Watch a live hardware jam with Bosconi Gang Band and A Guy Called Gerald
TweetManifattura Tabacchi is a former cigar and cigarette production site that is having a renaissance thanks to an innovative urban regeneration project.
Back in June, Italy’s Bosconi Records crew rocked up there for a live hardware jam session featuring an array of musicians from the label including Fabio Della Torre on the mixer and Dukwa, Ennio Colaci, Herva, Mass Prod, Rufus, The Clover on instruments, with the special participation of UK hero and close label mate A Guy Called Gerald.
Recently releasing the live jam results on wax, we were keen to know more on the making of the project and requested the Bosconi gang capture their recording process via a further look into crew member’s role and photo and video diary. Check the results out below.
A Guy Called Gerald:
I use Propellerhead’s Reason software. It’s the environment I like to create in. It’s very open and allows me to operate like how I would operate in a terrestrial recording studio.
Dukwa (Numbers / Dukwa Music)
Roland Tr-8s is a very important thing in my live set as Dukwa but with the Bosconi gang I used it as a simple drum cause it should be fast and controllable.I played kicks and different groove on our jams and i enjoyed playing with my closest friends in a stunning location!
Herva (Planet Mu / Delsin)
For a project like The Big Mob at manifattura an mpc was perfect. The Akai ninja is perfect when I need a fast, easy to use, dependable sampler/sequencer. Also I’m a drummer so those thick pads brings out the best from me.
Rufus (Bosconi / Nightdrivers)
I used an Akai MPC 1000 and a DX2000 Yamaha, the two gears I’m more confident with, nice & easy to program quickly while I’m jamming with my mates and plenty of my homemade sounds, midi tracks and sequences. From the MPC I contributed to the session mainly with drum sounds and spooky samples while the DX200 is always the right machine to drop out fat bass lines, psychedelic arpeggios and some noisey accents.
Antonio Pecori (The Clover / Oltrarno)
During the jam session I used a Moog Sub Phatty and an Elektron Octatrack, personally two of the most indispensable instruments of my studio. I played live the Moog for fat basses or for various lead solo sounds. Sometimes I sequenced it with the Octatrack because it’s a great sequencer. In other takes of the jam I dropped out some samples with the Elektron to join the groove with swingy elements of drum or cut voices.
Mass Prod (Bosconi / Wo Land)
I Used my classic live equipment, sp303, tg33 and nord lead , sequenced by ipad. Sprinkled some cinematic effects through max msp and concatenative synthesis!
Ennio Colaci (Minimono)
I like to use the MPC because it is similar to a real instrument, I like to sample anything and use the sample in a completely different context from the original; sampling is a fundamental part of all electronic dance music and in some way during the ’90s, especially in England, it had a revolutionary meaning, not only artistic, but also political. From break beat, to hardcore, from raves, to clubs – sampling has changed the way we experience dance music. Playing the MPC also has a lot to do with the rhythmic part of a track and being a drummer as a training I find it the most suitable electronic instrument for my personal Experience.
Fabio Della Torre
I was mixing the whole Jam on a motorized mixer Behringer X32, the one they have supplied at Manifattura tabacchi. Despite it being not really straightaway at the start, I became more confident in using it, optimizing the overall sound, and taking care of the execution and recording of the parts. I always trying to make the most of what seemed to me to be the best ideas. It was quite useful for the recording as we were also able to map volume and EFX automations.
Bosconi Gang Band’s Big Mob At Manifattura Tabacchi LP is out now on Bosconi Records.
Buy it here.
