4'33" 2024 - Jessie Lee Montague!

    An alphabetical press release about this year's (14th annual) anniversary performance of John Cage's 4'33": Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 6:00pm, featuring the musical talents of Jessie Lee Montague, and the insights of author and Cage scholar Kay Larson. It will be held at the fabulous WAAM in Woodstock, NY.

(Get a taste of Jessie's amazing music in this short video: ("Come together")

This will be the 72nd anniversary of the world premier of this important artwork; it premiered on August 29, 1952 in a concert produced by WAAM to benefit their artist's relief fund.

1 - First off, I'm so excited to have Jessie Lee Montague (see: Montague. Jessie Lee Montague, below)  performing the concert this year. I first heard her play at a local singer/songwriter's night where she blew away me and everyone else. A huge shout out of gratitude to them for making the time this year to perform this Cage classic.


Also, a super duper big thanks (once again) to Kay Larson, who will speak after 4'33" and before Jessie Lee plays some pieces of her own.

2 - In around 2008, I was teaching a class at the Woodstock Day School entitled "Art That's Changed The Way I Look At The World Around Me." It was so much fun having so many artists and thoughtful individuals come and speak on that topic. David Van Tieghem was one of them. I knew he was going to perform 4'33". He performed it on the piano, just as David Tudor had so many years before. I knew of the piece but had never heard it performed and did not expect to be so deeply moved by it. Later that day, I started looking into this wonderful piece and discovered two things: one, that its world premier had been right here in Woodstock; and two, that there were no commemorations of this historic event by any Woodstock organizations!! A couple years later, I approached WAAM, who had produced the world premier concert of this piece in 1952, and asked if they'd like to host a concert and talk about this piece and they said yes. In 2011, slightly delayed by Hurricane Irene, Mimi Goese and Ben Neill performed and it was so beautiful that I thought that would be it. I would never produce another concert like this. My resolve didn't last:
  • 2011 - Mimi Goese and Ben Neill
  • 2012 - Vibraphonist extraordinaire Karl Berger
  • 2013 - Paul McMahon and Linda Mary Montano
  • 2014 - Baird Hersey and Prana
  • 2015 - The Clear Light Ensemble
  • 2016 - Tracy Bonham
  • 2017 - Jill Sobule
  • 2018 - David Van Tieghem
  • 2019 - Perry Beekman and Lou Pappas
  • 2020 - Marco Benevento (via Zoom)
  • 2021 - Peter Dougan and Andrew Farnsworth
  • 2022 - Marshall Crenshaw
    • 2023 - Mikaela Davis and John Lee Shannon

4'33" - Here's the piece, with a short introduction:




A - The Wikipedia entry on anechoic chambers.

B - Beekman, Perry. Performed 4' 33" on August 29, 2019 with Lou Pappas on bass. An amazing singer and guitarist and all-around Woodstock superstar and good guy, we were delighted and honored to have Perry perform. His music is really so beautiful and his performance of the Cage piece was just perfect. You can learn more about Perry on his website, here: http://www.perrybeekman.com

B - Benevento, Marco. (born July 22, 1977) is an American pianist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who has been a fixture of the New York experimental music rock and jazz scene since 1999. He is the founder and recording engineer of Fred Short, a recording studio in Upstate New York, and a member of the rock groups Benevento/Russo Duo and Joe Russo's Almost Dead, both of which feature his regular musical collaborator Joe Russo. (Wikipedia) You can learn more about Marco on his website: https://marcobenevento.com/

B - Berger, Karl. Performed 4'33" at the 60th anniversary performance in 2012 at WAAM. Winner of 6, count 'em! 6 Downbeat Critics Awards for his performing, Karl Berger is an award-winning composer/arranger whose scores for film and tv have won broad critical acclaim. He has written and recorded over 200 compositions and arrangements for classical ensembles, jazz groups, songwriters and performers, big bands, symphony and crossover projects.  Read more about him at the bottom of this page or here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Berger

B - Bonham, Tracy. Performed 4'33" at WAAM in 2016. Multiple Grammy award nominee, Tracy Bonham is a classically trained violinist and pianist and a self-taught guitarist. She's a vocal powerhouse and an all-around great person and we were all so thrilled she did the show! She was amazing. For more info on this part-time Woodstock resident, visit her site: http://www.tracybonham.com

C - Cage. John Cage. See John Cage.

C - Clear Light Ensemble. This group beautifully performed 4'33" and some of their own pieces at the 2015 WAAM concert. They are a raga-based world jazz ensemble held together loosely by John Dubberstein. Additional personnel are as follows: David Rothenberg , clarinet; Craig Hazen, bass; Ami Fixler, percussion. 

