Kit’s milestone performance, 2001 at the Gathering concert series, Philadelphia, hosted by Chuck van Zyl of Star’s End.

The Gathering, Set 1

1. Morning Mothra

2. The Aftermath of Neglect

3. Melrose Cavern

4. The Upper Regions of Space

5. Tone 10

6. Nairam (by Philip Catherine)

The Gathering, Set 2

1. Evening Mothra

2. The Metamorphosis of Truth

3. The Infinity of Three

4. Angels We Have Known

5. Song for Russia

6. The Parting of Ways

7. The Soft Caress of Freedom

CREDITS

Kit Watkins: electronic wind instrument, keyboard, flute, electronic drum pad, waterphone, tongue drum, percussion, looping devices, pre-recorded backing tracks on some pieces.

REVIEWS

The wind instrument gives Kit the opportunity to play more passionate and he can bring all his emotion into the music. It is amazing how much feeling Kit can bring into his music. Electronic music often becomes dry and mechanic, but Watkins proves it is possible to create warm electronic soundscapes. —Douwe Fledderus, progVisions

The concert was incredibly well received by the audience. Watkins had provided an impressive and comprehensive evening of music: spacemusic that was intelligent and transported the listener inward right alongside more arranged melodic music whose style and physicality never took over as content. . . and most areas in-between. —Chuck van Zyl, Star’s End

Recorded live at the 25th annual event of the same name in March of 2001, this collection of twelve solo pieces performed by Watkins showcases the man’s mastery of electronic music, and his in-depth knowledge of musical form. Each piece on the entire two CD set is a solid, self-contained work; a complete statement on and of its own. —Fred Puhan, Ambient Visions

I could not believe that Watkins had not performed live in 20 years. He appeared in midseason form. His performance was so refined, disciplined, and flawless that one would have thought he’d been practicing the music and the motions in preparation for last night every night for the entire 20 years. At times, I would close my eyes and swear I was hearing Mark Isham playing his trumpet at his somber best, only with a layered sonic background reaching heavenly levels Isham has never obtained.” —soma611, from the SPACELIST

DOWNLOADS

The Gathering ~ Set 1     free download at Earth Mantra
The Gathering ~ Set 2    free download at Earth Mantra

The Gathering by Kit Watkins is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

SLIDESHOW ~ photos by Bill Forcier