Daniel John Plonsey

Upcoming
(and past)
Concerts
and
Appearances


Past Performances:


pre-1967

Performances for relatives and friends, on clarinet. I also remember playing a Passover song or two (perhaps "Go Down Moses") for my class at Fairfax Elementary School one year, but I'm not positive this really happened.


1967-1970

Concerts as a member of Fairfax Elementary School Orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Roman, who liked to threaten "forty lashes with a wet noodle." Played clarinet through fifth grade, then switched to alto sax for 6th.


1970-1973

Concerts as a member of Roxboro Junior High band, and (perhaps "Go Down Moses" jazz band, under the direction of Mr. Canfield. (perhaps "Go Down Moses" Alto sax in the band, alto then baritone sax in the jazz band. I believe that with members of the jazz band we played a private party or two, under the direction of Mr. Salvatore, who might have been a student teacher.


1973-1976

Concerts as a member of Cleveland Heights High Cadet Band (as a sophomore), Concert Band (as a junior and senior), marching band, and Lab Band (all three years). Includes a tour to Toronto in the Lab Band as a sophomore. Under the direction of Terry Zipay (sophmore year) and James Bane (junior and senior).


1976-1977

Halftime shows as a member of the Yale Precision Marching Band, playing baritone sax. All in New Haven, except I remember playing in Princeton, and perhaps at Brown and Harvard as well.

As a founding member of the Dada Chorus, 2 concerts (one in WLH, the other in Sterling Library), and one radio concert on WYBC. Mostly singing and talking.


1977-1978

Concerts as a member of the Yale Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of David Mott. Other 3 members of sax section were: Jane Ira Bloom, Brad Dechter and Joe Manona. Band includNorm Stumpf, trombone; Lee Toft, trumpet; Kent McLagen, bass. I soloed only once, on a piece by Mark Helias.


1978-1980

Concerts as a member of Sheep's Clothing, a Yale new music ensemble, under the direction of Martin Bresnick. My piece "Sheep Music" was my first finished composition, and the first student piece to be played by the ensemble. Others in Sheep's Clothing included: Chris Maher, Jennifer Rycenga, Scott MacLarty, Evan Ziporyn, Michael Tenzer, Carol Adee, Phil Bloch, Ted Sabety, Laurie Hollander, Dave Janello, Bryan (sp?) Bannister, John Walter, Bridget Conrad, Jim Johnson, Greg Salmon, Craig Pebbles...

These concerts included 3 all night concerts. My saxophone quartet (Dave Janello, Jennifer Rycenga, Evan Ziporyn and myself); my first string quartet ("String Quartet No. 2: My 18th Birthday"), and "The Saxophone Family" were performed at these concerts. Roger Manning played the part of the dog in "The Saxophone Family."

Other ad hoc concerts with Morgan witthoft, Evan Ziporyn (on top of a college building); with dozens of others in a big David Mott piece; and with the improvising ensemble Expiration Date: Rycenga, Bryan Bannister (guitar), David Black and myself.

Also in 79-80, as a member of the Yale Concert Band, playing a tour of Texas. I remember playing an arrangement of part of Ives' 2nd Symphony, and also "Country Band March." Under the direction of Keith Brion.


1979

Summer of 1979 I was a student at the Creative Music Center, Woodstock, NY. There were concerts of my own music, and concerts with the teachers, incuding Roscoe Mitchell, Anthony Braxton, Leo Smith, Richard Teitlebaum, Gerald Oshita, and Karl Berger.


1980-1981

Concerts at the University of Toronto, where I was a student. Pieces performed include "Remember Bird," with Rycenga, Peter Hatch and Tim (?); also several electronic pieces including "Subway" and "Program Up With People." At some point we also performed Terry Riley's "In C."


1981-1984

Concerts with various friends, in various configurations, in Connecticut and New York. Ensembles included:

Friday, May 25, 1984: Metapoint, Schine Auditorium at the Sacred Heart University Library.


1985-1987

Concerts of music by Evan Ziporyn; concerts at the University of California (Ziporyn, Rycenga (violin and boombox), Miriam Rosenblum (?) Barbara Sheer (sp?) (flute), ? (violin), Sarah Willner (viola), Jonathan Golove (cello) played my "Nozzles Brandenburg." A concert called "Theoretical and Observational Music" led to the founding of the Composers' Cafeteria (a composers' collective in which everyone played evyone's music). Mary Artman and David Adee joined Rycenga, Willner and Golove.

Also during this period: the trio Plate: Jonathan "Boo" Elmer, trombone; Adam Bresnick, electric bass; and myself, saxophones and clarinet. We played at Larry Blake's on Telegraph, with The band Eskimo (featuring John Shiurba; this was before Tom Yoder's time with the band). We also played at least one party at Michel Cahouli and Marie's place on Telegraph. we rehearsed quite a bit at 2149 Curis Street, dubbed "The Berkeley Home for the Musically Insane." Plate was joined on occassion by David Adee (French Horn), and then Randy Porter, and the band morphed into The Manufacturing of Humidifiers. Bresnick and then Elmer moved to NY and Indiana respectively.

I was at Mills from September, 1986-1988, and during this time played with the Contemporary Ensemble. I remember a concert under the direction of Katrina Kremsky (sp?), and a concert with Pauline Oliveros in which we sang and also banged small rocks together. We (not the ensemble, but Mils and Berkeley friends and I) also performed my piece "Little Thunder" one weekend afternoon.


1988

May 7, 1988: Dan Plonsey thesis concert, Mills College concert hall. 2PM.

October 15, 1988: Randy McKean concert, Mills Student Union. I think we played a duet or two, maybe a quartet too...

October 19, 1988: Hump (Randy McKean and others, maybe 6-8 people), I think at Mills. At least that's where we rehearsed... Kirk Gibson hit winning homerun for Dodgers over A's in the World Series during concert (TV on stage).

November 5, 1988: Joyce Todd thesis concert. Played on alto sax duo piece.


1989

February 25, 1989: Composers' Cafeteria concert, Crowden School, Berkeley. Played Plonsey's "Matterhorn" (texts by Steve Mays).

April 22, 1989: Randy McKean (thesis???) concert. Played in sax quartet. Mills College.

May 24, 1989: Vern Nelson plays Plonsey's "Piano Piece #15" in recital, New Haven, CT.

July 1, 1989: The Composers' Cafeteria at Noe Valley Ministry, SF. (Plonsey's "Bootless Ragpicker" performed.)

November 10, 1989: Final Composers' Cafeteria concert, Crowden School, Berkeley.


1990

January 19, 1990: "Play with Steve Horowitz, 18th/Valencia."

?, 1990: Sax Quartet (Plonsey, Mtafiti Imara, Chris Jonas, Randy McKean) at Architects and Heroes, 207 Powell, SF.

March 9, 1990: Kucocaki (Plonsey, Jhos Johnson, Bon Brown, and Mantra), I think ??? at some warehouse space in SF.

April 3, 1990: on Fred Lonborg-Holm's show on KALX, 9AM, the Coconut and the Lifeguard.

April 20, 1990: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Mission Cultural Center, SF. Our tape release party for our first recording.

April 21, 1990: playing baritone sax in piece by Evan Ziporyn, with Gamelan Sekar Jaya, St. John's Church, College Avenue, Berkeley.

May 3, 1990: The Splorb Action Players Sax Quartet (Plonsey, Mtafiti Imara, Chris Jonas, Randy McKean) play at Mtafiti's thesis concert, Mills College.

June 9, 1990: Jonathan Golove and Mary Artman at Trinity Church, Berkeley. I think ??? they play my piece, "Those Metal Things."

, 1990: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Bison Brewery, Telegraph Avenue at Blake, Berkeley.

July 15 & 16, 1990: The Coconut and the Lifeguard (Plonsey, Steve Mays, Joy Krinsky, and Mark Dickinson) at Joy's house for invited audience.

, 1990: Kucocaki (Plonsey, Jhos Johnson, Bon Brown, and Mantra) at the Freight and Salvage, Addison Street, Berkeley.

July 19, 1990: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Mint Platter (record store on Telegraph, near Dwight, Berkeley).

August 3, 1990: playing baritone sax in piece by Evan Ziporyn, with Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Fort Mason, SF.

October 2, 1990: Kucocaki at the Freight and Salvage, Addison Street, Berkeley.

October 26, 1990: The Disturbing Group (Plonsey, Randy McKean, Chris Jonas, Randy Porter, Steve Bissinger, Raj Mehta, and Mic Gendreau) at the SF Community Music Center, I think Capp street, SF.

November 23, 1990: Kucocaki at the Freight and Salvage, Addison Street, Berkeley.

November 29, 1990: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Mint Platter (record store on Telegraph, near Dwight, Berkeley).

December 7, 1990: with Raj Mehta and ??? at the Coffee Mill, Oakland.

December 8, 1990: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Ellis Street Cultural Club, 509 Ellis at Leavenworth, 7PM.


1991

January 12, 1991: "klezmer debut" - playing bass for a wedding in the Brazil Building, Tilden Park. I think this gig had Irene Sazer, Randy Porter, Mantra and others...

January 19, 1991: improvised music at anti-war march in SF.

January 24, 1991: with Mantra and Gere and James Jacobs at the DNA, SF.

February 9, 1991: "An Anti-War Improvising Marching Band" organized by Plonsey.

February 21, 1991: Mantra at the DNA, SF.

February 24, 1991: Mic Gendreau thesis concert, Mills College.

March 22, 1991: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Noh Theatre, West Oakland (7th Street, I think).

April 8, 1991: duos with Raj Mehta at the North Berkeley Senior Center.

April 9, 1991: with Mantra (and I think James Jacobs, Jay Stebley, and maybe Randy Porter) at Spike's, SF.

April 12, 1991: with Raj Mehta at the Coffee Mill. (Probably also with Mic Gendreau and others.)

April 14, 1991: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Berkeley Square.

April 20, 1991: twenty minutes of tiny improvisations with Mic Gendreau and Eric Berkvist at the Armpit Gallery, a tiny place on Haight Street. Also on the bill, a performance artist who stuffed a flag up his butt, and perhaps had himself duct-taped to a telephone pole outside...

April 21, 1991: Bira at the Berkeley Square - did I play on this??? Also, "Olive's Festival" - what was this??? "The Manufacturing of Humidifiers - noon" - was this a gig (maybe at Olive's?) or a rehearsal???

April 25, 1991: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Olive Oils.

May 3, 1991: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Jerry's (709 Peralta, Oakland). Semi-private party/concert.

May 22, 1991: tenor sax in Bira Almeida's Brazilian band, Corpo Santo, at ???.

June 9, 1991: IMA (Impovised Music Association) jam at Olive Oils, afternoon.

June 22, 1991: tenor sax in Bira Almeida's Brazilian band, Corpo Santo, at La Pena.

July 12, 1991: with Mantra at the DNA, SF. As I recall, it was Mantra, me, Ward Spangler, and ???

July 26, 1991: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers and Mantra (together? or was this with a version of Everything in the World?) at Merchants.

July 27, 1991: tenor sax in Bira Almeida's Brazilian band, Corpo Santo, at Ashkenaz.

September 12, 1991: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Olive Oils.

September 24, 1991: Plonsey and Randy Porter at the Berkeley Store Gallery.

November 20, 1991: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Heinz.

December 11, 1991: Music of Anthony Braxton. With Gino Robair, Randy McKean and others, at the Heinz.


1992

February 1, 1992: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Elbo Room, SF.

February 9, 1992: Plonsey, Randy Porter, Ward Spangler play for the Berkeley Symphony wine and food tasting benefit, at the Berkeley Marina Marriott.

February 20, 1992: Plonsey on KDVS (Davis), playing live with CDs by Eugene Chadborne and Gino Robair. (A cassette of this exists.)

April 18, 1992: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers in Eugene, OR.

April 19, 1992: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Bijoux, Portland, OR.

April 24, 1992: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at San Jose State.

May 16, 1992: private party (Michael Macrone graduation), I think at 2149 Curtis, with all or most of Everything in the World.

June 20, 1992: Pleasure Hammer at the Coffee Mill. Randy Porter, Ward Spangler, Plonsey, and maybe Raj Mehta?)

Date Unknown, 1992???: Disaster Opera Theatre at the Heinz: Rick Ames Stories and Plonsey solo.

July 2, 1992: Disaster Opera Theatre at the Heinz: More Ames Stories and Plonsey music in quartet with Tom Yoder, Tom Dambley and Maxim Mahoney-Flake, and with Jay Rozen.

August 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30; September 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 1992: playing Gino Robair's score (plus much improv) for Cal Shakespeare's production of Macbeth, with Mic Gendreau and Jim Bove.

August 19, 1992: Mantra & the Lucky Charms (essentially Everything in the World, perhaps with one person missing) 1-2:30, Tenderloin Park, SF.

September 12, 1992: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Kommotion, SF.

September 17, 1992: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Heinz.

