DISC ONE

1. Human Beat Box and Mixer with Feedback 6:50
The mixer of a cassette 4-Track (Marantz PMD 720) is used as an instrument by creating two feedback loops. First, the right output is routed to an envelope controlled filter then back into the mixer’s input; second, a piezo pickup is attached to the monitor speaker (a guitar amp) and again fed back to the mixer. This approach to electronics—creating sounds by feeding back equipment originally intended to modify sound rather than generate it—was used by David Tudor for producing complex and often unpredictable behavioral patterns of oscillations. A third, non-feedback input, the SM57 microphone (mic’ing the voice on track 1 and reed organ on track 3), enters into the mixer as well, triggering attacks and shifts in the oscillations of the feedback system. Recorded directly to the 4-Track in Middletown, CT. April 18, 1998.

2. Fireside Chat 2:54
Piezo disc pickups are attached to our throats and recorded on the 4-Track. Recorded May 2001.

3. Holy Land 3:03
Same as track 1 with reed organ and voice.

DISC TWO

1. The Old Waves are the Best Waves 2:03
Soprano and alto saxophones.

2. Maestros of Alternating Notes 1:35
For tracks 2, 4, 7 and 9, an acoustic feedback loop is made with a microphone and guitar amp, passing through a Maestro Rhythm ‘N Sound for Guitar effects unit (which has a set of triggered percussion sounds in addition to fuzz, wah and echo). Shifts in rhythmic patterns and timbre are created by “scanning” the speaker with the microphone as well as changing settings on the Maestro unit.

3. Electricity and its Double 2:54
Bassoon and modified toy. The latter is a no-name toy that produces several barnyard animal sounds in addition to musical tones. It is taken apart and played with several wires soldered to the circuitboard, making shorts and connections that trigger sounds, shift pitch and create loops.

4. Maestros of Mono 1:23

5. Maestros Live 3:10
JSH DX-5 (a small device intended to be attached to and triggered by drums) and contact mic’d throat through gated fuzz box and envelope following filter.

6. Early Music 0:30
Bassoon and alto saxophone without reed.

7. Maestros of Voice 0:40

8. Swapping 1’s and 0’s 2:02
Bassoon reed and modified toy.

9. Maestros of Beeps 2:23

10. Maestros of March 2:34
Soprano and alto saxophones with Maestro.

11. Thank You Goodnight 1:32
Fed back telephone amplifier with Maestro.

The selections on disc two were recorded in one session during winter 2000, with the exception of track 5 which was recorded live in New York City on January 27, 2001.

Originally released as a double 3-inch CD in a gatefold package in 2002.