KPFA-FM Music Dept. ➔ Jim Nollman’s Cigarette Piece (1973)
Analog Audio
Event Type
MusicOrigin
KPFAIdentifier
AM.1973.08.20Program Length
15 minDates
1973-08-20 | broadcast| 1973-08-20 | created
Description
Composer Jim Nollman of San Francisco, well known for his work with inter-species music, was also a member of the avant-garde group Music Music. This program is a recording made during the eighth night of his conceptual work, entitled “Cigarette Piece”, which was performed live over KPFA in 1973. The piece is scored for ten cigarette smokers and each night’s performance lasted as long as it took each of them to finish one cigarette. In this performance one smoker whirls a noisemaker for the duration that smoke is in his lungs. In addition three other smokers each ring a bell for the length of time each one inhales smoke. Three others performers exhale against suspended wind chimes, while the final three sound a gong each time they flick an ash. For perhaps the only time in the history of cancer causing chemicals, this “Cigarette Piece” lives up to the old adage of it being smooth and tasting great. (from KPFA Folio)Genres
Avant-gardeNew music
Musical Selections
Cigarette Piece [excerpt] (1973) / Jim NollmanSubjects
Avant-garde (Music)New music
Conceptual art
Acknowledgment
Funding for the preservation of this program made possible through a grant by the GRAMMY Foundation.Related places
Berkeley (Calif.) (was recorded at)Berkeley (Calif.) (was broadcast at)
Related Entities
Music Music (Musical group)Nollman, Jim