September 3, 1992: Pleasure Hammer (Randy Porter, Ward Spangler, Plonsey - later to be the new Manufacturing of Humidifiers). Alzheimer's benefit, 10:30 AM, San Leandro.

October 14, 1992: Sponj at the Middle East, Boston, MA. w/ debris.

October 15, 1992: Sponj at Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT. w/ debris.

October 28, 1992: Everything in the World at the Heinz.

November 6, 1992: Dave Slusser's big band "Blow Job" at the Heinz. (One piece from this concert is on the Heinz compilation.)


1993

March 18, 1993: Everything in the World w/ Pluto and Eulipians - but where??? Heinz, most likely.

April 28, 1993: This may have been the PlonseyCard reading at the Berkeley Store Gallery.

May 17, 1993: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the DNA, SF.

May 19, 1993: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Elbo Room, SF. (Is this certain???)

June 26, 1993: with Sponj (a.k.a. Great Circle Sax Quartet) at Gargoyle Mechanique, 28 Avenue B, NY, NY.

June 28, 1993: with Sponj (a.k.a. Great Circle Sax Quartet) at the Middle east, Boston, MA.

July 7, 1993: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Kennel Club, SF.

July 15, 1993: CD release party for the (Y)earbook (Rastascan) at the Bottom of the Hill, SF. Played solo sax in a paper costume, interspersed with Rick Ames "Fort Knox" story.

August 12 & 13, 1993: playing in Myles Boisen's score for a dance at Footwork Studio, 22nd & Mission, SF. 7PM.

September 4, 1993: Dreamland (formerly: Everything in the World) at the Starry Plough.

October 4, 1993: on Ben Lingren's "Mob Ecstasy" show on KPFA. With Gino Robair, Dave Barrett and others.

October 27, 1993: Tom Djll CD (Mutootator) release at Berkeley Store Gallery. (Did I play a duo with him at this?)

November 10, 1993: Dreamland at Brainwash, SF.

November 21, 1993: Disaster Opera Theatre at Dog Ear Books, 1173 Valencia St. at 23rd, SF. 5-8PM. The Recent History of the World: Before, During, and After the Apocalypse (w/ Tom Dambly and Mantra Ben-Ya'akova)

November 27, 1993: Dreamland at Merchants.


1994

January 18, 1994: with Gino Robair at the Hotel Utah.

January 29, 1994: Dreamland at Brainwash (??? I've written "Brainland.")

February 3, 1994: Great Circle Saxophone Quartet at Roulette, NY.

February 17, 1994: Dreamland at Brave New World (Fulton/Masonic, SF.)

February 22, 1994: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Hotel Utah.

February 26, 1994: Dreamland at Merchants.

February 28, 1994: Dreamland at the Bottom of the Hill.

March 8, 1994: Dan Plonsey's Disaster Opera Theatre at the Hotel Utah: Drink! (w/ Russ Schoenwetter, Mantra, Sarah Cahill)

March 10, 1994: Dreamland at the Starry Plough.

March 16, 1994: Dreamland at Hotel Utah.

April 8, 1994: playing bass with Gamelan Sekar Jaya on Evan Ziporyn's "Tire Fire." Cowell Theatre, SF.

April 9, 1994: playing bass with Gamelan Sekar Jaya on Evan Ziporyn's "Tire Fire." Mountainview, CA.

April 16, 1994: playing bass with Gamelan Sekar Jaya on Evan Ziporyn's "Tire Fire." Battell Chapel, Yale, New Haven, CT.

April 17, 1994: playing bass with Gamelan Sekar Jaya on Evan Ziporyn's "Tire Fire." Symphony Space, Broadway at 95th, NY, NY.

April 21, 1994: playing bass with Gamelan Sekar Jaya on Evan Ziporyn's "Tire Fire." MIT, Cambridge, MA.

April 22, 1994: playing bass with Gamelan Sekar Jaya on Evan Ziporyn's "Tire Fire." Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT.

May 29, 1994: "Carnival." This was the Carnival parade w/ Peter Josheff (leading, arranger of jazzy "Ride of the Valkyries"). Also w/ Ralph Carney and a trumpet player. SF.

June 10, 1994: Playing in some dumb classical piece, conducted by Patricia Mancini. Ward Spangler also in ensemble. At the Oakland Museum, 8PM.

June 21, 1994: Disaster Opera Theatre. 10:30. At the Hotel Utah. The Alien Losers (w/ Mantra, Susan Volkan, Randy Porter, Myles Boisen, and Ward Spangler)

July 22, 1994: Dreamland at Merchants (Oakland, CA.)

July 29, 1994: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers scheduled to play at Merchants - but Merchants closes! Re-scheduled for the new Stork Club.

August 18, 1994: Dreamland at the Starry Plough.

October 4, 1994: Disaster Opera Theatre at the Hotel Utah. Jacob: A Biblical Epic (w/ Mantra, Randy Porter, Laurence Kopelovich, Kyle Granger, and Dave Hatt)

October 22, 1994: Dreamland and The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Stork Club.

November 14, 1994: Dreamland at the Bottom of the Hill.

December 2, 1994: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Stork Club.

December 11, 1994: Dreamland and The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Starry Plough.


1995

January 25, 1995: At the Hotel Utah: Jazz Aftermath: Splatter Trio/ Ben Goldberg/Dan Plonsey/Graham Connah

January 31, 1995: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Hotel Utah.

February 2, 1995: Disaster Opera Theatre at Giorgi's. (A gallery near the Claremont Hotel.) The first of three performance of Puppet Opera Theatre (w/ Mantra, Susan Volkan, Eula Janeen Wyatt).

February 5, 1995: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Berkeley Symphony's wine and food tating fundraiser. At the Marina Marriott Hotel, Berkeley. 2-5PM.

February 16, 1995: Dreamland at the Hotel Utah.

February 17, 1995: Dreamland at the Stork Club.

February 25, 1995: Dreamland at the Boomerang (Haight St., SF)

February 28, 1995: Disaster Opera Theatre at the Hotel Utah. The Dub Opera (w/ Mantra, Amy X Neuberg, and Mic Gendreau)

March 7, 1995: The Hotel Utah - one-year party.

March 15, 1995: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Beanbender's.

March 16, 1995: Clyde Yasuhara's Chamber League. At Giorgi's. (A gallery near the Claremont Hotel.)

March 30, 1995: KZSU "Day of Noise." 8-10 PM.

April 8, 1995: Dreamland at the Starry Plough.

May 6, 1995: Dreamland at the Stork Club.

May 17, 1995: Disaster Opera Theatre (w/ the Enormous Ensemble), at Beanbender's. Puppet Opera Theatre and A Melancholy Opera (w/ Mantra, Susan Volkan, Eula Janeen Wyatt, Tom Yoder, Becky Bryant, Ginny Morgan; add Mic Gendreau and John Schott and remove Yoder, Bryant, and Morgan for "Melancholy"). Concert Review.

May 19, 1995: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Stork Club.

July 4, 1995: At the Hotel Utah's Improv Bar-B-Q, featuring LaDonna Smith, Doug Carrol, Dan Plonsey, Splatter Duo, Barnett Band (feat. Bonnie Barnett vocals) and more. Bar-B-Q begins at 5:00 pm. Music and Munchies for $5.00!

July 15, 1995: with Gino Robair and ??? on guitar, subbing for Randy McKean as the Randy McKean Trio. In Santa Rosa (w/ Rituel.)

July 16, 1995: with Gino Robair and ??? on guitar, subbing for Randy McKean as the Randy McKean Trio. Radio Valencia.

July 18, 1995: with Gino Robair and ??? on guitar, subbing for Randy McKean as the Randy McKean Trio. Hotel Utah.

July 19, 1995: "Beanbender's release party" ???

July 26, 1995: with Steve Norton and Curt Newton at Beanbender's.

August 11, 1995: Dreamland at the Nightbreak, SF.

August 16, 1995: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Beanbender's.

September 12, 1995: Dreamland at the Hotel Utah.

September 18, 1995: with ??? (was supposed to be Manufacturing of Humidifiers; I think that this is the show I did w/ Mantra, Bonnie Barnett, Kira Vollman and Rich West) at the Alligator Lounge, LA.

September 22, 1995: Disaster Opera Theatre (solo sax and story). At Stork Club. The Recent History of the World: Before, During, and After the Apocalypse (solo). (Followed by Ralph Carney's "Special Parrot," incl. J.R.Brody, who has a tape of my set.)

October 6, 1995: Dreamland at Nightbreak, Haight Street, SF. (w/ Her Majesty the Baby)

October 12, 1995: Dreamland at ???, Chico, CA. (w/ Idiot Flesh)

October 13, 1995: Dreamland at ??? in Arcata, CA. (w/ Idiot Flesh)

October 14, 1995: Dreamland at Grand Theatre, Salem, OR.

October 18, 1995: Dreamland at ??? in Portland, OR.

October 19, 1995: Dreamland at Eastside Tavern, Bremerton, WA.

October 20, 1995: Dreamland at Paris Theatre, Portland, OR.

October 21, 1995: Dreamland at Original Music Showcase, Portland, OR.

October 22, 1995: Dreamland at John Henry's, Eugene, OR.

November 2, 1995: Dreamland in Fresno (w/ E is for Elephant and Idiot Flesh).

December 2, 1995: Dreamland at the Stork Club.


1996

January 6, 1996: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at the Stork Club.

January 26, 1996: with Dreamland at the Stork Club.

January 29, 1996: with Damon Smith at Coffeehead.

February 13, 1996: with John Schott at the Hotel Utah.

February 14, 1996: Disaster Opera Theatre at Beanbender's:

  • Beanbender's, February 14, 1996 - Valentine's Day Replaced by Net Day: Isn't That Grand? (w/ Mantra, Aurora, Cheese, Zen Cohen, Doc and the Varmints (including Liz and husband), Schott, Shiurba, Russ, Marc, Schifferli, Young John, Hatt, Moe & friend, Erik Carter, Doug C., Jim, Evelyn, Nancy, Heglin, Sharp, Damon, Morgan, Eli, Carr, Moscow, Luthringer, amplified cello-thing, more percussion and guitars...) Concert Review.

    February 15, 1996: 1001 Noirs at Diesel Books, 8PM. Jonathan Lethem, John Schott, Dan Seamans, and Jenny Scheinman(?).

    February 27, 1996: Dreamland at the Bottom of the Hill.

    February 29, 1996: Dreamland at the Berkeley Square (w/ Thoth and Haunted by Waters)

    March 8, 1996: at Starry Plough - but who???

    March 25, 1996: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Coffeehead.

    March 28, 1996: KZSU's "Day of Noise" 2-4PM.

    April 17, 1996: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers & Job. (Location unknown.)

    April 19 and 20, 1996: "John Cage" music for Merce Cunningham dancers. At UC Berkeley (Hearst Gym?)

    May 3, 1996: The Manufacturing of Humidifiers at Livermore, courtesy of Moe! (With Moe! as guest drummer.)

    May 6, 1996: in Steve Horowitz's "The Code." Bass clarinet and clarinet. At Coffeehead.

    May 22, 1996: Dreamland on KZSU's "Wednesday Night Live."

    May 30, 1996: in 1001 Noirs: Jonathan Lethem, John Schott, Dan Seamans, and Jenny Scheinman. At 1015 Folsom, between 5th/6th, SF. 8PM.

    June 3, 1996: in John Schott's "Ensemble Diglossia" and 1001 Noirs at Yoshi's.

    June 4, 1996: with Gino Robair, Damon Smith, Beth (? Lisick?) at the Hotel Utah.

    June 11, 1996: with John Schott at the Hotel Utah.

    June 21, 1996: Dreamland at the Stork Club.

    June 24, 1996: Solo performance at the Chapel of the Chimes, "Garden of Memory" concert, 5-8PM.

    July 11, 1996: Dreamland at the Starry Plough.

    July 20, 1996: Manfacturing of Humidifiers or Disaster Opera Theatre(???) at the Stork Club.

    July 28, 1996: Dan Plonsey's Large ensemble, at Beanbender's.

    August 10, 1996: in Clyde Yasuhara's Chamber League.

    August 20, 1996: in Dave Barrett's "Sax and Violins" at Hotel Utah. With Carla Kihlstedt and Jenny Scheinman.

    October 1, 1996: solo Ivory Billed) Bird ..., and sitting in for a piece or two with Tim Perkis and John Shiurba at Hotel Utah. This exists on video. I start from inside a paper "egg."

    October 23, 1996: Dan Plonsey's William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." A Disaster Opera Theatre production, at Venue 9. With a cast including: Plonsey as Hamlet, Ben Goldberg as the Ghost, Ward Spangler as Claudius, Nancy Clarke as Gertrude, John Schott as Polonius, Mantra Ben-Ya'akova as Ophelia, Randy Porter as Laertes, George Cremaschi and Damon Smith as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Garth Powell as gravedigger, Graham Connah as the narrator, and Mara Lethem as conductor. Graham Connah has a videotape of this.

