**SUMMA, Guy Blakeslee, Deradoorian**

In 2019, Patricia and Nicolas Vernhes set up a sound studio near Joshua Tree, CA, to break away from conventional living and experiment with new forms and sounds, made possible by intentional seclusion. Their daily communion with wilderness slowly translated into sound, and SUMMA was born. As their senses sharpened, the project’s intention was revealed; thus began a diligent, multi-year long research into the effects of audio frequencies, harmonics, and binaural acoustics, for them both as subjects and composers.

"Center Zero", their first album as a duo and slated for an early June release on PLATOON, was recorded both at Gato’s Trail in Joshua Tree, CA, and at Sand To Snow Studio in Pioneertown, CA. The primary instrument featured in the recording is a meticulously curated set of 24 quartz bowls. Each bowl was carefully chosen for its specific frequency, resulting in thousands of possible combinations known as binaural intervals. These combinations create drones and pulses with varying speeds and harmonics, with bowl sizes ranging from 8” to 24” in circumference. In addition to the quartz bowls, a Moog Matriarch analog synthesizer was employed to produce lower octave drones, subharmonic frequencies, and accompanying layers to the bowls. The synthesizer's flexible controls over pulse width, shape, and speed added depth and versatility to the composition. A shruti box, originating from India and traditionally operated with bellows similar to a harmonium, contributed to the overall drone effect, complementing the sound palette.

The composition also integrates found sounds sourced from the desert environment. These sounds were captured, archived, and manipulated to align with the music, subtly integrated throughout the piece to enhance its atmospheric quality.

Patricia relocated from London to Joshua Tree 12 years ago to pursue her interests in ancient medicine and sound properties. This journey led her to enroll in studies at the Integratron, a renowned destination in the High Desert dedicated to sound therapy. The Integratron utilizes a collection of quartz bowls, functioning akin to a vast analog synthesizer. Before her move, Patricia had collaborated on numerous soundtracks and projects, both solo and with bands, often under different aliases.

For the past 25 years, Nicolas Vernhes has been a prominent figure in the independent music scene. He is best known for his ownership and operation of Rare Book Room studio in Brooklyn from 1995 to 2019. Throughout his career, Vernhes has been involved in producing, mixing, and engineering albums for a diverse range of artists, including Animal Collective, Bjork, War on Drugs, and Cass McCombs, among others. His contributions have left a significant mark on the music industry.

**GUY BLAKESLEE**

When Guy Blakeslee regained consciousness in a Los Angeles hospital on March 14 2020 he awakened into a world much changed. The night before, he had been struck by a car as he walked across the street. While he was unconscious the world had gone into lockdown. When he sat at the piano a few days later he found that his brain had changed too.

This began a journey of healing through music and a whole new sonic approach for the veteran underground musician. Best known as “Entrance,” the guitar wielding frontman of Los Angeles psych legends The Entrance Band, and as a wild-eyed troubadour on solo records like 2021’s “Postcards From The Edge,” Blakeslee has spent the recent years immersed in making cassette recordings of wordless compositions and improvisations. Late 2022 saw the self-release of a vast library of this impressionistic work, a double-cassette box entitled “EXTRAVISION” - which is due for commercial reissue in 2024 as a 2xLP courtesy of LA’s Leaving Records.

Healing music, New Age tape music, ambient soundscapes, Satie on acid, music for psychedelic therapy, extraterrestrial film scores … call it what you will; Blakeslee considers it “channeled material” sent through him from other, parallel dimensions.

This is a 21+ event

Presented by Zebulon.

Zebulon

Summa, Guy Blakeslee, Deradoorian

Summa, Guy Blakeslee, Deradoorian

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