World's Biggest Synth Tonto - Malcolm Cecil & KiNo

"Presented by Sonic Wizard Jeff Blenkinsopp's Analog Lab;

Video Trailer No. 1 for the KiNo Exhibition INVASION FROM WITHIN, a music programme by KiNo with special collaborators.

9 special sets of KiNo's original music and sonic pieces will be performed throughout the month, combining the forces of the KiNo Live Rig* and TONTO.

Special-guest lineup includes the following artists:

Malcolm Cecil ("Godfather of electronic music")
Andy Rourke (The Smiths)
Joe McGinty (Psychedelic Furs)

KiNo is with
Shahla Atlas
Alec Signorino
Harlan Muir

- -

KiNo Live is produced by Jeff Blenkinsopp"

Also see:
Live! — Part 3

Live! — Part 3

TONTO at 1:42
"Poet of Sound and Image KiNo presents a film in episodes: Live!
Documentary of life and collaborations in New Vague City.

This film is dedicated to my friend Ira Cohen who passed away recently; leaving behind a materialised account of the akashic records in his poems, photographs, films and inspiring conversations with the individuals whom were graced by his friendship.

With highlights from the KiNo Exhibition — Invasion from Within.
Featuring footage of the performances with musical legends Malcolm Cecil (Pioneer of electronic music) and Andy Rourke (The Smiths).

Ira Cohen film
The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda
strangebeautiful.net/​2007/​08/​16/​ira-cohen/​

Made by 9"

Live! — Part 3 Featuring Malcom Cecil & Andy Rourke

Live! - Trailer from KiNo on Vimeo.

Live! — Part 3 from KiNo on Vimeo.

"Poet of Sound and Image KiNo presents a film in episodes: Live! Documentary of life and collaborations in New Vague City. This film is dedicated to my friend Ira Cohen who passed away recently; leaving behind a materialised account of the akashic records in his poems, photographs, films and inspiring conversations with the individuals whom were graced by his friendship. With highlights from the KiNo Exhibition — Invasion from Within. Featuring footage of the performances with musical legends Malcolm Cecil (Pioneer of electronic music) and Andy Rourke (The Smiths). Ira Cohen film The Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda strangebeautiful.net/​2007/​08/​16/​ira-cohen/​ Made by 9" Features TONTO

The Electric Golem Live & New CD “Sky Snails"

The Electric Golem - STS Morrisville - 4-21-2011 - Part 1 of 2

YouTube Uploaded by KurtKarsin on May 26, 2011

"This video (Part 1 of 2) features The Electric Golem, an electronic improvisational synthesizer duo from Ithaca, NY. Here they are performing a piece titled "What Watson Doesn't Know" at Morrisville State College (NY) at the fifth annual Science, Technology and Society Symposium, titled "Technomusia: Science, Technology and Music" (more at www.morrisville.edu/sts). The program also featured Roy "Futureman" Wooten the synth drummer from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.

The Electric Golem is composed of Trevor Pinch and James Spitznagel, who yield generative, modern psychedelic mindscapes thanks to Pinch's command of his Moog Prodigy and homemade modular synths, and Spitznagel's battery of similar devices like the Evolver, Mopho, Tenori-on, Nintendo DSi, iPod Touch, and Orb Sequencer. During his daylight hours, Pinch is Professor of Science and Technology Studies and Professor of Sociology at Cornell University, and the coauthor of perhaps the definitive book on synthesizer technology, Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. Spitznagel is a true techno-polyglot, a digital computer artist, photographer, and sonic provocateur who has released all manners of twisted electronica on his Level Green imprint, and continues to raise the bar for circuit-based music as he craftily wrestles with the vagaries of tone, glitch, frequency, and pulsation."

The Electric Golem - STS Morrisville - 4-21-2011 - Part 2 of 2


via Trevor: "our new CD “Sky Snails" has just been released by Periphery records www.otperiphery.com [link]:

The CD was endorsed by our ginger cat, Mango, who loved Sky Snails – unfortunately the day after the record came out Mango vanished from this Earth!

Sky snails is also available on iTunes for downloading. It consists of three tunes: the melodic “What Watson Doesn’t Know”; the Space Noise medley, “Sky Snails Part One”; and the cosmic “Sky Snails Part Two”.