    November 10, 1996: in rent Romus' Edgar Allan Poe thing. 848 Divisidero at McAllister, upstairs.

    November 13, 1996: with Gino Robair, Dave Barrett, John Shiurba, and Tim Perkis: music of Braxton and Cardew, at Venue 9.

    1997

    January 4, 1997 - Saturday: in Torrid Anos (Beth Lisick et al) at the Stork Club.

    January 5, 1997 - Sunday: solo set at that short-lived place on Valencia?

    January 8, 1997 - Wednesday: at Venue 9???

    January 14, 1997 - Tuesday: at Hotel Utah???

    January 29, 1997 - Wednesday: in Transbay Improviser's Orchestra, at Venue 9, SF.

    February 19, 1997 - Wednesday: as 2nd alto in Graham connah big band. At the Elbo room, SF.

    February 24, 1997 - Monday: with Gianni Gebbia at the Luggage Store.

    March 10, 1997 - Monday: Music of Dan Plonsey at Yoshi's: Sax Quintet (w/ Sheldon Brown, Dave Slusser, Alex Weiss and ?); second set the Low Ensemble, featuring Jay Rozen.

    March 23, 1997 - Sunday: in Steve Lew's Quartet at Beanbender's.

    March 30, 1997 - Sunday: with the Beanbender's Crew at Beanbender's.

    April 3, 1997 - Thursday: KZSU's "Day of Noise." 1PM. This might have been with John Schott.

    April 7, 1997 - Wednesday: at Venue 9 with the "Beanbender's Band" and John Schott's thing. (Cleveland is in sling while Mantra sings.)

    April 14, 1997 - Monday: at Luggage Store??? I forget all details - book just says: "me @ Luggage Store."

    April 18, 1997 - Friday: at the Luggage Store, with the Transbay Improviser's Orchestra. As I recall, this was led by George Cremaschi.

    April 24, 1997 - Thursday: with Joe Karten and Greg Sinibaldi at the Yellow Room.

    April 30, 1997 - Wednesday: with Eugene Chadbourne, Carrie (the oboist), and a bass player, doing Eugene's Insect & Western music. At the Lizard and the Snake, Chapel Hill, NC.

    May 4, 1997 - Sunday: with Great Circle Saxophone Quartet, Buttonwood Tree, Middletown, CT.

    May 7, 1997 - Wednesday: with Great Circle Saxophone Quartet, Greene St Grill, Cambridge, MA.

    May 10, 1997 - Saturday: with Great Circle Saxophone Quartet, Biblio's. New York city.

    May 31, 1997 - Saturday: with Moekestra, Gilman St.

    June 8, 1997 - Sunday: With rent Romus and others, "Edgar Allan Poe." At Beanbender's.

    June 21-26, 1997: With Great Circle Saxophone Quartet, bay area and LA.

    July 21, 1997 - Monday: with Gino Robair and others at Venue 9.

    July 25, 1997 - Friday: At Studio For with the Superheroes of Jazz: Joe Karten, Greg Sinibaldi and Matthew Sperry.

    July 31, 1997 - Thursday: with Gino Robair and others at the Yellow Room.

    August 2, 1997 - Saturday: playing the music of Peter van Bergen. With van Bergen, John Schott and Joe Karten. Radio Valencia.

    August 17, 1997 - Sunday: at Beanbender's as a member of Wadada Leo Smith's orchestra.

    September 21, 1997, Sunday: Outdoor music with Ward Spangler, somewhere in the area for some forgotten purpose - this might have been the Alzheimer's benefit, or an outdoor gig in SF...

    October 5, 1997, Sunday: the premeire of 4 new Plonsey compositions for 2 reeds, 2 brass, guitr, bass and percussion. With Greg Sinibaldi, Joe Karten, Tom Yoder, John Schott, Steve Lew, Jenya Chernoff and Matt Lebofsky.
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    October 16, 1997, Thursday: in Eugene Chadbourne's Insect and Western ensemble.
    8PM, Venue 9, 252 9th Street, San Francisco CA. $12

    October 18, 1997, Saturday: Tag Team of Heavyweight Improvisors vs. Eugene Chadbourne. With Graham Connah, Gino Robair, Scott Amendola, John Shiurba, Phillip Greenlief, Tim Perkis, Myles Boisen, George Cremaschi, Carla Kihlstedt, Tom Heasley, Joe Sabella, Garth Powell, Rex Probe, plus special surprise guests.
    8PM, Venue 9, 252 9th Street, San Francisco CA. $12

    October 19, 1997, Thursday: in Eugene Chadbourne's Insect and Western ensemble.
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    October 22, 1997, Wednesday: in Ben Goldberg's Brainchild. With Graham Connah, Trevor Dunn, Steve Adams, Carla Kihlstedt, John Schott, Elliot Humberto Kavee, Peter Valsamis, Smith Dobson Jr., Scott Amendola, Rob Burger, and others(!).
    8PM, Venue 9, 252 9th Street, San Francisco CA. $6-10, sliding scale

    October 23, 1997, Thursday: in Torid Anos. Words and ranting by Beth Lisick; with Gino Robair, John Shiurba, and George Cremaschi. Opening for the amazing Shaking Ray Levis!!!
    9PM(?) The Hotel Utah, 400 Bryant St., SF, CA. $5(?)

    November 13, 1997, Thursday: in Steve Horowitz's Mousetrap, with Laura Carmichael, Matt Brubeck, Dave Revelli, and Horowitz.
    11PM, KDVS, Davis, CA. Free!

    November 15, 1997, Saturday: in Steve Horowitz's Mousetrap, with Laura Carmichael, Matt Brubeck, Dave Revelli, and Horowitz.
    7:30PM, Radio Valencia Cafe, 1199 Valencia at 23rd St., SF, CA. $3-5

    November 16, 1997, Sunday: in Steve Horowitz's Mousetrap, with Laura Carmichael, Matt Brubeck, Dave Revelli, and Horowitz.
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    November 30, 1997, Sunday: in duet with Chris Jonas: woodwinds and chalk: creating an 11' x 7' artwork.
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    December 1, 1997, Monday: in duet with Chris Jonas: woodwinds and chalk: creating an 11' x 7' artwork.
    8:30PM, Alligator Lounge, 3321 Pico, Santa Monica, CA. $6

    December 7, 1997, Sunday: with the Great Circle Saxophone Quartet (Chris Jonas, Randy McKean and Steve Norton)
    Fall Cafe, 307 Smith Street, between President and Union, Carrol Gardens, Brooklyn. 4:30 - 7PM. (718) 403-0230. Admission free.

    December 8, 1997, Monday: with the Great Circle Saxophone Quartet (Chris Jonas, Randy McKean and Steve Norton)
    8PM, 521 W. 26th Street, lower level, Manhattan (between 10th & 11th) Take the C or E to 23rd St. $8

    December 20, 1997, Saturday: solo. Other sets by Jon Raskin Trio, Phil Gelb, and others.
    2779 (formerly known as Komotion) 2779 16th St. (at Folsom) SF, CA. Tape Music Lounge at 8pm, performances at 9pm. $4.
    Call 510-763-0316 or email bobbost@orban.com for more details.


    1998

    February 22, Sunday: with San Diegan musicians: Scott Walton, Dana Reason, Glen Whitehead and Vanessa Tomlinson.
    301 Spruce Street, San Diego CA. A preview by Mark Lewis appeared in San Diego Sidewalk.

    March 1, Sunday: as a member of The Unmusical Rivets, an ensemble of the Beanbender's hosts.
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    March 15, Sunday: as a member of Eugene Chadbourne's "Insect & Western" Ensemble.
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    March 22, Sunday: as a member of Henry Kaiser's production of "Peter and the Wolf."
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    April 3, Friday: as a member of John Schott's Diglossia Ensemble, as part of Rova's 20th anniversary celebration.
    ODC, San Francisco, CA.

    April 11, Saturday: in the 20th anniversary concert of Sheep's Clothing's first all-night concert!
    New Haven, CT. Sheep Central, maintained by Supermarky.

    April 26, Sunday: in 1001 Noirs: Author Jonathan Lethem (Gun With Occasional Music, Amnesia Moon and more recent books I haven't gotten to yet!) and John Schott present a set of short black-humor stories with Occasional Music. With Jenny Scheinman, Dan Seamans and me.
    8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    May 17, Sunday: a new composition: Plonsey Episodes 1-9: Everybody Does This (Nostalgia of the Infinite) will be performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars.
    The Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St., New York, NY Tickets are on sale through the Knitting Factory, 212-219-3006 by phone or at the club. This work was commissioned by the Bang on a Can People's Commissioning Fund.

    May 18, Monday: Daxophones Meet Saxophones: a concert of music by daxophonist/guitarist Mark Stewart, and saxophonist/clarinets Evan Ziporyn and Dan Plonsey. Mark and Evan are members of the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Mark also plays in Fred Frith's guitar quartet.
    The Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard St., New York, NY Tickets are on sale through the Knitting Factory, 212-219-3006 by phone or at the club.

    May 27, Wednesday: solo and in duet with percussionist Gino Robair.
    9:30PM, Edinburgh Castle, 950 Geary, San Francisco. Call 415-776-6631 for more info.

    June 24, Wednesday: with Seattle bassist Matthew Sperry.
    9:30PM, Edinburgh Castle, 950 Geary, San Francisco. Call 415-776-6631 for more info.

    July 15, Wednesday: 20th Century FORUM and Chapel of the Chimes present the third annual Garden of Memory: A Columbarium Walk-Through Event at Chapel of the Chimes, a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights at 4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery, in Oakland on Wednesday, July 15 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The program will feature simultaneous performances in different parts of the building by Bay Area composers, musicians, and other performers presenting a variety of acoustic and electronic music and video; the audience is free to move throughout the buiding during the performances. Admission is $10, $8 for students and seniors; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For information, call 20th Century FORUM at (415) 255-8225.
    The artists, many of whom are well-known to Bay Area audiences, to be featured at this event include composers Charles Amirkhanian, Carl Stone, Edmund Campion, Scot Gresham-Lancaster, Belinda Reynolds, Dan Becker, Maggi Payne, and Laetitia Sonami; pianist Sarah Cahill; composer/ clarinetist Beth Custer; glass instrument musician Miguel Frasconi; multi-instrumentalist Randy Porter; koto player Miya Masaoka; video artist John Sanborn; Tibetan singer Te Chung; saxophonist Dan Plonsey; Balkan ensemble Panacea; composer and vocalist Pamela Z; Balkan singer Mantra Ben-Ya'akova; and pianists and electronic keyboardists Chris Brown and Matthew Goodheart.

    July 24, Friday: presenting a set of new music for strings and brass: Version Re-Mix. With: Carla Kihlstedt, Tom Swafford, Sarah Willner, Samantha Black, Ashley Adams, Joe Karten, and Mantra Ben-Ya'akova. The Art Rattan Co. Warehouse, 1218 Miller Avenue, Oakland (off International Blvd.). Sliding Scale Donation $0-20 All Ages Welcome, 8:30 pm (set order TBA), sorry, no wheelchair access: , The East Bay Creative Music Festival

    July 26, Sunday: presenting a set of new music for strings and brass: Orchestral Version. With: Carla Kihlstedt, Jenny Scheinman, Tom Swafford, Sarah Willner, Samantha Black, Ashley Adams, Joe Karten, Tom Yoder, Dana Reason, and Mantra Ben-Ya'akova. 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    August 4, Tuesday: in Ben Goldberg's Brainchild. With all the usual suspects. 10:30PM, and midnight. Bruno's, Mission St., SF. $4

    August 5, Wednesday: in Ben Goldberg's Brainchild. With all the usual suspects. 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley,CA. $5

    August 6, Thursday: in Ben Goldberg's Brainchild.
    See August 5.

    August 16, Sunday: playing clarinets as a member of the Steve Lew Quartet. 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    August 23, Sunday: with Amy Denio, Steve Lew and Carla Kihlstedt. 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    August 29, Saturday: presenting an entire evening of painting/playing with Chris Jonas as a celebration of being 39 (for just three more days!). 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    August 30, Sunday: presenting an entire evening of new music as a celebration of being 39 (for just two more days!) Solo, painting/playing with Chris Jonas, and Disaster Opera Theatre, and more! With many artifacts to be given away! 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA. $5

    September 13, Sunday: as a member of Eugene Chadbourne's Insect & Western ensemble, with Carla Kihlstedt, Ashley Adams, Jeff Kaiser, and Gino Robair. 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley,CA. $5

    September 25, Friday: as a member of John Schott's Diglossia Ensemble. 8PM, New Langton Arts, San Francsico

    October 1, Thursday: as a member of Moe! Staiano's Moechestra. 9:30PM, The Starry Plough, Oakland

    October 22: Plonsey Episodes 1-9: Everybody Does This (Nostalgia of the Infinite) will be performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars. This is the second performance ever, the West Coast premiere. It will be performed as part of the Other Minds Festival. This work was commissioned by the Bang on a Can People's Commissioning Fund.

