Michael Preston Barr would have been 89 today. Here’s a fine version (by Blossom Dearie) of a wonderful song he wrote with Dion McGregor.
Try Your Wings
Last stages of Andreyev disc fundraiser! Musical and other rewards!
14 JulAmong other items being offered in appreciation of your contribution is Evidence, Samuel’s 2009 book of poetry from Quattro Books.
Samuel Andreyev and ensemble proton bern
27 JunAnother exceptional Andreyev recording project!
“intense, exotic, disorienting, utopian and extremely complex”
The Equal Ground Says Dreaming Like Mad is “Great Entertainment”
13 DecThanks to The Equal Ground’s Ted Rogen for this very positive and thoughtful review.
http://www.theequalground.com/indie-music-album-reviews/dion-mcgregor-dreaming-like-mad-with-dion-mcgregor
USA Today on Dreaming Like Mad
5 AugSplendid article on the new Dion McGregor album by Whitney Matheson in her USA Today column Pop Candy.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/popcandy/2014/08/05/dion-mcgregor/13629087/
Dreaming Like Mad Release
14 JulThe official release date of the new Dion McGregor album is July 20th. Pre-orders have been filled—and it’s truly exciting to get some enthusiastic early reactions to the audio, the CD package, and the t-shirts/tank tops (featuring Kerry Zentner’s cover art).
To see related posts, kindly drop by the Dreaming Like Mad Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/dreaminglikemad
I’d better start tweeting, too, now that I’m into the getting-it-out-there phase!
https://twitter.com/torporvigil
There’s still work to be done before the 20th, but everything’s up and running on the Dion McGregor Bandcamp site (with the possible exception of shirts and prints):
http://dionmcgregor.bandcamp.com/releases
What have I got for a picture this time … ? How about the earliest known photo of Dion (photographer unknown):
Best from Torpor Vigil HQ in Toronto,
Steve
A Bit of Unreleased Vigilant Torpor
5 AprComposer James Blight is one of those rare beings who can combine a delirious spirit with rigorous craft. Here’s some unreleased audio from a 1998 collaboration, in which Jim does something astounding to my words. The texts are excerpts from glossary entries found in a couple of my early books, such as Straunge Wunder (Steve Venright; Tortoiseshell & Black, 1996)
Two Classic Dreams by Sleeptalker Dion McGregor
17 JanTo celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Dream World of Dion McGregor (Decca, January 1964), here are a couple of my favourite McGregor somniloquies. These are from the 2004 Torpor Vigil album The Somnolent Adventures of Dion McGregor: More Outrageous Recordings of the World’s Most Renowned Sleeptalker. The new album—Dreaming Like Mad with Dion McGregor—is scheduled for release in April of this year. These recordings were made by McGregor’s roommate Michael Barr. McGregor, amazingly, was fast asleep at the time.
There will be more and more Dion McGregor activity as the year goes along. Currently, there are projects underway on many fronts, including audio, film, publishing, theatre, and illustration. Hang on a minute and I’ll also post the promo video for the forthcoming release!
Steve Venright
Further Somniloquies cover by Richard A. Kirk
http://www.richardakirk.com/