crou030: The Portable Quartet: Take the Train CD

CROUTON NO.30
The Portable Quartet
“Take The Train”
CD-R

The Portable Quartet is Jon Mueller (percussion), Chris Rosenau (banjo), Jim Schoenecker (oscillator), and Thomas Wincek (melodica). In early June, 2005, a select group of people were mailed invitations with detailed instructions of the time, date, and which train to board at the Milwaukee Amtrak station. Then, on June 25, after a 30 minute train ride south, the attendees arrived in Sturtevant, WI. Upon their entry into the 100-year-old empty train station, this performance by The Portable Quartet began; the combined sounds of banjo strings, human breath blown through a tube, vibrating drum snares from gong recordings, and the whizzing tones of the oscillator, all while an unknown set of false teeth lay on the ground near the attendee’s feet.

In this grouping, the individual histories of the players mesh. Moments of fragile country silence, back porch finger picking, and strange machinery combine with bombastic squeals and rattling chugs. Recorded using both analog and digital equipment, the recorded mix allows both methods to be heard at various points; the dusty sound of old tape and the clarity of new technology, so as to listen in the ‘past’ and ‘present.’ This night was a celebration; of chance, adventure, history, present moments, and life one step ahead of the imminent future we all face. After approximately one hour, another train arrived to pick everyone up and take them home. A few months later, the station was demolished.

The disc comes packaged in an oversized reproduction based on the original invitations, containing one of ten 4×6″ original photographic prints taken at the event by Kris Hunt. As the original invite list was limited for an intimate gathering, this release is also limited to a numbered edition of 100. Welcome aboard.

OUT OF PRINT