MasTicA: Lately

MasTicA.net changes its LOOK once again to show some signs of life. All members are busy as usual in there own endeavors and hope to gather again soon in their search for new MasTicAtioNs. It simmers in our free time and begs for a way to make it happen once again. Hopefully the MUSE will strike soon so check back often!

Sample some new and old flavors of MasTicA in SOUNDS. A new gumB song and some old live MasTicA! More coming soon!

MasTicA now has a MYSPACE MUSIC page! Check it out @ myspace.com/masticausa

Also, p@ has one @ myspace.com/patmastelotto and gumB has one @ myspace.com/gumbassoprofundo

If you have a MYSPACE page, Let's be FRIENDS and invite each others friends and on and on...

Same MasTicA site, ever-changing appearance. New look for the site features the MasTicAttacK cover by Denis Rodier. New song samples from gumB coming soon!

Another chance to see p@'s new duo TUNER on Thursday the 17th of March (St. Patricks Day) @ Castleberry's, 1025 Barton Springs Road. 7:45 - 8:30

Since MasTicA has been missing on the live scene, we thought we'd offer these LIVE tracks from one of our favorite clubs back in 2002. We miss the Empanada Parlour, closed because of Sound Ordinance violations. So TURN IT UP for the Emp! More tracks soon to replace these, so download now! In the SOUNDS section.

Check out p@'s new project @ SXSW

TUNER is the meeting place of Pat Mastelotto (Electronics, Percussion) and Markus Reuter (Electronics, Keys, Touch Guitar). As a small, electronic unit, TUNER is combining tunes with noise, subtlety with bursts of aggression, technology with human interface. TUNER is music beyond the musicians' mastery of their instruments, it's a test of faith.

Debut gig at SXSW 2005 Festival:
Wednesday, March 16, 8:00 p.m.
Blender Bar @ The Ritz
320 E. 6th Street
Austin, TX 78701

After us, "Drums & Tuba", "Twinemen" (ex-Morphine) and "The Bad Plus" will play. Check www.sxsw.com for details.

Markus and I will be recording an album in March, too. Looking forward to that. The idea is to focus on the music rather than on the player, so we might be using instruments and techniques that are not usually associated with us.

In 2004 the Groovin' Ground held some jams @ Tambeleo dubbed "The Portal All-Stars". We dropped in and laid down some sounds with this FUN jam band. Listen to mp3 in SOUNDS. Check them out @ groovinground.com

A reminder to those who prefer to download their music, MasTicA is available from many digital download services. Presently at 28 different locations from our connection with CD BABY (our favorite on-line music store). So if you don't want to buy the HARD-COPY, download from any of these services....Apple iTunes, MusicMatch, BuyMusic, Napster, RuleRadio, EMEPE3, CatchMusic, Sony Connect, QTRnote, Puretracks, Viztas, Rhapsody, MusicIsHere, MP3tunes, NetMusic, Etherstream, Music4Cents, MSN Music, AliveAudio, MusicNet, LoudEye, NewViews Music, Emusic, Mperia, On-line Promo, DigiPie, MusicNow, iSound

As we search for material for upcoming MasTicA, gumB offers up this tune from his gumBasso proFundo mixes. That's munkE on clarinet. Tell us what you think of this germ of an idea as you download and share with a friend. In SOUNDS at the bottom of list under MASTICA TEST PROJECT. Also check out added song samples from previous releases and more pictures under SIGHTS.

gumB's got one more FREE one. From the up-coming pseudo-release of gumBasso proFundo and the "unphonied symfonish". This disc-ending track has some feirce celli marching to JFK's inaugural speech, driving the point further home. Yours to enjoy and share. In the SOUNDS under MASTICA TEST PROJECT.

"Bop the Gang" is another tune culled from the heap to make '99. Yet another face of MasTicA which didn't quite fit the on the debut, this one powered by munkE's bass clarinet, this woody rhythmed track pulses submarine bottom and a familiar hipster from the past. Located in SOUNDS under MasTicaTeD LeFtOverS. Download or just take a listen...

Check the SOUNDS for a MasTicAteD LeftOveR track from the '99 sessions. Sacrficador is a journey of sonic basso and sax pine to a jaunty beat. Sacrificed from '99's list, it's now ressurected here. And Free! Listen or download NOW!

MasTicA.net returns to the web! After a short lapse in web presence, MasTicA is back with a new look and plans for new music adventures in upcoming months. Stay tuned for news on recording and performance schedules. Pass the word and check out the sight for new updates weekly. MasTicA.net returns!

gumB and munkE approach up to date technology with a new addition! Out with the Free Pro Tools, now we'll have fun with the real thing. Aquiring an mBox and some speakers, we pretend to be little studio gnomes for a while as MasTicA regroups. Often shunning the digital world for analog reality, we've made the transition to "if if sounds good who cares" and welcome the ease of post production and idea manifestation. Look for upcoming ideas to hit mastica.net

gumB has been busy during this recent MasTicA break recording some stuff on Pro Tools Free on his eMac to get a hang on this 'puter thang. More acoustic stuff ala "17" and "Crescent Moon", these revolve around little tenor and plectrum guitars (small 4 stringers), some eclectic celli, and new and old words. munkE added a few clari parts as we test some songs for later MasTicA projects. Let's call it a MasTicA TesT ProJecT. Available soon for next to nothing, look for samples soon.