Shortly also to be released on Periphery is one track of our live collaboration with Macolm Cecil of Stevie Wonder and Tonto’s Expanding Headband fame. That CD comes out August 5

We plan a CD release party/concert on Saturday August 20 in Ithaca at The State of the Art Gallery – so mark that date in your diaries if you're in or near Ithaca

Meanwhile have a great summer. We are back in the studio working on our third album. And if you see a big ginger cat anywhere who likes electronic music please let me know! We miss him terribly!

Trevor"

Sneak Peek Into Modular: the documentary

Some pics via Modular: the documentary where you'll find even more.
Above: "The Paramus hybrid digital/analog synthesizer...this is the analog interface."



"The Sonde...a super oscillator capable of generating 200 sine waves...allowing the user to perform complex additive synthesis!"



"Fantastic panel graphics adorn Le Caine's Serial Sound Structure Generator"



"Hugh Le Caine's Electronic Sackbut, built in the mid 1940's, was the first electronic music synthesizer to employ voltage control...it also featured an extremely expressive keyboard that gave the player 3 dimensional control over pitch, volume and timbre."



"Electronic music legend Morton Subotnick with an original set of Buchla modules created for the San Francisco Tape Music Center."



"Andrew Kilpatrick with some of his modular creations"



"Bruce Duncan amid a Modcan system"



"Master technician and sonic wizard Jeff Blenkinsopp and portions of Malcolm Cecil's legendary TONTO."



"Mark Verbos and his monster Buchla...packed with modules of varying vintage and some of his own design."

TONTO This Saturday in NYC

Just a reminder: "This Saturday, June 11th The Analog Lab Presents: Malcolm Cecil on Analog Synthesis and Electronic Music at 5pm"

Full details here. See the TONTO label below for previous posts including video.

TONTO Pics

via Erick

"My friend Doug Milford got the chance recently to meet with Malcolm Cecil and tour the studio. Doug's brother, who passed away in the late 80s, was named Kim Milford. If you poke around on the web, you'll find that Kim Milford sang with Jeff Beck for a period. And he also did a lot of acting in theater, Broadway, films, television, as well as music composition before his untimely passing while still in his 30s.

Kim had recorded some songs at the TONTO studio (lamentably, none with synths I'm told), and Doug was visiting Malcolm to track down some of the old master reels. Luckily for us, Doug snapped some great photos of the famous TONTO synth. You can see a lot of it very close up"

You can find aditonal pics here.

"The Original New Timbral Orchestra designed and built by Malcom Cecil. The TONTO features such synths as:

2 Moog Series III Modular Synthesizers
2 Arp 2600s
Serge Modules
4 Oberheim SEMs

and many more…

www.tontosexpandingheadband.com

www.theanaloglab.com"

follow-up to: Invasion From Within — Malcolm Cecil - Tonto & KiNo [HD]

CLICK FOR MORE »

Invasion From Within — Malcolm Cecil - Tonto & KiNo Update

The schedule of live performances link in this post is fixed.

Invasion From Within — Malcolm Cecil - Tonto & KiNo [HD]

Invasion From Within — Malcolm Cecil - Tonto & KiNo [HD] from KiNo on Vimeo.

"Video Trailer 1 for the upcoming KiNo Exhibition at the World Monuments Fund Gallery — OPENING NIGHT on June 3rd. The Exhibition runs throughout the month with daily live performances by KiNo and 9 different sets of music.

For full schedule of live performances:
poetofsoundandimage.com/​june [Update: new link]

The gallery landscape will be punctuated by two-dimensional works from artists Bill Alpert, Bartus Bartolomes, Scott Alger, Astolfo Funes and Marjan Denkov.

9 special sets of KiNo's original music and sonic pieces will be performed throughout the month, combining the forces of the KiNo Live Rig* and TONTO.

