Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company

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Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company, formed in 1969 by David Borden, was the world's first synthesizer ensemble, predating groups like Tonto's Expanding Head Band and Tangerine Dream. David Borden was in close contact with Dr. Robert Moog and was one of the first musicians to use his Minimoog. After recruiting Steve Drews and Linda Fisher to operate additional synthesizers, the group began playing concerts of minimalist music by Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass. They began recording their first self-titled album in 1970, but it would not be released until 1973 by Earthquack Records. Their second album, Like a Duck to Water, was released in 1976.

David Borden and Mother Mallard continued performing and releasing albums in the following years, most notably on the Cuneiform record label. Borden adopted new digital synthesizer technology over time, and also incorporated various acoustic woodwind instruments and voices. Borden's most ambitious work, The Continuing Story of Counterpoint Parts 1-12, composed between 1976-1987, was recorded and released on three Cuneiform CDs between 1988-1991. The label also reissued Mother Mallard's first two 1970s recordings on CD.

[edit] Discography (Mother Mallard and David Borden)

1973 Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company [Earthquack]
- 1988 Reissued as 1970-1973 with previously unissued recordings [Cuneiform]
1976 Like A Duck To Water [Earthquack]
- 1999 Reissued with previously unissued recordsings [Cuneiform]
1981 Music For Amplified Keyboard Instruments [Red]
1983 Anatidae [Cuneiform: LP only]
1988 Migration [Cuneiform: LP only]
1988 The Continuing Story of Counterpoint Parts 9-12 [Cuneiform]
1990 The Continuing Story of Counterpoint Parts 5-8 [Cuneiform]
1990 The Continuing Story of Counterpoint Parts 1-4+8 [Cuneiform]
1992 "Double Portrait" (1987) included in collection U.S. Choice by Double Edge piano duo [CRI]
1995 Cayuga Night Music [Cuneiform]
1995 Places, Times, and People [Cuneiform]
2003 Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Co., music by David Borden (previously unissued 1976-77 recordings of "Counterpoint" Parts 1 & 3 and "C-A-G-E" part 3) [Arbiter]
2005 Waterwheel (by Steve Drews) (excerpt: Film by Edin Velez, Music by Mother Mallard) included in collection Ohm+ [DVD, Ellipsis Arts]