    October 23, Friday: Daxophones Meet Saxophones: a concert of music by daxophonist/guitarist Mark Stewart, and saxophonist/clarinets Evan Ziporyn and Dan Plonsey and vocalist/electronic-musician Pamela Z. Mark and Evan are members of the Bang on a Can All-Stars, Mark also plays in Fred Frith's guitar quartet. Two sets. 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley,CA. $5

    November 22, Sunday: in Ben Goldberg's Brainchild. With all the usual suspects. 5PM, Brazil Room, Tilden Park, Berkeley. Private party for Bruno's employees.

    December 20, Sunday: With: Mantra Ben Ya'akova's ensemble of improvisers, including: Ashley Adams, Myles Boisen, Jenya Chernoff, Nancy Clarke, Cleveland Plonsey, Dan Plonsey, Gino Robair, John Schott, Karen Stackpole, Moe! Staiano, Susan Volkan, and Tom Yoder. 8:15PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley,CA. $5


    1999

    January 10, Sunday: Solo oboe, voice and cheap synth, with Myles Boisen, real-time processing. Celebrating the release of the new CD-R Understanding Human Behavio, Limited Sedition 006. Come hear such number one hit favorites as:
    "I've got a little oboe in my soul"
    "I'm sitting on top of the world (with an oboe)," and of course:
    "One of these times - I'm going to play the oboe again"
    7:30PM, Beanbender's, 2295 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley,CA. $5

    Sunday, March 25
    In the Beanbender's All-Stars, with Nancy Clarke and Bill Hsu; with slides by Alan Brightbill.
    Beanbender's at the Fine Arts Cinema, 2451 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley

    Saturday, May 8
    KZSU's "Day of Noise." Live in the studio with Phil Gelb, John Shiurba, Matthew Sperry, Scott Rosenberg, Sean Meehan and Garth Powell, from approximately 1-3PM. At 90.1FM, or you can listen to KZSU at: http://realaudio.stanford.edu.

    May 11
    In the Cleveland Plonsey Urchestra (with Cleveland and Mantra.
    2026 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley

    Saturday, May 15
    In the Berkeley Music Circus, 1-4 PM, downtown Berkeley, with 100 others.


    The following are all in the Netherlands, all except for May 25 and June 3 are with Steve Horowitz's Mousetrap. May 25 and June 3 are Plonsey-led ensembles. Except as specified, line-up is: Plonsey, tenor & soprano saxes, clarinet and bass clarinet, oboe; Peter van Bergen, contra-bass and bass clarinets and tenor sax; Steve Horowitz, fretless electric bass; Dave Revelli, drums. Details:
    
    Thursday 20th, 20:15            De Provadje Theater,
    Verdronkenoord 12 in Alkmaar
    Theater is near by the central train station,
    phone number  is: 072 511 01 36
    
    Monday 24th, 20:30              De Paradox,
    Telegraafstraat 62 in Tilburg
    Also very close to the central train station,
    Phone number is: 013 543 22 66
    
    Wednesday 26th, 20:30           Cafe Binnen,
    Binnen Bantammerstraat 9 in Amsterdam
    Nearby the central station, also near the Nieuwe Mart,
    Phone Number is: 020 421 89 01
    
    Saturday 29th, 21:00            SJU-Huis,
    Varkenmarkt 2 In Utrecht
    A five minute walk from Utrecht Central Station,
    Phone number is: 030 234 04 36
    
    Monday 31st, 21:00              Cafe Wilhelmina,
    Wilhelminaplein 6 in Eindhoven
    I do not know how close this is to the train station,
    Phone Number is: 040 244 72 86
    

    June 21, Monday: 20th Century FORUM and Chapel of the Chimes present the fourth annual Garden of Memory: A Columbarium Walk-Through Event at Chapel of the Chimes, a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights at 4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery, in Oakland on Wednesday, July 15 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. The program will feature simultaneous performances in different parts of the building by Bay Area composers, musicians, and other performers presenting a variety of acoustic and electronic music and video; the audience is free to move throughout the buiding during the performances. Admission is $10, $8 for students and seniors; no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For information, call 20th Century FORUM at (415) 255-8225.

    July 10, Saturday: As a guest clarinetist on one tune with Mumble & Peg, at the Starry Plough, Oakland.

    July 18, Wednesday: as a member of Spirit Park, with Ron Thompson and Karen Stackpole.
    8PM, Venue 9

    July 29, Thursday: as a member of Moe! Staiano's Moechestra. 9:30PM, The Starry Plough, Oakland

    August 21, Saturday: Leading an ensemble of:

    Vinny Golia, reeds
    Dan Plonsey, reeds
    Jeff Kaiser, trumpet
    Mike Vlatkovich, trombone
    Steuart Liebig, electric bass
    Billy Mintz, drums
    Mantra Ben-Ya'akova, voice
    
    at Ventura City Hall, Ventura, CA.

    September 9, Thursday: as a member of Spirit Park, with Ron Thompson and Karen Stackpole.
    9PM, The Luggage Store

    November 10, Wednesday: as a member of Spirit Park, with Ron Thompson, guitar; Karen Stackpole, percussion and gongs.
    9:30PM, The Starry Plough, Oakland

    December 1, Wednesday: leading Daniel Popsicle: playing a collection of brand new compositions by Plonsey which will also feature a generous amount of improvisation. The ensemble is marked by its unusual instrumentation, which enables it to escape the standards of intonation which have prevailed in the Western World for the majority of this millenium. Daniel Popsicle was organized to meet an obligation to Plonsey's former teacher, Anthony Braxton: "Sir, we must now write music for the next millenium!" The ensemble:

    Dan Plonsey: oboe, clarinets, c melody saxophone
    Ben Goldberg: clarinet
    Joe Karten: shofar
    Tom Yoder: trombone
    Phil Gelb: shakuhachi
    Ward Spangler: marimba
    Wayne Vitale: Balinese percussion & gangsa
    Sarah Willner: Balinese gangsa, viola
    Tom Swafford: violin
    Samantha Black: cello
    Ashley Adams: bass
    Matthew Sperry: bass
    Randy Porter: cumbus, guitar, violin
    John Schott: national steel guitar
    Gino Robair: mandolin & percussion
    Erling Wold: farfisa organ
    Lynn Wold: acrusonic organ
    Mantra Ben-Ya'akova: voice
    
    9:30PM, The Starry Plough, Oakland

    2000

    Thursday, January 13: with Gino Robair and friends, at the Hotel Utah, 9:30PM.

    Tuesday, January 25: With Club Foot Orchestra at the World Financial Center Winter Garden at 7PM. Admission is supposedly free. It's all part of a silent film festival.

    Sunday, March 19: The premeire of Sunburst (scenes 1-6) Paul Schick, libretto; w/ Mantra & Cleveland Plonsey, Susan Volkan, Nancy Clarke, Tom Yoder, Sarah Willner, and John Schott as Orpheus.
    At 2:55PM!
    As part of the: OPUS415 No.5 Bay Area New Music Marathon, Produced by the Common Sense Composers Collective
    Sunday, March 19, 2000 1 pm - 11 pm
    Theater Artaud, San Francisco, 450 Florida, between 17th Street and Mariposa
    All Day Pass $18, $13 students/seniors. Tickets: 415-621-7797 Info: 415-285-8680, or buy on the web at ticketweb.
    ``Sunburst,'' Dan Plonsey's dramatic scene for three colander-wearing instrumentalists and a handful of singer-actors, managed to be oddly en tertaining despite being essentially a string of in-jokes. -- Joshua Kosman, SF Chronicle, March 21, 2000. Thanks a lot, Josh.

    Saturday, May 6: Berkeley Day of Music (organized by Randy Porter). Music by and for me and kids and adults too. Berkeley Public Library, 2PM. Also, improvisations with random humans around Shattuck Avenue. 3-5 PM. Admission Free.

    Saturday, May 13: Foot 'n' Shoe Music, curated by Sarah Cahill, as part of the Berkeley Arts Festival. Situated in the former home of Huston's Shoes on Shattuck Avenue. One composition: "Concerto for Hi-Hat and Orchestra of Children." 4PM. Admission Free.

    Saturday, May 13: KZSU's Day of Noise. Improvisations with Kaffe Matthews, Alan Brightbill, Randy Porter, and Ron Thompson. 10:30 PM. 90.1FM. This is the 6th annual KZSU Day of Noise! At 90.1FM, or you can listen to KZSU at: http://realaudio.stanford.edu.

    Monday, June 12: Mark Stewart with Pamela Z and Dan Plonsey At a relatively new space called Tuva: 3192 Adeline, where M.L.K. and Adeline merge together, half a block south of Ashby BART, West side of the street. $6-10 sliding scale. 8PM.

    Saturday, June 17: First day of "Trios Festival," co-sponsored by New Langton Arts. Improvisations with Spiritpark (Ron Thompson and Karen Stackpole). New Langton Arts, 7:30 PM. Bill Horvitz Trio (w/ Steve Adams and Joe Sabella, opening). $10.

    Sunday, June 25: Improvisations with Jeff Kaiser and Ernesto Diaz-Infante. Jupiter, Shattuck at Allston Way, Berkeley. Free. 3PM. "024C" opening.

    Friday, July 7 At the Meridian Gallery, with Phil Gelb and others.

    Saturday, July 8 As a member of Ben Goldberg's Brainchild, at the Zeum's "Avant Yard" summer series of concerts, in the Zeum's backyard. The Zeum is at 4th/Howard in San Francisco. 1PM. Admission Free!

    Saturday, July 22 Compositions of Dan Plonsey performed by Daniel Popsicle, at the Zeum's "Avant Yard" summer series of concerts, in the Zeum's backyard. The Zeum is at 4th/Howard in San Francisco. 1PM. Admission Free!

    Sunday, October 15 The world premiere of
    "Humming, moving, still our flowers are blooming under the old Portcullis"
    for large ensemble and miniature tableau theatre, by Dan Plonsey, performed by Daniel Popsicle. The lineup for this performance is:

    Dan Plonsey: c melody sax
    Phil Gelb: shakuhachi
    Michael Zelner: clarinet
    Tom Yoder: trombone
    Erling Wold: accordion, organ
    Lynn Wold: farfisa organ
    Tom Swafford: violin
    Sarah Willner: viola
    Ashley Adams: bass
    Steve Lew: electric bass
    Mike Pukish: percussion
    
    Master percussionist genius Moe! will open the evening with a solo performance of walloping.
    Sunday, October 15
    7:48 PM
    ACME Observatory
    3192 Adeline @ MLK Street in Berkeley, CA
    One block south of the ASHBY BART Station - [Look for the "ANT" sign] Cars: go up Ashby, turn South at MLK. 3192 is in the block where Adeline/MLK converge briefly.
    Admission by donation ($8 suggested, but no one will be turned away for less!)

    Wednesday, November 1 With John Schott's Hootenanny. Cato's Ale House.


    2001

    Feb 14,16,18(2)
    Four concerts with a collective sextet of Plonsey, Peter van Bergen, Steve Horowitz, Joost Buis, Jim Bove, and Jim Meneses. We will be playing compositions that we have written that are inspired directly by Sun Ra's music. I don't know what the others have written yet, but I focussed on writing music related to the Discipline series.

    Feb 23,24,25,26,27,28
    Five concerts of Dan Plonsey: Bird-Constructions & Musics and one (Feb 24) participating in a performance art/music show by Molly Sturges and Chris Jonas.

    Dan Plonsey: Bird-Constructions & Musics

    Dates:

    May 5, Saturday, 6PM, Dan Plonsey presents:
    Garbaggio Truckio Fantastico as part of the:
    7th annual KZSU Day of Noise! At 90.1FM, or you can listen to KZSU at: http://realaudio.stanford.edu.

    May 8, Tuesday, 10:30 AM, the Berkeley Symphony plays Plonsey's The Dolphins in the Forest, Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley campus, Berkeley. Pre-performance talk by Plonsey. Free!

    May 30, Wednesday evening, 6-9PM: With John Schott's Hootenanny, Cato's Ale House. Piedmont Ave, just above MacArthur. Admission free! (Please eat and drink, though!) Music from early 20th century America. With Mantra, Ben Goldberg, Tim Madden and Dan Seamons.

    June 10: 17 or so marches by Plonsey, performed by New Music Works in Santa Cruz:

    ANNUAL AVANT GARDEN PARTY
    2001: A SPACE GARDEN
    Sunday, June 10, 2001, 2 - 6pm
    Topside Estates, 700 Spring Street, Santa Cruz
    Sponsored by Streetlight Records
    This year's Avant Garden Party brings super-galactic spheres to this annual outdoor fete of flora, music, and feasting. It's about space; it's about gardens; it's about as extraterrestrial as we can get without wearing pressurized suits.

