Detroit Institute of Arts
“The Bailout” is a piece for a Saxophone quartet and live sound manipulation using the LiSa and JunXion software, developed by STEIM in Amsterdam. The piece is written by me and Ties Mellema and it is inspired by the history of the auto industry in Detroit and the “auto bailout” by the US government. It has premièred March 20th 2009 in a concert that I did with the Amstel Quartet in the Detroit Institute of Arts.
When the saxophones play a loud note, they start one of the sound files I have collected; text fragments from opponents and advocates of the bailout plan such as Rush Limbaugh, Bush, Obama and Rick Wagener, the CEO of GM, and excerpts from old movies describing Detroit and its Auto industry during the twenties and sixties. In this way the instruments “talk” and “discuss” with each other. I am manipulating sounds using the Wiimote and the Korg Kaoss Pad (as midi controller).
We played at the Diego Rivera Court under the magnificent masterpiece Detroit Industry. It was the fitting scene. Not surprisingly the mood is not upbeat in Detroit, but the audience was great and the museum seems an oasis with its free music and film program, and young and old playing chess in the museum at Friday night. Talking with soundman Tony during a ride to the Guitar Centre (the only music shop in the area, hard to believe) I got the impression that Detroit is not cherishing its great musical past enough as a way of promoting culture and ultimately the economy. The lost car industry is never coming back but who has not heard of Detroit Soul and Techno? Detroit rise again!
