Identity by Tom Nunn

This solo CD by master instrument builder Tom Nunn features three of his main inventions:

Hybrid Mothics: small triangular shaped boards with “zitherods” (bronze brazing rod supported by three nails), horizontal bronze rods (bridge-like devices), a curved line of finishing nails, and textured surface material. Contact microphones (pickups) are attached to the underside.

The Octatonic T-Rodimba: a 4 x 2 foot sheet of 3/4” high grade plywood with three V-shaped “tiers” of ¼ inch threaded steel rods of various lengths bent at 90° about 4 inches from one end. Each tier of 11 rods is tuned to an octatonic scale (alternating major 2nd/minor 2nd).

The Crustacean: a 32” diameter round stainless steel plate supported by three inflated toy balloons in small cardboard paint buckets. Bronze brazing rods of various diameters and lengths are brazed (welded) to the top surface and are arranged in curved rows to facilitate bowing the rods individually.

Tom Nunn has designed, built and performed with original instruments as an improviser since 1976, and has been active in the Bay Area since 1978. He currently plays with the trios, Axallto and RTD3.