October 17, 2015
General Manifest
by Braden Diotte
Composer Braden Diotte brings the second of two Southern California performances of music inspired by two
decades of hopping freight trains throughout the American west.
Braden Diotte will be joined by percussionists Michael Yr. Jeannouxa Day and Jenica Anderson, as well as vocalist Dr. Andrea Young. Ulrich Krieger will perform the role of the orator.
About General Manifest:
“The inspiration behind General Manifest came two-fold. Aesthetically, I’d wanted to create a piece to pay tribute to the transitory-yet-awe-inspiring music that I’ve witnessed emanating from the underbelly of thousands of tons of rolling stock on occasion over a twenty-year span in which I was taking pleasure in riding freight trains about the American west. At the same time, I also wanted to create a piece based around the broader notion of freedom – a term that I feel has garnered negative connotations since the events of the recent turn of the century. Where these concepts intersect, a philosophy exists that’s as personal as it is political, as anarchistic as it is patriotic, and as natural as it is spiritual.
I chose to refrain from attaching a specific manifesto to the piece, and opted instead to allow it to serve as a vehicle for ruminations on the topic by a larger community, in hopes that the message will remain responsive and tethered to the state of affairs of any given “present” and place.”
– Braden Diotte
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Braden Diotte is a native Californian, born in 1975. As a composer, his works include: General Manifest (2013; for ensemble) Saturnine (2010; for video & amplification installation) Experiments for Radio (2006; for radio & solo performer) As a multi-instrumentalist, he has performed in: Luciano Chessa’s Orchestra of Futurist Noise Intoners (2013; various intonarumori) Pinback (2008-2011; keyboard, electric bass & guitar) Glenn Branca’s Symphony No.13: Hallucination City (2008; electric bass) Tarantula Hawk (1998-2005; electric bass & keyboard) Braden Diotte earned his MFA in Experimental Sound Practices from the California Institute of the Arts, and holds undergraduate degrees in Cognitive Science, Computer Music and Electronic Technology.