Book of Elysses CD Release Concert

Book of Elysses: Vol. I, Chapter VII is the upcoming CD release and live performance presentation of an original body of music. The project blends experimental composition, house music influence, spoken word, and African diasporic instrumentation—including the Diddley Bow—to create a sonic narrative that unfolds in chapters rather than traditional album tracks. Rooted in Chicago’s legacy of creative music and dance culture, the work reflects my practice of combining ancestral sound technologies with contemporary electronic performance. Book of Elysses functions as an evolving musical archive: each volume documents a stage in my sonic language and storytelling practice. Chapter VIIemerged from live DJ sets, studio experimentation, and performance research, where I began shaping compositions that move between rhythm, improvisation, and electronic sound design while centering lineage and embodied storytelling.

The recording of Book of Elysses: Vol. I, Chapter VII is complete, and this campaign will support the upcoming CD release concert and the technological tools needed to expand the live performance. Funds raised will help cover venue costs, musician and collaborator fees, rehearsal time, and production expenses for the release event. A key component of the campaign is the purchase of MiMu gloves—gesture-based musical technology that allows performers to shape sound through hand movement in real time. These gloves will allow me to control electronic sound elements, triggering and sculpting sonic layers during the performance while remaining physically expressive on stage. This technology will be integrated alongside the Diddley Bow and other instrumentation, creating a performance environment where ancestral instruments and contemporary digital tools coexist. Support from this campaign ensures the concert can be properly produced while allowing me to incorporate new performance technology that expands the sonic possibilities of the work.

The CD release concert will serve as the first public performance of Book of Elysses: Vol. I, Chapter VII, giving audiences the opportunity to experience the work as both a live sonic event and a physical recording. The integration of MiMu gloves will also mark an important step in the evolution of my performance practice, allowing gesture, movement, and sound to interact as part of the storytelling process. Looking ahead, the work will continue to be performed, expanded, and documented as part of the ongoing Book of Elysses series. By supporting this campaign, donors are helping bring this chapter of the work to the stage while also supporting the continued development of an independent, artist-driven sonic practice rooted in lineage, experimentation, and creative music and performance.