
Friday, September 19th, FONT Music and Village Zendo Arts co-present an evening of improvised music to the 1926 Japanese silent film “A Page of Madness” (59 minutes) by Japanese film director Teinosuke Kinugasa. The film is the product of an avant-garde group of artists in Japan known as the Shinkankaku-ha (or School of New Perceptions). The multi-media performance will feature grammy nominated trumpeter/composer Tim Hagans, Dragon Mouth Trumpet/Shakuhachi by VZ member Ryuko Shragge and percussion/vibraphone by James Shipp. Don”t miss this unique musical collaboration to one of Japans most intriguing films.
$16 online, $20 at the door – space is limited Buy tickets online at HERE.
For more info contact Ryuko.
co-presented by FONT fontmusic.org
About the film:
A Page of Madness is a silent film by Japanese film director Teinosuke Kinugasa, made in 1926. It was lost for forty-five years until being rediscovered by Kinugasa in his storehouse in 1971. The film is the product of an avant garde group of artists in Japan known as the Shinkankaku-ha (or School of New Perceptions) who tried to overcome naturalistic representation. Yasunari Kawabata, who would win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968, was credited on the film with the original story. He is often cited as the film”s screenwriter, and a version of the scenario is printed in his complete works, but the scenario is now considered a collaboration between Kawabata, Kinugasa, Banko Sawada, and Minoru Inuzuka.
The film takes place in an asylum. Although cut together in an ever maddening maelstrom, the film loosely tells the story of the janitor of the asylum. His wife is one of the patients. One day their daughter shows up at the asylum to tell her mother about her engagement. This sets off a number of subplots and flashbacks which stitch together the family history (for instance, why the mother is a patient and why the daughter is unaware of her father”s job as a janitor).
The film does not contain inter titles, making it difficult to follow for audiences today. At 59 minutes, the print existing today is missing nearly a third of what was shown in theaters in 1926. Showings in 1920s Japan would have included live narration by a storyteller or benshi as well as musical accompaniment. The famous benshi Musei Tokugawa narrated the film at the Musashinokan theater in Shinjuku in Tokyo.

About the live music:

Tim Hagans, an excellent post-bop-oriented trumpeter, was with the orchestras of Stan Kenton (1974-1977) and Woody Herman (1977), before moving to Sweden (1977-1981) where he played with Sahib Shihab, Ernie Wilkins” Almost Big Band, the Danish Radio Orchestra (which was then directed by Thad Jones), and Dexter Gordon. After returning to the U.S., he taught at the University of Cincinnati and recorded for the local MoPro label. Hagans taught at Berklee (1984-1986), and then in 1986 he started working with Joe Lovano and Fred Hersch. Later, he has made records with Bob Belden, Lovano, Rick Margitza, John Hart, and the Yellowjackets, and has worked with the big bands of Bob Mintzer, Maria Schneider, and the Gil Evans orchestra. Tim Hagans has recorded several Blue Note albums as a leader.

Aaron Ryuko Shragge (trumpet, shakuhachi, composition) has been greatly inspired from the practice and study of the ancient musical traditions of North India and Japan. Shragge has a BFA in Jazz and Contemporary Music from New School University has a Master”s in Music therapy at New York University. Aaron Shragge has performed with multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter, Ben Monder, Jon Gibson, The Sam Roberts Band, Akim Funk Buddha, and Medeski Martin and Wood”s Billy Martin at such venues as Symphony Space, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, The Blue Note, CBGB”s and The Tenri Cultural Institute. He has studied improvisation with Kenny Werner, and is currently studies shakuhachi with Grand Master’s Ronnie Nyogetsu Seldin, Japanese Master Yodo Kurahashi II and North Indian vocals with Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan. His current projects include a duo with Ben Monder, a Jazz quintet that plays the music of Tom Waits.

James Shipp is a vibraphonist, percussionist, composer, and bandleader who has been living and working in New York for the past 13 years. Originally from Columbia, Maryland, he grew up in a musical family, and set his sights on a career as a professional musician while in his early teens.
James plays a wide variety of instruments and styles, most of which are based in or around jazz, which he refers to as the “big tent” in the international music world. In his career James has played jazz both new and old, Caribbean music, Brazilian music, “third-stream” chamber music, mostly improvised music, rock, funk, r&b, and with many bands that cross and blend different genres and styles. James’ current focus as a bandleader is Nós Novo, a quartet that re-imagines traditional music from Ireland and the surrounding areas through the lenses of modern jazz and Brazilian musics. The band is comprised of James on vibes, melodica, and percussion, Jo Lawry on vocals and mandolin, Keith Ganz on guitars, and Rogerio Boccato on percussion. James received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music from SUNY Purchase, and recently participated in the “Solo, Duo, Trio” Professional Training Workshop led by Fred Hersch at Carnegie Hall.
Along with other emerging artists from around the country, James studied improvised music there with Fred, Jane Ira Bloom, Jason Moran, and Kenny Baron, culminating in a memorable concert at Zankel Hall. In addition to those mentioned above, James counts himself lucky to have studied music over the years with an inspiring cast of master musicians and deeply dedicated educators including the following: Hal Galper, Charles Blenzig, Doug Munro, Joe Locke, Arthur Lipner, Ted Piltzecker, Todd Coolman, Ray Vega, Jim MacElwaine, Jon Faddis, Scott Feiner, Ze Mauricio, Cyro Baptista, Billy Martin, Max Vanderbeek, and Mr. Lewis Dutrow.
