Performance Groups

Thingamajigs Performance Group (TPG)

TPG emerged from the long-term collaborations between individual artists that now make up its ensemble members. Using unusual musical instruments, TPG combines traditional Eastern sensibilities with modern American technologies and performance practices. Creating pieces in a group collaborative process that sometimes incorporate voice and multimedia elements, this ensemble of musicians expands and contracts within each performance situation.

The Thingamajigs Performance Group’s unique process of creating work is closer to that of theater companies or dance troupes rather than standard music ensembles. Instead of commissioning one composer to write music for which the ensemble will play, TPG creates each of its original works in a collaborative manner with each ensemble member and/or collaborating partner having equal creative input in guiding the work to fruition. The core ensemble members have been working together for over 10 years and have devised this unique system of creation through a deep musical and philosophical understanding that comes with years of working and developing together.

TPG specializes in works developed, created and performed in specific spaces and situations and have created major works and held partnerships with Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Headland Center for the Arts, Stanford Lively Arts, Theatre of Yugen, Museum of Art & History Santa Cruz, Mills College Music and Art Departments and Berkeley Art Museum the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

The core members of the Thingamajigs Performance group consist of Dylan Bolles, Keith Evans, Suki O’Kane, and Edward Schocker.

‘Fraid O’ Freyja

The alter-ego of Thingamajigs Performance Group, ‘Fraid O’ Freyja combines Just-intoned psychedelic, kraut rocked, tantric electricity with unique instrumentations and alternate tunings.

The group plans to release recordings of long-form group improvisations on vinyl and digital download.

  • Dylan Bolles -Just-intoned Wurllitzer Organ

  • Suki O’Kane -Drums

  • Edward Schocker -Guitar

Northern California Gagaku Group

The Northern California Gagaku Group was formed in 2009 under the direction of Rev. Dr. David Masumoto, resident minister of the Berkeley Buddhist Temple and Director of Contemporary Buddhist Studies at Berkeley’s Institute of Buddhist Studies. The group includes former students of master gagaku musician Togi Sensei and former members of Los Angeles’ Kinnara Gagaku, representing the coming together of gagaku musicians who have studied the music both in Japan and here in California. NCGG’s mission is to keep the thousand-year old music of gagku alive via ongoing practice sessions, workshops, and performances of gagaku at public, cultural, and religious events.

The Northern California Gagaku Group is in residence at the Berkeley Buddhist Temple and meets on the First Saturday (11:00am-1:00pm) and Last Wednesday (6:00-7:30pm) of the month. The group is open to people interested in learning traditional Japanese instruments.