Michael Bashaw

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MICHAEL JEROME BASHAW, sculptor/musician, is known for his Sound Sculpture concerts, installations, collaborations, as well as fine art. His Sound Sculptures are large-scale, welded steel instruments. Most are mallet instruments, some have strings which are bowed or plucked. Since 1985, Bashaw has used the Sound Sculptures in concert performance. The current show is entitled Theater of Sound. His ensemble includes his wife and collaborator Sandy Bashaw, and several guest musicians. The concert stage includes: Giant Kalimbas – these three instruments form the centerpiece of the stage set. Their design is based upon the African kalimba, with spring steel tines played with mallets. They each have their own tuning. They are made of welded steel and stand around 9 ½ feet tall, weighing about 500 lbs. each. Their giant resonators create an astonishing array of harmonic overtones, in addition to the main note of each of the tines. Monzithor – this instrument is also around 9 feet tall, and is made of welded steel. It is strung with 14 strings (aircraft cable and piano wire) arranged in octave pairs, and tuned in a D pentatonic scale. Monzithor is sometimes bowed, sometimes played with metal rods rather like a hammered dulcimer. Globow – this instrument supports two longs strings (piano wire) tuned in unison. The strings are stretched between curved metal “bows” which are connected to a resonator. There are 2 versions of Globow, the newer one being more portable than the original model. The original Globow is played with giant glass globes, which the musicians manipulate, or “slide” on the strings, much as slide guitar is played. A second musician may bow the string as the globe slides on the string, creating microtonal music. In the alternative, the newer Globow is played with a cone-shaped aluminum slide. Sometimes the string is struck like a hammered dulcimer. Hanging Chimes – are exactly as they sound. These are tube chimes made of 8-9 foot lengths of pipe, tuned. Wooden Kalimba – this instrument was Michael’s first experiment with a giant kalimba. Its resonator is wooden; it has spring steel tines, tuned in a Persian scale. Its sound is more delicate than the Giant Kalimbas. You may see these instruments on Michael’s website: www.michaelbashaw.com. The Sound Sculpture concert music also includes flutes, guitars, and a wide array of percussion.

“Their music is a living melting pot which mixes jazz, world and folk music in a perpetual movement of invention and transformation. Easy to listen to, their compositions are an ode to peace and harmony, a song dedicated to nature. They communicate a profoundly spiritual vision of art and music.” Gerard Nicollet for EcouterVoir Dossier, N̊ 124 Avril 2002.

“Michael Bashaw’s sound sculptures are the most alluring participatory environmental musical structures I’ve seen, heard or played. They invite collective participation by people of all ages, and would be nourishing in any school or community.” Living Music artist, musician Paul Winter.