A discussion on American Primitive presented by Tompkins Square, featuring Don Bikoff, Jeff Conklin and and moderated by Kid Millions. The Tompkins Square Label has released many essential recordings by first-gen cosmic guitar players like Harry Taussig, Michael Chapman, Peter Walker and Max Ochs, as well as young gun slingers in the medium such as Chris Forsyth, Daniel Bachman and Ryley Walker.
Hosted by the Center for Transformative Media at The New School, with Mannes College of Music.
About Kid Millions:
Described in 2013 as one of the top 100 alternative drummers by Spin Magazine, Kid Millions is an active composer, music supervisor, writer and teacher based in Queens NY. Millions' founded the influential experimental rock band Oneida in 1997 and his percussion-based project Man Forever in 2009. He has performed or recorded with Laurie Anderson, So Percussion, Yo La Tengo, William Basinski, Harry Taussig, Michael Daves, Spiritualized, Lee Ranaldo among many others. He writes regularly for Talkhouse.
About Don Bikoff:
Don Bikoff began his guitar journey in the mid sixties playing in coffee houses in Philadelphia, small towns of Pennsylvania and in the bustling city of New York. Don played in diversified venues such as the Village Gate, Phildadelphia’s Mainpoint, and Lancaster’s Hickory House. But travels have also led him as far as resident guitarist at “La Tortuga” on the isle of Formentera . His album, “CELESTIAL EXPLOSION,” was re-released in February, 2013 on Tompkin Square Records. The music press has recognized Don as being one of the seminal players and composers of the American Primitive Guitar Movement along with the likes of John Fahey, Robie Basho and Peter Walker. He has played at UNION POOL in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and at the LIVING ROOM in NYC to promote his newest release, “Hallowed Ground.”
About Jeff Conklin:
Jeff Conklin was born on Long Island in 1978. He has been fully immersed in New York City's underground music scene since his late teens. From 2005 until 2014, Conklin was the host of East Village Radio's longest running experimental/freeform program, Just Music, where he welcomed the reclusive Houston artist Jandek for a rare a live radio appearance, interviewed the late Lou Reed, and hosted live sets by scores of established and rising artists from the fields of folk, free jazz, and experimental music. Since 2010, Conklin has curated live music performances around NYC under the 'Avant Ghetto Presents' banner, including shows by legendary French guitar experimentalist Richard Pinhas and leading American Primitive torchbearers Daniel Bachman, Sarah Louise and Anthony Pasquarosa. Conklin currently hosts and produces 'The Avant Ghetto'—a weekly freeform radio program on New Jersey's WFMU that threads obscure psychedelia from around the world with modern experimental and folk-rooted music.
About NYGF Academy:
Launching at NYGF ’16, this new tradition brings together students, instrument makers, composers, audiophiles, discerning aficionados, and master soloists in convivial symposiums devoted to different aspects of performing, recording, writing for, and building guitars. The Academy will be co-curated by David Spelman and Ed Keller, the director of The New School's Center for Transformative Media (home to the “Future of Guitar” series). “I’ve long wanted to expand the educational components of the Festival, and this takes an important first step in that direction,” NYGF Founder David Spelman explains. “Our ambition is for the Academy to become the TED Talks of all things guitar,” says Spelman.