C - Creative Music Studio.  Founded by Karl Berger, Ornette Coleman and Ingrid Sertso, John Cage was on the initial advisory council  Read more about it here: http://www.CreativeMusicStudio.org/

C - Crenshaw.  Marshall Howard Crenshaw (born November 11, 1953) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for hit songs such as "Someday, Someway," a US Top 40 hit in 1982, "Cynical Girl," and "Whenever You're on My Mind." He is also the co-author of one of the biggest radio hits of the ‘90s, the Gin Blossoms, "Til I Hear It From You." His music has roots in classic soul music and Buddy Holly, to whom Crenshaw was often compared in the early days of his career, and whom he portrayed in the 1987 film La Bamba.

Born in Michigan, Crenshaw performed in the musical Beatlemania before releasing his self-titled album in 1982. Crenshaw could not replicate the commercial success of Marshall Crenshaw and follow-up Field Day (1983) with later albums. Crenshaw has also contributed songs to other artists, writing singles for Kirsty MacColl and the Gin Blossoms. A quote from Trouser Press summed up Marshall Crenshaw's early career: "Although he was seen as a latter-day Buddy Holly at the outset, he soon proved too talented and original to be anyone but himself." (Wikipedia. See entire entry here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Crenshaw)

D - Date and time and all that. Thursday, August 29, 2024.  Woodstock Artists Association Museum. Right in the middle of Woodstock, NY. 6:00pm sharp. Should be done by 7:00  (see the second entry for "P" for more information.) WAAM is at 28 Tinker St, Woodstock, NY 12498
(845) 679-2940  Free admission. 

D - Davis. Mikaela Davis.  Performed in 2023. Mikaela Davis is a singer, songwriter and classically-trained harpist known for her band Mikaela Davis and Southern Star. A prolific and distinctive harpist, she uses her classical music training to create an original and genre-bending catalog that weaves together 60s pop-soaked melodies, psychedelia and driving bluegrass rock. She’s been described as an “urban harpist” and has shared the stage with the likes of Bob Weir, Christian McBride, Bon Iver, Lake Street Dive and Circles Around the Sun, showcasing her ability to stretch her creative talents across just about any canvas. She has also toured with the folk group, The Staves. 

 

She currently resides in the Hudson Valley. For details on her current tour, click here: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/1642485-mikaela-davis


D - Dougan. Peter Dougan. Love this guy so much. He's a beautiful soul who brings all that love and light into his music. After asking a few times, he finally relented and performed in 2021. From Peter:

"30 years ago in Ithaca on an early September evening, NY Cornell University residence life personnel rushed to shut down a loud and unruly jam session on the second floor of the Class of ‘22 freshman dormitory. Complaints about the noise were numerous, including some from nearly one mile distant from its source. Though the disciplinary actions imposed on those responsible for the unusually high volumes were short-lived, a long-lived and lasting bond of musical friendship was born. Since that memorable evening, Andrew Farnsworth and Peter Dougan have collaborated, and continue to collaborate, in the productions and performances of many forms of musical shenanigans. Inspired initially by occasionally bombastic classic rock and sublime blues, their musical tastes have broadened and matured, though never relinquishing the mantle of bombast and sublime. Together, over the last three decades they have played in many groups, in countless configurations and reconfigurations, most notably as the founders of the Ithaca-based band Mectapus, known for its genre-bending musicianship, extended instrumental improvisations and off the wall sense of humor. It was in assembling and performing in Mectapus that, as principal composers, Farnsworth and Dougan explored their more diverse influences, including West African guitar music, Afro Cuban rhythms, “newgrass” and other Americana, as well as deep Progressive Rock and Jazz. During the band’s formation, and subsequent evolutions, they both acquired over the course of about a year and a half between 1994 and 1996 some of the most coveted stringed instruments on the planet - or at least the planets they knew (excluding exoplanets and other inadequate orbital bodies): Oneida guitars! These fantastic and whimsical instruments were designed and built by Ithaca Stringed Instruments, and exploring and performing with them led to endless adventurous possibilities of amplified acoustic music on stage and in the studio. These masterpieces were responsible, perhaps, for the greatest inspiration and impacts on their music and writing. Today, Peter lives with his family in Woodstock; Andrew lives with his family in Manhattan; and the music the two of them have made lives on (thankfully) in a scant array of recordings and the brain chemistries of countless fans (maybe actually only 11)."

