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Art rock duo Consort Un-Caged features Albuquerque residents Dana Reilly and Rick DiZenzo. The duo will release its DVD later this month.
He’s a little bit rock ‘n’ roll. She’s a little bit classical.
Together, Rick DiZenzo and Dana Reilly make original compositions that they classify as art rock in the band Consort Un-Caged.
The duo has been together for a couple years after meeting at the New Mexico Jazz Workshop.
“When we got together, we would just improvise,” DiZenzo says. “As we got more comfortable with each other we started to elaborate with our music.”
For the past three years, the duo has created music and is ready to release a DVD of the recording of its latest album, “Un-Categorized Vibrations.”
DiZenzo says the DVD was made last year but the duo waited to release it.
“We didn’t want to put too much out there at once,” he explains. “We had just put out the album, and were waiting for the right time.”
When it comes to making music, Reilly had to overcome a learning curve.
“I come from a classical training background where everything is so stiff and proper,” she says. “Rick helped me break the hardness of all my playing. He’s got a lot of rock in him and he’s been patient with getting it out of me.”
Reilly says the duo has to account for the idiosyncrasies and the sounds and colors in the music.
“I’ve never really played with all the gear I have now,” she says. “I’m completely plugged in and able to manipulate all of the sounds.”
DiZenzo describes the band as a do-it-yourself operation. They handle everything from recording to marketing.
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Consort Un-Caged WHEN: 3 p.m. Saturday, March 9 WHERE: Taylor Ranch Library, 5700 Bogart NW HOW MUCH: Free |
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“We’re able to retain all creative control,” he explains. “We’ve even been branching out into a more multimedia type of set.”
DiZenzo says Reilly also is an artist and creates paintings inspired by the songs. She has begun to display some of her paintings as the backdrop to the set.
“It’s something new that we’re trying,” she says. “A lot of my art is inspired by the music we make and vice versa. It also adds another layer to what we do. We’re beginning to provide an experience.”
Consort Un-Caged’s Literacy Tour has included performances at public libraries over a three-month period. And it continues through March. The duo will perform at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 9 at the Taylor Ranch Library. Other dates include a March 12 date at the Lomas Tramway Library and a March 23 show at the Juan Tabo Library.
“We wanted to present our music in an educational manner,” DiZenso says. “It’s important for us to add that element to what we do.”
Reprint story -- Email the reporter at agomez@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3921