    Dan Plonsey: 21Marches into the 21st Century* (World Premiere)
    Henry Brant: Spatially-separated music
    Fred Frith: New work* (World Premiere)
    Darcy Reynolds: Works for viola and piano
    Sound installations by Douglas Leedy, John Cage, and others

    June 24 Daniel Popsicle performs works by Dan Plonsey (Music of Northwestern El Cerrito).
    Presented by Beanbender's and the Berkeley Arts Festival.
    Also on the program: Ben Goldberg's Brainchild, Toychestra, and Graham Connah's Jettison Slinky.
    Sunday, June 24
    7 PM
    2200 Shattuck Avenue (former Lee Frank Jewellers)
    $6-$10, sliding scale
    contact: 510-665-9496.

    July 15 Dan Plonsey presents: Garbaggio Truckio Fantastico as part of the:
    THE FIRST ANNUAL TRANSBAY SKRONKATHON BBQ

    
    1pm
    Phyll Smith/Andre Custodio -- Ethereal/Dark 
    Ambient/Experimental/DarkWave/Noise
    Ron Thompson -- solo guitar+computer
    Dan Plonsey's Garbaggio Truckio Fantastico -- truly improvised music
    
    interval
    
    3pm
    Rubber City -- David Slusser [sax], Ralph Carney [horns], Richard 
    Saunders [bass], Michel Dumonceau [drums]
    Saint of Killers -- avant-space-rock-metal-noise
    
    interval
    
    4:30pm
    sfSound Group -- a new music ensemble
    Compomicro-Dexall -- Noise-free-mad-jazz-punk-grindcore duo
    Jessica Loos / Damon Smith Duo -- Improvised Sound Poetry/String Bass
    
    interval
    
    6pm
    Marco Eneidi -- solo saxophone
    Myles Boisen & Karen Stackpole -- prepared guitar and gongs
    Tori Anus -- computer/guitar/viola/drum/random circuits from:
    [Jorge Boehringer, Kris Miltner, and David Horton]
    
    interval
    
    7:45pm
    tonamatt -- Nancy Beckman [shakuhachi], Tom Bickley 
    [recorder&electronics], Marianne MacDonald [harp], Kattt Sammon [voice]
    Phillip Greenlief -- solo saxophone
    Double Nickels -- a double quintet with
    [John Shiurba/Myles Boisen, matt ingalls/John Ingle, Tom Djll/Tom Yoder]
    [Dan Plonsey/Eli Crews, Gino Robair/Karen Stackpole]
    
    interval
    
    9:30pm
    Bob Marsh [cello,etc]/Scott R Looney [computer]/Ernesto Diaz-Infante 
    [guitar extensions]/Garth Powell [drums]
    Transmission Trio -- [Colin Stetson, Eric Perney, Andrew Kitchen]
    
    

    Monday, September 10, 2001: Plonsey Episodes 1-9: Everybody Does This (Nostalgia of the Infinite) will be performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars. This is the third performance ever, the LA premiere. This work was commissioned by the Bang on a Can People's Commissioning Fund.
    7pm, Bovard Auditorium at USC, Los Angeles, CA.

    Saturday, September 29: SpiritPark (Plonsey, Ron Thompson, guitars; Joe Sabella, percussion)
    Part of Trio Festival 2. Begins at 4PM; SpiritPark is the 4th of 5 trios to play, going on at approximately 7PM.
    Tuva: 3192 Adeline, where M.L.K. and Adeline merge together, half a block south of Ashby BART, West side of the street. $6-10 sliding scale.

    Thursday, October 4: with Jeff Kaiser, trumpet, and others.
    8pm, The Luggage Store.
    Jeff KAISER (trumpet); Dan PLONSEY (woodwinds); Ernesto DIAZ-INFANTE (guitar).
    Jeff Kaiser, Dan Plonsey, and Ernesto Diaz-Infante will be exploring the underworld realm of Hades using their sound as auditory metaphors (in the post-Jungian symbolic sense of the word) for the psychology of antiquity also known as mythology. Wait! Actually they will just be improvising. Their select tools are: trumpet, flugelhorn and electronics (Jeff), an arsenal of woodwinds (Dan), and a guitar strung with dental floss, paper clips and a small stuffed rabbit named Persephone (Ernesto).
    Review
    so jeff kaiser had this table full of gear and was playing CDs mostly (precomposed) and mixing everyone else's sound. dan sat out for the first 10 minutes or so, but more than made up for it later. ernesto rushed in after about 20 minutes and proceeded to play subtle gorgeous quiet counterpoint to the others' raucous... but i'm getting ahead of myself. so jeff's CDs, multioctavous babble overlaid with these low throbbings, see, caused gravity and direction to be exerted on the players. very dense, very forward motion. immediately a music was evident, amplified by multiphoniacal varihorn soloduos. never seen someone use one a them mouthpieces that-a way, hmm. they got all this music in their heads and fingers -- my fave was the medieval stuff in the middle plus the hocketing and of course the impromptu sung canonical. not that the derivations were explicit, mind you. resonances within resonances. the drunken minstrels carouse while the philosopher ponders.
    -- Tildy Bayar

    Sunday, October 28, 2001: Plonsey Episodes 1-9: Everybody Does This (Nostalgia of the Infinite) will be performed by the Bang on a Can All-Stars. This is the fourth performance ever. It will be performed as part of the Bang on a Can Marathon. This work was commissioned by the Bang on a Can People's Commissioning Fund.
    Brooklyn Academy of Music (a.k.a. BAM)

    Tuesday, January 29, 2002 at 8 pm Jay Rozen, tuba recital, with Dan Plonsey, guest improviser on one piece, and composer of solo tuba piece, The Actual Physical Center of the Universe.
    UC Stanislaus (near Modesto, CA). Admission $5.

    Friday, February 8, 2002 at 8 pm John Shiurba
    with special guests Dan Plonsey on alto saxophone, matt ingalls on clarinet, Tom Yoder on trombone, Matthew Sperry on contrabass, and Gino Robair on percussion, with Morgan Guberman and Lara Bruckmann, voices.
    San Francisco -- On February 8, New Langton Arts presents guitarist John Shiurba, performing two new works: 30 Interjections and TRIPLICATE. Using everything from his knuckles to kitchen utensils, Shiurba improvises and expands upon the traditional sound range of the electric and acoustic guitar, producing unrecognizable results. The performance begins at 8 pm. Tickets are $8 general, $6 members, students, and seniors. New Langton Arts is located at 1246 Folsom Street (between 8th and 9th streets) in San Francisco. For more information or reservations, call 415 626 5416.

    Tuesday, April 9, 2002 at 8 pm
    Daniel Popsicle: "Music from Northern El Cerrito: Daniel Popsicle plays Cerrito Theatre Music of Dan Plonsey"

    The Cerrito Theatre is a theatre which may or may not be restored to use if it isn't turned into a mattress store or (unspecified) national chain pet food store.
    The Black Box
    1928 Telegraph Ave
    Oakland CA 94612
    bet. 19 & 20 St. Downtown Oakland 1 block from 19 St BART
    510-451-1932
    wheelchair accessable
    All shows start at 7:54pm.
    Admission is $6-$1000 sliding scale

    Friday, June 7, 2002, 8PM
    Two 10-minute solo sets, as part of:
    Irrational Exhuberance
    at 848 community space (that's 848 Divisadero), San Francisco, CA. Short performance (10 minutes?) with Cleveland and Mischa, clarinet, and toy trains and various percussion and wind instruments.

    Friday, June 21, 2002, 5PM(??)
    Music (Plonsey compositions played by eight members of Daniel Popsicle: John Schott, Matthew Sperry, Tom Yoder, John Shiurba, Lynn Wold, Suki O'Kane, Michael Zelner, and Plonsey) and toy trains as part of the incredible, wonderful
    Chapel of the Chimes New Music Bay Area and Chapel of the Chimes present their magical summer solstice celebration Garden of Memory: a Columbarium Walk-Through Event at Chapel of the Chimes, a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum replete with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights at 4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland on Friday, June 21 from 5 to 8 pm. The program features simultaneous performances in different parts of the building as composers and musicians present a variety of acoustic and electronic music, installations, and interactive events; the audience is free to move throughout the building during the performances. Admission is by sliding scale, $20-5. For information, call New Music Bay Area at (415)563-6355 ex. 3, or write to info@newmusicbayarea.org.

    Performers include Ingram Marshall, Kyle Gann, Daniel Lentz with Brad Ellis and William Trimble, Maggi Payne, Laetitia Sonami, Krystina Bobrowski, Dean Santomieri, Matthew Goodheart, Greg Moore, Jason Serinus, Dan Plonsey, Katrina Wreede, Miguel Frasconi, John Bischoff, Charles Amirkhanian, Henry Kaiser and Danielle de Gruttola, Ya Elah, Elaine Kreston, Brenda Hutchinson, Jerry Kuderna, Philip Gelb with Shoko Hikage and Brett Larner, Randy Porter, Pamela Z, Sarah Cahill, and the Cornelius Cardew Choir.

    Garden of Memory offers a unique and personal musical experience to every listener as he or she wanders freely through this multilevel maze of interior gardens, alcoves, pools, and antechambers ingeniously designed by Julia Morgan. Drawing crowds of around eight hundred people each year (including a large number of children), Garden of Memory has become a favorite summer solstice celebration for Bay Area audiences.

    New Music Bay Area is a nonprofit organization which provides opportunities and information to composers and performers of new music throughout the Bay Area. New Music Bay Area is supported by grants from the California Arts Council and the generosity of its members and donors. Garden of Memory is supported in part by a Community Partnership Grant from the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of American Composers Forum. An 8 person subset of Daniel Popsicle will perform 17 or so new pieces, accompanied by ambient sounds of transportation and animals, along with a blue plastic railroad, and small instruments and toys for anyone (particularly children) to play.

    Sunday, July 14, 2002 at ~8 pm
    Garbaggio Truckio Fantasticko presents:
    "It's All in Good Fun (you assholes)"
    An opera (a very short - 10-15 minutes long - opera), a mockery: of everyone, from top to bottom of the music world, including performers, composers, reviewers, presenters, theorists, audience.
    on the Second Annual TRANSBAY SKRONKATHON BBQ, 1PM-11PM, Tuva Space, 3192 Adeline, Berkeley.

    Saturday, July 27, 2002 at 8 pm
    Daniel Popsicle: "Music from El Cerrito: Daniel Popsicle plays Music for Occasions of State," and: "The Playback Operas of El Cerrito, no. 1: Excerpts from AMARAMA." Music: Dan Plonsey, Libretto: Paul Schick
    New Langton Arts "Award Show"
    Tickets are $8 general, $6 members, students, and seniors. New Langton Arts is located at 1246 Folsom Street (between 8th and 9th streets) in San Francisco. For more information or reservations, call 415 626 5416.
    Details: The first set consists of compositions from the past year written for Daniel Popsicle, a 10-15 person group dedicated to presenting the music of (Northern) El Cerrito, in this case, a collection of "Music for Occasions of State": a couple dozen very short pieces, alternately rousing and contemplative.

    For the second set we premiere scenes from an opera-in-progress, "AMARAMA." The libretto, by Paul Schick, incorporates four (now five) different tellings of a pastoral comedy, "The Faithful Shepherd," ("Il Pastor Fido", Guarini, 1590), a complex tale of 3 mismatched couples, which is mined for its conflicting depictions of Love, which is herein associated with disturbance, dislocation, discontinuity, and, of course, disaster. The music is inspired by that of Indian films, and the action takes place in Ancient Greece/60s California.

    Musicians include: Nancy Clarke, Phil Gelb, Ben Goldberg, Matt Ingalls, Steve Kirk, Suki O'Kane, Mantra Plonsey, Mike Pukish, John Schott, Jonathan Segel, John Shiurba, Ward Spangler, Matthew Sperry, Sarah Willner, Lynn Wold, Tom Yoder, Michael Zelner, and Dan Plonsey.

    Monday, August 5, 2002 6:30-8:30PM
    Members of Daniel Popsicle: "Music from El Cerrito: Daniel Popsicle plays Music for Occasions of State." (See above, July 27, 2002.) Performing at an open house for the Education Department of the Richmond Art Center, Monday, August 5 from 6:30-8:30. Come and hear us, and also check out art classes for kids. In addition to our music, there will be kids art activities. 540 Barrett Avenue (at 25th St.), Richmond, California (510) 620-6772.

    Monday, September 30, 2002 at 8 pm (and 10 PM)
    Daniel Popsicle: "Music from El Cerrito: Daniel Popsicle plays Music by Dan Plonsey"
    At Yoshi's -- a Jazz in Flight production.
    Concert Preview from Contra Costa Times, by Andrew Gilbert

    With: Carol Adee, Liz Albee, Jenya Chernoff, Marc Culbertson, Phil Gelb, Ben Goldberg, Steve Kirk, Matt Lebofsky, Suki O'Kane, Naomi Okuyama, Randy Porter, Mike Pukish, John Schott, John Shiurba, Matthew Sperry, Sarah Willner, Lynn Wold, Tom Yoder, and Michael Zelner.

