RICKSPLUND
…is an improvising duo consisting of Steven Ricks (trombone, electronics) and Christian Asplund (viola, piano/keyboards, electronics). Click HERE to subscribe to the RICKSPLUND YouTube channel. The most recent manifestations of this duo involve one improvising on their particular acoustic instrument (trombone or viola, respectively), while the other improvises adding effects, samples, and loops created from the live instrument’s sound. The new, FIRST album by RICKSPLUND was released on October 4, 2022, and is available through Bandcamp HERE.
NEW, premiere release by RICKSPLUND…available for digital download or purchase of physical CDs through Bandcamp. To read the Eric Olson review of this album in Earshot Jazz, click HERE. Please enjoy.
RICKSPLUND expanded to become CRAG, improvisatory quartet featuring Vinny Golia (woodwinds), Ron Coulter (percussion and lo-fi electronics) and Ricks and Asplund, for two concerts in the Midwest in March 2024—one at Elastic Arts in Chicago, and another at MOXsonic in Warrensburg, MO hosted by Jeff Kaiser and others at the University of Central Missouri. Regrettably, due to unexpected weather delays, Ron didn’t make it to our Chicago performance :(, so the following video, archived on the Elastic Arts Website and YouTube channel, features GRA son of CRAG :) which is the Golia/Ricks/Asplund trio:
RICKSPLUND hosted guest composer/improviser Oğuz Büyükberber at BYU in September 2023 for a number of activities, including an evening concert on September 21, and a recording session the previous day with plans to release a trio recording in 2024. Following are three tracks from the September concert, performed/recorded in The Box, BYU Music Building.
RICKSPLUND at The Chapel, Good Shepherd Center, Seattle, WA. Friday, October 28, 2022—presented by Wayward Music Series and performing with Vanessa Skantze and Geist & the Sacred Ensemble. The first of two segments from the set that night.
RICKSPLUND with Greg Campbell at Gallery 1412 in Seattle, WA. Performance on Saturday, October 29, 2022. This is first of seven video segments from the performance that night.
In the Avant GaRAWge on Saturday, August 13, 2022…jumpsuits on, ready to rock…
A frequent RICKSPLUND collaborator, Ron Coulter, joined us on October 8, 2021, for some extended sets in the Springville Museum of Art (Springville, UT) sculpture exhibit “Off the Wall.” Here’s one of several videos of our improvisations there.
RICKSPLUND performing on the UTXtalk concert, Madsen Recital Hall, BYU, January 16, 2020. Video editing of the livestream capture (with some additions) by yours truly.
RICKSPLUND at the Urban Arts Gallery in SLC, performing on the Salty Cricket Composers Collective “Melange” concert, November 14, 2019.
This was RICKSPLUND’s performance at the March 12, 2019 AVANT VESPERS concert at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in downtown Provo, UT. This is an ongoing concert series started and curated by Christian Asplund which has featured several local and visiting artists.
Our colleague Michael Hicks wasn’t planning to present a piece on the Oct. 25, 2018 faculty recital, so I decided to present something on his behalf. I curated several loops and clips from recordings of his music for my setup, which inspired Christian’s improvisation, etc. etc. etc. Michael shot the video below with his iPad, and then I’ve included some audio-only from the concert.
RICKSPLUND with guest artist Vinny Golia in the Madsen Recital Hall, March 21, 2018.
RICKSPLUND with percussionist Ron Coulter at Casper College in Wyoming, May 3, 2017.
Performance at Salty Cricket Composers Collective "Just Duets" concert, Thursday, November 17, 2016. Urban Arts Gallery in SLC. Filmed by Eric Ringger.
RICKSPLUND at ISIM 2016, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. May 15, 2016.
"Panic at the Laurier..."
Here's one of our early/original performances with the amplified-viola-with-loops-effects setup, frequently called "VvioLla."
And several more, at various venues, from over the past several years...