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400 Saturdays

October 16, 2012 db and friends celebrated the release of Kim Johnson Bair's book 400 Saturdays at the High Noon Saloon where he performed a monologue and musical performance paying tribute to Yes's 1972 album Close to the Edge, the story of his acquiring it in Mexico and which opened his fantasy world and set the tone for his own unique style of music. Kim's work is an anthology of stories from vinyl collectors and fetishists from the area of Madison, the Midwest, and beyond. 

Empty Orchestra

October 12, 2012 db spoke to WORT 89.9 fm host Jonathan Zarov about performing with The University of Wisconsin's contemporary dance concert, Empty Orchestra, celebrating UW Professer and choreographer  Jin-Wen Yu's return to Madison after a year sabbatical. To listen to or read the interview go to WORT 89.9 fm.​

db pedersen​
recent works

THAW, benefit for Links Hall, Chicago
Art, music, dance, cabaret, burlesque, DJ's and performance art in this yearly winter benefit show.
I performed with Kerry Parker and Angela McJunkin from our trio: Blue    (link to youtube)

Kerry Parker Dance
working with Kerry Parker in improv and experimental dance performance, including musical collaboration with Angela McJunkin, for BareBones, Madison Children's Museum (with Kanopy Dance)

Dark Dances
worked with choreographers Kerry Parker, Angela Richardson, and Christine Olson in an experimental work for Madison.....

One Punch Homicide
music from a forthcoming recording used in Steve Kockette's documentary about the many instances of
tragic deaths from one fateful blow. Part of a series of pieces to raise awareness to prevent violence. Screened at 2001 Toronto film festival.



opened shows with artists including:
Spires that in the sunset Rise, ARLT, Page Foster, Second Family Band, Million Brazillians, The Brothers Grimm, Paul Metzger, Tin Hat Trio, Vanishing Kids, Digibot, Shazy Hade, P'Elvis, Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice, Mumber Toes, Skaters, Drunjus, Endless, Rope



musical collaborations with artists including:
Biff Blumfumgagne, Hanah Jon Taylor, Jon Arnold, Martha Stahl, Nils Bultmann, Andy Ewen, Kathleen Baird, Greg Ginn, Stephanie Rearick, Tim Russell, Gregory Taylor, Tom Hamer, Joanne Pow!ers, the Brothers Grimm, Angela Mcjunkin, Pageboys, Reptile Palace, Kia Karlen, Geoff Brady, Melissa Reisser, Solidarity Sing Along, Noah Weatherton, Rich Path, Adam Cain, Rafi Boehm, Tom Naunas, Brad Wray, Mike Eicher, JJ Johnson, Timothy Morgan, Jeremy Evans, Krys Drazek, Michael Kenndrick, Nick Kraska, Kevin Trent Frey, Brian Grimm, AJ Grimm, Gomres,  Sue Ruscigno, Jon Hain, Frank Green, Tim Miller, Bradley Droessler, Mike Smith, Ben Farringer, Mark Meyer, Matt  Metzgar, Jeff Mann, Pedro Horta,

 


theater performances include:

The Chairs (as the orator)  Matthew Damien Dufeck's production of Eugene Ianesco's absurdist romp.
The Good Person of Setzuan (as priest and voice foley artist, musician and chorus) Mercury Player's Theater production of  Bertolt Brecht's classic.
Troilus and Cressida (as Thersites) Madison Shakespeare Project's retelling of Shakespeare's anti war tome.

Celeste and Starla Save Todd and Win Back the Day (as character voices and foley) Mercury Players production of an original work by Francesca Sanders
Without Annette: The Apocalypse Cow and The Scrotum Monologues
Two seasons with  Madison's sketch, improv, and serial (killer) comedy group.
The Witching Hour at Madison Museum of Modern Art, halloween “witchy” installation in the fall of 2008

modern dance works
Accompanist for UW Dance Program, spring 2012 with Collette Stewart
Empty Orchestra, performances of a work in progress with professor Jin Wen Yu
Marcia Miquelon's piece performed for aerial dance _______ set to my song “turtle house”
UW Dance Improvisors Festival, 2000
Nora New Dance works with choreographer Nora Stephens at UW Madison 1999, 2000



second family band

Issue Project Room, performed with the Second Family Band, Brooklyn, NY, 2011

2 tours east and many Wisconsin shows, including 2003's Pasture Fest with the second family/davenport





featured artist, performance and interview with Stoo Odom on Mister Odom's Bottomless Pit on Pirate Cat Radio, SF  11/2010

