Music
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On their new, self-titled second CD, Permagrin guitarist Dan Sumner and percussionist Louis Romanos elaborate on the ambient instrumental themes revealed by their 1998 debut, "Nymphettamine." Since then, both musicians have augmented their resumes with more jazz, rock, classical, fusion and eclectic collaborations; they've also constructed their own studio and sharpened their skills as audio engineers. The result on "Permagrin" is a meticulous pastiche of live guitars and drums interlocked with digital loops and samples. Within the 10 minutes of the disc's opening "Dance Trance," tempos and tones shift unexpectedly and electric guitar notes echo and shimmer over a tapestry of classical acoustic guitar and Romanos' shape-shifting rhythms. Romanos, a student of jazz-funk master Johnny Vidacovich, is equally fluent in old-school syncopation and new-school break-beats; Sumner, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, can match his experimentations. The duo's aspirations are national. A West Coast tour is planned for spring, and material from "Permagrin" recently turned up on "All Songs Considered," the online music program affiliated with National Public Radio, and as segue music during the "All Things Considered" broadcast.
Wednesday at The Parish of the House of Blues, opening for The Mosquitos. - Off Beat Magazine
On their new, self-titled second CD, Permagrin guitarist Dan Sumner and percussionist Louis Romanos elaborate on the ambient instrumental themes revealed by their 1998 debut, "Nymphettamine." Since then, both musicians have augmented their resumes with more jazz, rock, classical, fusion and eclectic collaborations; they've also constructed their own studio and sharpened their skills as audio engineers. The result on "Permagrin" is a meticulous pastiche of live guitars and drums interlocked with digital loops and samples. Within the 10 minutes of the disc's opening "Dance Trance," tempos and tones shift unexpectedly and electric guitar notes echo and shimmer over a tapestry of classical acoustic guitar and Romanos' shape-shifting rhythms. Romanos, a student of jazz-funk master Johnny Vidacovich, is equally fluent in old-school syncopation and new-school break-beats; Sumner, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, can match his experimentations. The duo's aspirations are national. A West Coast tour is planned for spring, and material from "Permagrin" recently turned up on "All Songs Considered," the online music program affiliated with National Public Radio, and as segue music during the "All Things Considered" broadcast.
Wednesday at The Parish of the House of Blues, opening for The Mosquitos. - Off Beat Magazine
If you doubt that technology is putting music squarely back in the hands of musicians, just cock an ear to a few minutes of this, Permagrin's second CD. It's eponymous titled, odd for a second album; perhaps the local techno-jazz duo see this as their defining moment. Certainly the six long, funky, cerebral, slowly evolving tracks here meld the jazz-funk trap kit of Louis Romanos with the multi-genre guitar exploratory of Dan Sumner-and the ambient loops of both-even better than on their 1998 debut, Nymphettamine.
That's because the pair recorded and produced this album themselves in their own studio, working on ideas separately and then workshopping them together. And since both Romanos and Sumner know how to blend organic and digital, the results are captivating. "Escape" manages to weld space-jazz forays with realtime junglesque beats, while "Subterranean" takes a deceptively syncopated fugue and fries it in deep synthesized bass, suggesting an unholy alliance between Chick Corea and Rush. Throughout, the sound is clean and varied, meaning that the band's own production floats like a butterfly in the high end and stings like a bee on the low. The result is a sound that soars while grooving. Call it dance music for the mind.
-Robert Fontenot - Off beat Magazine
If you doubt that technology is putting music squarely back in the hands of musicians, just cock an ear to a few minutes of this, Permagrin's second CD. It's eponymous titled, odd for a second album; perhaps the local techno-jazz duo see this as their defining moment. Certainly the six long, funky, cerebral, slowly evolving tracks here meld the jazz-funk trap kit of Louis Romanos with the multi-genre guitar exploratory of Dan Sumner-and the ambient loops of both-even better than on their 1998 debut, Nymphettamine.
