A HAMSTER IN YOUR SANDWICH
Poetry, Word, and Sound Art
by C. Mehrl Bennett John M. Bennett
Poetry, Word, and Sound Art
by C. Mehrl Bennett John M. Bennett
Fluxus poets, mail and multimedia artists John M. Bennett and Catherine Mehrl Bennett collaborated on A Hamster In Your Sandwich, which consists of two side-long free improvisations of spoken poetry and minimal instrumentation such as flute, kalimba, ocarina, keyboard, ukulele, etc. A matrix of sounds, music, and language which doesn't really give priority to any of those modes of expression, and which, with some editing after the initial recording session, creates its own unique form and structure. With nods to Dada, Surrealism, and primitivism.
CMB and JMB:
voices, clay ocarina, clay flute, a metal/ceramic bowl and a stick, a piece of crushed catalytic converter, jingle bell, electronic piano, bird clock, sheep baaing thing, small kalimba, spinner hand drum, harmonica, ukulele
CMB and JMB:
voices, clay ocarina, clay flute, a metal/ceramic bowl and a stick, a piece of crushed catalytic converter, jingle bell, electronic piano, bird clock, sheep baaing thing, small kalimba, spinner hand drum, harmonica, ukulele
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C. Mehrl Bennett
John M. Bennett LUNA BISONTE PRODS 137 Leland Ave. Columbus, OH 43214 USA |
Rotcod Zzaj's review in Improvijazzation Nation #155:
C. Mehrl Bennett John M. Bennett – A HAMSTER IN YOUR SANDWICH: As strange as it may sound, this is the first time I have listened to John’s wife (C. Mehrl) working in sonic mode with him… ’tis brought much closer to home, since I was just in their home a week ago when they handed me this fantastic duo work of poetry, word and sound art! As expected, the sound quality is near perfection, especially for a recording that involves spoken-word… that’s because the recordings I’ve done with John (there are many, by the way) have always been superbly recorded, whether from a live studio effort, or an exchange via USPS. Images just fly by on my personal favorite, “A Hamster In Your Sandwich, Track 1“… lines like “fast food, faulty meatball” will leave no doubt that you are truly in the presence of wordly wizards that won’t let up until you surrender all your olives to them… lol! Zeriously, this is among the best work I’ve ever heard John do, and you’ll certainly agree when I declare this to be MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of (a perfect) 5.00… that also means, of course, that this one gets the “PICK” of this year for “best spoken-word/sound art”. Orb-viously, if your tastes only run to “standard”, you’ll freak after the first few bars, but if you’re into experimental at all.. GET this one.
C. Mehrl Bennett John M. Bennett – A HAMSTER IN YOUR SANDWICH: As strange as it may sound, this is the first time I have listened to John’s wife (C. Mehrl) working in sonic mode with him… ’tis brought much closer to home, since I was just in their home a week ago when they handed me this fantastic duo work of poetry, word and sound art! As expected, the sound quality is near perfection, especially for a recording that involves spoken-word… that’s because the recordings I’ve done with John (there are many, by the way) have always been superbly recorded, whether from a live studio effort, or an exchange via USPS. Images just fly by on my personal favorite, “A Hamster In Your Sandwich, Track 1“… lines like “fast food, faulty meatball” will leave no doubt that you are truly in the presence of wordly wizards that won’t let up until you surrender all your olives to them… lol! Zeriously, this is among the best work I’ve ever heard John do, and you’ll certainly agree when I declare this to be MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of (a perfect) 5.00… that also means, of course, that this one gets the “PICK” of this year for “best spoken-word/sound art”. Orb-viously, if your tastes only run to “standard”, you’ll freak after the first few bars, but if you’re into experimental at all.. GET this one.