Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 15, 2002)
---------- A 8 M ay 15, 2002 ThE CI ac I camas P rìnt To the beat of a very different drum Ken Butler brings his unique art and music to Clackamas only a hybrid of instrument and strange object, but also of Staff Writer string and percussion. The first number was called For almost 25 years, Ken “Par 12,” and Butler played Butler has been creating an instrument made from a instruments made from axes, golf club and one guitar telephones, gardening tools string. He picked the string to and a plethora of other unusu produce a whiny guitar sound, al items. He has formed a and banged on various parts career around his unique tal of the club to create rhythm. ent, and his work has sent him His second song, “Untengo,” from Amsterdam to Thailand was played on a two-stringed and finally to Clackamas violin made from the end of a Community College. cane. He then played On May 11, as a tribute to “Building a Desert Wizard” the artists that recently on a small snow shovel that adorned our campus with he’d formed into a guitar. their engaging sculptures, From there, Butler’s instru Ken Butler took the stage. His ments grew more unusual and brother John Butler accompa elaborate. His next tune was nied him on the guitar, while played on a combination of a Martin Zarzar played the cane, a metal tennis racket, a drums. Butler calls his cre vegetable slicer, some hair ations “hybrid instruments. pins, and various other items. Most of my instruments come I was amazed by the myriad from off the street,” he of different sounds that this admits. His inventions are not conglomeration emitted. SHADRA BEESLEY The finale was entitled “Icon Ergonomics,” and Butler began it playing a hockey stick attached to a wooden tennis racket and adorned with bits of saw blades, a plastic comb, a spring-style door stopper, and several other small objects. I heard noises resembling car horns, old-fashioned telephones, and some almost human sounds. Throughout the last song, Butler switched instruments frequently, playing an umbrella, a violin bow, a knife, a paint brush, tooth brush, the zipper on his pants, his own head and nose, and a “viberband” (a long, flat piece of rubber that sounds amazingly like a trumpet.) Following the performance, Butler presented a slide show containing pictures of instru ments made from bike seats, plastic guns, coat hangers, chairs, sleds, pool cues,, and all sorts of other unexpected objects. When Butler is asked if all of his instruments are playable he responds, “what is playable?” or “what is music?” Butler’s career in creating hybrid instruments began when he noticed that many objects resemble the bodies of instruments. He admits that his work is creat ed primarily for visual rea sons, and often refers to his instruments as “sculptures”. You can visit Butler’s website, Hybrid Visions, at www.mind- spring.com/~kbhybrid/. To reach Shadra Beesley e- mail shadrab@hotmail.com or drop by B-104 Above: Ken Butler (left) plays a tune on one of his hybrid Instruments made from a small snow shovel. At left: Ken Butler (right) jams on one of his hybrid instru ments with his brother John (left) and Martin Zarzar (cen ter) Photos by J J. PearsorvThe Clackamas Print QOUG a * CAFE College Pro Painters is now hiring Painters & Job Site Managers for the summer. A new dining experience MO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY Hrs.: Mon.-Thurs.-7 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Sat.-8:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Earn $8-$10 per hour Call 1-888-277-9787 www.collegepro.com Special^M Wednesday : Budget: Spinach Tortellini salad w/balsamic vinagrette Special: Oizo salad w/ asparagus and sesame marinated beef Grill: Patty melt w/ potato salad Thursday: Budget:: Baked potato bar Special: Grill: Baked potato bar K Grilled mushroom burger w/ swiss and potato tots Budget: Ala minute pastaprimavera Spedai: Julienne chicken, sage vegetables baked in parchment Tuna melt w/ french fries Grill: r L Mexican Omelette ] $4.00 [ 3:30 p.m.-6:30 j P-m. J x2411 A f LOOKING FOR WORKiNODUrfS AVAILABLE ON EVES. AND WEEKENDS. YOU CAN EARN YOUR j DEGREE AAOT at IN w&a '"A#
