Jonathan_Matis : Messages : 42-44 of 44

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#44

From: Jonathan Morris <morrismatis@...>
Date: Tue Dec 1, 2009 5:48 pm
Subject: Help the Low End String Quartet rock in schools

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Dear friends,

Next year, The Low End String Quartet is heading back to elementary school.

We didn't want to do it half-assed so we've been moving forward slowly and intentionally. Thanks to the Cafritz Foundation, our county arts council, and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, phase one is now underway: developing a kick-ass in-school concert program. We are working with an arts-education consultant and observing other performing artists in schools so we can do this thing right.

Starting in the spring of 2010 we will perform our first in-school shows, and audition for local school systems and related agencies.

Here's the thing... Many of our local schools don't have the money for performing arts programming. We've got a great product that can mean a lot to kids - but we need to reach 'em. That's where you come in. A few small gifts from a few kind people can make a big difference: allowing us to offer low-cost, high-quality performing arts experiences for young people.

We're doing our homework to make sure the show is engaging, participatory, memorable, exciting, and curriculum based. The kids don't even know it's "educational." They just know it rocks.

If we can get 10 people to give $50, we can give a local, under-resourced elementary school two free shows (one for K-2, one for 3-6 graders). That's all it takes. Easy!

Gifts to Improv Arts are fully tax deductible.
Click here to donate via JustGive.org
or "join the cause" on facebook.

I hope you have a great holiday season & happy new year!
Thank you so much.
-Jonathan

P.S. We have a record out. We think it came out awful nice. You might like it. You can hear the whole thing (for free) and download (almost free) at bandcamp, or order an actual plastic copy that you can hold in your hot little hands (or gift wrap for holiday purposes) - only $7 if you buy it from Dischord.

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#43

From: Jonathan Morris <morrismatis@...>
Date: Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:45 pm
Subject: DCIC: concert, albums on sale, news, etc

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Dear friends,

Some quick news bites regarding the DC Improvisers Collective (DCIC):

1. DCIC is performing this Saturday with Anorak, details here.
And in a happy coincidence, the Arts District has other great improv music happening that same night... Kahil El'Zabar, Hammiet Bluiett, Doctor Sebi at Joe's. Details here.

2. DCIC's studio album, Triangulation, is on sale now. Holidays are on the way so we're slashing prices like Crazy Eddie!
Cd's are now only $7 - order from Dischord here.
Mp3's are only $4 - order from CDBaby here.

3. Want to show the world (well, the virtual world of your pseudo-friends) that you are a DCIC fan? Now you can. Since I am reluctant to use the word "friend" as a verb, you can "be our fan" on facebook. Click here.

I hope you're all doing well? Maybe see you soon?
Rock on,
-Jon

--
http://jonathanmatis.alkem.org

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#42

From: Jonathan Morris <morrismatis@...>
Date: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:11 pm
Subject: Mid-August Matis Mania

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Dear friends,

I have some August news and announcements I'd like to share. It's kinda wordy so I'll try to make this easy to skim through...

1. Old releases now available online (and some new ones too). I wrote little articles about them, and there's more on the way.
http://morrismatis.blogspot.com/search/label/new-to-you

1b. The new album by Low End String Quartet, "Blunt Objects" is out. You can hear it (or download it for only $5)
http://lesq.bandcamp.com/album/blunt-objects

2. We got a small grant from the Maryland State Arts council for the Low End String Quartet. Yay!

3. Cameron and I are adopting a new puppy in a few days. Yay!
http://morrismatis.blogspot.com/2009/07/were-getting-baby-dog.html

4. Three upcoming shows. Two with DCIC, one with Low End String Quartet:

Sunday, August 16: Zevious and DCIC at Galaxy Hut, 9pm
Wednesday,� August 19: Elliot Levin, DCIC, and MCX at Bossa Bistro, 8pm
and Saturday, August 22: A Light Sleeper and Low End String Quartet at Artdc gallery in Hyattsville. 7pm

details for all three (time, price, address, links, etc) can be found here:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/group/2078/

Thanks for reading. Hope you're having a great summer!
-Jon

PS. 4b. The Low End String Quartet show on Aug.22 is at a new venue with a new band that you haven't heard of... but it's gonna be special. Here's the whole spiel (is that how you spell "spiel?"):

You've suffered through the dog days. Trade up to one bitchin' night.

Where's the fun? Hyattsville, Maryland. You heard that right. The coolness is cruising out to PG County. Arts District in action muthafucka.

We've put together a lineup of live music that is gonna be one of those shows people talk about years later: "Remember that show that time, at that gallery we'd never been to? It was like in the middle of the summer and they played outside and it was some crazy stuff we'd never heard of and it was like the most amazing thing? Remember that? That was an awesome night. How come that doesn't happen more often?" That's what people will say. Years from now.

The main attraction is a really great band you've never heard of, from Chicago and recently signed to Another New Calligraphy. They are called "A Light Sleeper" and their music is wonderfully fragile and elegant. I don't know how they manage to weave it together, but somehow it works even though they steadily defy expectations and logic and physics. My rambling on won't do it justice. Click through to their website or myspace or something and have a listen. You'll want to catch the live show. Really. It's their first time out to the east coast so we can get a listen before they take off and we'll never be able to hear them in such an intimate setting again.

Also on the bill is The Low End String Quartet, celebrating the release of our new cd, Blunt Objects. Hyattsville based composer and guitarist Jonathan Matis (that's me) put this group together because string quartet music that rocks is awesome. That's what we're shooting for, and I think we're gonna hit the target. (Sorry about the third-person / first-person problems in this paragraph) If you think string quartets belong in the background at a wedding, then maybe sit this one out, but if you're open to something a little heavier I think we might be the stuff. Oh yeah, and if you noticed that bit about "guitarist" and string quartet and thought, "hey, there's no guitar in string quartet," well, you're right. But this one is a little different. There's a bass too. And the bass player is free jazz heavyweight from Baltimore, Vattel Cherry. During our last show, at Comet a few months ago, he totally lit the place up (metaphorically).

But wait, that's not all! Coming down from Brooklyn will be Pure Horsehair. Finger picking guitarist / songwriter Garrett DeVoe is the real thing. Click through and check out the music for him too... You won't regret it.

Honestly, it pains me to write this puffed up flim flam since what we're really talking about doesn't fit into words. I do believe it will be a magical evening. More so if you share it with us. Weather permitting, we're gonna play outside in front of the gallery.

The details:
Saturday, August 22
A Light Sleeper, Low End String Quartet, Pure Horsehair
at Artdc Gallery
The Lustine Center
5710 Baltimore Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781
http://artdc.com/art-space/

Doors at 7:00. Music starts promptly at 7:30.
Pay what you like.

More info:
A Light Sleeper:
http://www.alightsleeper.com/

The Low End String Quartet:
http://lesq.alkem.org

Pure Horsehair:
http://www.myspace.com/purehorsehairmusic

--
http://jonathanmatis.alkem.org

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