Myth/Science Dubcology

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Inspired by the writings of Sun Ra and serving as a tribute to the cultural site of Chicago's Washington Park, Myth/Science Dubcology will be a new series of innovative sound concerts that connect audiences and communities. In June 2011, I began recording the sounds of Washington Park to continue my Electro-Acoustic Dubcology series. I was inspired by the compositions and writings by Sun Ra, the park itself, and its designer Frederick Law Olmsted.  Having accrued a considerable amount of recordings of the park at this point, I am now asking for your support in helping me carry out my first concert series called “Myth/Science Dubcology."

I am at a point in my career where I am able to focus the appropriate energy and resources to deeply expand my practice. Through your support, I will execute a series of concerts that will connect audiences and communities, create a sense of place through performance, and pay homage to Washington Park and Sun Ra. This is a great opportunity to contribute to a unique project that is accessible on so many levels. Your involvement supports "new music," sound ecology, listening as a form of place making, Jazz history, and Chicago history.

Every dollar you donate will support a project that can thrive and expand with limited resources. Your gift will help support this endeavor in a meaningful way and ensure that the spirit of creativity, curiosity, and experimentation continues to thrive in my practice and in the work of my colleagues. Your giving directly funds: performance space, engineer, refreshments, artist fees, transportation, rehearsal time, and art supplies.

About This Project

Myth/Science Dubcology is a tribute to the cultural site of Washington Park and the creative composer Sun Ra on the 100^th anniversary of his birth. The term “Myth/Science” refers to Sun Ra’s Arkestra and his studies of religion, numerology, and science. “Dubcology” refers to ecology, the science of the relationships between organisms and their environments. “Dubcology” also references a recording method made popular in Jamaica in the early 1970's called dub. The recording and composition processes are a combination of acoustic-ecology, electro-acoustic composition, and dub sound practice. 

This project follows my practice of gardening, collecting, and creating as a way to connect people to history, space, ecology, and community. This practice fulfills a need for us to understand our ecology, history, and sense of place through sound.  Through this understanding we can improve our communities.  This is my first project involving an earnest attempt at collaboration and improvisation from a variety of artists, including musicians and poets who have inspired my work in deep and meaningful ways.

Washington Park has been a site for contemplation, ecology, activity, culture, thought, and diverse black subjectivity. Myth/Science Dubcology brings together my recordings of Washington Park, and readings from Sun Ra and Frederick Law Olmsted to create an aural palimpsest and an alternate soundscape connecting Chicagoans to this park and community. I've been recording sounds from Washington Park for the past three years. So far, I have only been able to post these recordings on my soundcloud page and the online sound map Radio Aporee.  In Myth/Science Dubcology, I am re-presenting the recordings in a context that cannot be replicated through online audio resources, as I will be improvising and processing my recordings live with my collaborators. This performance will be in the spirit of creativity in using sound and space as Sun Ra and Olmsted had in composing and designing.  It is also important to note that I will be working with the Creative Audio Archive, housed at Experimental Sound Studio and their Sun Ra/El Saturn Collection where I will incorporate his recordings into my live sets making ESS the most appropriate venue for this project. 

Thank yous

Contribute any amount or choose from the levels below.

• $100
  Hand Made Box Set of Electro-Acoustic Dubcology I-IV ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $200
  Personal sound walk given by Norman W. Long (Local Donors Only) ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $300
  Personal sound walk given by Norman W. Long w/CD Recording ($0.00 is tax deductible.)
• $0
  n/a ($0.00 is tax deductible.)

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Norman Long

Norman Long’s work centers on walking, listening, improvising, performing, teaching, field recording, and exploring memory, place, ecology, and race. Long has performed and exhibited at Yale University’s Center for Collaborative Arts & Media in Newhaven, High Zero Festival in Baltimore, …

View Norman Long's profile

• 1 update
• 19 supporters

• Update 1: Important Messages about Gifts

  Posted on September 05, 2014

   

  Due to copyright issues I will not be able to give away the recordings from my live sets. My apologies. However I can upgrade the live sets to the box set and Add a couple of CDs to those who would want the box sets. Please email me if you have any questions or concerns. And I thank everyone who has contributed! Your means a lot to me. thank you again.

  Norman

  normanwlong@gmail.com

• Thank you to the following for contributing to 3Arts with the recommendation that we support this project.

  • Mia Capodilupo

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  • Elizabeth Gjelten

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  • Pamela Long

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