In his latest release, Hangisphere, Venuti reaches deep into the soul of the Hang creating spell-binding instrumental compositions. The first music video from this CD, “The Yolanda Trail," is a moving instrumental tribute, set in both the wilderness and in his recording studio and was selected for the opening of the Bernal Heights/San Francisco Open Cinema.
A phenomenon in itself, the Hang has a huge cult following popularized by many millions of YouTube viewers and countless bloggers. Hangisphere unveils the wonder and beauty of this magical vessel. The enigmatic Hangmakers, Felix Rohner and Sabina Shrer, became fans of Venuti's music after listening to his first Hang-inspired recording, “Dance of the Helix." While spending time on several occasions with them at the “Hangbauhaus" in Bern, Switzerland, Venuti has acquired an impressive collection of these difficulttoobtain instruments in diverse tunings.
ABOUT MATT VENUTI
As the founder and chief architect behind San Francisco-based musical innovators, The Venusians, Matt Venuti is a multi-instrumentalist and a magnet for the unusual and the extraordinary. His compositions and performances have earned the praise of luminaries such as pop icon Thomas Dolby, jazz greats Herbie Hancock and Stan Getz, list maverick Craig Newmark, and worldwide fans of his original music. Venuti has a dedicated following from performances spanning Burning Man/Digerati culture and the Art Underground scene to upscale gala events in landmark institutions worldwide. He's performed at the prestigious TED Conferences multiple times and was a presenter one year, and has frequently performed for companies including Google, Apple, Oracle, Audi, Sony, and Microsoft. Venus Central Productions is the San Francisco-based studio where Venuti records his original music for CD releases, digital downloads and commercial licensing. The Theme Music Archives page on his website contains various samples of his music, as well as on the CD Releases page.
VENUTI AND THE HANG
A handmade sound “sculpture" with an extraordinary design, the PanArt Hang is handcrafted by only two people in the world, Swiss artists Felix Rohner and Sabina Shrer in Bern. The first Hang was created in 2001 when they fused two lap-sized steel hemispheres together and created a multiple-toned resonating steel structure made to sit on one's lap. The Hang is not a drum, though it is often referred to as one due to its popularity with hand drummers. The Hang has a resonance, physical makeup, and range of technique options that transcend simple classifications. It has been the motivation for dozens of spin-offs but there is only one Hang and the quality and craftsmanship of this instrument is awe-inspiring. Matt Venuti draws from the Hang a myriad of melodies, rhythms, and effects that reveal a fresh and unique approach to the instrument. His YouTube videos demonstrate some of these techniques, and in Hangisphere he weaves them into his distinctive style of composition. Enjoy this enchanting journey into the heart and soul of a gifted composer and the fantastic Hang.
