Tabula Rasa answers a craving many artists have to cross-fertilize in an improvisational setting. The first part, from 6-8pm, is a video and art show, a retrospective of the past five years of staging this experiment. At 8pm the show begins, with seven old time jazz musicians, famous in the local scene, improvising while seven dancers also improvise, a painter paints live, a camera person’s live video is filtered and projected, in a stage-lit warehouse in the middle of Union Square, Somerville. In the second half, those from the audience like musicians (bring your instruments!), dancers, actors or performance artists of any kind are invited to join in the performance. Visual artists are invited to draw or paint at large tables at any time. Beer and wine will be served.
Category Archives: Event
HEADBONE – January 26th 2018
HeadBone happened! This was Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment’s first retrospective art opening and performance.
Friday, January 26, 2018: We had our first Art and Video Retrospective Opening at 6pm. Preparing for it involved lots of sewing of cloth to paper, as Catherine innovated a scroll technique using cloth sleeves and dowels.
At 8pm the performance experiment began. The dancers had invented some new “structures” which we announced to the audience as we had in prior TR’s. Audience seemed to appreciate it, although some found the ideas a little mundane. That’s the thing about structures.. the stucture itself isn’t the poetry. It’s the cookie cutter, the wax mold for the sculpture that will result.
This time the musicians circled the space, creating surround sound for the audience. They created beautiful, evocative worlds despite being stuck in the dark the whole night. The dark- that was a mistake. They are all so gorgeous, no one would have wanted them to be invisible.
Karen Klein wove words that evoked a wet forest, or a puzzle the dancers fit into, seamlessly.
Musicians included Stan Strickland, John Voigt, Russ Gershon, Syd Smart, Scott Getchell and Josh Rosen;
Dancers included Lani Nahele, Carlie Silva, Natalie Eggert, Catherine Musinsky, Chien Hwe, Emily Jerant-Hendrikson and Sara June.
The painter: Tamar Etingen.
Poet: Karen Klein.
HeadBone 1.6.18 from Catherine Musinsky on Vimeo.
Here’s what happened after intermission, when members of the audience joined in:
Produced by Catherine Musinsky, as always (so far)
Where it took place:
WAREHOUSE XI
11 Sanborn Court
Somerville, MA
For more info on upcoming experiments or other work, text or call
Catherine at 617-223-7822
or email her at catemuse@gmail.com
THANK YOU, WAREHOUSE XI and SOMERVILLE ARTS COUNCIL!
ESCAPE – 9.28.2017
Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment returned to Warehouse XI on September 28, 2017.
Russ Gershon (sax, of Either/Orchestra & Lookie Lookie), joined us, as did Syd Smart, Chien Hwe (dance, 1000Virtues), Stan Strickland (voice, alto sax, flute), Andreas Agiorgitis (tango), Josh Rosen (piano, ZiggleZaggle music), Werner Grundl (video), Julie O’Neil (photography), Callie Chapman (dance, Zoë Dance, Studio@550), Giuseppe Paradiso (drums), Stephen Petrilli (lighting), John Voigt (bass, spoken word), Tamar Etingen (live art), and Catherine Musinsky (dance).
The second half of the show was lit up by a 5 year old girl named Faith who joined the dancers onstage, along with Catherine’s 
mother, Bonny Musinsky, 84. The music was stunning as always, and the painting by Tamar Etingen was fantastic to watch unfold with the performance.
I’ll post some video as soon as it’s ready.
Supported by the Somerville Arts Council and Warehouse XI, Tabula Rasa is an open experiment in improvisational performance at a spacious and welcoming warehouse in Union Square, Somerville. A recently converted warehouse, Warehouse XI has a rough hewn quality and sheer size make creative minds go wild. It is located right behind Journeyman restaurant in the alley between the Independent and Bronwyn’s restaurants in Union Square, Somerville.
TRANSPARENT – April 8, 2017
This past April the great RUSS GERSHON, of Either/Orchestra and Lookie Lookie joined us for the first time; along with revered Boston percussionist Syd Smart; limpid dancer Chien Hwe; power mover Emily Jerant-Hendrickson; drumming wiz from Italy via Berkeley, Giuseppe Paradiso; and lucky to have had the amazing lighting designer, Todd Sargent. The glorious singer, Gabriela Martina, joined us; as did the exquisite dance phenom and ZoeDance director, Callie Chapman; and floutist extraordinaire Matt Samolis! I forgot to mention in the credits the awesome Scott Getchell, who played flugelhorn that squealed in opening of the video above. Josh Rosen, the incredible jazz composer and keyboardist joined us, as did the dancer/poet/professor, Karen Klein, and finally, Catherine Musinsky, Tabula Rasa producer and director, danced, directed, and projected filters for Werner Grundl and Julie O’Neil‘s live video.
