ONOFFON - Music is
the Second Greatest Invention of the
Human Mind - Spin Records Staff Writer,
Maruhnissa Benford-Combs
"If a musical interpretation were given to
the directive "Stop/Change/Start," it would
express as the sonic database known as ONOFFON. This mercurial
trio could be a
living music library; in fact they have supplied a variety of
films with their wildly
experiential musings. Some call them off the wall, but even more
appropriately off
the planet, like some satellite randomly sequencing frequencies
and intelligently sorting
them into amusing creative inner landscapes. Moods run the gamut
of screwball to erotic
to exquisite. Play them in your car, and you feel like you're
starring in your own movie.
Such is the visual poetry and character stance of ONOFFON.
In this case, it does take three to tango: Von Babasin
- on bass and vocals, Don Lake -
guitars, harmonica, vocals, and Dave Goode - drums and percussion.
ONOFFON is a
group to watch for indie street smarts. They are all over the
place, including radio play
on eclectic broadcasters such as Music Monster Network, Cosmic
Radio, Worldwide
Radio, Critic's Carnival (UK), to name just a few. This trio is
an experiment that works;
with technical, musical, performance talent and vision like this,
breakthroughs in
multimedia are not only expected, but demanded. As Babasin says
of the possibilities
for indie music and the Internet, "It has opened a door that
gives us hope. The sky's the
limit." ONOFFON is navigating this realm as fast as the speed
of sound at sea level.
An interesting note is that Von is the offspring
of Harry Babasin, an unsung hero of
jazz pizzicato on cello, whose prodigious work can be found in
the sonic archives of
connoisseur label Nocturne. He was a major player in the melting
pot phenomenon
known as "West Coast jazz," which found the first inventions
of its voice in the 1930's.
He is said to have played on over 1,500 recordings (see the All
Music Guide). Von has
CDs of his father playing with Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, Benny
Goodman, just to
name a few. Harry is also credited with helping to create the
bossa nova style of jazz in
1952, ten years before the famous "Girl of Ipanema"
in the '60's. He also appeared in a
movie with Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo, A Song is Born, which
showcased many of
the jazz aristocracy of the day. Von holds the key to over 400
hours of these gems and
is intent on making a cyber-museum and digital library of this
rare music.
The elusive rhythmatist David Goode financed his
way through Percussion Institute of
Technology playing Top 40 gigs, and is thrilled at working his
chops in the experimental,
open-minded atmosphere of ONOFFON. He seems to be of the "less-is-more"
school of
sensitivity, which does a great service to the total effect. A
percussionist for 30 years,
Goode is focusing his attention through the medium of an electric
"Zen drum." The
eclectic influences of rhythm pioneers Trilok Gurtu, Terry Bozzio
and Buddy Rich have
led him to the path of promoting solo drum music as a legitimate
art in and of its own.
Of Goode's trio work with ONOFFON, one can "expect the unexpected
at live shows
from me." Apparently, he gives good back rubs (must be all
that drumming), but is bad
with words and can't dance. Oh, well, as if being a beat shaman,
isn't enough.
The hands and mind behind the magic guitar presence
belong to Don Lake, who
describes himself as floating in the middle sea (middle C, get
it?). Lake is an endless
fount of presence, answering creative inquiry with a reflection
of the question. When
asked of live performance, the response is cutting and clear,
"Hire actors and dancers
to shake it and pander to the TV mentality. The musicians are
here to go deeper into it."
It is an apropos statement from a man who names his major influence
as Beethoven.
"Beethoven, Bach, those great composers were giants in humanity,
they tapped into a
divine world and were able to call forth inklings of remembrance
to those who listen,"
he says. Music, coming from the timeless, transcends time. Great
art lends a glimpse
into the reality of this moment, a point from which ONOFFON's
art derives its powerful
beauty; the observer becomes the subject. True to his voice, Lake
suggests that,
"music is the second greatest invention of the human mind."
What is the first?
"Look around."
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© Copyright 1997-2000 ONOFFON
Productions
First date online: Mar. 11, 1997
