On this installment, we dig deeper into the work of Cafe OTO, a venue located in East London that has become an international hub for underground and experimental music activity since starting back in 2008. In addition to operating a standard cafe, OTO hosts an adventurous live music program seven nights a week and has an additional flexible project space where artists can develop new work and where they can present workshops, talks, film screenings, installations and other work connected to OTO’s main live music program. Cafe OTO also operates an in-house record shop and a couple of in-house record labels, including the recently launched Takuroku that was created with the goal of supporting both artists and the venue during this period of lockdown due to the pandemic.
I recently had a chance to interview the Senior Producer at Cafe OTO, Fielding Hope, who is also the co-curator of the Counterflows Festival in Glasgow. We discuss how he came to be involved in booking shows in this area of music, how Cafe OTO has been adapting during these uncertain times, and how the pandemic has put into focus a number of new socio-political considerations tied to this area of music and the performing arts at large. In addition to this interview, you’ll hear several tracks and excerpts from a bunch of the new Takuroku releases, along with a few from their OTOroku imprint, throughout the show. Hope you enjoy this episode. Feel free to get in touch if you have any comments or questions. As always, thanks for looking and listening.
- ~Introductory Music: Steve Gunn “Spring In Brooklyn I” (excerpt) Spring In Brooklyn (TR005)
- Ashley Paul “Tomorrow Again Today” Window Flower (TR003)
- Floris Vanhoof “Falderiere” Falala Falderiere Falderaldera (TR028)
- ~Interview segment with Fielding Hope from Cafe OTO
- Phew “Stomping in the Dirt” Can You Keep It Down, Please? (TR023)
- Marianne Schuppe “trois (the snow it melts the soonest)” Two Songs and One (TR024)
- Jacken Elswyth “Scene 6, After Margaret Berry” Six Static Scenes (TR017)
- ~Interview segment with Fielding Hope from Cafe OTO
- Louis Moholo Octet ”You Ain’t Gonna Know Me ‘Cos You Think You Know Me” Spirits Rejoice! (ROKU(RE)004)
- Lol Coxhill / Joe McPhee / Chris Corsano / Evan Parker “Fourth Dance” Tree Dancing (ROKU021)
- ~Interview segment with Fielding Hope from Cafe OTO
- Toshimaru Nakamura “Nimb #62” (excerpt) Nimb #62 (TR012)
- Chik White “Cove By Mailbox” 207 (TR015)
- Malvern Brume “Gaps in the Persistent Hiss” (excerpt) Gaps in the Persistent Hiss (TR001)
- Ecka Mordecai “Mouth-a-boundary” Critique + Prosper (TR042)
- Red Brut “Not Live in Japan” (excerpt) Not Live in Japan (TR004)
- Astral Social Club “Acid Barf” (excerpt) Acid Barf (TR032)
- ~Closing Music: Steve Gunn “Spring In Brooklyn I” (excerpt) Spring In Brooklyn (TR005)
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