Calla Scavengers

Calla

YG15

Calla is a three-piece band with Aurelio Valle (guitar/vocals), Wayne b. Magruder (drums/ programming/ percussion), and Sean Donovan (keyboard/bass/programming). The three roommates formed Calla at the end of 1997 and recorded their debut LP throughout 1998 at their home in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn. Calla's self-titled debut was released in mid 1999 on Sub Rosa. They are currently recording their second album with Michael Gira¸ to be released in the winter of 2000 on Young God Records (in the USA) and Sub Rosa (rest of the world). Aurelio Valle was raised in South Texas. He relocated to North Texas in early '93 and formed The Factory Press with long time band mate Pete Gannon and Wayne b. Magruder. After releasing a 7" and an EP on Austin's N D Records, The Factory Press relocated to New York City and recorded their final album, "The Smoky Ends of a Burnt Out Day" with Matt Verta-Ray and Kid Congo Powers producing. After the demise of The Factory Press, Valle played in various Rock-a-billy and Garage bands. In late '97, with intentions of fusing a vintage sound with modern influences, Valle formed Calla with Wayne b. Magruder and long-time collaborator Sean Donovan.

Wayne b. Magruder was born and raised in Texas, where he met Sean Donovan at grade school. They played in various bands throughout high school together and finally formed Fallen Vlods, an experimental electro-acoustic duo (1992-1996). Magruder studied design at the University of North Texas, where he joined The Factory Press (ND Records) as drummer. When the band relocated to New York City, Magruder joined Bowery Electric as a live drummer. Subsequent Bowery Electric touring with E.A.R. in '96, and Main in '97 followed, as well as playing live percussion with Robert Hampson and drums with Windsor for the Derby. In 1997, Magruder recorded with Bowery Electric on their second LP, "Beat" (Kranky). Desiring to integrate electronics, triggers, and samples in a rock format, Magruder formed Calla with Sean Donovan and Aurelio Valle in late 1997. Magruder also acts as graphics/ web designer for eacherHundreds/ calla.

Sean a. Donovan is a classically trained composer whose primary interests include sound mass and the manipulation of timbre through space. He has been influenced by the American experimentalist tradition, especially the New York school of the 1950's and the Fluxus composers of the 1960's. In 1996, he organized the Simultaneity series, an event where the work of more than 30 artists were superimposed in time and space. Upon relocating to New York in 1997, Donovan worked closely with Petr Kotik and the S.E.M. Ensemble. Known for its presentation of avant-garde orchestral music, he participated in the world premiere performances of Phil Niblock, Roscoe Mitchell, Elliot Sharp, and Kotik, and organized events at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and The Guggenheim Museum. He also helped in the preparation of a performance of Karlheinz Stockhausen's Gruppen (for three orchestras) and in the editing of the complete recording of Morton Feldman's Turfan Fragments and Kotik's Many Many Women. Donovan's chamber piece, cg no. 23, will be released later this year on Sub Rosa as part of their Un-classical series. He is currently finishing up his first solo CD project, fk.42, a work based on the diaries of Franz Kafka. In 1992, he formed eacherHundreds, a label dedicated to experimental music, with long-time friend Wayne Magruder.