Artist description "I find much contemporary and electronic music suffers from a coldness or soullessness; as a result, I have tried to make mine a more human music, a fusion of synthesized, instrumental, and natural sounds. When composing, I electronically orchestrate each piece into a soundscape. The music is not just a simple mixture, but a genuine synthesis of pan-cultural musical styles. Above all, I want to make my music sing!" MWG's two most recent releases on compact disc, "Light in the Clouds" and "Point of Views", bridge the gap between diverse world musics. A collaboration with master percussionist Tony Vacca, acoustic bassist Salvatore Macchia, and synthesist Roy Finch, "The Light in the Clouds" brings together African, Jewish, Christian, and Shinto musical traditions and melds them with crystal clear sounds and rhythms into one music. "Point of Views" is a stunning solo recording realized within a MIDI based studio, weaving elements of jazz, world, electronic and new musics into "an ethereal and beautiful blend!" "Point of Views" received 4 stars in Downbeat Magazine. It successfully creates the sound of an ensemble of players yet is a purely solo work, with a collaboration by Tony Vacca on one track. Gilbert signed a recording contract with Penta Disc Recordings in Canada (dist. by WEA) for release of music from this repertoire as well as additional new compositions. Gilbert's music has been played in concerts and festivals in North America and abroad and has been used by choreographers in conjunction with modern dance works. Among these choreographers are Susan Waltner, Valerie Feit, Jan Wodynski, and Paula Josa-Jones.

Music Style World fusion, electronic, new jazz

Musical Influences Weather Report, Miles Davis, Winter Consort, Brian Eno, Stockhausen, Frank Zappa, many others...

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Artist History Michael William Gilbert grew up in Connecticut and Brussels, Belgium. It was while living in Europe that he first encountered the music of Varese, Pierre Henry & Stockhausen, as well as music of India, Africa, and Japan. After studying electrical engineering at MIT, he continued studies in music at the Boston School of Electronic Music, where he later worked as a teacher and designer of custom synthesis systems. He graduated with a degree in music from Hampshire College and shortly thereafter became the technical director of electronic music at Amherst College, Smith College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts/Amherst. He has taught at the University of Massachusetts, and remains a consultant to the studios at UMASS and Smith College. Gilbert has been composing and recording actively since the 1970's. In 1978 he released his first recording, "Moving Pictures", on the GIBEX label. "Moving Pictures" takes a step towards humanizing electronic music with prominent use of wooden flutes, percussion, and voice to complement the synthesized textures of the compositions. "The Call", Gilbert's second album, is a mature realization of his goal to create a more human music. It grew out of the desire to set new jazz influenced solo parts against a background of drone, percussion, and environment evocative of Eastern musics. "The Call" marked Gilbert's first collaboration with multi-wind and reed player Tim Moran, avant-garde percussionist/vocalist David Moss, and bassist Salvatore Macchia. "In the Dreamtime", on the Palace of Lights label, is a refinement of work begun on the first two records. This album uses the theme of dream imagery, exploring and merging the distinctions between electronics, new jazz, and world music, and also features collaborations with Moran, Moss, and Macchia.

Group Members Michael William Gilbert is currently a computer research analyst at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, where he is engaged in investigating internet media technologies, streaming protocols, multimedia, and supporting the Office of Information Technologies' provision of Internet service to the campus and UMass community. His university homepage is at http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~mgilbert/. He is currently at work on completing a new CD, "Other Voices", which will feature both unreleased works with contributions by Tony Vacca and Roy Finch, and very recent compositions. He is also exploring the possibilities of remastering and releasing his first three lp recordings, "Moving Pictures", "The Call", and "In the Dreamtime" on CD.

Instruments Keyboards, synthesizers, samplers, percussion, winds, etc.

Albums "Moving Pictures" "The Call" "In the Dreamtime" "The Light in the Clouds" "Point of Views" "Other Voices"

Press Reviews 4 stars - Downbeat "Michael Gilbert blends live acoustic instruments with electronic sounds, deftly weaving jazz, new age, and folk styles into his own musical language ...providing a wonderfully fresh sound. The production is equally fresh and open sounding, with a sonic transparency and airy spaciousness rarely achieved." - Audio "Gilbert draws influences from all over the world- from past, present, and future. Nothing is hidden in his transparent arrangements; yet nothing is isolated. The pieces come together simply and effectively of their own accord." - CD Review "His synthesizers and samplers throb with a life of their own, weaving exotic and compelling melodic phrases...integrating technology with exciting musical heritages...creating music with a warm human dimension and a sophisticated aesthetic." - Keyboard "Gilbert weaves the elements of jazz, electronic, and new music together in an ethereal and beautiful blend. The music is light...it is wondrous! If you like jazz, if you like new music, or if you just appreciate beautiful sound, this is the kind of record you can enjoy over and over again!" - Option "'Moving Pictures' is a stunning personal achievement for him. It is warm and direct and carries a certain spiritual weight." - Recordings "The vibrations of mother nature meet the echoes of humanity's many cultures and synthetic technology to make a truly powerful record." - Eurock "Michael Gilbert's version of third-stream music is unpretentious but attractive, relying not merely on simple thematic materials and insistent rhythms but also on a sturdy improvisational quality." - Fanfare

Location Amherst, MA - USA

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