 

Dog's Business/ Wrong Way Street\

​​

in June, 2011, Eric Geving pulled me into the studio @ The Work Shop in Madison to record some fresh tracks. He'd decided that he wanted to record them as performances and get the live feel, dusted off some 1" reel tape and got to work. no dubs. no nothing.​​

the 5 songs we got are pretty sweet, but they're still "in the can," for the time being.​​

I sent them to Emmanuel at his Sagitarius/A-Star label along with some other demo bits (he'd encouraged me to upon meeting him at a show he produced for Second Family Band @ the Issue Project Room), but he hasn't gotten back to me (methinks he's looking for something more deliciously avant garde).​

Since then, I've been pluggingaway at my "style" which is becoming more folk, for lack of a better term.​ 


​July, 2010​​​

Biff Blumfumgagne invited me into Madison Media Institute for a night of recording with his students. Biff and I traded and blended subtleties into the morning and came up with some usable gems. Alas, that's in "the can," too.​

high noon saloon

photo by: cheese

blue @ THAW

dark dances

photo: Mick McKiernan

ketu
south node of the moon

 

ng kindheit 1998

A diverse set of Madison musicians will help raise money to help Wisconsin residents keep the heat on

Heat Aid, a series of three Saturday-afternoon concerts this December at local record store MadCity Music Exchange, 600 Williamson St., will raise money for the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund, a non-profit that helps Wisconsin residents keep their heat and power on in times of crisis. The performances will feature local artists whose music ranges from straightforward folk to avant-garde improvisation.

There is no cover charge, but those attending are asked to make a suggested $5 donation to the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund. Audience members can also support the Fund’s efforts by making additional donations or purchasing raffle tickets for prizes donated by the Fund and MadCity Music Exchange. Donations are tax-deductible, and all who donate $5 or more will receive a Keep Wisconsin Warm bear. Listeners of all ages are welcome.

The performances are presented by Arts Extract, a weekly podcast covering the arts in Madison.

The schedule is as follows:

-Saturday, December 1, 2 p.m.: Boo Bradley

-Saturday, December 8, 2 p.m.: DB Pedersen and Brothers Grimm + Spires That In The Sunset Rise

-Saturday, December 15, 2 p.m.: Dietrich Gosser + The Tiny Band.

Link to Arts Extract Podcast





Heat Aid performance series to benefit Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund

db: photo theresa behnen

A Midsummer Night's Dream for Stroller's Theater, Madison, WI   5/03/13- 5/25/13
w/ Original music by Brothers Grimm and db pedersen

I'm excited to be working with director Greg Harris, Brothers Grimm and a few familiar and dear faces in this update of Shakespeare's thought provoking and rich comedic take on the illusory trappings of love despite our best intentions.

Though Greg had encouraged me to look him up for an audition this spring, it was the clever suggestion of Damon Butler (Flute/ Thisbe) that put the idea of a score in motion.

I have to give enormous props to Brian and AJ Grimm for bringing their rich talent and wealth of  experience in composition for theater. Another plus is it's my first working in collaboration with strings and instruments in a non-improvisational format.

This is by no means a musical treatment of the production, rather an accompaniment, with literal bells and whistles thrown in for effect (as well as sough, fauna,  drops and doits).
I'd be remiss if I left out a few personal dreams. So I'm always on about doing a Tom Keith-esque sort of thing where I'm doing Foley and sound effects of the side of the stage. I did a little of this for a 2000 production of Brecht's “The Good Person of Setzuan,” and again (pre-recorded) for a 2008 production of  Francesca Sanders' “Stella and Starla win back Todd and save the day!”
Though we're not going gang-busters over this production to make it into an “Athenian Home Companion,” the brothers and I are having a little joy and mischief on the side by complimenting the actors with punctuating notes and borps, birds, dogs and donkeys, schproings and bells (god, the first takes I thought it would be effortless to morph into Fat Bottom Girls!). Besides our instruments, we just have boxes and racks of rigged-up miscellanea to create a type of underscore.
Nobody's put down a chunk of bank on this production, and THAT'S the place where you want to work with Greg on Shakespeare. He's so skillful at really exposing and stewarding the eternity of the bard's language. The music is as much for the actors as for the audience.

A lot of my solo music is a remote and too elaborate mess that I don't push much of it out into the light, so the work is very very good for my spirit.
this is a fun and wondrous journey where some dreams are apace and making sense.

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