Please join us in a celebration of Matthew Sperry’s life and music with the Bay Area’s creative music community:
June 5, 6 & 7, 2008
This year the festival features special guests John Butcher (UK) and Carla Kihlstedt (US) in two evenings of solos, duos, trios and quintets. The festival tradition of commissioning new works for large ensemble continues with a page from Matthew’s composition notebook: Treasure Mouth, which requires a band to follow along to lyrics as fast as they can be written out for them by others — call it improv karaoke. Join in the fun of Treasure Mouth at the festival’s first official Children’s Matinee.
Update: Tom Duff reminds us that his recordings of all 2008 Matthew Sperry Festival events are indexed at http://4-33.com/fest/.
The festival concludes with a Master Class with guest artist John Butcher.
Thursday June 5 | 8pm
Hillside Club
2286 Cedar Street
Berkeley
with special guest
John Butcher
solo, duos, trios and quintets with
Gino Robair, John Shiurba, Tim Perkis and Tom Djll
Friday June 6 | 8pm
Hillside Club
2286 Cedar Street
Berkeley
with special guest
Carla Kihlstedt
solo and duos with
Marika Hughes and special guests
Saturday June 7 | 1pm | FREE
Museum of Children’s Art
538 Ninth Street
Oakland
Treasure Mouth: a SperryFest Improv Children’s Karaoke Matinee
Saturday June 7 | 2:30pm
Master Class with John Butcher
location provided with paid registration
Festival Tickets available in advance or at the door:
$15 for a single evening show
$25 festPass for two evening show admissions
$35 master class registration fee
$40 for admission to all events
Watch this space for information on advance tickets.
Donations accepted
All proceeds from these benefit performances support the Matthew Sperry Memorial Fund.
The Treasure Mouth event is turning into quite the creative improv orchestra. The list is growing at the transbay but so far Alan Anzalone, Aaron Bennett, Myles Boisen, Chris Broderick, Val Esway, Ron Heglin, Bill Horvitz, Morgan Guberman, Dan Plonsey, Mantra Plonsey, Rent Romus, Thomas Scandura, John Shiurba, David Slusser, Damon Smith, Michael Zelner. More tba.
And just announced very special guests with Carla on Friday night:
a trio set of new short pieces for cello, violin,
drums: Carla (violin), Marika Hughes (cello), Chris Sipe (drums)
then a set of improvised duos with Carla and Fred Frith.