Jake Chapman & The Confluence (ft. Tony Barba)

Jake Chapman & The Confluence (ft. Tony Barba)
Troutdale, OR
$15,000

About the Artist

Jake Chapman & The Confluence (Featuring Tony Barba) w/ CymaSpace and Phame is a groundbreaking new project bringing Jazz to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH). The group’s name, “The Confluence”, reflects the members’ range of abilities/disabilities and the use of a confluence of technology- aural, visual, and haptic. Here leading Jazz musicians teamed with pioneering disability arts activists have designed an interactive concert experience so the DHH can experience Jazz through alternative modalities. Inspired by Deaf musician Evelyn Glennie (whom CymaSpace has previously collaborated) our ensemble has two Deaf and one Deaf/Blind member. In partnership with Music Not Impossible, our Deaf musicians are provided up to 27 channels of spatial haptics, being used like headphones. Working with Woojer, we have 50 vests to provide to DHH audience members. Inspired by Deaf Rave, we seek to bring Jazz to DHH audiences. CymaSpace’s mission is to make arts and cultural events accessible and inclusive to the DHH through technology, education and
outreach. This specific project is part of Universal Music Design. The UMD team seeks to bring the universal qualities of music to the DHH. 

Jazz has made an indelible impact, shaping culture immeasurably. However, for the DHH, this profound avenue of human expression remains largely inaccessible, creating a disparity in the collective cultural experience Jazz provides. Jazz not only entertains but also serves as a conduit for emotional resonance, political resistance, and social connection within the hearing-able world, affording one sonic agency. Sound is a part of a DHH individual’s world, but, without technology, DHH people are excluded from many soundbased
experiences. Yet, the concept of ’Sonic Agency’ transcends mere auditory perception; it delves into the realm of sensory inclusivity, advocating for the expansion of avenues through which all individuals, regardless of auditory ability, can engage with and experience Jazz’s profound impact on the human story. In this context, the notion of increased accessibility to music takes on paramount significance for the DHH community. Enabling this accessibility extends beyond aurally perceiving the sound to feeling the vibrations; understanding rhythms through touch, and experiencing the emotive power of Jazz through alternative sensory pathways.