Jon Keliehor at Luminous Music
luminousmusics.co.uk (Glasgow)
A great deal of music on this site has arisen as 'adventure' of one type or
another. Mostly
experimental, his music has emerged from a collection of distinctive ethnic instruments,
found, gathered and hauled around the world. With few exceptions the music continues to
plumb these sound sources, both in live performance and studio works. Interests in
contouring electro-acoustic potentials of sound has been been at the forefront of his music.
experimental, his music has emerged from a collection of distinctive ethnic instruments,
found, gathered and hauled around the world. With few exceptions the music continues to
plumb these sound sources, both in live performance and studio works. Interests in
contouring electro-acoustic potentials of sound has been been at the forefront of his music.
Comments
Reviews
His studio at London Diorama Arts housed an ever-growing collection of unique
world
instruments, resources that drew friends and performers together for shared enjoyment,
study and recording. A wide range of new and experimental music concepts emerged,
providing relief from expectations within contemporary or classical music.
instruments, resources that drew friends and performers together for shared enjoyment,
study and recording. A wide range of new and experimental music concepts emerged,
providing relief from expectations within contemporary or classical music.
Collaborations with dancers and for the company Theatre of Lies brought a sense
of
surreality, while interests in traditional music of older cultures led his research toward
ritual musics, metaphysical interests and 4th-World music platforms. Before returning to
America, he created Dream House, a performance work for eight percussionists at the
World Music Village. In 1984 he developed and co-produced EAST MEETS WEST with
Orlando Kimber for Bruton Music Ltd. Soon after he departed for America.
surreality, while interests in traditional music of older cultures led his research toward
ritual musics, metaphysical interests and 4th-World music platforms. Before returning to
America, he created Dream House, a performance work for eight percussionists at the
World Music Village. In 1984 he developed and co-produced EAST MEETS WEST with
Orlando Kimber for Bruton Music Ltd. Soon after he departed for America.
In Seattle once again, a catalogue of original percussion-based composition and
recording emerged, generating an entirely new catalogue of works for the album
CELESTIAL NILE. This direction resulted in collaboration with dancers in Venezuela for the
company Danzahoy, Caracas, and brought many new works. Tours ensued, allowing him
to make recordings of rainforest environments. During his time in Seattle he studied and
performed with the ensemble Gamelan Pacifica, prompting him to bring ‘gong culture’,
Indonesian influences and new directions into his music compositions.
recording emerged, generating an entirely new catalogue of works for the album
CELESTIAL NILE. This direction resulted in collaboration with dancers in Venezuela for the
company Danzahoy, Caracas, and brought many new works. Tours ensued, allowing him
to make recordings of rainforest environments. During his time in Seattle he studied and
performed with the ensemble Gamelan Pacifica, prompting him to bring ‘gong culture’,
Indonesian influences and new directions into his music compositions.
The music project, Androgyne Journal, for poet James Broughton helped
consolidate an
interest in sound relationships between environment, music and voice. Owning the music
rights, Keliehor extracting much of the music to create the album OCEAN OF DREAMS.
interest in sound relationships between environment, music and voice. Owning the music
rights, Keliehor extracting much of the music to create the album OCEAN OF DREAMS.
Finally it was time to leave Seattle again. With a young child in hand, and in
partnership
with percussionist Signy Jakobsdottir he returned to Scotland to create Luminous Music
both as a record label, and as an independent organisation developing creative projects
for education.
with percussionist Signy Jakobsdottir he returned to Scotland to create Luminous Music
both as a record label, and as an independent organisation developing creative projects
for education.
Recordings have been published on Luminous Music, Invisible Inc, Optimo Records,
Emotional Response, Touch Records, Indipop/Virgin Records, ATV-Bruton Music, What
Next?/Non Sequiter Records, O.O. Disks.
Emotional Response, Touch Records, Indipop/Virgin Records, ATV-Bruton Music, What
Next?/Non Sequiter Records, O.O. Disks.
With a childhood in Seattle, he attended University there, played with
orchestras
and psychedelic bands, and moved to London in 1970. He has lived in Scotland
since 1996. Between 1971 and 1985 he worked with London’s dance community.
At London Contemporary Dance he taught Advanced Rhythm Studies, provided
music for dance training and focused on music compositions. Commissions for
dance artists and companies, television and film ensued.
and psychedelic bands, and moved to London in 1970. He has lived in Scotland
since 1996. Between 1971 and 1985 he worked with London’s dance community.
At London Contemporary Dance he taught Advanced Rhythm Studies, provided
music for dance training and focused on music compositions. Commissions for
dance artists and companies, television and film ensued.
I must tell you the sounds I did hear were not only pleasing but soul stirring
as well,
and it has proven to me once again that the rhythms of life’s music are not only
musical in nature, but can be honed to such a degree as to make the normally
sonorous instruments flat out unnecessary!
and it has proven to me once again that the rhythms of life’s music are not only
musical in nature, but can be honed to such a degree as to make the normally
sonorous instruments flat out unnecessary!
