happenstance by mark cook and steven leak

I can’t recall how this project started. I can tell you that it has its roots in some percussion loops Mark sent me sometime back that I decided to work and play with, adding my own music to them and then also, cutting and pasting the loops, adding treatments and so on. One of those treated loops actually ends up on a track on this album.

“happenstance” really came together in 2023 when Mark sent me some music comprised of Warrguitar phrases and some solos. Mark was creating Warrscapes at that time and was integrating electronics into their creation. I had carte blanche with whatever he sent, and I had developed something of a comfort level working with Mark’s music. So I cut and paste, reversed, added treatments of all kinds and layered the results so as to construct the four pieces of music you get to hear on “happenstance”.

It’s very powerful to have a musician of the stature of Mark open himself up creatively to allow this sort of project to unfold. It’s a really magical experience that I believe further opened both of us musically….

As for the music itself, well I think it reveals an incredible facet of Mark's music listening and playing that hasn’t had much airplay. It’s certainly very different from our other project “the forever moment”, but I can see some of this music finding its way to t.f.m.

As I’m writing this, the solo that kicks in at 3:45 of the second track on “happenstance” (the title track for the album) is tearing up the aether of my home. It’s easily the most powerful music experience I have had a hand in helping create. I wanted his intense and beautiful solo to pierce through densely layered and textured clouds of swirling dissonance.
Sort of like life.

Finally I’d like to express my gratitude to Erik Emil Eskildsen who once more using his intuition and bringing his creative self to bear, managed to bring this project into such sonic goodness . . . . steven

I am a Canadian musician who creates soundscapes. These soundscapes are created with Arturia Microfreak and Minifreak synthesizers various electronic devices , pre-recorded loops, field recordings, and found sounds. I am also a member of "The Forever Moment" a band where I get to co-create music with Mark Cook.