A treasured special-guest lineup includes the following artists:

Malcolm Cecil ("Godfather of electronic music")
Andy Rourke (The Smiths)
Joe McGinty (Psychedelic Furs)
Jesper Kyd (composer: Hitman, Assassin's Creed)
DJ Jonathan Peters
Ilhan Ersahin (Wax Poetic)
Jonathan Haffner (Bill Friser)
Juini Booth (McCoy Tyner/Sun Ra)


Curated by Belen Bosch & Ana Rita Da Piadade.
Live Production by Jeff Blenkinsopp.
Exhibition Production by Ana Rita Da Piadade, Jeff Blenkinsopp & KiNo"

Also see: TONTO Video by The Analog Lab
And the TONTO label below for more.
via KiNo

TONTO Video by The Analog Lab

Untitled from The Analog Lab on Vimeo.

via The Analog Lab
The Original New Timbral Orchestra featuring Moog modules, Oberheim SEMs, and ARP 2500 Module 1047 Multimode Filter / Resonator, ARP 2600, Ghielmetti patch matrix, and DIY.

Malcolm Cecil's TONTO Coming to Town - Live Event

"B2Art and EARS (The Analog Lab) present KiNo block

Poet of Sound and Image KiNo in Exhibition and Live Performance

New Vague: Invasion from Within

June 3 - 29, 2011

Featuring performance version installation of the world's largest synthesizer, TONTO

and two-dimensional works by artists Bill Alpert, Bartus Bartolomes, Scott Alger, Astolfo Funes and Marjan Denkov.

New York, NY - Poet of Sound and Image KiNo will unleash a programme of sonic and visual ephemera in line with his psychedelic live musical performances for the month of June at the World Monuments Fund Gallery (15 East 27th Street.) The landscape will be punctuated by two-dimensional works from artists Bill Alpert, Bartus Bartolomes, Scott Alger, Astolfo Funes and Marjan Denkov.

KiNo uses images, sounds and words to comment on the fundamental aspects of human beings and their behavior. With unwavering intimations of conscience, his work strives to stimulate the emotional intelligence of his audience. During his 27 day residency, KiNo will present a universe of sound, film, and live installation.

"Sonic wizard" Jeff Blenkinsopp (Pink Floyd, Vangelis, The Secret Machines) invented an analogue processing device especially for KiNo known as the KiNo Live Rig. This one of a kind machine will join forces with the world's largest synthesizer, T.O.N.T.O. (The Original New Timbral Orchestra). Created by Malcolm Cecil (credited for electrifying Stevie Wonder), the performance version of TONTO will be installed at the gallery. For video footage of TONTO, click here. [embed below]

Nine special sets of KiNo's original music and sonic pieces will be performed throughout the month, combining the forces of the KiNo Live Rig and TONTO. A treasured special-guest lineup includes the following artists (for more information on them, click here):

Malcolm Cecil ("Godfather of electronic music")
Andy Rourke (The Smiths)
Joe McGinty (Psychedelic Furs)
DJ Jonathan Peters
Jesper Kyd (composer: Hitman, Assassin's Creed)
Ilhan Ersahin (Wax Poetic)
Juini Booth (Sun Ra/McCoy Tyner)
Kenny Wollesen (Tom Waits)

####

Please RSVP for the June 3 opening by clicking the link below.
*RSVP CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT, JUNE 2*
www.poetofsoundandimage.com/rsvp


For the full programme and more information visit: http://www.poetofsoundandimage.com/junecom

Curated by Belen Moreno Bosch & Ana Rita Dà Piedade &
Produced by Jeff Blenkinsopp, Ana Rita Dà Piedade and KiNo"

TONTO & Stevie Wonder

YouTube Uploaded by analoghell on Aug 2, 2006

"Documentary extract talking about TONTO's collaboration with Stevie on 4 classic 70's records. CD of classic TONTO now available on www.tontosexpandingheadband.com"

See the TONTO label below for more.

The Original New Timbral Orchestra

YouTube via haledrix | November 23, 2010 | 8 likes, 0 dislikes

"Malcolm Cecil - one half of TONTO's Expanding Head Band - shows you around The Original New Timbral Orchestra. Called TONTO for short, this super synthesiser was used on Stevie Wonder's classic albums from the early 1970s, namely Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions and Fulfillingness' First Finale. TONTO also appeared on albums by The Isley Brothers, DEVO, Gil Scott-Heron, George Harrison, Jeff Beck, Steve Hillage, Billy Preston and many more."

