Rarebit by Steve Barsotti and Eric Leonardson
Transparency CD0125

Rarebit is the culmination of a four-year project by sound artists and instrument inventors Steve Barsotti and Eric Leonardson. Taking their cues from 20th Century sound artist-inventors Luigi Russolo and Harry Partch, the self-built instruments of Barsotti and Leonardson use coil springs, eyebolts, various pieces of wood and other familiar materials that are amplified by contact microphones, skillfully producing sounds of incredible depth and texture, an amazing richness and variety given their humble origins. Their unique sounds are unlike any made with traditional Western instruments and modern electronic instruments. Given these novel sounds, their music retains human-level gestures as one expects from traditional acoustic music, yet with an emphasis on texture and timbre instead of melody or meter.

Rarebit may draw comparisons to the sounds and music of fellow instrument inventors Hal Rammel, Bob Rutman, and the late Hugh Davies. Most of the nine pieces on the CD (nine tracks, 72 minutes total) are improvised pieces and two were composed. They create streams of sound that move fluidly from scene to scene with a communicative style and a dramatic sense of presence and dynamic range: from effervescent burbling, animal-like whines and grunts, to gritty metallic drones that transform into forlorn hissing and ethereal soundscapes. Some passages are nearly silent, breathy, and tranquil.

previous releases

Deep Wireless 3, Radio art double-CD compilation from the 2005 Deep Wireless Festival

"Other Music", produced and performed with Ana Friz, Evalyn Parry, and Chris Brookes for the 2005 Deep Wireless Festival, a month-long celebration of radio art including new commissions, special broadcasts, artist residencies, performances and sound installations; held annually by New Adventures In Sound Art in Toronto.

 

Noise To Meet You U.S.A., limited edition CDR compilation curated by Zenial (Lukasz Szalankiewicz), (simlog015) Simple Logic Records, 2005

 

A Call For Silence, from the Sonic Arts Network, 2004

"Erster Berliner" featured on this CD compilation curated by Nicolas Collins, with a handsomely designed and illustrated 28-page booklet. Featuring works by 32 artists, including Dale Lloyd, Francisco Lopez, and Alvin Lucier.

Jacopo Andreini vs 900, vol. 1
BAR16 CD, Frigorifero Prod./Burp/Bar La Muerte, 2002

Winter Construction
limited edition CDR compilation (dceo003), 2001

Featuring tracks by Chicago artists Fred Lonberg-Holm, the Flying Luttenbachers, Ernst Karel/ Brent Gutzeit/ Jason Soliday, Lozenge, Metallux, TV Pow, and others... available on-line from dead ceo

Radio Reverie in the Waiting Place

IEL 0011 CD, Not In The Family Records, 1999
Solo electroacoustic works created between 1992 and 1998. Distributed by Asian Improv Records.

Active Vision by Andrea Polli

Limited ed. CD-R Produced at Harvestworks, Digital Media Arts Center through the Artist-In-Residence Program and at iEAR Studios through the iEAR Summer Residency Program, 1999.

 

Nomenclature

Antioch Records, 1999
Guest musician on "Let Me In" with the heavy metal band Lofty Magnificent Box.

 

Animus

CD, Not In The Family Records, 1998
Duo improviastions on Springboard with vocalist Carol Genetti. Distributed by Asian Improv Records

In the Eye of the Ear

cassette compilation, 1998
Works by artists participating in the third installment of In the Eye of the Ear audio art festival. "OvertUr" is an early Springboard composition recorded at the Experimental Sound Studio.

From the Pages of Experimental Musical Instruments, Volume 11

cassette compilation, Experimental Musical Instruments magazine, 1996
"The Root Cellar" is a companion piece to an EMI article about the Springboard.

Dig This: A Benefit Compilation for Doorika Theater

CD, Sweet Pea Records, 1995
"Father Waters Anoints His Nostalgia with Flying Bacon"

Experience the NOW Sound of Chicago's HOT Wicker Park®

CD compilation, Terminal Projects Group (Chicago), 1994
"Degauss Ballerina" by Wormwood

Wormwood

cassette album, Lobe Hatch (Chicago), 1994
early electroacoustic improvisations in the experimental trio with Dylan Posa and Spencer Sundell.

Urban Archeology/Site Removal

self-produced cassette release, 1993
supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Nature and Machines

LP, Root Records, 1988
by Hand To Mouth: Gene Pool (vocals, guitar, grass suits), Sasha Sumner (saxophone), Dave Jackson (guitar, vocals), Eric Leonardson (drums), Warren Crowell (bass), Oliver Seay (percussion)