"L C Tarwater" <ct@craigtarwater.com>
You can quote me on the music for ‘Class’ anywhere, it is one of the greatest
pieces of music written for dance in the 20th Century, up there with Glass,
Nyman and any number of others! actually very few others, but it is a
masterpiece.
pieces of music written for dance in the 20th Century, up there with Glass,
Nyman and any number of others! actually very few others, but it is a
masterpiece.
Paul.Jackson <Paul.Jackson@winchester.ac.uk>
“It is not just music for me…it opens a door to a place where I can imagine other
people’s lives by listening to these recordings. Music needs informed and skilled
sentinels and explorers - and he is clearly both of those rolled into one. I like the fact
that he has captured and created so much, that he is the filter/ ‘gate’ to some of this.”
people’s lives by listening to these recordings. Music needs informed and skilled
sentinels and explorers - and he is clearly both of those rolled into one. I like the fact
that he has captured and created so much, that he is the filter/ ‘gate’ to some of this.”
Noel Bridgeman, director of Bridgeman Arts, Glasgow
“Always love to hear new music from one of the most original minds to have ever
entered my life. I know of nobody who better works with location ambiences in service
of the music. Totally seamless. I just feel like I would know his music anywhere -
depth, tone, tempo and focus.”
entered my life. I know of nobody who better works with location ambiences in service
of the music. Totally seamless. I just feel like I would know his music anywhere -
depth, tone, tempo and focus.”
Doug Haire composer, presenter, Sonarchy Radio-KEXP 90.3 FM, Seattle
“It is a beautiful ambient experience, very gentle and immersive. I hear the care
that you took it
creating this environment for us to inhabit. I like that one thing merges into another and then loops
back on itself and just goes on and on. Lovely. It reminds me of music that I used to call "California
slow music" back in the late 70s and early 80s, a manifestation of minimalism as opposed to the
repetitive music of Riley, Reich, Glass. I love hearing it late at night.”
creating this environment for us to inhabit. I like that one thing merges into another and then loops
back on itself and just goes on and on. Lovely. It reminds me of music that I used to call "California
slow music" back in the late 70s and early 80s, a manifestation of minimalism as opposed to the
repetitive music of Riley, Reich, Glass. I love hearing it late at night.”
Jarrad Powell, composer, director of Gamelan Pacifica, Seattle
Celestial Nile is one of the most favoured music of our visionary-meditative
circle. This music (Celestial
Nile) ranks high on inducing visionary states. At first I heard about it (12 years ago) from Luis Luna, who
is the Director of Wasiwaska Center for Visionary Arts in Florianópolis, Brazil. I am interested in visionary
states of consciousness, which can be very important in mental and physical healing and in the advance
of culture. My approach to shamanic realms has gradually become (with the help of music like Celestial
Nile) more and more experiential.
Nile) ranks high on inducing visionary states. At first I heard about it (12 years ago) from Luis Luna, who
is the Director of Wasiwaska Center for Visionary Arts in Florianópolis, Brazil. I am interested in visionary
states of consciousness, which can be very important in mental and physical healing and in the advance
of culture. My approach to shamanic realms has gradually become (with the help of music like Celestial
Nile) more and more experiential.
Ede Frecska, Chairman of Psychiatry at the University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei
krt. 98., 4012 Debrecen, Hungary.
The Beginning Of Time takes flight in similar fantasy terrain conceived by Jon Hassell and Brian Eno,
or even Sandro
Perri’s recent Off World album, but with an intangible borderlessness to his sound designs and the way in which his field
recordings blend with lissom, organic harmonics without ever revealing the seams. And those harmonics are key to the
magick of Keliehor’s compositions, which move with a lushly queered, lilting transience that recalls the computerised
gradients of Roland Kayn’s Cybernetic generations, but again with a more natural or even supernatural timbre that hints
we’re in the presence of some properly holistic, shamanic business. It’s easy to start getting lost up when attempting to
describe this stuff, so we’ll simply say that this is one of the most potent, transcendent albums of its ilk that we’ve heard
in ages. And JD Twitch/Optimo is in clear agreement, calling it “an epically great album and my most listened to record
over summer 2016”.
Perri’s recent Off World album, but with an intangible borderlessness to his sound designs and the way in which his field
recordings blend with lissom, organic harmonics without ever revealing the seams. And those harmonics are key to the
magick of Keliehor’s compositions, which move with a lushly queered, lilting transience that recalls the computerised
gradients of Roland Kayn’s Cybernetic generations, but again with a more natural or even supernatural timbre that hints
we’re in the presence of some properly holistic, shamanic business. It’s easy to start getting lost up when attempting to
describe this stuff, so we’ll simply say that this is one of the most potent, transcendent albums of its ilk that we’ve heard
in ages. And JD Twitch/Optimo is in clear agreement, calling it “an epically great album and my most listened to record
over summer 2016”.
Gordon Mackinnon, label boss Invisible, Inc Records, Glasgow