All tracks composed by Paul Bendzsa and Rob Power (SOCAN)
Liner Notes:
produced by Bill Brennan
recorded, mixed, and mastered by John D.S. Adams
photography by Sheilagh O’Leary
layout and design by Sarah Hansen
recorded at the MUN School of Music in St. John’s
additional equipment provided by Rich Blenkinsopp and John Rowe
mixed at Mullock Studio, St. John’s, and Stonehouse Sound, Toronto
mastered at Stonehouse Sound
manufactured by MMS Atlantic
1. Carnivore (4:20)
Paul: clarinet, ARP
Rob: bass drum, logdrums, conga, boobams, gongs, firebells, tambourine, rattle, jing cymbals
2. Shmeagul (2:48)
Paul: ARP, radio, piano, delay unit
Rob: gongs, slit drum, antique cymbals, Noah bells, rattles, key chimes, firebells
3. Mr. Mumbles (5:53)
Paul: tin whistles, clarinet, prepared sax, vocals, radio, prepared piano, harmonica
Rob: logdrums, gongs, firebells, conga, kang cymbal, bass drum, bud can, bubba can, artillery shells, steel drum, boobams, antique cymbal, jing cymbals
4. After the Rain (4:26)
Paul: clarinet, prepared piano
Rob: firebells, antique cymbals, gongs, jing cymbals
5. Rat Race (3:09)
Paul: ARP, sax, delay unit
Rob: boobams, slit drum, mirrophone, antique cymbals, metal U’s
6. Nervous Breakdown (5:24)
Paul: prepared piano, sax, shaker, harmonica, toy piano
Rob: bass drum, temple bells, whirlie, conga, gongs, glass chimes, logdrums, metal U’s, frame drum, firebells, kang cymbal, jing cymbals, tambourine
7. Ascension (7:36)
Paul: ARP, clarinet
Rob: gongs, antique cymbals, firebells, Noah bells
8. Carousel (1:44)
Paul: bass clarinet, delay unit
Rob: steel drum, artillery shells
9. Tango (2:13)
Paul: clarinet
Rob: metal U’s, jing cymbals, shaker, frame drums, bass drum, slit drum
10. Jive (3:50)
Paul: sax, prepared piano, vocals
Rob: bass drum, frame drums, cymbal
11. Belly Dancer (4:13)
Paul: bass clarinet
Rob: doumbek, shaker, finger cymbals, gongs
12. Alone Together (7:56)
Paul: ARP, sax
Rob: gongs, Noah bells, firebells, bass drum, logdrums, boobams, tambourine, frame drums
13. Going Somewhere? (3:51)
Paul: bass clarinet, ARP, prepared piano
Rob: gankogui, jing cymbals, gongs, woodblocks, boobams, kang cymbal, temple bowl, Noah bells
14. Oasis (3:21)
Paul: jaw harp, sax
Rob: bass drum, conga
15. Insomnia (4:36)
Paul: bass clarinet, ARP
Rob: gongs, Noah bells, antique cymbals, mirrophone, frame drums, boobams
16. Wave (5:48)
Paul: ARP, sax
Rob: whirlie, gongs
SPANNER is an improvisational musical process between two empathetic musicians, Rob Power and Paul Bendzsa. It is also the name of their duo. This is their debut CD, original compositions, shaped and refined from their experiments, explorations and performances. It is also an audio journal of their journey together over a landscape without visual boundaries or auditory restrictions. There are few expectations but many choices in a process like this, no right or wrong sounds, no definitive scores; the guiding principles seem to come from within and between the two musicians, whose experienced hands, breath and ears guide them through a labyrinth of instrumental timbres, in which conflict and resolution, tension and release duel artistically. These sixteen compositions are the results of their ongoing work, each new piece like a snapshot, an audio print, capturing the flow of fleeting gestures, rhythms, and colour.
Paul Bendzsa has celebrated his love of music as a teacher, chamber musician and performance artist. His collaborations in a wide spectrum of musical genres range from such classical ensembles as The Atlantic Arts Trio, and The Canadian Saxophone Quintet, to the experimental realms of new music in the interdisciplinary performances of Fusion, the Blue Rider Ensemble, and most recently Spanner. Music on the Fly, an Improvisation Institute in the Black Hills of South Dakota, has for three years provided inspiration and a valuable laboratory for the continuing realization of new music for education and experimentation. Paul has also premiered and commissioned over 40 works of new music, and has composed over 20 compositions for a variety of media, from video to dance and theatre. His woodwind performances on clarinets and saxophones have taken him across Canada, and to the US, Great Britain, Spain, Asia and Australia. Paul is a professor of music at Memorial University, Newfoundland
Rob Power bio here
Bill Brennan, producer - bio here
John D.S. Adams, engineer
John D.S. Adams is a sought after recording engineer, producer, and sound designer, and has worked on a wide variety of projects in film, music and dance. His production credits include recording for the Cunningham Dance Foundation's award winning Beach Birds: For Camera, David Tudor's Neural Synthesis No. 6-9, the last 7 CDs for Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Anton Kuerti’s final Beethoven Piano Sonatas as well as composition/sound design for Barishnykov's White Oak Dance Project. In addition to dozens of independent recordings, Adams has worked with/for the Sony Classical, BMG, Universal, Analekta recording labels, and artists Andy Stochansky, Eve Egoyan, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Kevin Fox and Neil Young. As a performer, Adams has collaborated with some of the great musical pioneers of our time, including John Cage, David Tudor, Pauline Oliveros, Walter Zimmerman and Stuart Dempster. He is currently affiliated with suddenlyLISTEN, F.F.O.B., and JERK.