    STATEMENT: "I founded the Daniel Popsicle Ensemble in response to Anthony Braxton's instruction: "Sir, we must now write music for the next millenium! we'll make billions!" Billions referring to musical notes, not dollars, I have since realized, but I'm finding this group to be the ideal ensemble with which to work. I am writing music which emerges (despite whatever my original intentions) as a sort of oddball post-apocalyptic band music, related to that of the Thai brass bands, Indian wedding bands, New Orleans brass bands, ironic Dutch bands, Sun Ra Arkestra, Braxtonian creative music orchestras and ghost trance ensembles, and junior high bands.

    "On September 30, the centerpiece of our concert will be the premiere of a giant piece, "Wise King Taken by the Foolish One," which will span the two sets (no pieces will be repeated from set one in set two; the audience is invited to stay for the entire evening of music). In and around this piece will be some other works which range from selections of very short, through-composed works, to tunes and songs which are designed to set up improvisations by the group's many fine players. Indeed, the music I am writing can only be played by musicians with skills in both reading and improvising: they alone can bring the sort of tight-but-looseness, the spontaneous combustability, and the subversiveness which in my opinion is the soul of what we have called Jazz. I am very fortunate to be living in the Bay Area, where uniquely in this world I have access to such musicians who _also_ bring in enormous individual experience in Klezmer, Balinese music, rock, blues, classical music, Salsa, free improv, Italian film music, Japanese music, Brazilian music, and of course all the historical "traditions" of jazz.

    "I would like to stress that I am presenting this music not as "jazz" or "avant garde" or as any other genre, rather, this is music of El Cerrito (that is, one particular music of Northern El Cerrito!). Having this concert presented by Jazz in Flight, I have naturally pondered whether what we are doing is "Jazz" and/or "In Flight." I could say, somewhat seriously, that this is music which is simultaneously in flight _from_ jazz and _back to_ jazz. I'll leave it to my listeners to tell me what they think! Please send responses to: dan@plonsey.com, and while you're at it, check out www.plonsey.com for lots more words which run parallel to the music, especially about "Wise King Taken by the Foolish One", about which I have written 26 essays, but none of it really explaining what you will hear!"

    Monday, October 7, 2002 8PM
    In John Shiurba's 5x5 at Headlands Center for the Arts. With Matt Ingalls, Eli Crews, Garth Powell, and John Shiurba. Performing level 2, volume 2 of the 5x5 set.
    With Beth Lisick reading from her new book, This Too Can be Yours opening.

    Sunday, October 13, 2002 7:30PM
    In John Shiurba's 5x5 at SIMM series, 116 9th Street (at Mission), San Francisco. With Matt Goodheart, Matthew Sperry, Gino Robair, and John Shiurba. Performing level 2, volume 2 of the 5x5 set.
    Someone else playing after.

    Saturday, October 19, 2002 2PM
    With John Schott & Friends: A Homage to Down Home Music & Arhoolie Records Guitarist extraordinaire John Schott (T.J. Kirk, Junk Genius) along with the virtuosos clarinetist Ben Goldberg (New Klezmer Trio, Junk Genius), saxophonist Dan Plonsey (Great Circle Saxophone Quartet), Matt Wright (CNMAT) will perform "...old-timey, country blues numbers...strange braxtonia, quirky written material...angular, but lyrical...perhaps even something resembling 'jazz'".

    Tuesday, October 22, 2002 8PM
    Playing in 50-person orchestra playing a Ghost Trance composition by Anthony Braxton.
    The Black Box
    1928 Telegraph Ave
    Oakland CA 94612
    bet. 19 & 20 St. Downtown Oakland 1 block from 19 St BART
    510-451-1932
    wheelchair accessable
    All shows start at 7:54pm.
    Admission is $6-$1000 sliding scale

    Wednesday-Thursday, October 23-24, 2002 just before midnight-1:30AM
    (actually ended up being 12:30-2:30)
    On the 8th annual KZSU Day of Noise.
    KZSU, Stanford, 90.1 FM.

    8PM, Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23
    Members of Daniel Popsicle perform music composed by Dan Plonsey to two radio plays by Samuel Beckett, "Words and Music" and "Cascando."
    Produced and directed by Naomi Okuyama
    Also, the ensemble will perform selctions from the body of "Music of El Cerrito," and there will be other performances as well (see below).
    The Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave (just north of Pleasant Valley, a.k.a. 51st Street), Oakland
    Three Chairs Productions presents two different evenings of Words and Music at the Chapel of the Chimes, the beautiful Julia Morgan-designed columbarium in North Oakland. All performances will be radio-transmitted locally within the Chapel, and visitors can experience the radio plays and music at the source or over the air while wandering through the galleries.
    The two evenings present performances of the radio plays "Words and Music" and "Cascando" by Samuel Beckett, with original music composed by Daniel Plonsey. Also featured is the world premiere of "Tents" and "Tense", new radio plays by local wordsmith and impresario Adam Tobin. Each evening there will be different programs performed by the El Cerrito ensemble Daniel Popsicle, along with music from local singers Diana Pray and Ariela Morgenstern. The more visually inclined can feast their eyes on "Vision," a new video installation by Ted Vadakan, as well as the jewel-like surroundings of the Chapel.
    INFO: (510) 594-9409 or 3chairs@earthlink.net
    TICKETS: $10 -- $25 suggested donation.

    Thursday, January 9, 2003 at 8:30 pm John Shiurba's 5x5
    with Gino Robair, percussion; Morgan Guberman, bass; Matt Ingalls, clarinet and violin; John Shiurba, guitar.
    New Langton Arts
    1246 Folsom Street (between 8th and 9th streets) in San Francisco.
    FREE! Audience: Buzz, Hadley, Dina, and some guy

    Friday, January 10, 2003 at 11 pm
    As part of: Sound/Shift Oaklandi, a two day concert:
    Friday, January 10, 6PM-Midnight
    Saturday, January 11, Noon -11PM
    Sound/Shift Oakland
    $10 / $15 for both days.
    At 21Grand
    A review: About our set, Michael Zelner writes:
    "I just feel sorry for those who left before the end and missed Plonsey's singing. It really was moving, in a strange way."

    Thursday, May 1, 2003 at 9PM: A new piece of mine: Concerto for Electric Guitar and Toy Orchestra will receive its world premiere as part of:
    FRED FRITH and TOYCHESTRA - Apart and Together.
    "Together" part featuring the world premiere of a concerto for guitar and toys by Dan Plonsey.

    Starry Plough, 3101 Shattack Ave., Berkeley.

    Fred Frith's solo music is amazing and wonderful for the way in which he can mix shimmery noise, strange tunings, brushes, kitchen utensils, and folk-like melodies into a dramatic and surreal narrative. Frith's compositions received wider public attention recently as the score for "Rivers and Tides," the Andy Goldsworthy film. (This soundtrack will be released by Winter & Winter in June.)

    Toychestra's six women are charming and crude superheroes who save bits and pieces of the world at a time from dreary and maddening cynicism with their collection of toy pianos, toy violin, emergency board, yes-man, boing-boing, accordion-people, grrrlz-rule, etc., apparently arranged for under the influence of beer and marshmallow peeps.

    Toychestra is: Lexa Walsh, Shari Robertson, Corey Weinstein, Petra Podlahova, Angela Coon, and Michelle Adams.

    Tuesday, May 6, 2003 at 9PM:
    Same as above - new Plonsey Guitar Concerto with Fred Frith and Toychestra, but at:

    Cafe Du Nord, 2170 Market St., San Francisco. 9PM.

    Monday, June 9, 2003
    Memorial services for our dear friend Matthew Sperry, who, while riding his bicycle to work was hit by a truck. At the Chapel of the Chimes. Performing Matthew's "Processional" (from music he wrote for his wedding), Braxton (110A), and my "For Matthew, Stacia, and Lila" (written June 6).

    Thursday, June 12, 2003
    In the PornOrchestra at the Parkway Theatre, Oakland. Turned out to be with both the Moe!kestra and and PornOrchestra under the direction of Gino Robair.

    Sunday, June 15, 2003, 8PM
    John Shiurba's 5x5: as an Acme Observatory show at the Jazz House (formerly Tuva space), 3192 Adeline, Berkeley.

    Thursday, June 19, 2003
    Memorial concert for Matthew Sperry, at 21Grand. Daniel Popsicle performed "Lila Looms and Brooms" and "For Matthew, Stacia, and Lila." With Phil Gelb, John Shiurba, Randy Porter, Lynn Wold, Tom Yoder, Samantha Black, Ashley Adams, Michael Zelner, Matt Ingalls, Gino Robair, and Tim Perkis.

    Saturday, June 21, 2003, 5PM
    Dan Plonsey/Gino Robair duo, as part of the incredible, wonderful
    Chapel of the Chimes "Garden of Memory" Here's last year's press release, which should be the same for this year:
    New Music Bay Area and Chapel of the Chimes present their magical summer solstice celebration Garden of Memory: a Columbarium Walk-Through Event at Chapel of the Chimes, a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum replete with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights at 4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland on Friday, June 21 from 5 to 8 pm. The program features simultaneous performances in different parts of the building as composers and musicians present a variety of acoustic and electronic music, installations, and interactive events; the audience is free to move throughout the building during the performances. Admission is by sliding scale, $20-5. For information, call New Music Bay Area at (415)563-6355 ex. 3, or write to info@newmusicbayarea.org.

    Sunday, June 29, 2003, 8PM
    Talking with Chris Brown on his KPFA (94.1) show, 10PM. I'll play music of Matthew Sperry, along with Phil Gelb and John Shiurba.

    Saturday, September 13, 2003, 8PM Playing in an ensemble of Matt Ingalls' sfSoundGroup, as part of:
    sfSound Series: sfSoundGroup, Hans Grüsel's Krankenkabinet, Zeek Sheck's Town's People
    Community Music Center [544 Capp Street Btwn 20th and 21st SF]

    Sunday, September 28, 2003, 11AM
    The Daniel Popsicle Subsidiary Mostly Improvising Marching Band (Plonsey, Shiurba, Chernoff, Lebofsky and Zelner.)
    Performing with the Gracie Coates Dancers, as part of the Berkeley Arts Festival contingent in the annual How Berkeley Can You Be parade.
    Marching up University Avenue to Shattuck from California.
    Free!

    Saturday, October 11, 2003, 8PM With Mantra and others, as part of the Berkeley Arts Festival.
    2110 Shattuck Avenue, between Addison and Center, right by Berkeley BART>
    $8.

    Thursday, October 16, 2003, 8PM With Chris Jonas, Molly Sturges, Randy McKean, Tom Duff, Mantra and others, as part of the Berkeley Arts Festival.
    2110 Shattuck Avenue, between Addison and Center, right by Berkeley BART>
    $8.

    Wednesday, October 29, 2003, 8PM The Manufacturing of Humidifiers play together for the first time in... years! Dan Plonsey, Randy Porter and Ward Spangler.
    as part of the Berkeley Arts Festival.
    2110 Shattuck Avenue, between Addison and Center, right by Berkeley BART>
    $10.

    Sunday, November 16, 2003, 8PM
    Triaxium West: the Music of Anthony Braxton
    Acme Observatory at the Jazz House (formerly Tuva space), 3192 Adeline, Berkeley. Plonsey in trio with Matt Ingalls and Kyle Bruckmann, and in duo with Tom Yoder.

    Thursday, December 11, 2003, 8PM
    Anthony Braxton Tentet
    8PM, Thursday, December 11, 2003
    Victoria Theatre
    2961 16th Street
    San Francisco, CA 94103
    (415) 863-7576
    Tickets: $15/20/30, available from www.tickets.com The complete ensemble lineup is as follows: Anthony Braxton: reeds; Liz Allbee: trumpet; Matt Ingalls: clarinets; Greg Kelley (Boston): trumpet; Dan Plonsey: reeds; Gino Robair: percussion; Scott Rosenberg (LA): reeds; Jay Rozen (NY): tuba; Sarah Schoenbeck (LA): bassoon; John Shiurba: guitar.

    Sunday, April 25, 2004, 8PM
    Daniel Popsicle celebrates the release of its CD: "Music of El Cerrito, Volume 2a:
    Moving About, Humming, Still Our Flowers Are Blooming, Under the Old Portcullis"
    More information: Full Press Release
    With John Shiurba's 5x5
    Acme Observatory at the Jazz House (formerly Tuva space), 3192 Adeline, Berkeley.