D - Dubberstein. John Dubberstein. Sitar player extraordinaire, golfer and glue for the Clear Light Ensemble, which performed this concert in 2015. (see above)

E - Epstein. Mark Epstein is an American author and psychotherapist who integrates Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings with Sigmund Freud's approaches to trauma. He often writes about the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School. After completing his psychiatry residency at what is now New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, he entered the private practice of psychiatry in New York City. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. A practicing Buddhist, he is also a contributing editor to Tricycle: The Buddhist Review and his books include "Thoughts Without a Thinker" and "Going to Pieces without Falling Apart". Both books deal with the Eastern teachings of non-self.

E - Everything. And nothing. See here.

D - Farnsworth. Andrew Farnsworth. Details to follow but if he's a friend of Peter Dougan's he must be amazing. Performed in 2021.

G - Gann. Kyle Gann. Author of "No such thing as silence: John Cage's 4'33" "Spoke at this concert in 2011. https://www.amazon.com/No-Such-Thing-Silence-America/dp/0300171293

G - Goese. Mimi Goese. Performed the piece in 2011 with Ben Neill. Killed. Here's her Wikipedia page, and here's a little blurb about her from her cd release press release: Goese is known as the lead singer/co-songwriter of Hugo Largo, the critically acclaimed minimalist punk/pop group who released two albums on Brian Eno’s Opal label in the ’80s. After touring with musician/producer Hector Zazou and co-writing/singing on the Moby album Everything is Wrong, Goese’s solo album Soak was released by Luaka Bop, David Byrne’s label.

H - Hersey. Baird Hersey. Performed with his group, Prana, in 2014. Read about this man's incredible musical career on his website here: http://bairdhersey.com/

I - Ink.  A nice article in the Woodstock Times by Paul Smart on a previous year's performance of  4'33.

J - John Milton Cage, Jr., composer of 4'33". Wikipedia entry. Artsy.com page.

K - A really nice video about 4'33" with Kyle Gann:

K - Kay Larson.  See Larson, Kay.

L - Larson, Kay. from her HuffPo bio: An acclaimed art critic, columnist, and editor, Kay Larson began her career in journalism in Cambridge, Massachusetts at The Real Paper, then served as an associate editor at Artnews and an art critic for the Village Voice. She was the art critic for New York Magazine for 14 years, and has been a frequent contributor to The New York Times. In 1994, she entered Zen practice at a Buddhist monastery in upstate New York. We are thrilled that she's agreed to speak at the concert yet again. Please scroll down to "W" to read about her book on Cage or click here to read a wonderful recent article she wrote on Cage and Buddhism for the Huffington Post. Also, click here for an excerpt from her delightful biography about Cage, Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists. Her book can be bought across the street from WAAM at The Golden Notebook. 2020 update: a lovely BBC piece on 4' 33" featuring Kay: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000kwm0

Jill Sobule and Kay Larson
L - A nice essay I found online by Larry J. Solomon about 4'33" can be read here.

M - Magnusson. Norm Magnusson. Creator and producer of this annual concert, now in its 13th year. Impresario, artist, advertising curmudgeon, and founder of the art movement funism.  

"Years ago, I put on a class at the Woodstock Day School called "Art That's Changed the Way I See the World Around Me", in which artists and creators and thoughtful individuals addressed that topic. Composer David VanTieghem came and spoke to the class and performed Cage's 4'33". I'd heard about the piece but had never actually heard it performed. I was not prepared to be as moved as when I looked into the piece, I discovered that its world premier was in 1952. IN WOODSTOCK!! At that point, my home town! Nobody in town was doing anything to commemorate this event, so I approached my friends at WAAM, who waved me in. I've been staging the concert there ever since, which is appropriate since they produced the world premier all those years ago."

M - McMahon. Paul McMahon. American artist and musician. Woodstock luminary. 2013 marked his debut performing 4'33". More on Paul can be read and listened to here.

M - Montague. Jessie Lee Montague. Albuquerque-raised singer/songwriter who's played everywhere from CB's gallery, to the Mercury Lounge, the Knitting Factory, the Wetlands,  Arlene Grocery and the Livingroom. She currenly resides in the Hudson Valley, her most recent album "Unhooked" is available everywhere online.


M - Montano. Linda Mary Montano is a pioneer in performance art. She accompanied Paul McMahon at 2013's performance.

N - Neill. Ben Neill. Ben teaches 4'33" in one of his classes at Ramapo College in NJ and performed at this concert in 2011. He has performed a number of Cage's pieces and has worked with him directly. Here is Ben's wikipedia page and here is a short blurb about him from the press release for his new cd, a collaboration with his co-performer Mimi Goese:
Neill is a composer, performer, producer, and inventor of the mutantrumpet, a hybrid electro-acoustic instrument. He has recorded eight CDs of his music on labels including Universal/Verve, Thirsty Ear, Astralwerks and Six Degrees. His most recent CD Night Science was released in 2009 on Thirsty Ear.

