biography
San Francisco-based Dimuzio is one of those unsung artistic figures whose influence and abilities have substantially outstripped his visibility. Composer, multi-instrumentalist, sound designer, experimental electronic musician, collaborator and mastering engineer - Dimuzio has been busy doing his thing(s) since the late 1980's, but is still only known to a small circle of electronic music enthusiasts. A true sonic alchemist who can seemingly create music events out of almost anything, Dimuzio's listed sound sources on his various releases include everything from "modified 10 speed bicycle" and "resonating water pipe" to short-wave radios, field recordings, loops, samplers and even normal instruments such as clarinet and trumpet. And while his wide range of musical interests make it impossible to pin a label on him, Dimuzio clearly has an insider's knowledge of older experimental musical forms such as musique concrete and electroacoustic, as well as more current dark ambient, industrial, noise and post-techno styles.
Since relocating from Boston to San Francisco in 1996, Dimuzio has become a fixture in the San Francisco bay area music scene, performing regularly while pioneering his live sampling and processing techniques using an ever-evolving array of electronics. Morphing the tools of the studio into a live musical instrument, Dimuzio's improvised performances unleash a raw sonic power into a real-time multilayered compositional domain typically associated with multitracked studio productions. Dimuzio has toured North America and Europe as a solo act and his live releases, Mono::Poly (Asphodel/Gench, 2002), Markoff Process (RRRecords, 1994), and the Gench Concert Archives (Gench, 2006) document a large number of his solo concerts. His studio-based releases include his acclaimed debut LP HEADLOCK (Generations Unlimited, 1989), the sonic wizardry behind his double CD Sonicism (RRRecords, 1997), early cassette works compiled on Louden (Odd Size, 1997), and Slew (RéR Megacorp, 2004), a compilation of compilation tracks spanning 14 years.
As a collaborator, Dimuzio has contributed to numerous artists and ensembles, such as Dimmer, Due Process, 5uu's, Negativland, Poptastic, Chris Cutler, Fred Frith, Dan Burke, Nick Didkovsky, David Lee Myers, Matmos, Wobbly, Tom Cora, and Paul Haslinger. Among his numerous live collaborative releases include, Golden State (with Chris Cutler and Fred Frith, RéR Megacorp, 2010), Quake (with Chris Cutler, RéR Megacorp, 1999), Dust (with Chris Cutler, RéR Megacorp, 2002), Hz (with Dan Burke, Sonoris, 1999), Upcoming Events (with Dan Burke, No Fun Productions, 2008), Ice Cream Time (with Nick Didkovsky and Arte Saxophone Quartet, New World Records, 2007), and Dimmer’s Remissions (Isounderscore, 2009). Collaborative studio-based works include Dimmer’s The Shining Path (Melon Expander, 2007), and Uncertain Symmetry (Korm Plastics, 2003) with David Lee Myers, Thigmotactic (Seeland. 2008) with Negativland’s Mark Hosler, Poptastic: The Teen-Pop-Noise Virus (Seeland 2008) with Chris Fitzpatrick, and Combine (RRRecords, 1994) with Due Process.
As a mastering engineer, Dimuzio has worked with independent artists and labels through his own Gench Studios since the early 1990’s. Among his numerous clients include Matmos, Negativland, ISIS, AMM, Captain Ahab, Doctor Nerve, Psychic TV3, Xiu Xiu, Devin Hoff, GG Allin, KK Null, Joey P, Fred Frith, Scott Amendola, and many others. In his past work as sound designer, Dimuzio has worked with a number of synthesizer and processor manufacturers such as Kurzweil, Lexicon, and OSC to create custom presets and samples libraries, and he has collaborated with Fred Frith and Tom Cora, and the Rova Saxophone Quartet to create sound libraries for Rarefaction and Big Fish Audio.
The future holds many new and exciting projects, including the release of several new guitar-intensive studio projects. Also on the horizon are new projects from Dimmer with Joseph Hammer, Due Process with John Wiggins, Zan Hoffman, and Ron Lessard, a new studio collaboration with Voice of Eye, a new project with Dan Burke, and a studio collaboration from afar with Anla Courtis. Plus new remixes and tracks are in the works for Sikhara, Moe! Staiano, and Kreamy ‘Lectric Santa, Zephabet, and the $100 Guitar Project.
Contact Thomas Dimuzio: dimuzio at gench.com
portions of the above text by William Tilland, All Music Guide
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