Those of you in the Austin, Texas area have the priviledge of seeing our favorite band of mastics, Mastica.
They will be at The Vibe tonight at 11PM with The Tribe to follow at 12:30.
If you had plans tonight, and you live in Austin, looks like you might want to ensure they include Mastica.
In case you need it contact info follows below:
The Vibe
508 E 6TH ST, AUSTIN, TX., 78701
Phone#: (512) 474-0632

These MasTicA Cedar Creek Sessions, almost an accident waiting to happen, were born of the fact that music can happen anytime, and the end result is often far from what was expected going in.
March 8-9, 2001 was originally a time to begin a second record of "songs and instrumental sculptures" ala their first effort, "Mastica 99." Somewhere in between finding sounds and basic tracks of a few new songs, there was a moment or twelve to "experiment" or "stretch out.
For these sessions, the three MasTicA's ( p@, gumB, munkE ) expanded to six to represent what had been happening in recent live performances. MasTicA LiVe is an ever changing thing, based on club size, the audience and who's available to sit in . MasTicA tends to have many different faces over time. So when a string of gigs with the same faces occurred they wanted to document this period of musical momentum.
Not all moments in the studio had all six of this lineup, some only a few. Brad Houser (Critters Buggin', Edie Brickell) crouched behind a sound baffle and a row of effects, disappearing and reappearing with just the right baritone sax squeaks and moans tweaked through a box or two. The darkness and cool comfort of Cedar Creek was more than once abruptly awakened by the "Wall of Drums" covering the entire north rock wall of the studio. (p@'s mix of acoustic and electric drums, supplemented by Branden Harper's (ambientmood.com) north African percussion toys.)
Arriving late and leaving early for another gig , Bruce Salmon (Alejandro Escovedo) added many textures and voice samples. All the while gumB looped and unlooped basses upright and electric fretless while munkE blew alto sax. Thanks to the steady hand of Bill Munyon (King Crimson, Butthole Surfers), they were able to capture many of these special moments direct to two-track. (Producer p@ always likes to keep the two-track rolling.)
In the end, due to lack of funds , they never finished the "proper songs," instead going almost exclusively to these two-track mixes to begin the search for moments.
In '02 MasTicA found time (during Crim breaks ) to "cut and paste" many of these moments together. Then gumB added some acoustic stuff, munkE some sax and voices, and their daughter Miabel added voices as well. These were added to the two-track mixes and more samurai editing was done as many special moments hit the digital cutting room floor, continuing the improv like approach throughout editing and kept the muse felling LIVE.
Somewhere in the middle of this, p@, gumB , Brad and Bill got together at "The Zone" in Dripping Springs These sessions echoed the feeling of the Cedar tracks and added impromptu moments which appear on tracks 3, 7 and 11.
Everyone mentioned here donated their time and skills to this project, and hope you enjoy this slice of Mastic Time, until the record they tried to start , "the songs and such" is completed. These moments suggest they made this one for the "Joy" of it, and the sounds here are from the heart of very creative beings. This is a great representation of the fun they have when given a chance to "MasTicAttacK".
Freshly unpredictable and unpredictably fresh sounds from King Crimson rhythmatist accompanied by big basses , angular horns and mysterious voices on this studio improv based recording of quick changing dark fun.
TRACKS
1. Monstruoso
2. Mibo
3. Song Number Ten
4. Banjoman
5. Yes Sir
6. Septaped
7. Short Attention Span (part One)
8. Stinkicious
9. Snort
10. Palomitas
11. Short Attention Span (part Two)
12. Hurt Me
13. Guilty
14. Munchkin

Mastica is Playing on the Legends of Rasta Reggae Festival on Sunday Oct 20th in San Antonio at 2:00PM
Dates/Times: Sunday, October 20th , 2002/ Sunday Noon-10pm
Location: Sunken Garden Amphitheater, 3875 N. St. Mary (next to the San Antonio Zoo).
PERFORMERS (* indicates headliners) Tour Master of Ceremonies: LJ. Blasé (New Orleans) Mystic Vision (Tijeras, NM; Roots Reggae);* Spoonfed Tribe (Dallas; Fusion Worldbeat Rock); Mastica (Austin; Alternative Fusion Worldbeat); DJ Roche (Detroit, MI;DJ Mix Master); Kenyah (New York, Houston; Worldbeat Jazz Fusion Drum Group);Kuma (Fire, Drum Circle & Juggling Group); Felix-The Catman (Granada, DJ Mix Master Roots Dancehall Side Stage); Rajolei Pickens (Roots Folk); Rajamani & Ensemble (India; Indian Gypsy Folk Worldbeat);Rudy Vasquez (Dallas; Tribute to Rasta Music); Dr King Cobra & the Bushmen (Nigeria, Houston; African Fusion Worldbeat), Kan’Nal (Austin; Middle Eastern Edgy Native Drumming Fusion Rock)

Comprising King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto and husband and wife team Gum B and Monkey, Mastica have produced a debut album that inventively combines contemporary US Indie Rock edge, Sylvian/Ferry-esque moods and experimental Froom/Waits production values. Without doubt, one of the most distinctive extra-curricular projects to emerge out of the KC universe.
The album is available from the 'shop' section of www.burningshed.com for the price of 11 Pounds inclusive of p&p UK and 12 Pounds inclusive of p&p elsewhere.