Joshua Carro
Composer
Joshua michael carro (b. 1982 – ) is a versatile multimedia artist, percussionist, sound designer, producer, teacher, and composer based in Los Angeles, CA. carro’s current work continues to develop new methods of modular composition for instruments of any kind with the extension of electro-acoustic and visual elements. Aside from his research in sound design, composition, production, music technology, North Indian Classical Tabla, and social artistic behavior, carro has performed in countless spaces and recordings across the U.S., Canada, and Europe with sound work performances and commissions by The Futurist Intoners in The Cleveland Museum of Art, Singapore Art Science Center, Laurie Anderson, Rat Bastard, Ehnahre, Blood Oath, UC Berkeley Cellist Ensemble, Wild Rumpus, What’s Next? Ensemble, Now Hear Ensemble, Pianist Vicki Ray, and Harpist Susan Allen. While holding a disciplined versatile artistic practice carro performs in BLOOD OATH (Los Angeles) with Ulrich Krieger (Lou Reed, Metal Machine Trio, Sonic Youth). Described as an “extreme physical entity” BLOOD OATH is the first ever experimental noise-metal saxophone-drum duo, opening up new paths, and defining abstract metal that combines dark ambient, harsh noise, doom and death metal with free improvisation. As of 2017 carro \ became a core member of Ehnahre the extreme metal ensemble and contemporary composition collective based in Boston, Massachusetts. Their music incorporates elements of Contemporary classical music, Aleatoric music, Doom metal, and Death metal, and utilizes extended techniques, aleatoric rhythms, aspects of Serialism, elements from free improvisation, contemporary chamber music, and extreme metal styles. Since 2011 carro’s solo project [[[personablack]]] has been the main focus of his sound and artistic research. [[[personablack]]] is a solo electro-acoustic drumming project that cross-pollinates with many musical and artistic genres from antiquity to modern experimental noise and sound design. Integrating an extended use of Abelton Live, Max for Live, and Isotonik Studios software, this project has a promise and potential to become the next wave of musical and artistic evolution. With over 150 compositions and 30 albums, carro’s work has been performed and broadcast all over the world and has been described as “Both cuts destroy the opposition, and will flatten you as surely as a falling boulder flattens Wile E. Coyote.” Besides performance and composition carro’s sound design and artistic consultation work for film and television have been published, recorded and licensed at Warner Bros., Capitol Records, T.V. Stand Studios, XI Records, H.L.M., Somehow Recordings, Vent, and Ephem-Aural. His recent awards include Verdant Vibes Call for Scores (RI) 2018, THE EAR Call for scores (NYC) 2018, Radiophrenia Call for Radio Works (Glasgow,UK) 2017, Musinfo Call for Multimedia Works (Bourges,France) 2017, James Tenney New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble Call for Scores Post Card Series 2017, Fresno State New Music Ensemble Call for Scores 2017, and Syros Sound Residency in Athens, Greece 2016. As an educator carro has taught and lectured on the subjects of Drum kit recording/sound production techniques, Sound Acoustics, Chamber Music, Doom metal, Tabla and Tala Systems, and Musical Composition/Theory at California Institute of the Arts. carro’s work ultimately strives to find a deeper and deeper level of artistic creativity and exploration with the hope of expanding the art of drumming, technology, and innovation.