Audio Foundation Records presents the first volume of their Improvisors Series, with the first of two digital releases created by Simon O’ Rorke & a range of collaborators for his 3 night performance residency at Audio Foundation in May 2023, with a myriad of local artists including the power noise trio ‘True Bliss Experience’, Vitamin-S alumni Paul Buckton, Darren Hannah and Ivan Mršić, guitarists Kat Tomacruz and Tashi Stewart, modular synth maverick Parks, and acoustic improvisors Francesca Parussini, Hermione Johnson, Alan D. Jones and Drummy.

Simon O’Rorke discovered improvised music while a student in London. After emigrating to New Zealand, from 1992 he formed free improv ensembles in Wellington, at a time when activity in the genre appeared to be almost non-existent in the city. Simon’s openness to collaboration and his singular approach to spontaneous music making influenced a generation of New Zealand improvisors, his playing sessions becoming somewhat a right of passage for younger musicians exploring free improvisation.

Since the improv scene took off in the 1990’s, O’Rorke has collaborated with many of New Zealand’s leading improvisors. Originally a bass guitarist, he has specialised in… more
credits

AFR003 released October 13, 2023

Tracks 1 & 2

Simon O’Rorke – Falcon software synth
Ivan Mršić- amplified sink / objects
Parks – analogue synthesizer
Recorded by Matthew Gunn at the Audio Foundation, 12 May 2023

Track 3

True Bliss Experience:
Andrew McMillan – electric guitar
Sean Martin-Buss – electric bass
Alan D. Jones – drums
With Simon O’Rorke – virtual instruments (trumpet, marimba, alto trombone), Falcon software synth

Recorded by Jackson Hobbs at the Preauricular Pit – Audio Foundation 11 May 2023

Mixed and mastered by Jeff Henderson