“Small Moments” by Michael Manring are solo bass pieces, recorded live with no overdubs and minimal editing. Although he uses electronics to expand and extend the sound of the instrument, almost all this processing was done on the fly during the performances.
“Maybe it’s old-fashioned,” says Michael Manring, “but I’ve always loved the idea that being an artist is all about observing what’s happening in the society around you and responding in some meaningful way. I get the feeling this notion went out of style in the tumult of the 20th century and art became a kind of anything goes proposition, but I just can’t seem to let go of it. I have the privilege of traveling a good bit, seeing some interesting parts of the world and meeting lots of people. I’m not sure if I have any special perspective, but I always look for themes and patterns around me and those ideas motivate me in the creative process.”
“From what I can see,” continues Michael, “life in the early part of this still-new century is increasingly technological and globally inter-connected, complex and full of both possibilities and problems. It continues to be a time of dramatic new conceptions in physics, information and philosophy of mind with remarkable implications for epistemology and society. I find these ideas recur in my thoughts and compositions as I try to make sense of the world around me, and they are reflected in this set of music.”
“Small Moments” is available on Bandcamp:
For more information and music samples, visit manthing.com