Rattle Tick Buzz proudly announces the final release in the series: Deeds & Endeavors, Part One. Bookends is the eighth title in the series, which consists of improvised duo recordings featuring Michael Brenneis (me) and a roster of facile and inspiring collaborators. The concept of the series is to capture a live session of free improvisation, or two, with minimal editing or processing–almost as if it were a performance. The proposed release schedule (all to be released in 2018!) was somewhat aggressive, so we got a bit behind (big surprise there.) Check out the whole catalog of eight releases on the Rattle Tick Buzz Releases page.

The title “Bookends” is appropriate: first release of the series, “The Moraine,” also features Paul Hastil. The two recordings couldn’t be any more different, however. The Moraine features Paul Hastil on acoustic piano, and Michael Brenneis (me) on a minimal drum kit, supplemented with a trove of percussion instruments and other junk. Recorded in a living room-type setting, it’s all acoustic. “Bookends,” on the other hand, turns out to be the most electronic of the entire series. Paul performs on Fender Rhodes, with a hint of live signal processing here and there. I’m supplementing the acoustic drums with signal processed sampler, and the usual trove of other junk. There’s a tiny bit of post-processing too. I mean, why not?

The music on “Bookends” is a little surprising, I think. There’s plenty of the busy, interactive, grungy freak-out, but also a generous amount of very gentle, peaceful, harmonious playing and sound. See what you think.

There’s more in the works for Deeds & Endeavors, Part Two. It’ll be a little different than I’d planned–I mean, it will probably be a while before we can get a dozen players in a room together, right? So, there’s a solo record in the works. Probably some asynchronous duets, too. Beyond that, who knows?–stay tuned.