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Above, Composer Jack Curtis Dubowsky (left), with a member of his ever-changing ensemble. Photo by Ben Coopersmith. 

The Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble, the truly odd and fascinating electro-acoustic trio, will be performing live at Third Eye Records in Long Beach at 8:00PM on August 9. This will be the JCDE’s first performance of 2014 and will premiere their collection of new work since 2013’s show, “Current Events.” Founder and composer Jack Curtis Dubowsky will be on synth, Scott Worthington (wasteLand new music group) on acoustic double bass and Alicia Byer on clarinet.

The trio will be performing “How I Got to Long Beach,” a three-part composition with a video element, composed with inspiration from Dubowsky’s recent move to Long Beach from St. Paul, MN. The artist also lived in San Francisco before St. Paul and has incorporated sounds inspired by all three cities in the piece.

JCDE’s third album “Jack Curtis Dubowsky Ensemble III,” which came out in 2011, is an experimental collection of tracks that are likely to take the listener to a rarely-visited psychedelic state of mind. Each piece seems like its own moment in time, set far apart from any distracting, opinionated lyrics, allowing the listener to become a part of the composer’s imagination. The sometimes-structured, sometimes-abstract free-form instrumentals and electronic sounds transcend traditional musical boundaries and require an open mind and an appreciation for creative exploration.

The San Francisco Classical Voice described JCDE as “redefining musical boundaries,” and they certainly exceed such expectations with tracks from their third album like “Spinet Arpeggio,” a drawn-out atmospheric number, ascending the listener into a light-handed piano-accompanied daydream. “Tambura Trudge,” another track on the album, seems like a haunting nighttime traipse through a foggy, lamp-lit neighborhood.

Third Eye Records (whose slogan reads “opening minds since 2002”) is one of Long Beach’s more understated musical gems, and is well-known for stocking rare and eclectic music. 

According to the band’s bio, “JCDE is an internationally recognized new music group that combines acoustic instruments, electronic hardware, composed material and structured improvisation. The ensemble treats analog synthesizer as a rare and unpredictable performance instrument. The ensemble has released three full-length albums and has performed in noted venues nationwide including The Tank (NYC), Meridian Gallery (SF), AS220 (providence, RI) and The Lilypad (Cambridge, MA).”

Third Eye Records is located at 2701 E. 4th St. Long Beach, CA 90814.

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Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].