Create (!)

Create (!)
Origin	Long Beach, California, U.S.
Genres	free jazz experimental traditional music no wave
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Sounds Are Active
Members
Orlando Greenhill Steve Richardson Chris Schlarb

Create (!) is a free jazz or "free form" band formed in Long Beach, California in 1999.

Music

Create (!) draw upon no wave, free jazz, progressive rock, freecore, hip hop R&B and the traditional music of America and Africa. Since their first fully improvised live performances in 1999 the group has engaged in a sometimes ragged, sometimes transcendent mixture of humor, skill and stream of consciousness.

Other groups related to Create (!) include Havalina, Ruins, The Mars Volta, Night of the Wrecking Ball, Castanets, L.A. Symphony, I Heart Lung and Soul Junk. Create (!) records on the Sounds Are Active label.

History

Create (!) began in the fall of 1999 at a birthday party for bassist Orlando Greenhill. The three founding members Orlando Greenhill, Steve Richardson and Chris Schlarb were all Long Beach, California natives and had discussed playing music together for almost a year. Since that first ad hoc performance with the three founding members and Ian Souter, the group has refused to hold rehearsal or practice sessions. The band immediately began adding and subtracting members with each performance and recording session.

Their first album, Moth Nor Rust, was a collection of the first four occasions the group assembled. In 2001, they released Patterns. Both albums were limited edition CD-R releases and never saw national distribution. Later in 2001, the group contributed three new studio tracks to Jazz – A Compilation, a compilation of Long Beach, California artists. The compilation was released by Sounds Are Active and Pete Records and received a fair amount of attention and subsequently sold out of the first pressing on vinyl and CD.

The group began recording a full length studio follow up in 2002/2003 but numerous personnel changes, familial demands and group commitments hindered its completion. The open ended philosophy of the group has simultaneously seen them swell and shrink in local and national popularity as there is no particular driving force behind the ensemble's progression.

In 2004 Create (!) collaborated on releases with Castanets and folk/blues vocalist Liz Janes. On December 19, 2004 Create (!) also recorded their first album since 2001's Patterns, A Prospect of Freedom. A relatively subdued sextet recording containing one original composition and seven collective improvisations.

Beginning in March 2001 the group began teaching their Create (!) Workshops at MacArthur Park in Long Beach, California. The musical workshops are taught free of charge to both children and adults of utilizing video and audio recordings, live performances and interactive teaching methods. Create (!) has continued to perform the workshops in schools, parks and community centers throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Members

• Orlando Greenhill – upright and electric bass, voice, toys
• Steve Richardson – drums, voice, percussion
• Chris Schlarb – acoustic and electric guitar, electronics, clarinet
• Richard Greenhill – keyboards, electronics
• Justice Constantine – drums, percussion
• Homeland Cultural Center
• Vincent Reyes – drums
• Ian Souter – trumpet, electronics, percussion, electronics
• Danny Levin – trombone, euphonium, percussion, electronics
• Peter Chan – baritone and tenor saxophone, clarinet
• DJ ESP – turntables, electronics
• Andrew Pompey – drums, percussion
• John "Jack" Spencer – bass
• Karl Hofstetter – drums
• Robert Gutschow – keyboard
• Tim McMullen – paints
• Brandon Mitsunaga – dance
• Monica Levette Clark – dance
• Shea Gauer – electronics
• Harry Sumako – conductor
• Isaiah Ikey Owens – keyboard, organ
• Anthony Shadduck – upright and electric bass
• Temba – drums
• Naisha Walton – upright and electric bass
• Raymond Raposa – electric guitar
• Andy Bruntel – electronics
• Tom Steck – drums
• Kris Tiner – trumpet
• Lynn Johnston – bass clarinet, clarinet, saxophones
• Siamese Sisters – electronics, production
• Patagonian – electronics
• Deneir – electronics
• Jonathan Gulmatico – bass
• Sup Tha Chemist – MC
• Liz Janes – voice, guitar
• Galaxalag – baritone saxophone, MC
• Slo-Ro – clarinet, vinyl record, electronics
• Circus – MC
• Phoenix Orion – MC
• Be-Ond – MC
• Gajah – MC
• Olmeca – MC
• DJ Kenzo – turntables
• Dia Joy Silverstein – saxophones
• Dark Leaf – MC
• Bizzart – MC
• Omid – producer, electronics, percussion
• Firefly – BeatSpeak
• Mark Morrison (Palmdale, California) – harmonium
• Miike Coleman – electronics
• Brad Lindsay – guitar
• David Smytcamp (Ganglia) – vocals
• Deadbeat – MC
• J-Beits – MC
• Trendy MC – MC
• Solo – MC
• Millennium Krump Time – dance
• DJ Cylume – turntables
• David K. – electronics, samplers
• Beegs Alchemy – keyboard, vocals

Discography

• Moth Nor Rust (2001)
• Patterns (2001)
• Liz Janes & Create (!) (2005)
• A Prospect of Freedom (2006)

Also appears on:

• Jazz- A Compilation (2001)
• Songs For Bethune (Album, 2004)
• Soul-Junk- 1937 (2005)
• Strata- A Young Person's Guide To Experimental Music (2005)

External links

• Sounds Are Active