Follow-up to Stevie's Wonder Men - BBC Radio on TONTO.
Also see the TONTO label for more. This one in via rustyanalog aka Richard Lainhart.

Stevie's Wonder Men - BBC Radio on TONTO

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/w7bly/

"Stuart Maconie tells the story of TONTO's Expanding Head Band - two electronic music boffins who transformed Little Stevie Wonder into a song writing legend."

via Craig MacNeil

FAT BASTARD

A few drool worthy pics in via Lester Barnes in response to Bernie's Wahalla Monster Modular. If you have access to his Facebook photo album, currently you will find 21 glorious pics of what could only be called FAT BASTARD. Is there any system bigger? Bigger than TONTO, and bigger than the system in Hans Zimmer's studio?

Anyway, I think Beer has Bernie beat. :) Put some clothes on man!

BTW, Beermaster's Fat Bastard gets credit for me setting up my Flickr account back in 2005! Here's the first set. The bottom pic of the Polyfusion in this post is from that set. I tried to check the exact date I uploaded the pic to see if it matched the date of the original post, but I'm not seeing it. But I did see this: "This photo was taken on August 19, 2002 using a Pentax Optio 330." Flickr must pull the info from the digital meta data in the pic, because I didn't add that. :)

Again, I think I need an everything label. Some random ones picked...

CLICK FOR MORE »

TONTO'S EXPANDING HEADBAND 'ZERO TIME' 1971

via this auction

"VERY RARE L.P on the ATLANTIC label,by TONTO'S EXPANDING HEADBAND,called 'ZERO TIME'.1971.GATEFOLD SLEEVE.VERY GOOD/EX CONDITION FOR AGE.The album features early PROG ROCK experiments with the MOOG SYNTHESIZER."

Malcolm Cecil Live with Spitznagel and Trevor Pinch July 17

"OTP is both honored & thrilled to present An Evening In the Company of the Joy Circuits featuring TONTO’s Expanding Head Band pioneer Malcolm Cecil, in his first U.S. performance in over 30 years, along with aural sculptors Spitznagel & Trevor Pinch...

For his OTP debut, Cecil will not only bring a number of the original TONTO synth modules but his trusty upright bass as well, all of which to bring forth a stunning hybrid of keyboard virtuosity, 70s synth-jazz, and his own brand of post-classical-flavored electronic music."

See One Thousand Pulses for the full details. If anyone makes this, send in some pics.

via Jeff of The Tangeant Project who will be performing at OTP in November.
More info on the artists:
posts featuring Malcolm Cecil
posts featuring Spitznagel
posts featuring Trevor Pinch
posts featuring The Tangeant Project

Relentless Machine

flickr by Masonic Boom

"VIEW FULL SIZE FOR BEST EFFECT

So I decided to illustrate the video that Michel made for Sandy P's Relentless Machine Dream*. I wanted her to look equal parts Wonder Woman, Maria from Metropolis and a heavy dash of H.R. Giger. (Also slightly inspired by the cover of the Tonto's Expanding Head Band album that's propped up on top of my CD case.)

It's funny, that is actually what my fingers do on the rare occasion that I remember to do a reality check in order to try and provoke lucid dreaming.


*If you don't know what I'm talking about, never mind, they are characters from a story. Hey, leave me alone I've been listening to Aphex Twin's Drukqs for about 48 hours straight at this point and my head has gone really funny and I'm having erotic daydreams about synthesisers. I mean, as you do..."

TONTO RIDES AGAIN

via Malcolm Cecil, via the world of next tuesday.

You can find Tonto Rides Again and more at Malcom Cecil's Tonto's Expanding Head Band.

"All the tracks from "TONTO RIDES AGAIN" are available on that site remastered by me from the original analog mixes and issued as a Collector's Limited Edition CD. TONTO has never sounded better.

Peace,
Malcolm Cecil"

Be sure to see all posts mentioning TONTO here.

EMS PITCH TO VOLTAGE CONVERTER

via this auction

"EMS Pitch To Voltage Converter, perfect to add to your Synthi or VCS3. Also interfaces with other modular/cv synths. Fully functional but missing the front panel 'reference tone' switch (an easy repair and the switch can be ordered from EMS - the ref. tone is currently set to 'off') and comes with mini-Bulgin power lead. The module is internally switchable between 110V and 220V.

