April 4, 2012
Exhibiting Artist:
Jonathan Sutton
On the surface, Tokyo’s train system appears to be completely chaotic, but once you understand its intricate layout and impeccable timing you see how truly remarkable it is. “Densha” (the Japanese word for “train”) tries to capture the controlled chaos of the Tokyo trains by using 12 tone serialism as a guide to create a musical score. Like that system that seems complicated and disorderly at first, only to reveal a deeper level of meticulous organization, the piece combines composed digital music, video projection and a live double bass performance to complete the total composition. The dissonance of the piece is based on the sounds and track patterns of the actual train lines and mimics a variety of aspects of the esoterically composed system of the Tokyo rails.
Jonathan Sutton received his Bachelors Degree in Music Technology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2008. During his time there he contributed several works to the UAB Computer Music Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Michael Angell and Dr. William Price. While at UAB he actively played Double Bass in Musical theater productions at Red Mountain Theater Company, Birmingham Southern College and UAB. As a jazz bassist he has performed in both combo and big band settings and has shared the stage with seasoned jazz performers Mark Lanter and Victor Atkins. Since leaving UAB, Jonathan has remained active in the Birmingham music scene, composing music and playing with indie artists Jesse Payne, Opera Sextronique, Rick Sutton and the Liturgical Autopsy and Selling Mary.