P - PRANA. This wonderful group performed at 2014's concert. Special thanks to Bruce Milner for the introduction and Baird Hersey for the organization. PRANA are: Amy Fradon, Soprano; Kirsti Gholson, Alto; Baird Hersey, Tenor; Timothy Hill, Bariton; and Bruce Milner, Bass. Read more about this remarkable group on its website here: http://www.pranasound.com/

P - Program from the first performance of 4'33", which took place in Woodstock, NY, on August 29, 1952, presented by the Woodstock Artist's Association and benefitting their "Artist's Welfare Fund".


P - The program for this year's performance: (to be updated soon)

R - Rauschenberg. Robert Rauschenberg, whose "White Painting (Three Panel)" (from the collection of SFMoMA) was a major influence on Cage's decision to compose 4'33" and perhaps on his decision to give his piece 3 movements.

R - Rothenberg. David Rothenberg, played this concert in 2015 with the Clear Light Ensemble; he has performed and recorded on clarinet with Pauline Oliveros, Peter Gabriel, and many others.  He has sixteen CDs out under his own name, including "On the Cliffs of the Heart," named one of the top ten releases of 1995 by Jazziz magazine and is the author of Why Birds Sing, book and CD, published in seven languages and the subject of a BBC television documentary.  He is also the author of numerous other books on music, art, and nature, including Thousand Mile Song, about making music with whales, and Survival of the Beautiful, about aesthetics in evolution.  His book and CD Bug Music, featuring the sounds of the entomological world, has been featured on PBS News Hour and in the New Yorker.  His latest recordings are Cicada Dream Band and Berlin Bülbül.  Rothenberg is professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. More information can be found on his website: www.davidrothenberg.net

S - Shannon, John Lee.  Performed in 2023.  John Lee Shannon is a Brooklyn-based composer and guitarist with the band Circles Around the Sun. He is an accomplished sideman known also for his contributions to acclaimed recordings by Zephaniah OHora and Kenny Roby among others. His first solo album "In & Of" consists of eleven original pieces written for and performed by solo acoustic guitar, the album was originally intended to be a collaboration with late guitarist and producer Neal Casal. Recorded in the coastal hills of California during the final moments of summer, the music guides the listener on an introspective journey full of gentle melodies and melancholic beauty.  Check out this virtuosic solo with the Grateful Shred: https://youtu.be/66OARifvCgM

S - Silence. A short video by Maestro Cage on this topic.

S - Sobule. Jill Sobule. American singer-songwriter best known for the 1995 single "I Kissed a Girl", and "Supermodel" from the soundtrack of the 1995 film Clueless. Her folk-inflected compositions alternate between ironic, story-driven character studies and emotive ballads, a duality reminiscent of such 1970s American songwriters as Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson, Loudon Wainwright III, Harry Chapin, and Randy Newman. Autobiographical elements, including Sobule's Jewish heritage and her adolescent battles with anorexia and depression, frequently occur in Sobule's writing. An appreciable percentage of her work is also dedicated to detailed accounts of both her own fictional female creations and such troubled but celebrated women as Joey Heatherton and Mary Kay Letourneau, whose stories are usually used to make ironic comments about fame and celebrity.
In 2009, she released an album funded entirely by fan donations, one of the early pioneers of crowdfunding. More on her can be seen on Wikipedia or on her own website: https://www.jillsobule.com/
Jill Sobule and Sparrow post performance.
T- Tacet. Say no more.

V- VanTieghem. David VanTieghem, musician and composer and the first guy I ever saw perform 4'33" We owe this all to him. Visit his website here: http://www.vantieghem.com/

V- VanTieghem. David VanTieghem. Performed on August 29, 2018.  All-around nice guy and friend, I first saw him on a short-lived tv show hosted by Laurie Anderson in the mid-80's called "Alive from Off-Center", where he performed this remarkable piece: "Ear to the Ground", unlocking the sonic potential of the objects in the world around him. Wikipedia references it in its entry on him, which begins: "an American composer, musician, percussionist, drummer, keyboard player, performance artist, video artist and actor, notorious for his philosophy of utilizing any available object as a percussion instrument and his collaborations with the experimental rock artists Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno and David Byrne." To read more, visit his Wikipedia page here. I am beyond thrilled that he finally had the time to come and perform this piece; I'd asked him every single year.

V - A very informative smattering of reviews for Kyle Gann's book on 4'33" There's no such thing as silence.

W - The Woodstock Artist's Association. You can find out more about this fine organization on their website,http://www.woodstockart.org/

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