artist: MOSS (Molly Berg, Olivia Block, Steve Roden & Stephen Vitiello)
title: Moss
label: 12k
country: USA
format: CD EP
title: Moss
label: 12k
country: USA
format: CD EP
"Moss is a live recording from a unique collaboration by sound artists/musicians Molly Berg,
Olivia Block, Steve Roden and Stephen Vitiello. This was a midnight concert at the
beautiful Trinity Cathedral in San Jose, CA which was part of the 01SJ Biennial. Olivia and
Steve had performed solo sets on the previous nights. The final night was meant to be a
duo with Molly and Stephen but the opportunity to play with musicians/friends who we
admire so much called out for an invitation to play together. As the set was entirely
improvised, the billing really changed in our minds from being a duo with guests to
becoming a quartet. The church itself was certainly inspiring, it's dark wood and clean dry
acoustics. There was a very small but dedicated audience. No one slept and the church
crew were able to amazingly quiet rowdy revelers on the street for the duration of our set.
Anyone familiar with any of the four musicians involved in this recording will know the level
of craftsmanship and attention to sonic tactility that can be found within. They each
exercise such incredible restraint, a feat difficult to pull off in an impromptu improvised
session where musicians are often found competing for space, and allow for a sense of
place to work its way through the quiet recording. 'Moss' breathes like a living being lying
down to sleep -- a delicate wave of hushed field recordings, tape tracks and subtle
electronics provides a bed for which Molly Berg's clarinet and voice (joined at times by
Steve Roden) ebb and sway, allowed center- stage, in movements across the piece's 24+
minutes. Steve Roden and Stephen Vitiello provide guitar (lap steel and electric,
respectively) while Olivia Block manipulates the tapes, field recordings and electronics.
Moss is a perfect example of how four like-minded friends and musicians can come
together at a moment's notice and create, unrehearsed, a captivating and beautiful sonic
landscape. The connection between them as artists is completely evident while at the
same time disappearing into the background to allow the piece move like a singular body.
Approx. 25 minute run time." (12k)
Olivia Block, Steve Roden and Stephen Vitiello. This was a midnight concert at the
beautiful Trinity Cathedral in San Jose, CA which was part of the 01SJ Biennial. Olivia and
Steve had performed solo sets on the previous nights. The final night was meant to be a
duo with Molly and Stephen but the opportunity to play with musicians/friends who we
admire so much called out for an invitation to play together. As the set was entirely
improvised, the billing really changed in our minds from being a duo with guests to
becoming a quartet. The church itself was certainly inspiring, it's dark wood and clean dry
acoustics. There was a very small but dedicated audience. No one slept and the church
crew were able to amazingly quiet rowdy revelers on the street for the duration of our set.
Anyone familiar with any of the four musicians involved in this recording will know the level
of craftsmanship and attention to sonic tactility that can be found within. They each
exercise such incredible restraint, a feat difficult to pull off in an impromptu improvised
session where musicians are often found competing for space, and allow for a sense of
place to work its way through the quiet recording. 'Moss' breathes like a living being lying
down to sleep -- a delicate wave of hushed field recordings, tape tracks and subtle
electronics provides a bed for which Molly Berg's clarinet and voice (joined at times by
Steve Roden) ebb and sway, allowed center- stage, in movements across the piece's 24+
minutes. Steve Roden and Stephen Vitiello provide guitar (lap steel and electric,
respectively) while Olivia Block manipulates the tapes, field recordings and electronics.
Moss is a perfect example of how four like-minded friends and musicians can come
together at a moment's notice and create, unrehearsed, a captivating and beautiful sonic
landscape. The connection between them as artists is completely evident while at the
same time disappearing into the background to allow the piece move like a singular body.
Approx. 25 minute run time." (12k)