Komorebi is the Japanese word used to describe sunlight as it passes through trees. In this piece I play rich tones on the marimba which are paired with heavily dubbed spikes of zither. Each timbre enters representing the light passing through leaves and branches. At about midway through the improvisation, a trumpet enters soaring over the scene like a bird of prey. Listen and download here: Komorebi
Be sure to check out the new Moongriffin release on Cartilage Osseux Records. The record features Nate Lepine (saxophone), Charles Rumback (drums), Anton Hatwich (bass) and myself (trumpet) playing the music of Elliot Ross (guitar).
by Doug Abram.
If you are in Chicago for the NATO summit or plainly would like to avoid it Charles Mantis will be playing Transistor Friday May 18th with Everypeople Workshop. Transistor is located at 3819 N Lincoln Ave in North Center. It’s just a short walk or cab ride from the Irving Park brown line stop. The venue/shop is located in a perfect neighborhood to grab dinner before and drinks after. A special thanks to Doug Abram of Black Bear Combo and Rat Snake Turbo Rat for all his work on this cat poster! RSVP HERE!
I’ll be playing at Rodan in Wicker Park Sunday April 8th with my new project featuring saxophonist Anthony Bruno.
Be sure to check out Charles Mantis in Chicago Wednesday April 18th at Underground Wonder Bar.
For close to a year and a half DJ Roma Soul and Black Bear Combo have played to a packed house downstairs at Subterranean on the third Friday of the month in Chicago. This has grown to be one of the more successful nights I’ve seen featuring an instrumental act since I moved to Chicago nearly 7 years ago. The crowd demands high energy. I look forward to it every month and I hope that you will join us this Friday February 17th 2012. More about the night in the Chicago Tribune.
Photography by Antonio Bovino
