Peter Stopschinski CD Release

As Peter Stopschinski explains it, about a year ago, his friend and co-conspirator in the Golden Hornet Project Graham Reynolds suggested that Stopschinski make an album of instrumental music that was just for Stopschinski's personal pleasure. So he did, and tonight at the North Door, he'll unveil the results in a free live show.

The event, which bucks music-scene tradition with a start time when the sun is still visible (7:30pm), features short sets by a host of musical projects in which Stopschinski is involved: the country band Chablis; the award-winning Western operetta created with the Rude Mechs, I've Never Been So Happy; alternate-universe Hall and Oates Gus Tenderfoot and Garry Stardle; his arrangement of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring for solo piano (to be played on his niece's baby grand); and, of course, the art-punk band at the heart of it all, Brown Whörnet.

The performance's content, however, runs counter to the spirit of the new CD itself, which is the rare recording in which Stopschinski isn't engaged in some sort of collaboration. Taking to heart Reynolds' suggestion that he please himself – as well as a fortune cookie message he received that read: "Now would be a good time to improve your musical ability" – Stopschinski came up with a list of qualities that excited him in the work of alt-classical musicmakers such as Bang on a Can's Todd Reynolds, Wilco's Glenn Kotche, contemporary string-quartet composer Gabriel Prokofiev, and his buddy Graham: intervals of a minor third, rounds, repetition, juxtaposition, ternary forms. Then he began composing instrumental works using those qualities as a foundation, and after he'd dashed off four dozen or so, he found 13 that he thought would fit well together, and those were recorded for Now Would Be a Good Time. (And Stopschinksi won't be ignoring the new compositions at his CD release; he's promised to play some piano trios with percussionist Chuck Fischer and bassist Hen3ry Q Vines.) The recording is, as Stopchinski describes it, "a sonic adventure" and reveals his breadth and versatility as an alt-classical composer. And tonight's live performance shows just broad Stopschinski's interests and abilities are outside the classical realm.

The CD release party for Now Would Be a Good Time is tonight, May 3, 7:30pm, at the North Door, 502 Brushy. Doors open at 7pm, Admission is free!