free103point9 | Transmission Arts

Transmission Artist

TODD MERRELL

Since 1978 Todd Merrell has been fascinated with the imperceptible environment of electromagnetic radiation that shortwave radio and processing can capture, and transform into an immersive, musical environment. In 1991 he began exploring the musical possibilities of this world in a collaboration with Patrick Jordan. The result was SWR, a two movement work that was performed several times in Chicago, and on WBEZ National Public Radio. Composer Lou Mallozzi, of the Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago, wrote in P-Form Magazine:

"It soon becomes clear that the focus of the work is not on acheiving any particular musical moment, but on the ephemerality of sonic transformation itself. Unlike compositions that utilize radio in part for its referential or signifying qualities, SWR is more in the minimalist tradition of relying on the primacy of the material itself. The work is a celebration of the radio as material and of the belief that minutiae and limited systems can yield rich results. But it is also a celebration of the rich, ragged, unstable thickness of analog sound in a world anesthetized by the crisp and clean precision of digital audio."

He has since developed these techniques and incorporated them into a larger, more visually and sonically evocative world, with an emphasis on live performance, and the thrilling contingency and danger that such site- and time- specifically dependent work produces. Along with several current solo projects, he continues to work with like-minded musicians and sound artists, and recently completed a new project with Aidan Baker, who joined him in 2004 on a mini-tour of the Northeastern United States.

Todd Merrell studied music composition and voice at Berklee College of Music, and with composer James Sellars of the Hartt School. His works have been performed by The New York Festival Of Song, Chicago A Capella, and double bassist Robert Black of Bang On A Can Allstars. Merrell has performed in New York, Chicago, Boston, and Hartford, and at such venues as The Guggenheim Museum, Knitting Factory, Issue Project Room, Galapagos Art Space, Cake Shop, Hot House, WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, Berklee Performance Center, 119 Gallery, Real Art Ways, and free103point9’s Wave Farm. He has collaborated with BT, Aidan Baker, Duane Pitre, Craig Colorusso, Casey Block, Lou Rossi, Patrick Jordan, Gary Higgins, Bunny Brains, Blaise Siwula, and Jake Bell, and appeared with Francisco Lopez, Joan La Barbara, Robert Dick, Ricardo Arias, Barbara Ess, Peggy Ahwesh, and Sybarite. Merrell’s newest album with Aidan Baker and Patrick Jordan, 'Nagual', was released on Archive Recordings in November, 2007, and he has recorded for Dreamland Recordings and Whirlybird Records. He was also recently named a 2008 recipient of the New Boston Fund Individual Artist Fellowship.

http://www.toddmerrell.com