Earlier, I mentioned a 1989 interview in which Zappa described a performance by John Cage:
A short time after that, John Cage came to Claremont College and he was giving one of his … he does these performances with a throat microphone. He’d put this thing on his throat and drink a quart of carrot juice, or read something to you while he was drinking the carrot juice. [1]
I suggested that Zappa was referring to a concert he attended at Bridges Hall at Pomona College (in Claremont, CA) on March 7, 1962 in which Cage and David Tudor performed Where Are We Going? And What Are We Doing? and Variations II. Neither of these pieces fits the carrot-juice description, so I thought I’d look into it a little more.
It seems that the piece to which Zappa refers is Cage’s 0’00”. This highly conceptual composition (if we may call it that) consists primarily of a single sentence with several additional clarifications:
IN A SITUATION PROVIDED WITH MAXIMUM AMPLIFICATION (NO FEEDBACK), PERFORM A DISCIPLINED ACTION.
WITH ANY INTERRUPTIONS.
FULFILLING IN WHOLE OR PART AN OBLIGATION TO OTHERS.
NO TWO PERFORMANCES TO BE OF THE SAME ACTION, NOR MAY THAT ACTION BE THE PERFORMANCE OF A “MUSICAL” COMPOSITION.
NO ATTENTION TO BE GIVEN THE SITUATION (ELECTRONIC, MUSICAL, THEATRICAL).
10-25-62
THE FIRST PERFROMANCE WAS THE WRITING OF THIS MANUSCRIPT (FIRST MARGINATION ONLY). [2]
Since the piece wasn’t written until October of 1962, it seems unlikely that Cage performed 0’00” at the concert in Claremont. As it turns out, one Ellsworth Snyder’s description of a 1965 performance of 0’00” at the Harper Theater in Chicago seems to fit the bill perfectly:
Cage had vegetables which he cut up, the sounds made audible with contact microphones. He then put the cut-up vegetables into a blender, made juice, and then drank the juice, the drinking sounds amplified by a throat microphone. Snyder also recalls that Cage lit a cigarette and smoked a bit. He characterizes the performance as “gracious – it wasn’t abrupt or elongated to be melodramatic.” [3]
One of two midnight shows on November 26 and 27, 1965, the concert was a collaboration with members of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), featuring appearances of the Joseph Jarman Quintet and the Roscoe Mitchell Quartet. (Tickets were only $3.50!) To the right is an ad that ran in the local paper, The Hyde Park Herald, on November 24, 1965. [4]
I think it pretty unlikely that Zappa was in attendance at the concert himself. He would have been too busy in L.A. with various early incarnations of The Mothers during the second half of 1965. How he would have heard of the Cage performance, then, remains something of a mystery. There was a review of the concert in Down Beat [5] which I haven’t yet had a chance to check out. I’ll report back when I do. If the article mentions carrot juice, I think we’ll have a winner! Until then…
UPDATE (December 11, 2009):
Reading through old issues of the Los Angeles Free Press, I discovered another potential source for Zappa’s recollection. Click here to read all about it!
Pingback: mink like fun fur hat faux fur fake fur vintage hat winter hat dawn mink hat with elastic band()
Pingback: tommy hilfiger damska kurtka jeansowa vienna()
Pingback: high quality brand sun glasses mens fashion evidence sunglasses designer eyewear for mens womens sun glasses new glasses good()
Pingback: SOLADA Gonna a ruota con pence Con Cerniera Tinta Unita Al Ginocchio 00037917 XMEKOQO()
Pingback: crochet hat pattern winter beanie with double pom pom()
Pingback: toldos cortinas de rolo pre莽o toldos paraty()
Pingback: lacoste white jouer 316 1 098()
Pingback: x juicy couture stretch velvet tracksuit by vetements la gar莽onne()
Pingback: botas mujer invierno calentar piel forro planos botines nieve ante botita medianas ankle boots antideslizante el谩sticos()
Pingback: the north face girls elisa down parka mountain steals()
Pingback: VANS Sneakers Nero canvas slip on punta tonda tinta unita 11587216XF()
Pingback: toy story disney pixar boys 3d enhanced comics 16 school bag backpack()
Pingback: ladies disney princess vans uk()
Pingback: best polo slippers for sale in basingstoke for 2019()
Pingback: genuine adidas yeezy boost 700 black sample room pdx origines 24927127 fw17 matthew george b75576 adidas()
Pingback: Sandals wallet chains()
Pingback: black off white striped off shoulder romper 1 larger photo()
Pingback: maddy myv bring me the horizon t shirt h m chocker handmade()
Pingback: adidas sneakers vigor 3 sneaker()
Pingback: adidas running shoes on sale adidas alphabounce em ctd shoes black()
Pingback: adidas ultra boost mid kith sneakers price in saudi arabia()
Pingback: hashtag on twitter()
Pingback: Dickies Hombres Zapatillas de deporte New Jersey in gris talón Einschlupfhilfe Logo parche de cuero en la lengua()
Pingback: bongo womens hat cabby newsboys bling embellished cap()
Pingback: Veja V 10 W Calzado bajas blanco rosa suela de goma estructurada estilo de vida retro SO15I00306()
Pingback: chunky knit port cardigan()
Pingback: amazing deal on womens nike air max 95 barely rose hot punch()
Pingback: chlo茅 profumi e colonie()
Pingback: buy ishin beige pink art silk woven design bhagalpuri saree()
Pingback: fendi handbags fendi brown tan leather print passport holder()
Pingback: vestido de ni帽a de piqu茅 flores rojas y verdes ahorratex()
Pingback: shimano sh mountain bike cycling shoes w spd cleats us mens 6 eu 39 look()
Pingback: chanel medium large classic flap and bags ive recently sold why()
Pingback: robe cocktail argent茅e()
Pingback: very attractive lithuanian model in bra and panties()
Pingback: reebok grinch instapump size 8.5 womens. m()
Pingback: ceinture femme cuir rouge()
Pingback: prada mens satchel bag()
Pingback: nike mercurial superfly vi academy mg mens football boots white metallic cool grey()
Pingback: lyst womens fenn wright manson jumpsuits online sale()
Pingback: soldes chaussures adidas yeezy boost 350 femme officiel pas cher fr()
Pingback: herschel nova mini 9l amazon.co.uk sports outdoors()
Pingback: abito giallo turchese modello a sirena con ruches dal sapore vintage()
Pingback: vente sortie adidas tissu homme noir sport baskets()
Pingback: shop adidas adidas originals 3 stripes dress online on zalora()
Pingback: flash coral white peach asics gt 1000 5 womens flash coral()
Pingback: d谩mska mikina nike d谩mske mikiny()
Pingback: spangle ty beanie baby stars and stripes bear 1999 retired()
Pingback: compre blusas de manga comprida feminina online()
Pingback: mlb nba nfl goods shop nike jordan nike jordan ultra fly 2 ultra()