CHEN SANTA MARIA
Jefferson Chopper/Great Society 7"
zum030/333-007
numbered green 1 through 49
numbered orange 50 through 109
The duo of George Chen and Steven Santa Maria document another phase in their collaboration of improvised sonic experiments. This co-release with 333 (7" single series that has worked with Deerhoof, Girltalk, Crack: We Are Rock) captures the band playing with rhythmic elements recorded with Brian Tester (Bulbs, Triangle) in pastoral Berkeley, CA. The pedals and effects used for this recording were stolen shortly afterward so this is the last of this type of sound, not by choice but necessity.
They toured Europe and UK in Spring 2010 (opening for Mount Eerie, High Places, Talk Normal, and Weasel Walter).
Numbered edition of 250.
"The surprise of the evening was Chen Santa Maria who hail from Oakland, CA (Oaktown represent!). With just a suitcase-encased synth, a drum machine, guitar and bass, Chen Santa Maria put on a set that was somewhere between Black Dice, Best Coast and Keith Fullerton Whitman. If that means nothing to you, their set began with some synth and guitar loop doodles, that progressively became more composed and rhythmic. Gradually it became fuzzier and fuzzier and ended up with an occasional 4/4 beat. While noise music can sometimes be very ‘in your face’ and/or annoying (read for: tapped out modes of confrontation), Chen Santa Maria created a thoughtful space that allowed the listener to enter slowly and with pleasure." -Carpe Berlin