Eighty Mile Beach
Eighty Mile Beach members Beth Custer and Christian Jones adopted their moniker from a clandestine locale along the shores of western Australia (population: 5), where the copper–sanded landmass of the continent meets the majestic, sky–blue expanse of the ocean. That space, where land intersects sea, where complementary opposites meet along one line, is a metaphor that aptly describes the San Francisco duo.
Eighty Mile Beach are a melding of two worlds: Custer´s poetic lyricism and musicianship with Jones´ rhythmic, beat–influenced grooves. While emerging from places on opposite ends of the spectrum, together, they make organic, primordial music, influenced by everything from jazz improvisation to the rhythms of modern electronic dance.
Custer is a veteran clarinetist best known for her 13 years as a member of the eclectic Club Foot Orchestra, who gained worldwide acclaim for their live scores to silent film classics such as Fritz Lang´s "Metropolis" and F.W. Murnau´s "Nosferatu." Custer was one of the composers on the Orchestra´s score of the "Felix the Cat" animated TV series on CBS. She has recorded three albums with her other group Trance Mission, one album as a solo artist, and has composed music for several theater and dance groups. "I like working with other musicians," she says. "Everyone speaks with each other in this common, foreign language. It´s quite beautiful."
San Francisco–native Jones began as a hip–hop DJ at clubs and college radio, eventually feeding his creative hunger by learning various instruments: guitar, bass, samplers and whatever else he could lay his hands on. Jones´ love of music led him into studio production, and his sonic expertise has made him a valuable producer and engineer in the Bay Area. Among the artists he has worked with are Charlie Hunter (Blue Note Records), Henry Kaiser, Bill Frisell, and TJ Kirk (whose album was nominated for a 1997 Grammy Award). "I think what motivates me more than anything," Jones explains, "is the unlimited possibilities that exist in music."
Eighty Mile Beach was spawned when Jones was creating beats and backing tracks for a Custer solo performance. They discovered a common appreciation for experimenting with well–written, interesting music, and the two began collaborating almost immediately. "Sometimes the seeds to our music will begin with one of Beth´s poems," says Jones. "Sometimes it´ll start with a drum beat or a bass line I create. We both approach one point from each of our respective backgrounds." What has emerged over a period of two years is a wonderfully, vibrant, earthy collection of songs that comprise their debut LP, Inclement Weather.
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Eighty Mile Beach
[OM-008]
$9.98
$8.00
Eighty Mile Beach
[OM-008SV]
$6.98
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