Ageotropic
Said of parts that would be expected to grow as gravity pulls, but instead grow upward, such as the knee roots of cypress
"A SOLITARY WALK AND EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMISSION"
"In a society of increasing control and formulated predictability, one may find inspiration in the beauty of irrationality in nature.
Much of our surroundings still do not adhere to the rules and restrictions we set up for ourselves. The simplicity of spontaneous thought and imagination is still part of our humanity, but becoming less and less a part of our conscious selves. Harnessing personal associations, the sound and visuals of this interactive “labyrinth” will be more delightful and exploratory than deliberative. The hope is to slowly remind us of the elements outside our daily grind, of the things that are too easy to forget; illogical things, impractical things. The intention is to induce participants to become open to these quiet, hiding parts of their surroundings."
Metropolitan Bridge
Download this episode (6 min)
One of the last open bodies of water in the area, for the past eight years I have found myself crossing it's spanse on my bike. What was once a shakey bridge is now solid and clean, the water, however, is often filled with traveling seagulls taking a break. I often stop to dismount in the middle of the bridge to watch them circle and glide down to land on the surface, and listen, thinking of the seaside in another place, outside the sounds of the highways and factories churning.
Posted by Cathleen Grado at 8:42 PM | MAKE A COMMENT
Saturday, Sep 15, 2007Dolly Varden
Download this episode (17 min)
Dolly Varden was a character in Charles Dickens' novel Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty. Dolly was a vain, flirtatious girl who wore colorful clothes, with a distinctive calico pattern.
There are three species of "trout" (actually technically char fish) which are (or have been) named Dolly Varden (Salvelinus confluentus - the first species to bear the name), (Salvelinus alpinus alpinus), and three subspecies of the same species (Salvelinus malma malma), (Salvelinus malma miyabei), and (Salvelvlinus malma krascheninnikova), originally named because their colorful appearance was reminiscent of the calico dress fabric pattern associated with the Dickens' character.
A "Dolly Varden" or "Doally Varden" is a name given to a cherry topped, icing covered current bun (Belgian bun) in the Cumnock Muirkirk area of Ayrshire Scotland
Dolly Varden was On Senaca Ave. at Myrtle Ave. The Neon Sign Was Removed Recently, but I believe this little spot was once a bar, as there were faded Corono Flags Along the side of the building.
Posted by Cathleen Grado at 11:47 AM | MAKE A COMMENT
Friday, Sep 14, 2007The Blind Accordionist
Download this episode (13 min)
Posted by Cathleen Grado at 12:00 PM | MAKE A COMMENT
Thursday, Sep 13, 2007No Brass Bands on Free Lunch
Download this episode (13 min)
Picnic parks became popular in the late 1800's with the establishment of Ridgewood Park and Colosseum in 1875. It was a phenomenon created for the immigrant residents of the Greater Ridgewood area who worked six days a week and needed a release, a form of entertainment.
In 1875 four German grocers purchased a large forest area for $20,000 dollars and created Ridgewood Park and Colosseaum. This park was one of the largest and most interesting, extending from Summerfield St. to Seneca Ave, bound on the North by Myrtle Ave.
The park contained it's own ice house to keep meats and drinks cold; a carousel, wheel of fortune; and a dance platform on the site of what is today PS 77.
"High Ballons would be released into the sky, carrying a few men, and one of them would dive out in a parachute"
"There were fruit poles; wooden columns about 35 feet high with fruits racked or nailed into them in an elaborate manner from top to bottom. Park propritors went all out in their afforts.
By the turn of the century, the great era of picnic parks was on the wane, culminating in their dissapearance. What was responsible for their demise? The main cause was sky rocketing land values in the area. There were large influxes of Germans migrating from Brooklyn and Yorkville and those immigrants from Europe who all wanted homes. Demand became so Great that builders had a difficult time trying to build homes fast enought to meet this demand."
...from do you remember, The Private Picnic Parks of Greater Ridgewood. Ridgewood Times, 3.10.1983
Posted by Cathleen Grado at 4:31 PM | MAKE A COMMENT
Wednesday, Sep 12, 2007The Last of the Victorians
Download this episode (24 min)
The sounds of this project are a combination of field recordings and analog home recordings. Each piece will be focused on impressions experienced by the artist on solitary walks in the area.
This particular track is inspired by the gathering of chimes in a Garden of Memory, location to be revealed. The chimes, composed of different materials, were recorded in the field without any editing. The breeze is the only act producing the range of spontaneous sounds in the environment. These sounds were then brought in to accompany analog recordings I made, and then mixed down.
This whole project is very personal to me, as moving to this neighborhood opened up my eyes to the conflicting aural distractions of the city.
The opportunity to travel on foot to hidden spots, places where most industrial and human city sounds are faint echoes is new to me. (The sounds of so many trees in the wind, light sensations and echoes of strage creatures.....)
Creatively I am trying to share these impressions of quiet, distraction, and solitude; how hidden things affect us in secret ways. I would like to consider how these things direct our personal interactions and our interactions with our surroundings.
Posted by Cathleen Grado at 2:03 PM | 1 comments
My Profile
Cathleen Grado
NYC, Queens
From Sept. 13th to the 16th, spontaneous and ever changing sound collages inspired by my neighborhood will be available here for listening, dowloading, or burning to disc. .....you may also use itunes or other players in conjunction with these pieces to create set lists. Please check back regularly for new sounds, and click on the links below for more information on the Ageotropic project as well as the Conflux Festival and all it's participants.
Note: I am currently uploading a long mix of the pieces (Sunday, 10:33 AM)
View my complete profile
Links
Archives
Sep 2007
