . CD, Moers Music, 1983.
Die Donnergötter . CD/LP, File Records; Count off the Elements, Radium, 2006.
Neon . CD/LP, Tune Ninja, Ntone, 1996.
Septile . CD/LP, Tune Ninja, Ntone, 1997.
Hardware Edge . CD, The Wire Editions, 1999.
has Rhys Chatham Compendium: 1971-1989 . CD, Table off the Elements, 2002.
Year Angel Moves Too Fast to See . 3xCD Box, Table off the Elements, 2003.
Echo Solo . LP, Table off the Elements, Azoth, 2003.
Three Aspects off the Name . LP, Table off the Elements, Lanthanides, 2004.
Two Gongs . CD, Table off the Elements, Radium, 2006.
Year Angel Moves Too Fast to See . CD/LP, Table off the Elements, Radium, 2006.
has Crimson Grail . CD, Table Off The Elements, Radium, 2007.
From The Kitchen Files No 3. Amplified: New Music Meets Rock'n'roll, 1981-1986 . CD, Orange Mountain Music, 2006.
has Field Guide to Table off the Elements . 2xCD, Table off the Elements, 2006.

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