Previously owned by Malcolm Cecil and formed part of TONTO. "Tonto is an acronym for "The Original New Timbral Orchestra," the world's first (and still the largest) multitimbral polyphonic analog synthesizer, designed and constructed by Malcolm Cecil. Tonto featured on albums from Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Bobby Womack, The Isley Brothers, Gil Scott-Heron and Weather Report, as well as releases from Stephen Stills, The Doobie Brothers, Dave Mason, Little Feat and Joan Baez, Steve Hillage". More info here

from the original spec sheet -

CLICK FOR MORE »

EMS EIGHT OCTAVE FILTER BANK

via this auction
"EMS Eight Octave Filter Bank, perfect to add to your Synthi or VCS3. Also interfaces with other modular/cv synths or can be used as standalone piece of studio outboard. Fully working and comes with mini-Bulgin power lead. The module is internally switchable between 110V and 220V.

Previously owned by Malcolm Cecil and formed part of TONTO. "Tonto is an acronym for "The Original New Timbral Orchestra," the world's first (and still the largest) multitimbral polyphonic analog synthesizer, designed and constructed by Malcolm Cecil. Tonto featured on albums from Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Bobby Womack, The Isley Brothers, Gil Scott-Heron and Weather Report, as well as releases from Stephen Stills, The Doobie Brothers, Dave Mason, Little Feat and Joan Baez, Steve Hillage". More info here

from the original spec sheet -

EIGHT-OCTAVE FILTER BANK

EMS STUDIO MODULES

The EMS Range of Ancillary Studio Modules EMS Modules are designed not only for use with Synthi synthesisers but with any complex of voltage controlled equipment, of whatever manufacture. They are supplied in handsome afrormosia cases, but can be removed and mounted in standard 19" racks, occupying only 1.7" (44mm) of vertical space. They contain their own mains power unit with a very wide range of stabilisation to cope with poor mains line conditions, being operable at anything from +10% to more than—23% of nominal line voltage. Connections to and from the modules can be made either from the jack sockets on the front panel or via the multi-way socket at the back.

EIGHT-OCTAVE FILTER BANK

The EMS Eight-Octave Filter Bank is a group of eight individual resonating filters fixed-tuned one octave apart in the range 62.5Hz—8KHz, arranged in parallel. The unit is inserted into an audio signal line, and since the output of each filter may be separately controlled very subtle variations of colouring can be made. It is simplicity itself to operate, and no voltage control is involved, its purpose being to provide characteristic colourings which are on the whole constant during a particular application. The cut-off is sharp enough to permit sections of the spectrum to be virtually removed, making profound changes in the character of a sound. With all the controls at maximum the signal will emerge unchanged except for a 10dB overall gain. At intermediate settings the response is comblike, levelling out to total rejection of the whole band when all controls are at zero.

A valuable extra facility is the access given by jacks or the facilities socket to each filter separately. The main output contains all the filters in parallel, but in addition the spectral content of the output of each filter is available at the appropriate jack. Thus up to nine simultaneous timbres can be obtained from a single complex signal. An additional use for the filter bank is as a signal improver. Hum or any other unwanted fixed frequency phenomenon can often be removed completely without serious distortion of the signal spectrum.

Apart from its use in electronic music, the eight-octave filter bank is a great asset to any studio; a group of several (at least as many as the number of output lines) can be arranged for instant patching in to any channel needing correction.

SPECIFICATION

Power Supply:
240 or 115VAC 50/60Hz +10% to—23%

Input Level:
6V p-p max.

Max. Overall Gain:
10dB +/- 1.5dB.

Individual Filter Gains:
9dB +/- 3dB max.

Hum and Noise:
—80dB referred to max. gain conditions.

Filter Frequencies:
63, 125, 250, 500, 1,00O, 2,OOO, 4,000, 8,000 Hz.

Filter Tuning:
Centre frequencies all +/10%

Filter Slope:
12dB/octave.

Channel-to-channel crosstalk:
—60d B."