    Saturday, May 8, 2004 at 9PM:
    One year ago, almost to the day, a piece of mine: What Leave Behind: Concerto for Electric Guitar and Toy Orchestra received its world premiere as part of a concert of:
    FRED FRITH and TOYCHESTRA - Apart and To gether. Now, we are presenting the same lineup (but with new Toychestra songs and new improvisations by Frith) in celebration of the CD release of What Leave Behind (S.K., May, 2004) at:

    The Starry Plough, 3101 Shattack Ave., Berkeley.

    Sunday, June 20, 2004 at 8PM:
    In a large ensemble playing the music of Jacopo Andreini, with Andreini conducting. Musicians include: Gino Robair, George Cremaschi, John Shiurba, Matt Ingalls, Kyle Bruckmann, Jacob Lindsay, Scott Rosenberg, Ron Heglin, Toyoji, Tom Djll and Liz Allbee.
    Jazz House (formerly Tuva space), 3192 Adeline, Berkeley.

    Monday, June 21, 2004, 5-9PM:
    The annual Garden of Memory concert, at the Chapel of the Chimes "Garden of Memory"
    Playing solo in the cloyster of the gentle spirit. Clarinets, toy synth, autoharp, Mark Stewart-made tri-slide whistle thing, toy percussion thing, circus can thing; as many as possible at once. Also duos with various known and unknown collaborators, including Cleveland and Mantra and Mischa.

    Sunday, June 27, 2004, 1-3PM:
    Daniel Popsicle plays at Museum of Children's Art. Bits of this concert are captured in Tim Perkis's film documentary, Noisy People.

    Saturday, October 30, 2004, TWO SHOWS: 6PM and 8PM:
    Daniel Popsicle at the Berkeley Arts FestivalHQ
    2324 Shattuck Avenue (between Kittredge and Bancroft)
    We've scheduled two shows in hopes that parents would bring their children to the early one - or for that matter, to the later.
    Costumed concertgoers eligible for reduced price admission.
    New Frith/Toychestra/Plonsey and Daniel Popsicle CDs available at discounted price of $10, or both for $15.

    Saturday, June 04, 2005:
    The Matthew Sperry Memorial Concerts night one: Music by Anthony Braxton, in honor of Braxton's 60th birthday. Plonsey plays in a band of 60 people at the new 21 Grand, 416 25th Street, Oakland (at Broadway). 8PM.

    Sunday, June 05, 2005:
    The Matthew Sperry Memorial Concerts night two: Music in honor of Matthew Sperry. The evening ends with a new piece by Plonsey for the full 27 person "OrcheSperry" ensemble.
    21 Grand, 416 25th Street, Oakland (at Broadway). 8PM.
    From Phillip Greenlief's Press Release:
    Matthew Sperry Memorial Concert Program
    First Set
    OrcheSperry plays Tuning Meditation, by Pauline Oliveros
    Aaron Bennett - solo
    Phillip Greenlief Theresa Wong duo
    Merlin Coleman, solo
    Matthew Sperry Trio (Ingalls, Perkis, Robair, Shiurba)
    Lisa Moskow, solo
    Scott Looney, David Reaboi duo
    OrcheSperry plays XXOO, by John Shiurba Second Set
    OrcheSperry plays Compound #1, by Phillip Greenlief

    Jacob Lindsey, Aurora Josephson, Damon Smith trio
    Kanoko Nishi Theresa Wong duo
    Jon Raskin 4tet (Raskin, Allbee, Cremaschi, Robair)
    Myles Boisen, solo
    OrcheSperry plays (what's your piece called Dan?) by Dan Plonsey
    OrcheSperry Members:
    Liz Allbee, trumpet Adam Bates, vibraphone Aaron Bennett, soprano saxophone Chris Broderick, clarinet Myles Boisen, guitar Keller Coker, trombone Merlin Coleman, voice George Cremaschi, contrabass Matt Davingnon, turntable Kiku Day, shakuhachi Philip Gelb, shakuhachi Phillip Greenlief, tenor saxophone Matt Ingalls, clarinet John Ingle, saxophone Aurora Jacobson, voice Jacob Lindsey, clarinet Scott Looney, electronics Polly Moller, flute(s?) Lisa Moskow, sarod Kanoko Nishi, koto Suki O'Kane, accordion, percussion Tim Perkis, electronics Dan Plonsey, saxophone Jon Raskin, saxophone David Reaboi, contrabass Gino Robair, conductor John Shiurba, guitar Moe! Staiano, percussion Theresa Wong, amplified bicycle, cello Michael Zelner, clarinet, flute

    Sunday, June 12, 2005:
    Dan Plonsey's big band, Daniel Popsicle, makes a rare appearance (first since October 2004) at the Santa Cruz New Music Works Avant Garden Party. At the Arboretum at UCSC, 2-6PM. (Doors at 1:30PM.) A joint fundraiser for New Music Works and the Arboretum at UCSC. Admission: General $35 Advance, $40 at Door, UCSC Box Office.

    Tuesday, June 21, 2005:
    The annual Garden of Memory concert, at the Chapel of the Chimes "Garden of Memory" Dan Plonsey plays solo and in duos and with whoever shows up, including Mantra, Michael Zelner & Suki O'Kane and Liz Allbee.

    Saturday, July 2, 2005:
    "Ives" Concert: semi-improvised versions of music of Charles Ives - not recommended for Ives purists! This event was put together by Jacob Lindsay, and features metamorphoses of Ives compositions by Lindsay, Kyle Bruckmann, Aurora Josephson, Phillip Greenlief, played by ensembles of up to ~15 musicians.
    Capp Street Community Music Center, 544 Capp, SF.


    2006

    Friday, June 2, 2006:
    Daniel Popsicle plays as part of the 2006 SperryFest.
    The Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley.

    Saturday, June 3, 2006:
    Dan Plonsey plays in the OrcheSperry, conducted improvisation by Gino Robair, and an improvisation ("Let thoughts of Matthew Sperry flow through you soundly") by Stuart Dempster. Night 2 of SperryFest 2006.
    21Grand, Oakland.

    Sunday, June 4, 2006:
    Dan Plonsey plays in the OrcheSperry, in a second conducted improvisation by Gino Robair, and probably unheard, Night 3 (of 3) of SperryFest 2006. in pieces by Phillip Greenlief and Christian Asplund.
    21Grand, Oakland.

    Saturday, June 17, 2006:
    Dan Plonsey plays in the Golden Bolts of Tone horn section on several pieces by P.A.F. (Scott Rosenberg et al) at the Hotel Utah.

    Wednesday, June 21, 2006:
    Garden of Memory" Dan Plonsey plays solo and in duos and with whoever shows up, including Mantra, Michael Zelner & Suki O'Kane and Liz Allbee.
    At the Chapel of the Chimes, "a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum replete with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights."
    4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
    5-9PM

    Sunday, July 30, 2006:
    With 10 other saxophonists, as Saxophonists Who Play Other Things, as part of the Edgetone Music Festival.
    At 21Grand, Oakland.

    Friday, September 1, 2006:
    Dan Plonsey again plays in the horn section The Golden Bolts of Tone on several pieces by P.A.F. (Scott Rosenberg et al) at the Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco.

    2 shows this coming Friday and Saturday feature music by Daniel Popsicle (Dan Plonsey large ensemble). We're celebrating the release of the long-awaited double-CD successor to Moving About, Humming, Still Our Flowers are Blooming, Under the Old Portcullis - this release has the shorter title: Wise King Taken by the Foolish One.
    Available now from: UNlimited Sedition

    Friday Oct 6: The Illuminated Corridor
    7:11 PM.
    21 Grand on 25th at Broadway in Oakland
    * Movies and pieces of movie will be projected on buildings, accompanied by live music by such as Daniel Popsicle, Big City Orchestra, Admiral Ted Brinkley (semi-ret.), Graham Connah's band and a dozen others. We'll play for a 25-minute edited version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
    Free Admission.

    Saturday Oct. 7: Daniel Popsicle plays as part of RIVEROPOLIS.
    7-10 PM.
    Museum of Children's Art (mocha)
    9th and Washington
    * Riveropolis is the work of Gregory Gavin, who has spent weeks constructing a river in the adjacent Swan's Courtyard, with plateaus, waterfalls, bridges, boats, and riverside habitats for artworks. We'll play throughout the evening. This will be a good event for children: they will be able to play in the "ocean" area at the end of the river, and you can spend 10 minutes or three hours depending on your attention span and sleep needs.
    Free admission.


    2007

    Friday,March 1, 2007: Illuminated Corridor presents The Great Wall: music and film, West Grand @Valley, Oakland. Music includes Dan Plonsey's String Ensemble: Jonathan Segel, Marielle Jakobsons, and Jeff Hobbs: violins; Merlin Coleman: cello; Lisa Mezzacappa, and George Cremaschi: bass; John Shiurba, Bill Wolter, and Myles Boisen: guitars; with Dan Plonsey conducting. Atop a rooftop nearby, music broadcast on 104.1FM for at least a 3 block radius.

    Wednesday, April 25:
    Tim Perkis' long awaited documentary Noisy People has it's premeire screening at the PFA. Wednesday, April 25, 2007, 8PM, Pacific Film Archive, 2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. Tickets: 510-542-1124

    Sunday, April 29: o
    Members of Daniel Popsicle will assist you in making a gold record at the flea market at Laney College. Sometime in the afternoon.

    Friday, May 4:
    Music of El Cerrito: Daniel Popsicle plays the COLOR MUSIC compositions of Dan Plonsey.
    8PM, 2323 Shattuck. This art deco building, a former bank, is now the concert venue ofthe Berkeley Arts Festival.
    Two sets of music, featuring: Lynn Murdock, Tom Yoder, John Schott, Chris Silvey, Cory Wright, Randy McKean, Michael Zelner and Suki O'Kane. The COLOR MUSIC is a group of 99 pieces (we'll play around 20) designed to be listened to while making art. Bring your own materials or use ours, or just listen. This music may not change your life for the better, but it might have some affect upon your fantasy life - for while its origins are clearly from among the most ordinary and even hum-drum this world can offer, the trajectory is into the otherworldly, imaginary, El Cerrito.

    Wednesday, May 9: Daniel Popsicle presents the premiere of Dan Plonsey's Rafting Season, part 8 of Plonsey's "Many More than Four Lousy Seasons" series. This 50-minute long piece depicts the pointlessness of many things, in a very friendly and accomodating, even ingratiating manner. The ensemble will be joined by dancers from the Dandelion Dance Theatre. 8PM, 21Grand. 416 25th Street @Broadway, near 19th street BART, Oakland. The evening, part of Evander Music's "2+2 series," will begin with a set of music by saxophonists Jon Raskin snd Phillip Greenlief, along with percussionists John Hanes and Gino Robair.

    Saturday, May 25: Plonsey plays bass clarinet (one of a half-dozen or so bass clarinettists!) in Moe!'s Moe!kestra 10th anniversary show. Destroying yet another piano, and another piece.
    The Lab, 16th/Capp Street, San Francisco.

    Thursday, June 21: Dan Plonsey and members of Daniel Popsicle will play at the annual Garden of Memory" concert at the
    At the Chapel of the Chimes, "a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum replete with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights."
    4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
    5-9PM
    This event is always a great favorite among people who love, hate, or are usually usually made sad by the state of or are simply indifferent to new music. Around fifty musicians are stationed in rooms throughout the building, all making music simultaneously. The audience wanders where it likes, hearing as much as it likes of any one thing. Families with children of any age are very welcome.

    Saturday, June 9: Plonsey plays oboe in Sean Meehan's Enormous Quartet, as part of the fifth annual Matthew Sperry Memorial Festival (a.k.a. Sperryfest)
    21Grand, Oakland.

    Saturday, July 7 (that is: 7/7/7): Theatre Yugen presents an all-day cycle of five noh plays, with interludes. The fourth play in the cycle, an adaptation of the fourth act of Eugene O'Neil's Long Day's Journey Into Night, is scored by Dan Plonsey and music will be performed by Plonsey and Suki O'Kane, Jonathan Segel, Lynn Murdock, John Shiurba, and Marc Bolin. This is, as far as we know, the first noh cycle ever presented in the US!
    Theatre Artaud, San Francisco.
    10 AM. Free! Reservations are necessary!

    Thursday, August 23: Daniel Popsicle will play at the Starry Plough. The lineup:

    Ava Mendoza solo
    Daniel Popsicle 
    Friendship First 
    The Dark Smile with simon lott, kurt kotheimer, josh smith
    

    The Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley.
    Starting some time around 9PM.

    Friday, September 14:
    Dan Plonsey&Strings at the Milk Bar New music by Plonsey in the tradition of the Simple Music, Series 3, of El Cerrito, Northern Hills Region. All sorts of other stuff too - see: The Milk Bar for more info.
    8:30PM, suggested donation $5-$10
    (directions below)

    Saturday, September 15:
    Daniel Popsicle plays music of El Cerrito - Dan Plonsey's compositions celebrating the little bit of the next millenium we've gotten through without incident and with incident as well.
    Central Avenue Stage
    11:30AM (untill 12:30)
    Central/Webster Alameda
    as part of the Peanut Butter Jam - lots more music all day and Sunday too!
    This would be a good show for the whole family - arrive early for Hank Hooper!

