Ponga is a Seattle-based improvisational quartet composed of
Wayne Horvitz
Wayne Horvitz (born September 1, 1955) is an American composer, keyboardist and record producer. He came to prominence in the Downtown scene of 1980s and '90s New York City, where he met his future wife, the singer, songwriter and pianist Robi ...
(keyboards),
Bobby Previte
Bobby Previte (born July 16, 1951 in Niagara Falls, New York) is a drummer, composer, and bandleader. He earned a degree in economics from the University at Buffalo, where he also studied percussion. He moved to New York City in 1979 and began ...
(drums),
Skerik
Skerik (born November 19, 1964) is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics.
He is a f ...
(saxophone), and Mike Gamble (guitars). Ponga's performances and recordings were entirely improvised with no overdubs.
The quartet started in 1997 and upon their first self-titled release in 1999 toured North America, Europe and Japan to excellent reviews. Often described as "intuitive" with references to the electric bands led by
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...
in the late 1960s and 1970s, the group was also noted for styles that were all-encompassing. Reviews emphasize both aesthetic and technical expertise. The first album was followed by a release of ''Re-mixes'' by such notables as
Fila Brazillia
Fila Brazillia is an English electronica duo from Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England, formed in 1990 by Steve Cobby and David McSherry.
History
Their early albums were released on Pork Recordings, also based in Hull: '' Old Codes New Cha ...
,
Spacetime Continuum, and
Amon Tobin
Amon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin (; born February 7, 1972) is a Brazilian electronic musician, composer and producer. He is noted for his unusual methodology in sound design and music production. He has released eight major studio albums unde ...
containing more danceable beats. The last studio release ''Psychological'' like the first was recorded live and in part at the
O.K. Hotel in Seattle. Along with their live performances it also received favorable reviews.
Spontaneous Composition: Ponga for the Sheer Sensual Pleasure of It
James Kirchmer, ''The Stranger'', December 6, 2001 Retrieved April 3, 2007
Musicians
* Wayne Horvitz
Wayne Horvitz (born September 1, 1955) is an American composer, keyboardist and record producer. He came to prominence in the Downtown scene of 1980s and '90s New York City, where he met his future wife, the singer, songwriter and pianist Robi ...
– keyboards
* Bobby Previte
Bobby Previte (born July 16, 1951 in Niagara Falls, New York) is a drummer, composer, and bandleader. He earned a degree in economics from the University at Buffalo, where he also studied percussion. He moved to New York City in 1979 and began ...
– drums
* Skerik
Skerik (born November 19, 1964) is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics.
He is a f ...
– saxophone, samples
* Dave Palmer – keyboards
Discography
* '' Ponga'' (Loosegroove 1998)
* ''The Ponga Remixes'' (Loosegroove 1999)
* ''Psychological'' (P-Vine 2000)
References
External links
Ponga at crittersbuggin.comPonga at waynehorvitz.com
Jazz ensembles from Washington (state)
American free improvisation ensembles
1997 establishments in Washington (state)
Musical groups established in 1997
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