MIMEO
the Music In Mouvement Electronic Orchestra
 

 

 

 

Mimeo's set-up at the Serpentine Gallery in London September 5th 2003, upstairs and downstairs, photosThomas Lehn
 

 

Phil Durrant - violin / electronics @uk

Christian Fennesz - computer @at

Cor Fuhler - piano / analogue electronics @nl

Thomas Lehn - analogue synthesizer @de

Kaffe Matthews - computer @uk

Jerome Noetinger - electroacoustic devices @fr

Gert-Jan Prins - electronics / radio / tv @nl

Peter Rehberg - computer @at

Keith Rowe - tabletop guitar @uk

Marcus Schmickler - computer / synthesizer @de

Rafael Toral - guitar / electronics @pt

 

 

 
 

"The idea of an "official" view for Mimeo is almost contradictory, in the sense that the performers have such varied backgrounds, as for history, I guess Mimeo reflects the doubt laden transition from the world of scarcity (analogue spectrum) to the one of plenty (digital). Within the orchestra this transition is represented by the "group primitive" and the "powerbook trio", a kind of "post techno Duchampianism", a music worked around choice and juxtaposition. Mimeo takes two features of C20 music into the C21, improvisation and electronics. It consults / runs / operates / through a kind of internet e-mail democracy. The question however remains : " Will the powerbook trio be able to contain the low tech. onslaught of the primitives and avoid the out-flanking manoeuvres by the dysfunctional garbage collectors, or will the romantics hold the day with their instruments rooted in history ".

Keith Rowe

 
 
MIMEO has played in Konfrontationen Nickelsdorf/Austria, Timecircle Festival in the Hague / the Netherlands, IMI festival in Wuppertal / Germany, a 3 day Mimeo festival in Cologne/Germany, Rote Fabrik in Zurich/Switserland, a 24 hour concert at "Musique Action" Vendoeuvre/France, at Angelica in Bologna / Italy in may 2001. Nickelsdorf 2002. The Serpentine Gallery London 2003.
 
the Group has made 3 cds:
--- MIMEO (live in Nickelsdorf / the Hague / Wuppertal)
--- Electric Chair + Table (double cd, live in Stadtgarten Cologne)
--- The Hands Of Caravaggio (with guest pianist John Tilbury)
 
Review:
Downtown Music Gallery, New York wrote:
 M.I.M.E.O &endash; (Perdition Plastics009) AMM Guitarist Keith Rowe assembled this extraordinary group of electronic improvisers for a series of performances in Europe in 1997. This CD documents excerpts culled from these performances. While this process in itself may seem inconsistent with the AMM's pragmatic philosophy, the group is stepping into territory of sound manipulation and processing, while still footed in improvisational theory &endash;in the grand tradition of Musica Electronica Viva, David Tudor and Nouvo Consonanza .MIMEO's make-up is an ensemble working with computer aided processing tools, many of which have been developed in the past 5 years. The artist on board are masters of these programs and show adeptness to twisting a sound inside out. While this not entirely a Laptop Orchestra, Piano, Violin, Synth, Guitar (that's Keith's guitar of course- if you can still call it that) and that trusty old staple, the radio are listed as instruments.
The prospect of a large ensemble like this may suggest a chaotic indulgence in density and noise, it is in fact subtle and sparse in it's exchange &endash; serious consideration to the group sound is given by all &endash; and most often the ensemble is pared down into smaller groupings. This album, Like some of Otomo Yoshihide's groups, is example of the vibrant progressions that have been made in the wake of the liberation of digital audio processing &endash; in that compatibility with speed has turned the computer into viable improvising instrument &endash;MIMEO never loses touch with the tactile. With it's evolving membership having involved Phil Durrant, Jerome Noetinger, Peter Rehberg, Thomas Lehn, Cor Fuhler, (among others) who could expect anything less than brilliant ?
By Dean
 
 
Contact: Keith Rowe: keith.rowe@wanadoo.fr
 
and/or Cor Fuhler: type "giwalo" followed by "@euronet.nl"
 
(or anybody else in the group)
 
 
 
 
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