Susan von Seggern

The Silver Pesos are bringing their cross-cultural sound of tropical bass, soulful vocals in Spanish and English, and hints of West African guitar psychedelia to “I Art You” – Create:Fixate’s 10 Year Anniversary Exhibit on February 11, 2012 at 11:30pm.

The core members of the Pesos are American, but their music is the result of a collaboration across several continents. Producer Peter Brambl recorded the album, Born at Midnight, in Los Angeles, Paris, Belize, and Bali, working with local musicians along the way and incorporating the distinct sounds of each locale. Singer Chloe Conger, who lives part-time in Mexico, draws from diverse inspirations like Cesaria Evoria and Nortec Collective to create lyrics that feel like timeless folk-blues. And guitarist/co-producer Robert Weber maintains his own studio in Indonesia, where many of the tracks were recorded with a local rhythm section. Joining the Silver Pesos on their US dates are bassist John von Seggern, vocalist/keyboardist Joanna Ellis, drummer John Nyboer and percussionist Jason Kadlec.

Chloe Conger and Peter Brambl of The Silver Pesos

Continue reading →

Simplexity – Extreme Measures [vibinst005] by johnvon

West Coast electronic jazz group Simplexity will play a rare live gig in Los Angeles at the popular cutting edge jazz club Blue Whale in Little Tokyo on January 28, 2012. Blue Whale is located at 123 astronaut E, S Onizuka St. Suite 301, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The group will do two sets, 9:00pm and 10:30pm.

Simplexity is a postdigital electronic jazz project that combines electronic ambient sounds and textures, contemporary dance beats and the soul of jazz improvisation.

They released their first album, Extreme Measures, in 2010, with producer/computer musician John von Seggern joined by some of the most innovative and respected jazz players in Los Angeles: noted sax and EWI player, sound designer and studio musician Steve Tavaglione, leading jazz pianist/keyboardist John Beasley, drummer Gary Novak, trumpeter Walt Fowler, and clarinetist/EVI player Judd Miller. Bass parts on the album were recorded by the late, great Dave Carpenter, to whom the album is dedicated.

On this live performance show von Seggern will play acoustic bass and electronic processing together with Tavaglione, Beasley, and Novak, with recent NYC to LA transplant Jon Margulies handling the live computer beats and sounds. Continue reading →