    Directions to the Milk Bar (from oakland/SF/Berkeley): Take 880 south through Oakland. Exit at 66th Ave.
    At the end of the exit ramp turn left at the light onto 66th. Follow 66th Ave. past the Coliseum and turn right onto San Leandro Ave. Follow San Leandro past the Coliseum BART station until you hit 81st Ave.
    Turn left onto 81st Ave., noticing the Sunshine Biscuit Factory complex on your left (that's where you're going).
    Pass the first fenced driveway, and turn left at the 2nd, (also fenced) driveway across the street from Mothers Cookies Factory, You'll be met at the gate between 7:30 and 8:30 pm.
    We are in studio # 223, the entrance is at the very left of the building. Latecomers call (510) 289-5188 or (510) 205-7103


    2008

    Friday, February 22, 2008
    8PM
    The Berkeley Arts Festival presents: Dan Plonsey/Daniel Popsicle playing Music of El Cerrito
    2213 Shattuck Avenue (formerly Gateway Computers next to former site of Eddie Bauer!)
    $10-$5

    The Daniel Popsicle ensemble has been dedicated to the performance and recording of the simple and unpretentious new music of El Cerrito, whose roots are in the music of Thai marching bands, Sun Ra's "Discipline" series, somewhat clunky jazz and exotica. (More details below)

    Current Lineup of Daniel Popsicle:

    Program: Selections from the Color Music of El Cerrito (the complete set comprises 99 pieces, designed to accompany artists at work) Also: My Version, The Superhero of Shirts, and Music for Sax Quartet, and Music for Solo Oboe whose primary use in El Cerrito is to promote among those who hear it and those who do not, hope for an eventual Understanding of Human Behavio [sic].

    Saturday, June 21: Dan Plonsey and Daniel Popsicle will play at the annual Garden of Memory" concert at the
    At the Chapel of the Chimes, "a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum replete with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights."
    4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
    5-9PM
    Line-up:

    The set was almost the same as at the previous gig (Berkeley Arts festival), adding Light Shade of Puce and the first 3 sections of Hockey Season.

    Sunday, July 13: Dan Plonsey -- and the exciting fabulous return performance/examination of: Garbaggio Truckio Fantastico -- at the now-annual Skronkathon, at:
    21 Grand on 25th at Broadway in Oakland
    The Skronkathon is an annual all-day (well, 10 hours) thing that goes from noon-10PM. Food likely to be available.
    After the fact: Suki O'Kane, Michael Zelner, John Shiurba and I ended up playing two sections of "Hockey Season." Both Zelner and Tom Duff made recordings.

    Friday, Saturday and Sunday September 12, 1 and 14:
    Memebers of Daniel Popsicle play parts 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 of "Hockey Season" (Fri, Sat, Sun respectively), along with two films: "Modern Times," by Liz Allbee, and "Bulb," by Frazer Bradshaw.
    At The Noodle Factory, 1255 Union (at 26th), West Oakland.
    Friday lineup: Plonsey, Zelner, Wright, Shiurba, Silvey, Chachkin, O'Kane
    Saturday lineup: Plonsey, Shiurba, Silvey, Chachkin, O'Kane
    Sunday lineup: Plonsey, Zelner, Wright, Shiurba, Silvey, O'Kane

    Friday, October 3, 2008:


    I'll be playing at the Temescal Arts Center, 511 48th Street, Oakland, right around the corner from Lanesplitters Pizza on Telegraph (have a pizza and a Racer 5 first!).
    9PM. Cost is not high.
    The lineup: Cory Wright, Josh Smith and me: saxophones (with Josh also on drums); John Schott, guitar; John Shiurba, guitar and bass.
    We'll do some music you've never heard before. It will be sorta like jazz.
    The bill includes: the Joshua Smith Quartet and Scott Barkin, songwriter.


    2009

    Monday, January 19, 2009 At the Ivy Room:
    858 San Pablo Ave
    (between Solano Ave & Washington Ave)
    Albany, CA 94706
    (510) 524-9220
    With Daniel Popsicle, playing the Color Music of El Cerrito.


    Monday, January 31, 2009

    Real Time Opera presents:

    LEAVE ME ALONE!

    An "Is it JAZZ?" OPERA

    Libretto: Harvey Pekar (with Mantra Plonsey, Dan Plonsey, Joyce Brabner)

    Music: Dan Plonsey (with Josh Smith)

    For all details (and to Buy Some Stuff in support of the opera), see the Leave Me Alone opera website.

    You will also be able to view the opera in real time (or after) from this site.

    Tuesday, April 7, 2009:
    For those who like seeing me dress in giant paper costumes: I will be playing solo and perhaps accompanied by Cleveland and Mischa at Temescal Arts Center this Tuesday.

    That is: 511 48th Street @ Telegraph, Oakland CA, 8:30 PM. Right behind Lanesplitter Pizza...

    First Tuesdays@Temescal presents:

    Sunday, June 21, 2009: Dan Plonsey and Daniel Popsicle will play at the annual Garden of Memory" concert at the
    At the Chapel of the Chimes, "a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum replete with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights."
    4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
    5-9PM


    2010

    Sunday, January 10, 2010
    "Dan Plonsey's Bar Mitzvah" -- a Work in Progress
    With members of Dandelion Dance Theater, and Dan, Mantra, Cleveland, and Mischa Plonsey.
    Mama Calista's (??), Mission, SF, 2:30 or so.

    Thursday, February 11, 2010
    "Dan Plonsey's Bar Mitzvah" -- a Work in Progress
    With members of Daniel Popsicle, Dandelion Dance Theater, and Dan, Mantra, Cleveland, and Mischa Plonsey.

    Monday, March 22, 2010 At the Ivy Room:
    858 San Pablo Ave
    (between Solano Ave & Washington Ave)
    Albany, CA 94706
    (510) 524-9220
    With Daniel Popsicle, playing the Color Music of El Cerrito.

    Thursday, April 1, 2010
    "Dan Plonsey's Bar Mitzvah" -- a Work in Progress
    With members of Daniel Popsicle, Dandelion Dance Theater, and Dan, Mantra, Cleveland, and Mischa Plonsey.
    Cell Space, 2050 Bryant, SF.
    7PM.

    Wednesday, April 14: Harvey Pekar with Plonsey, musicians from Daniel Popsicle, and dancer from Dandelion Dance Theater.
    7PM, Weds, April 14
    CDSP Refrectory, 2455 Ridge Road, Berkeley
    (Across from the GTU Library 1 block North, and less than 1 block West of Hearst/Euclid)
    Admission Free!
    Tickets no longer limited. Probably no need to contact: cjs@gtu.edu

    The first half of the program will be Harvey in conversation with Dan Schifrin of the Contemporary Jewish Museum.

    The second half will feature excerpts from the opera "Leave Me Alone!" that I wrote with Harvey, and also some excerpts from a work in progress called "Dan Plonsey's Bar Mitzvah," which was commissioned by the Jewish Music Festival (and will be performed July 8 and 11 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and also as excerpts at Cal State East Bay May 6,7,8,14,15,16). Performers will include members of Daniel Popsicle, Josh Smith, Eric Kupers, Mantra Plonsey, and members of Dandelion Dance Theater.

    Sunday, May 3, 2010: Dan Plonsey and Daniel Popsicle will play at:
    The "First Monday" series at:
    The Make-out Room
    3225 22nd Street
    No Cover!

    Karl Evangelista Trio (8:30pm), with: Karl Evangelista, guitar; Cory Wright, saxophones; Jordan Glenn, drums.

    Daniel Popsicle (9:30) with: Dan Plonsey, saxophone & compositinos; John Shiurba & John Schott, guitar; Cory Wright, bs clarinet & soprano sax; Michael Zelner & Ceylan Yagmur, clarinet; Chris Silvey, trumpet; Myra Chachkin, cello; Lynn Murdock, acrosonic organ; Jamie Bastian, trombone; Suki O'Kane, drums.

    Carton Quartet (10:30pm), with: Sylvain Carton, saxophone; Michael Abraham, guitar; George Ban-Weiss, Bass; Eric Garland, Drums.

    "Dan Plonsey's Bar Mitzvah"


    May 7, 8, 14, 15 at 8 p.m.
    May 16 at 2 p.m.
    University Theatre, CSU East Bay
    With members of Daniel Popsicle, Dandelion Dance Theater, and Dan, Mantra, Cleveland, and Mischa Plonsey.
    The piece keeps improving with each performance. The first couple nights were sold out, so if you want to come, please get tickets in advance. I hope you'll come out and see it this weekend, and/or in its final performances July 8 and 11.

    See the Promo Video!

    Tickets: $15 general, $10 youth/senior/alum, $5 CSUEB student
    Available online or at the door

    Sunday, May 30, 2010:
    Dan Plonsey and Daniel Popsicle will play at the annual Berkeley Arts Festival. This year's month-long festival will be in:
    2121 Allston Way (between Shattuck and Oxford), Berkeley, CA

    Thursday, June 3, 2010
    Playing in the 8th annual Sperryfest, at the Luggage Store, 1007 Market Street, SF.
    8 PM
    Co-presented with Outsound Presents, the evening's performance will be of "Tag Team Trio Shift" in which dozens of musicians enter and exit a performing trio, refereed by John Shiurba.
    Donations to benefit the Matthew Sperry Memorial Fund.

    Saturday, June 3, 2010
    Playing in the 8th annual Sperryfest, at 21 Grand, 416 25th Street, Oakland.
    8 PM
    With the sfSoundGroup, performing music of Matthew Sperry, Anthony Braxton, Cornelius Cardew, James Tenney and sfSoundGroup.
    See also the Facebook Page for this event.
    Donations to benefit the Matthew Sperry Memorial Fund.

    Saturday, June 12, 2010
    Playing as a member of Saxophone Cloud, led by Jon Raskin and Steve Adams of the ROVA Saxophone Quartet.
    351 Shotwell, SF.

    Garden of Memory" Monday, June 21, 2010:
    Dan Plonsey and Daniel Popsicle will play at the annual Garden of Memory" concert at the
    At the Chapel of the Chimes, "a labyrinthine Julia Morgan-designed columbarium and mausoleum replete with gardens, fountains, and stained-glass skylights."
    4499 Piedmont Ave., next to Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
    5-9PM


    Upcoming Performances:

    Thursday, July 8 (7PM)and
    Sunday, July 11 (1 and 4PM)
    "Dan Plonsey's Bar Mitzvah"
    See the
    Promo Video
    Music by Dan Plonsey, Libretto by Mantra Plonsey and others, Choreography and Direction by Eric Kupers.
    With members of Daniel Popsicle, and with Eric Kupers and members of Dandelion DanceTheater.
    The Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco.
    Presented by the Jewish Music Festival.
    Co-Sponsored by the East Bay Community Foundation ¿ Fund for Artists.
    $18-$22 Members/ General. Includes Museum admission. Tickets will go on-sale this May.
    Contact: info@thecjm.org

    Here's my PR e-mail:

    Dear Friends, Family, and Those Who Might Still Like My Music,

    I hope that you've heard about the upcoming "Dan Plonsey's Bar Mitzvah," commissioned by the Jewish Music Festival If not, here are links to:

    Performances are:

    * Soccer Fans: Note that the World Cup final is 11:30AM, our time, Sunday

    This piece is sort of a second installment of an autobiography which began with my opera "Leave Me Alone!" It tells of a "Dan Plonsey" who is finally facing the fact that he's become an adult now that he's lost his sense of humor, and "hates everything." It features more hilarious fights with his wife, "Mantra," (played by Mantra Plonsey), a Buddhist Bar Mitzvah Coordinator (does he know anything??), a "family" intent on embarrassing him, his "friends," his "collaborators," the "Contemporary Jewish Museum," and the Plonsagoreans: a group of "former math students" who take Plonsey's ideas about the relationship between math, music and dance "a little too seriously."

    And "quotation marks."

    Is this Dan Plonsey's "real" Bar Mitzvah celebration? Or is it just "Dan Plonsey's?" Or is it too much for even a fictional character to have to bear?

    After all: "It's bad enough having to live in a world in which other people exist, without them telling me things all the time!"

    I hope to see you there, though I expect to be suffering. It's really hard having to remember all my lines, and I still haven't found the time to really study my Torah portion.

    Dan


    See also:
    Main Plonsey Page
    BIOGRAPHY
    DISCOGRAPHY
    Includes band bios, links to audio samples, photos, etc.
    UPCOMING APPEARANCES
    and past appearances too.
    EDUCATION
    ARTWORKS
    BEANBENDER's: - formerly a weekly series (through 1999), Plonsey and friends now only occasionally present shows of weird weird weird wonderful bizarre music related to but distinct from jazz, new music, and whatever else...


    Dan Plonsey
    dan@plonsey.com