This festival also spotlights Walter Thompson's Sound Painting. Imagine tenor sax, baritone sax, clarinet, piano, guitar, percussion, vocalists, actors, dancers, and samples from Jim Coleman, all conducted by a series of gestures. It's chaotic one moment and hypnotic the next. When the end is drawing near, Thompson greets the audience and pleasantly explains a few of the Sound Painting gestures. He wants the audience members to become part of the performance.
Some people are too cool to participate and just sit there looking the part.
Others are completely into it. I invited a friend of mine to attend the performance with me, not quite sure of how he would respond. I believe participation in the Sound Painting was exciting for him, a release of sorts. The entire evening created a desire in me to seek out more. After speaking with festival director Jason Phelps on the phone, we decided to meet for coffee at Little City on Guadalupe Street for our interview.