We had a lot of fun putting this together with Johnny Carr from Mask Creative.
A short teaser/trailer for Unusual ingredients. Launching 11 March at Kings Place, 14 March at Sounds Like THIS Festival, Leeds. unusualingredients.co/live
We had a lot of fun putting this together with Johnny Carr from Mask Creative.
A short teaser/trailer for Unusual ingredients. Launching 11 March at Kings Place, 14 March at Sounds Like THIS Festival, Leeds. unusualingredients.co/live
Over the last 18 months, I’ve been learning a lot about taste modulation. This is the science of changing, enhancing, intensifying the perception of flavours and textures in foods through the use of sounds, lighting and various other parameters.
Based on these sensory phenomena, I’ve created Unusual ingredients, in collaboration with food artist Caroline Hobkinson and music producer Adam Martin. We’re releasing an album and touring a live show that uses original music to play around with the way food feels in your mouth, tastes on your tongue or crunches between your teeth.
Catch the Unusual ingredients launch night at Kings Place on 11 March 2020 to experience the multi-sensory combinations we’ve created.
Taste Lab – test driving taste modulation
Back in October 2019, we met with leading scientist Charles Spence to discuss his research in the field of gastrophysics – gastronomical physics, or the science of eating – and to test drive some of our music with him (see photo above).
It’s incredible how much the experience of something as simple as a cup of coffee or piece of chocolate can be altered when the sounds around you change. Certain types of high frequencies, for example, can make food taste sweeter, whilst lower sounds accentuate bitterness (see Charles Spence’s groundbreaking Bittersweet Symphony experiment).
Turning these scientific principles into a creative project has been a really enjoyable experience. Adam and I have been challenged to compose music capturing the sweet, spicy, bitter and sour dimensions of a variety of ingredients – and to weave the textural sounds of food into our compositions.
Catch the Unusual ingredients live show to experience the multi-sensory combinations we’ve created. See tour dates here: unusualingredients.co/live
Photo: Adam Martin 2019
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Supported by Help Musicians UK Fusion Fund. Supported by Leeds College of Music.
This is the last of three short films, to accompany the third movement of my cello piece a lot like this…
The EP is available here: jacobthompsonbell.bandcamp.com/album/a-lot-like-this
Here’s another short film to accompany the second movement of my cello piece a lot like this…
The EP is available here: jacobthompsonbell.bandcamp.com/album/a-lot-like-this
About 18 months ago I released some cello pieces called a lot like this…
I’ve finally got around to creating some landscape films to accompany them. This is one of three…
The EP is available here: jacobthompsonbell.bandcamp.com/album/a-lot-like-this
A few photos from our recent workshop with the Vegetable Orchestra in Vienna (me Caroline Hobkinson and Adam Martin), learning about ways to connect food and music…
A really productive session with a lovely bunch of people – and open, creative artists too. Looking forward to our next meeting in May!
This research and development project is funded through Arts Council England’s International Artist Development Fund.
I’m very happy to announce that I have been awarded funding through the Artists’ International Development Fund to work with Vienna-based The Vegetable Orchestra during March – May 2018.
I’ll also be working in collaboration with electronic music producer Adam Martin (Nightports) and food artist Caroline Hobkinson, to explore ways of linking food and music.
Well, that’s the last ONE gig in this series. Pianist/composer Ben Gaunt gave another brilliant performance, and artist Debbie Sharp created a real sense of atmosphere in the Seven venue.
Thanks to everyone who came along! A studio recording of the music from the project is in the pipeline…
A few more words from our visitor book:
Fantastic – I’m going home to put things in the piano!
An incredible event – exciting, dramatic, challenging..massively enjoyed.
A thoroughly enjoyable evening of unusual and interesting images, sounds and spoon monologues!
Thanks also to Adam Martin for these really atmospheric photos.