2011: Tom Nunn, Steven Baker, David Michalak

lukie tubes, resonace plates, skatchboxes & bridgerod mothic| berimbau, bells, & springs

Tom Nunn has designed, built and performed with original musical instruments since 1976, having received a B.Mus. and M.A. in music composition from the University of Texas at Austin and S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook, and post-graduate work at U.C. San Diego. His instruments typically utilize commonly available materials, are sculptural in appearance, utilize contact microphones for amplification, and are designed specifically for improvisation with elements of ambiguity, unpredictability and nonlinearity. Tom's instruments are of three basic types: space plates, electroacoustic percussion boards, and skatchboxes. Space plates are metal sheets with bronze rods that are bowed; the plate is supported by inflated balloons, allowing the plate to resonate. Electroacoustic percussion boards are plywood sheets with various hardware devices attached such as nails, threaded steel rods, bronze rods, combs, etc., played with a variety of small percussion implements. Skatchboxes are cardboard boxes with objects such as washers, combs, toothpicks, bronze rod, dowel, etc. taped or glued to the exterior that are played with various modified combs. All of Tom’s instruments are amplified using contact microphones and have sculptural qualities. In addition to the nearly 200 instruments he has made, Tom has performed extensively throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for over 30 years, as well as in other parts of the U.S., Canada, Europe, and New Zealand, both as soloist and with other musicians. Tom has performed with various groups over the years and currently works with T.D. SKATCHIT, RTD3 and GHOST IN THE HOUSE. He has appeared on a number of recordings, including his solo CD, "Identity." (2007), “T.D. Skatchit & Company” (2009) and “Skatch Migration” (2010) (all on Edgetone Records). In 1998, he completed writing and self-published WISDOM OF THE IMPULSE: ON THE NATURE OF MUSICAL FREE IMPROVISATION, a book that examines various aspects of this illusive art and presents a theoretical foundation for creative listening, analysis and discussion. Tom has also written a number of articles about the use of experimental instruments and improvisation in publications such as EXPERIMENTAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, MUSICWORKS and LEONARDO. In 2007, he participated in the City of Auckland’s biannual cultural festival, AK07 as an instrument designer/builder and improviser. In 2009, he participated with RTD3 in the Improvisers Festival in Birmingham, Alabama.

David Michalak plays a Fender lap steel guitar and an assortment of odd percussion instruments. While he is more commonly known as a filmmaker (50 films with original soundtracks since 1971), the visual art side of him seeps inherently into his solo performances and group compositions which are characterized by shimmering passages, abstract snapshots and haunting representations of natural elements. Besides Ghost In The House, David plays in his instrumental ensemble Reel Change as well as the duo, Dr. Bob and T.D. Skatchit with Tom Nunn. Some musicians that he is currently performing with are: Tom Nunn, Andrew Voigt, Bob Marsh, Carla Kihlstedt, Karen Stackpole and Kyle Bruckmann.

Steven Baker was born in Albert Lea, Minnesota. He earned a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1983. He moved to Los Angeles in 1988 and to the San Francsico Bay Area in 2002 where he currently lives and works in Pacifica California. Steven has worked on projects collaboratively and solo in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, Mexico, and across the United States. Steven's main instrument is known as The Ring. Recently Steven played his other instrument the bowed bellows on tracks of the Rent Romus and Thollem McDonas recording project “Bloom”, and will soon work with Thollem and Rent on other CD projects. In 2005 he lent his oil well head bell tree to CWRK Music Company to record samples to be used as part of a public interactive music installation in Hong Kong.

Artist (photo by Photographer)