Drawing Music :: Portico Quartet

I fell in love with the music of Portico Quartet through the internet radio; I knew they were young musicians from United Kingdom and their music made me think of Steve Reich, The Cinematic Orchestra and The Lounge Lizards. There are also nostalgic, almost Rachmaninov-like melodies that thread through Portico's ambient, experimental jazz with hints of electronica. There are 3 hang drums (walnut-looking shapes on stands in the drawings below) that have unique sound.

*Drawn on my iPhone 
On view in MoMA NYC in augmented reality >

*Drawn on my iPhone
On view in MoMA NYC in augmented reality >

*Drawn on my iPhone

Two days ago I heard Portico Quartet is in New York, playing a show in Greenpoint at Coco66. Couldn't miss this one! Portico's live performance stunned me and my friends. There's a link below if you'd like to check out some new, beautiful sounds. This is their first US tour-they are pretty much unknown here (literally, less than 20 people showed up)-but I'm sure time will take care of that. Portico's new album Isla is solid good. It's exciting to have something so wholesomely beautiful, layered and sophisticated to listen to. Ahhh....

View a video of Portico Quartet

Looking ahead

*Drawn on my iPhone

Album Cover for a Toy Pianist

I was recently commissioned to do an album cover for a unique musician - a toy pianist! Her name is Phyllis Chen.

We first met virtually, after I posted my drawings of her from the Look & Listen Festival. 

Phyllis knew exactly what she wanted on her album cover-a carousel. I was only happy to oblige-I love drawing carousels! So we met one drizzling weekend in Bryant Park and Phyllis rode the carousel while I drew. And...here's her album cover illustration. Can't wait to see the final package and hear the album. I wish Phyllis much luck with it.

Paris :: Part 4 : Notre Dame de Paris

 

French for Our Lady Of Paris, Notre Dame is magnificent.

Since my childhood in Moscow, I fantasized about Notre Dame-a friend brought me a cardboard model of the Cathedral when I was about 10. The model I assembled lived on a bookshelf. Did I know then I'd be walking though this very Cathedral 20 years later?