Wire Stitched Ears�@(CUNEIFORM RUNE 71)

Blast is a Dutch quartet, formed in the mid 1980's. The bandmembers characterize their music as "chamber music for rock instrumentation" onto which they integrate free improvisation. Ranging from atonal counterpoint to improvised explorations of aural texture, this music includes polyrhythmics, intricate band precision, intoned absurdist lyrics, and noise from tapes & prepared instruments. Blast's sound is both dense and kaleidoscopic. Blast has performed throughout Europe including stops at major centers such as Rome, Zurich, Vienna, Bruxelles, Budapest and Amsterdam. They were featured at the 1990 M.I.M.I. festival in France and performed in the US in January, 1993 at New York's prestigious new-music showcase, The Kitchen. Their 1st CD, Puristsirup, was self-released by the band in 1992. Wire Stitched Ears, on Cuneiform, is their 2nd release. The New York Times described Blast's new compositions as: "minimalist funk using circular, overlapping saxophone lines... ...quick changing and intricate." The band consists of Frank Crijns, Dirk Bruinsma, Edward Capel, and Jim Meneses. Frank Crijns (guitar) has been a composer since 1986. His work includes pieces for solists and small ensembles. Since 1989 he has studied composition at the Rotterdam Conservatory. In addition to Blast, he has performed with Fred Frith, Eliott Sharp, Jacques Palinckx, and others. Dirk Bruinsma (electric bass, baritone saxophone, tapes, vocals) has written for chamber ensembles, opera, film, dance, theatre and audio-visual spectacles. He has collaborated with Evan Parker, Barry Guy, George Lewis, and also performs in theatre situations as a musician and performer/director. Edward Capel (alto and soprano saxophone) studied saxophone, composition and improvised music at the Tilburg (Holland) Conservatory. He has performed with Eliott Sharp, Jacques Palinckx and Fred Frith. Jim Meneses (drums, percussion) was born in Philadelphia & worked with a number of American ensembles before moving to Europe in the mid 1980's. Since that time he has played with David Moss Dense Band, Kixx and Zeropop, in duo with percussionist Pavel Fajt and in improvisational projects with Casper Bruizman.