Friday, January 9, 2004

By Nicole Edwards
Poughkeepsie Journal

The best part about Ben Neill and Bill Jones' music and interactive computer technologies is

that it goes well with everything from artwork to entrees.

Neill, a composer, musician and deejay from Garrison, and Jones, who is a New York City

photographer and digital video artist, are coming to Beacon on Saturday to present ''Smoke''

at the Piggy Bank restaurant on 448 Main St.

Their images and sound have been included in international tours, a House of Blues 20-city

tour, New York City nightclubs and interactive installations at galleries such as the Sandra

Gering Gallery in New York City's Chelsea district. They are also working on a music/video

adaptation of Jonathan Dee's book ''Palladio.''

Saturday, audiences will receive a taste of this musical experience Neill calls ''progressive,

electronic, dance music,'' starting at 9 p.m. The event is free.

In ''Smoke,'' Neill infuses his music with Jones' video images. What typically happens is an

improvisational set by Neill playing or deejaying music as Jones projects and manipulates

images that interact with the music onto a screen from a laptop.

Playing in real time

''We're interested in the live performance and being able to play it in real time,'' Neill said.

''I go with whatever the room seems to demand. Some of it has a jazzy element.''

Whether it's jazzy, funky or even dance oriented, Neill said performing in Beacon is a casual

and relaxed way to present their material.

''With all the transformations happening in the community, it seems like it's right for a venue

for this type of culture,'' said Neill, who gave a performance at Beacon's Van Brunt Gallery in

August using an instrument he created called a mutantrumpet, a hybrid electro-acoustic

instrument.

Neill isn't new to the electronic scene.

He said electronic performances go back to the 1980s. He's even created his own company

called Green Beet Productions in New York City, where he's done music for Volkswagen

television ads. He eventually used the original extended music for those ads to record an

album released in 2002 titled ''Automotive.''

Neill said now is the time for musicians and artists to branch out artistically. CD and DVD

sales could possibly see a more promising year ahead following the legal battles in 2003

against piracy.

''More and more musicians are realizing it's good for music to be wed with different forms,''

Neill said.

Visit www.benneill.com and www.firstpulseprojects.net for more information about Ben Neil

and Bill Jones.

Nicole Edwards is the arts writer for the Poughkeepsie Journal. Write her c/o Poughkeepsie

Journal, P.O. Box 1231, Poughkeepsie, NY 12602, call 845-437-4881,