BLXCK

BLXCK is an electronic group formed by Bay Area music producer Jeremy Black.  The impetus for the project was born out of an experimental music festival in Berlin that Black was invited to be part of in October of 2016.  The Michelberger Music Festival dubbed “Endless Nameless” was also the birthplace of the PEOPLE movement. Curated by Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), The Dessner Brothers (The National), Music Producer Ryan Olson (Gayngs/Marijuana Deathsquads), Blogotheque’s Vincent Moon and The husband and wife Berlin entrepreneur and hotel owner’s The Michelbergers, approximately 80 musicians, visual artist and producers were invited to live all expense paid at the Michelberger hotel in Berlin for 8 days.  The purpose was to come together, learn from each other and create without borders.   At the end of the week the artist performed together in various incarnation in various spaces at the famed Funkhaus studio in East Berlin.   Over 5000 people attended the event and the repercussions for everyone involved were mind altering to say the least.  The sense of community and family that came from the event was unlike anything many of the participants had ever encountered.  Upon returning from the event, Black had the idea to trying to create an ensemble that would represent in a microcosm the feelings of that week.  The group is essentially electronic based although sometimes incorporates more traditional instruments.  There has been a great deal of material generated over the past several months with the support of Justin Vernon who is overseeing the project and has graciously opened his April Base studio to Jeremy and the various collaborators involved.  A list that includes Jeremy’s San Francisco music partner, multi instrumentalist Trevor Brooks, Trumpeter and Noise artist Trever Hagen, Bon Iver synth wizard Andy Fitzpatrick, FJAAK, Sam Cohen, drummer Cody Rhodes, Ryan Olson and Vernon. There is also a plan in the works for a collaboration featuring Black, Sam Cohen and Darkside’s Dave Harrington in New York this fall.  The music created is predominately improvised although the string that ties everything together are 3 analog drum machines that Black travels with everywhere he goes.  The drum machines provide a starting point, cohesion and sensibility to the project that gives it an instantly recognizable sound and keeps the music dancing, an element that is fundamental to bringing joy to the audience and preventing the unfamiliarity from becoming alienating.   Black studied music,  primarily drums and music production at Berklee College of Music in Boston and has had a career in music since he was teenager playing drums on recording session in his native New York City.  He co-founded the psych pop group Apollo Sunshine and spent most of his 20s in a van touring the world.  After the band parted ways in 2010, Black opened Coyote Hearing Recording studio in Oakland California where he works primarily as a music producer.