Werner posted the full video of the first half here and the second half here.
No one regretted coming.
APOCALYPSO! January 14, 2017
On Saturday 1/14/2013 at 8pm Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment presented APOCALYPSO!
We filled our cups before inauguration.
Boston’s finest Jazz and World musicians (Stan Strickland, Syd Smart, Bob Toade, Gabriela Martina, Scott Getchell, and Jason McCool), dancers (Callie Chapman, Catherine Musinsky, Aaron Brando, Chien Hwe, and Callie Chapman), artists (Tamar Etingen), and poets (Karen Klein, Julie Ann Otis and Daniel Kinsey) journeyed through a transcendent evening where sound, cadence, composition, rhythm, movement, poetry, and one another were all that mattered. It was a a beautifully lit night of improvisatory performance, and some of the audience joined in the second half.
A party followed as we ate delicious split pea soup to Stan’s dulcet tones.
Thanks, Somerville Arts Council and Warehouse XI, for your generous support!
WAREHOUSE XI:
11 Sanborn Ct., Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143.
Tubular Pasta – September 23, 2016
Tabula Rasa partnered with SOUL SESSIONS to produce a festival called RAISE THE ROOF: Tubular Pasta happened on Friday, 9/23 in Union Sq and Soul Sessions on Saturday, 9/24 in Central Square.
On September 23, 2016, Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment presented TUBULAR PASTA, an improvisational spectacle that as always invited artists in the audience to participate in the structured improvisation of the second half. The first half featured an improvisational performance by world renowned artists including Stan Strickland, Syd Smart and Andy Blickenderfer, music ensemble; Emily Jerant Hendrickson, Jordan Jamil Ahmed, Benjamin Alexander Korta, Chien-Hwe and Catherine Musinsky, dance; Tamar Etingen and Catherine Musinsky, painting; Todd Sargent, lights; and projected, effect filtered video shot by Brynmore Williams and Werner Grundl and photos, below, by Julie O’Neil.
Exerpt edited by Catherine Musinsky:
Full Show:
Sol Sandwich 6.23.16
Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment in: Sol Sandwich from Catherine Musinsky on Vimeo.
Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment in: Sol Sandwich
June 23. 2016 at Warehouse XI
DANIEL ORLANSKY at the DIDGERIDOO,
SYD SMART at the PERCUSSION SET
STAN STRICKLAND at SAX along with
MATT SAMOLIS on FLUTE and
JASON McCOOL on TRUMPET.
Dancers include
LANI NAHELE,
JORDON JAMIL AHMED,
CATHERINE MUSINSKY,
NEIGE CHRISTENSON,
BENOIT AUBERTIN, and
NELSON TETREAULT!
Painter is JOAN GREEN!
Video backdrop, “feedback loop” by Werner Grundl. Live video feed shot by Werner Grundl, filtered through Isadora and projected.
In the second half we are joined by audience painter Tamar Etingen, stilt-walker David Sharpe, bassist Jon Voigt and keyboardist and percussionist Bob Toade and many others!
This surely was a
m a g i c a l s u m m e r e v e n i n g.
June 23rd, 8pm, Warehouse XI, 11 Sanborn Court,
Thanks to The Somerville Arts Council for their tremendous support!
Synesthesia Excerpts 2.19.16
Synesthesia Excerpts from Catherine Musinsky on Vimeo.
Now supported by the Somerville Arts Council, Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment brings together talents of all stripes, including music, dance, poetry, video and lighting. We meet in the finest Warehouse in town, Warehouse XI, equipped with a few simple instructions to structure the evening. The evening unfolds, all improvised but contained within the basket of our mutual attunement, translating between the senses, Synesthesia. Every uncharted moment suspends and expands the moment that just passed.
February, 2016, at the home of our sponsor, the great Warehouse IX
Up With The Moon Excerpts, September 27, 2015
Performance Excerpts, Up with the Moon from Catherine Musinsky on Vimeo.
On September 27, 2015, Tabula Rasa Multidisciplinary Experiment converged with the Blood Moon, an uncanny lunar eclipse. Here are some excerpts from that performance.
Come As You Be 5.27.15
Rehearsal Before May 27, 2015 from Catherine Musinsky on Vimeo.
This two camera shoot of the rehearsal prior to May 27th show, Come As You Be. Dancers include Catherine Musinsky, Lani Nahele, Jared Williams, Jimena Bermejo, Joe Burgio and Katerine Gagnon. Musicians include Matt Samolis, Syd Smart, Daniel Orlansky and Jason McCool.