That's because the pair recorded and produced this album themselves in their own studio, working on ideas separately and then workshopping them together. And since both Romanos and Sumner know how to blend organic and digital, the results are captivating. "Escape" manages to weld space-jazz forays with realtime junglesque beats, while "Subterranean" takes a deceptively syncopated fugue and fries it in deep synthesized bass, suggesting an unholy alliance between Chick Corea and Rush. Throughout, the sound is clean and varied, meaning that the band's own production floats like a butterfly in the high end and stings like a bee on the low. The result is a sound that soars while grooving. Call it dance music for the mind.
-Robert Fontenot - Off beat Magazine
Permagrin is comprised of Louis Romanos (drums and sampling) and Dan Sumner (guitar and loops), an instrumental duo from New Orleans who cook up jazz, classical, rock and any other style of music they feel like adding to their musical pot. Having just recorded its third album, this two-man band creates complex, layered music that engages the senses. - Indy Star
Permagrin is comprised of Louis Romanos (drums and sampling) and Dan Sumner (guitar and loops), an instrumental duo from New Orleans who cook up jazz, classical, rock and any other style of music they feel like adding to their musical pot. Having just recorded its third album, this two-man band creates complex, layered music that engages the senses. - Indy Star
New Orleans duo Permagrin puts a young and innovative dance spin on the traditional jazz sound, fusing live drum and guitar with funky jazz loops and club-quality electronic bass lines to create Big Easy-flavored house. Read more at http://www.permagrin.us/ - San Fransisco Examiner
New Orleans duo Permagrin puts a young and innovative dance spin on the traditional jazz sound, fusing live drum and guitar with funky jazz loops and club-quality electronic bass lines to create Big Easy-flavored house. Read more at http://www.permagrin.us/ - San Fransisco Examiner
Discography
Nymphettamine--1st album
Permagrin--second album
Third album --soon to be released!!
Photos
Bio
Permagrin was formed in New Orleans, Louisiana in1996 by Dan Sumner (guitar) and Louis Romanos (drums). Permagrin music is mix of live performance and electronica. Influenced by Bjork, DJ Shadow, The Beach Boys, Robert Fripp, Portise Head, John Coltrane and Pat Metheney, Permagrin's music is accessible to jazz, jam band, and electronica fans alike. The first incarnation of Permagrin was as a nine piece band which included a horn and string section. It was more of a creative composition workshop than a band. Musicians got together to play original music from respected composers under the direction of Dan Sumner and Louis Romanos. A year later, a second incarnation of this band formed as a quartet featuring a dj and an electric bass player. Soon it was paired down to simply the original founding members, Romanos and Sumner. Romanos, with an extensive background in recording engineering, had been experimenting with sampling and sequencing. With the introduction of sampling into the band, Permagrin's creative door was thrown wide open. Music from Permagrin can be heard nationwide on NPR and on NPR's Web cast, All Songs Considered, WWNO, WWOZ, WTUL radio. Music from Permagrin's, self-titled album was licensed to the documentary, Plane Spotting. Permagrin performed in the 2004 New Orleanss Jazz and Heritage Festival, the 2006 Indy Jazz Festival, SXSW music conference and the 2007 NOW music Festival. Permagrin has also performed music technology clinics at Indiana University, Capital University, and Delgado University, demonstrating different strategies to students on how to deal with sampling , looping and sequencing in a live performance. Permagrin was nominated for best electronica band in New Orleans in and is also a winner of the ASCAP Plus Award. Our cds are available on our website, www.permagrin.us, or at the Louisiana Music Factory (www.louisinamusicfactory.com)
"The musical sound of Permagrin is akin to a firmly rooted mighty oak tree with its branches reaching to the future in every direction. I call that profound majestic beauty."
--Jazz Saxophonist, Donald Harrison
Permagrin plans to release its third album in spring of 2007 and seeks to continually broaden its fan base. Contact: Louis Romanos lou@permagrin.us
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