The first chat I had with pianist/singer/renaissance worman Jill Tracy opened my eyes and ears to a beautifully haunted world of music, stories and images, including her collaboration with filmmaker Bill Domonkos on “The Fine Art of Poisoning,” one of many excellent films in FEARnet's shorts collection; her intense upcoming musical project after being awarded a grant by Philadelphia's amazing Mütter Museum; and a series of “Musical Séances” (with violinist Paul Mercer) in which the audience's treasured objects and artefacts actually channel a spontaneous live performance. Those are just a few pages from Jill's body of work, and we'll be exploring more in the near future... but today I'd like to focus on a mixed-media holiday project that Jill describes as “Christmas for those who prefer the October chill.” The album Silver Smoke, Star of Night explores the roots of well-known Christmas carols in ways that will surprise and maybe even chill you.
- 11/29/2012
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
I first came across the music of Jill Tracy when I reviewed a compilation of “Dark Cabaret” artists from renowned gothic label Projekt Records, and her song “In Between Shades” was one of the album's most memorable tracks. As fate would have it, while exploring more of her music (including an incredible live score to Nosferatu), I learned that she was closely involved in the short film The Fine Art of Poisoning, which is featured in FEARnet's ever-expanding horror shorts collection. One thing led to another, and soon we were chatting about her involvement in the film, her “musical séance” project, and her latest and most ambitious undertaking – a Musical Excavation of the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia, with its intriguing collection of medical oddities.
FEARnet: Hi Jill, thanks for taking time out to talk to us. Jill: Thank you, same here! First off, I have to say The Fine Art...
FEARnet: Hi Jill, thanks for taking time out to talk to us. Jill: Thank you, same here! First off, I have to say The Fine Art...
- 10/18/2012
- by Gregory Burkart
- FEARnet
Back in the ’60s when Jonas Mekas was writing his insanely influential Movie Journal column for the Village Voice, he would write about the coming underground film “revolution” a lot. Eventually, audiences would wake up and flock to the New American Cinema, as Mekas called it then, in droves and avant-garde and experimental cinema would screen regularly at all movie theaters.
Of course, this type of attitude fit in perfectly with the counter-cultural zeitgeist at the time. Plus, it was good to have such an enthusiastic promoter in a well-respected, upstart publication. Mekas’ attitude influenced numerous young creative types to either pick up a camera in the first place, like Robert Downey Sr., or encouraged others to grow their ambitions, like John Waters.
But, clearly, that revolution never came. Movie Journal died and nothing replaced it. And the underground became more academic and art world oriented to survive.
Then, somewhat ironically,...
Of course, this type of attitude fit in perfectly with the counter-cultural zeitgeist at the time. Plus, it was good to have such an enthusiastic promoter in a well-respected, upstart publication. Mekas’ attitude influenced numerous young creative types to either pick up a camera in the first place, like Robert Downey Sr., or encouraged others to grow their ambitions, like John Waters.
But, clearly, that revolution never came. Movie Journal died and nothing replaced it. And the underground became more academic and art world oriented to survive.
Then, somewhat ironically,...
- 6/9/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
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