Before the Rogue Festival, I will admit I had not heard of pc muñoz but there was a definite buzz about this performer in the media. So I did a little research, I read the Rogue program, and visited his MySpace profile. There I listened to selected musical works, and read excerpts from reviews by musicians as well as major media outlets. In particular, I was intrigued to find a review by the avant-garde composer and musician John Zorn.

The Ashtree Studios provided the ideal location for pc muñoz's left hook. Bright colored walls framed the four-member live ensemble against a background of contrasting color. The open space established an intimate setting where the boundaries between the artist and the audience were blurred. So when pc muñoz introduced his next piece, it felt as if he was having a conversation with you, and when he directed the audience to engage in conversation for a live recording session, it felt more like a collaboration than audience participation.

Listening to pc muñoz’s left hook, the words and improvised accompaniment on bass guitar, drums, electronics and percussion instruments, I was reminded of the elegance of minimal narrative and percussion sometimes found in experimental, avant-garde and foreign film. From the piece about the young girl who first thought about breathing when she was at her grandmother’s to California to the recording inspired by John Cage’s 4’33’’. It felt as if I was being guided through a series of recollected experiences that were both universal and personal at the same time.

After the show, I had an opportunity to visit with pc muñoz and purchase a copy of the twenty haiku CD. It’s such a cool concept and an amazing work and I must admit that it hasn’t left my car CD player since the show! Recently, I had a chance to visit the twenty haiku website that pc muñoz had told us about during his show, and it inspired me to finish writing this review. :)

While there has been a lot of publicity about the Rogue ranging from its history to play synopsis to performer interviews to reviews, one thing that hasn’t really been touched upon is how the Rogue Festival engages us in the process of discovery. For the discovery of an artist that one really likes does not end with the Rogue Festival. It begins at the Rogue Festival and it continues long after the show is over…

If you are interested in the twenty haiku project I mentioned earlier, go to:
http://twentyhaiku.com/flash/