Jez riley French
"….intuitive and improvised music…."
Jez riley French’s creative output revolves around the intuitive aspects of music, sound and simple visual elements.
He prefers to allow emotions to inform his work and whilst the concept of personal and cultural theory is indeed a part of his creative outlook, he regards those things indeed as personal and not something to insist the audience is aware of.
Having started making music by improvising some 28 years ago & at a rather early age, he has been using the term ‘intuitive’ for some years now as it more closely fits his work.
Main areas of his practice include:
Field recordings – ‘something I began to explore when very young and continue to enjoy with an increased sense of both obvious and hidden sounds. I prefere to use simple equipment and methods including handmade contact microphones and hydrophones’ Since 1982 he has issued 21 volumes of his field recordings.
‘For me field recording is about capturing the moment of discovery or simple enjoyment or interest – not attempting to make a ‘perfect’ recording of a sound that we do not control. My recordings explore the sonic architecture of spaces and the naturally occurring sounds of objects, animals, plants & water’
Acoustic objects & instruments – including GuZheng, Zithers, Piano, Guitar, Shamisen, music boxes and various everyday objects (shells, stones, wood, household items & often items found around the venue of each performance etc)
Clear input & inside sounds – ‘clear input sound is a method I have been exploring since the early 1980’s. It involves the use of various electronic items without a conventional instrument as an input. ‘Inside’ sounds describes the process of exploring the audible inner workings of instruments and objects by the use of contact mics etc’
‘Subtle aspects of music and sound are paramount in my audio work. Likewise, my photographic work has always been, simply a personal pleasure and devoid of forced technique or a desire to re-invent the highlighted image’
Jez performed and exhibited extensively across the UK & mainland Europe – in a wide range of venues, spaces & differing contexts. He also writes occasionally for ‘the wire’ magazine & runs two regular concert series in the North of the UK – ‘seeds & bridges’ & ‘imeplace’. In addition to live / concert / exhibition activities he run’s the cd-r label ‘engraved glass’.
Jez riley French lives in East Yorkshire, UK.
www.myspace.com/JezrileyFrench
"Church Door And Window"
‚this track consists of two recordings made in a small church in Melton, local to where I live. Contact microphones were attached to a window and the porch screen door of the church. As you can hear, the wind was blowing hard – as is quite normal across the Yorkshire wolds !. I simply liked the sounds I was hearing, for me that is the best motivation for recording them !‘