I’ve long felt that Nick Butcher of Sonnenzimmer is not only a great screenprinter, but it one of the most inventive musicians in Chicago. With his latest project he has again teamed up with Portland’s Hometapes to create an instrumental work of art. Free Jazz Bitmaps, Volume One is a process-based publication in the form of a series of lathe-cut 7”records culminating in a 12” vinyl LP release. The architecture of this inaugural volume is provided by Hometapes musical and visual artist Nick Butcher. Songs created by Butcher will come to life throughout 2011 in six bi-monthly editions of ten lathe-cut records each made in an edition of 10. The collection will ultimately be featured on vinyl LP, alongside reinterpretations of those songs by renowned Chicago improvisers Jason Adasiewicz, Tim Daisy, Keefe Jackson,Mike Reed, Jason Reobke, and Jason Stein.
The entire project will be available digitally through bandcamp.