Onomata is a pulse-based multi-idiomatic improvsational quartet who create odd structures and textures from instant ideas. Although Todd Barbee (winds), Brian Preston (bass), and Ian Davis (percussion) started Onomata as a trio early in 1999, trumpet and keys performer Corey Sims joined in 2002. Together, they've recorded hours of improvisations and played a handful of gigs around the Triangle, including Local 506 and Temple Ball. Their approach is to build cascades of sounds over relatively simple basslines and beat structures that change slowly over the course of an improvisation.
Todd Barbee (soprano, alto saxophone, Yamaha WX7 with TX81Z and Alesis Quadraverb) has played with an assortment of fusion bands in the Triangle since his days at Jordan High School. He joined Freehand shortly after it started up and, from 1987 until 1989, formed one-third of the improvising trio known as Good Neighbors with Randy Pelosi (Chapman Stick) and Ian Davis (drums). Good Neighbors released a CD named Anubis Leisure Society Orchestra (1991 - Jettison Records). In the late '80s, he played with The Pilots, a fusion group that included John Wheelis (guitar) Chris Hill (bass), and Duane Gay (drums). From the mid-90's on, he has been with Smokin' Granny, a fusion project with his long-time friend and fellow Onomatan Brian Preston.
Corey Sims received his B.A. in composition from the Berklee School of Music (Boston, MA) in 1976. Corey studied trumpet, but he plays keyboard instruments, trumpet, and guitar, each with taste and skill. He is a piano tuner and teaches piano and music around the state. Locally, he has played with Jackie-O Pillbox, Micro-East Collective, Modal Topography, and many others.
Often known as the "Papa'o'Prog" in the Triangle, Brian Preston has played drums and guitar since age 11 and bass guitar since 1980. He has performed, recorded and produced with Daily Planet (1983-1984), Freehand (1985-1990), Messablues (1991-1996) and Smokin’ Granny (1994 - current). He plays a Carvin 6 string fretless and a Carvin 5 string through Hartke and Gallien-Krueger amplification and Korg processing. He was co-producer and bass player for Freehand who’s 1988 album ‘Thinking Out Loud’ was re-released in 1997 on CD and is distributed internationally. His production company, Metaphoric Music Productions, has produced three Smokin' Granny releases within the past three years.
Ian Davis started drumming at 15 as an R&B drummer with The Barons, playing gigs on the South Carolina “chittlin’ circuit” with Earl Davis, George McCauley, Craig Washington, Phil Griffin, and "Cool" John Ferguson. He played folk and fusion in the 70’s, alt-pop, improvisational, and big band music in the 80’s, and played with Blue Chair, Mind Sirens, Bicentennial Quarters, Trailer Bride, and Chris Stamey/Kirk Ross in the 90’s. He was host drummer for 6 years at the Carrboro Arts Center monthly jazz jam. He moved to the Bay Area in ’95 and played with Mills College-based large improvising ensemble Micro Collective Orchestra along with Scott Rosenberg, Matt Ingalls, Morgan Guberman, Brian Pearson, Brian Kane, and many others. After returning to North Carolina in ’97, he organized the Micro-East Collective, a structured improvisational orchestra similar in design to Micro. He and composer-performer-producer-engineer Chris Stamey have recorded and produced 3 CDs for Micro-East. Ian also manages Umbrella Records. He currently plays in improvisational duos with Jason Bivins (guitar), Mahlon Hoard (soprano and tenor saxes), Onomata, a pulse-based improvising quartet, Unstable Ensemble, a Bloomington-based improvising ensemble, and The Dave Fox Quartet (Greensboro, NC). Recently, he's been invited to do a few gigs with Eugene Chadbourne. In September 2000, he toured with Andrew Voigt, Morgan Guberman, and Toshi Makihara as part of the music and dance group Corpus Ludens. By virtue of coast-spanning employment, the collaboration with Andrew and Morgan continues. Ian also records improvisational performers during house concerts sponsored by the Triangle’s Alliance for Improvised Music.
Listening Area