boston progress radio

Open Orchestra, an open cipher, was in the house last friday night, filling the cozy space with heart—felt beats which set the tone for people to share anything, and everything.

The brainchild of the BPAC beat collective, Open Orchestra (OO) is no open mic. Forget the sign-up sheet and waiting for your name to be called.  OO is an organic rhythm/rhyme space that gives people a chance to informally play any instrument and share their hearts’ desire on the mic, to collectively create a true cipher.  people rotated instruments and the mic all night long.  it really was a dope time.  but you don’t have to take my word for it… you can hear it from the people (in edited form):

Beatbox PhD: How was the inaugural open orchestra?? Fill a brother in!!

King of Sultans: Dopest shit ever. (One of).  It took some time for peopel to get warm to the idea of joining in at any point, but just trying to remember, this might not be completely right:

Keys: Playdro, Yasuhito, Eric, Chuck
Bass: Chuck, Kenny P, Maanav, Playdro
Drums: Kevin, Nate, Kenny P
Guitar: Kenny P, Chuck, Giles, Seth
Vocals: Victor, Giles, Playdro, Theresa, Yasuhito, Rich, Matt, Jen Lin, Eric
Kubing: Leona
Wendy and Jenn Liang ran the door thanklessly.

I’m sure I’m missing some stuff. I heard Chuck rhymed too. We also played “Check it our one time one time check it out”.  Awesome last night.

King of Sultans: it was pretty hilarious when Yasuhito was on the keys and he asked for the mic and we were all like “OH!” and he goes “uh, does anyone else play the piano?”

SudoIntellectual: Dude, that sounds so awesome! Did anyone record the stuff?

w722: I came home and tried doing the check it 3, 2—didn’t work too well and ended up stuffing chips in my mouth instead.

ma gress: OO was totally awesome. vibe is different from open mic. it did take a while for people to feel less guarded, but people did start to open up and cipher, get loose, feel free. it’s nice open mic is more performance-based, oo is more of a jam, so initial vision= accomplished!!!!    hurray. OO is offically oooh, ooooh, oooooh, hot fire.

Open Orchestra is every third friday of the month at East Meets West bookstore. it’s only going to get better… we’ve only just begun!  stay tuned…. (pun intended).

Last 5 posts by theresa

• East meets Fresh - November 7th, 2008
• sometimes a job is more than a j-o-b - May 7th, 2008
• east meets words meets three years - March 5th, 2008

Tags: east meets west, Open Orchestra, Recap.