SASSAS Presents 20th Anniversary sound. in Culver City

This rendition of sound. features over 25 artists spread across five stations at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook | Image: SASSAS

On Sunday Oct. 13, the Society for the Activation of Social Space Through Art and Sound (SASSAS) celebrates the 20th anniversary of its sound. concert series with a final edition at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook.

This edition of sound. features more than 25 artists and musicians drawn from the history of the series. The artists are spread across five stations at the overlook, broken down by instrument or genre:

• The Pavilion (Electronics / LAFMS);
  
• The Garden Amphitheater (Voice / Movement);
  
• The Circle at the Crest of the Hill (Winds / Brass);
  
• The Landing at the Top of the Stairs (Percussion);
  
• The Northeast Amphitheater (Strings).

The event takes the form of an “exquisite corpse,” a type of performance that consists of durational, collaborative making. During the course of the afternoon, performances will rotate between these locations with each improvisation overlapping the next, filling the 58-acre park with continuous sound for 5.5 hours.

Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook | Photo courtesy of SASSAS.

Their largest event to date, the anniversary celebration is organized by:

• Cindy Bernard (Art MFA 85), visual artist and founding director of SASSAS;
• Joe Potts (Art-Critical Studies/IM MFA 09), founding member of the Los Angeles Free Music Society and past SASSAS board member;
• Jorge Martin, regularly contributing sound. performer and live audio engineer;
• Daniel Corral (Music MFA 07), composer, musician and associate director of SASSAS (2013 – 18).

Together, this team has carefully selected a roster of participating artists. Included among them are CalArtians Corey Fogel (Music MFA 04), Tanya Haden Black (Film/Video MFA 98), Albert Ortega (Music MFA 05) and Vinny Golia, a faculty member in The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts. Other performers include Joe Berardi, Bobb Bruno, Renee Petropoulous, Rick Potts, Tom Recchion, William Roper, Andy Skyora, Gabie Strong, Rich West and Vetza and Kira Vollman.

SASSAS supports experimental art and sound practices in the Greater Los Angeles area with a wide range of music programs and events. After this month’s final sound. concert, the organization shifts its focus to organizing its archives. 

The SASSAS event also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Culver City Performing Arts Program. (SASSAS is a 2019 grantee of the arts program.) 

The event will take place from 1 – 6:30 pm and is free of cost. More information can be found on the SASSAS website.