ANCHOR
by Jeffrey Kowalkowski [2001]

 

commissioned by Interzone perceptible

 

duration: 3'00

 

[first performed: Haggerty Museum of Art Milwaukee / USA, april 4th 2001]

 

Jeff (*1967) lives in Chicago, his hometown.  His music is a melting pot of different cultures and listeners have described his music as “eclectic” from his earliest works as a teenager.  In his scores there are graphic elements and traditional notation, performance and theatrical activities are often essential components of his music, atonality shifts to sugar-sweet, cheezy wellness-jazz-breathed on kitsch-tone, often unexpected classic-romantic textures, mixed up in a bizarre way with memories of sentimental pop-music, everything vacuum-imbued by avantgarde-sounds. All these facets of artistic expression skills bubble relaxed and easygoing out of him. Fondly we gave him the title MASTER OF BAD TASTE.

 

ANCHOR is after CUT UP OR SHUT UP the second piece Jeff has written for us.

 

He wrote about his piece:

 

"Anchor" was written for Interzone perceptible on the morning of February 25 2001, upon request for a piece in my "simple" style. It was written very spontaneously without any premeditation [besides what I dreamed before waking]. I only made some strong coffee and then took my pen to the page. Later that evening I added an obligato third voice upon the request of Sven who was unhappy about not being forced to use both hands.

 

[translated by Sven, supported by Jeff Kowalkowski]