ProjeKcts
Encyclopedia
The ProjeKcts are a succession of spin-off projects associated with the band King Crimson
.
Devoted to instrumental and heavily improvised music, the ProjeKcts were most active from 1997 to 1999, but have performed intermittently since. Guitarist Robert Fripp
has described their purpose as being "research and development
" for King Crimson.
While Fripp stated he was happy for a ProjeKct to be formed without him, he has been the only consistent member of all the ProjeKcts to date.
- Guitar, Trey Gunn
- Warr Guitar, Tony Levin
- Bass, Bill Bruford
- Drums)
ProjeKct One began as a suggestion by Bruford to Robert Fripp that they do some improvisational shows together. Fripp suggested adding Gunn, while Bruford suggested adding Tony Levin — four of the six members of King Crimson were now involved.
Fripp then developed the idea of "fraKctals
": multiple different subsets of the band working separately as a way of developing new material for King Crimson, the band having been at something of a compositional impasse.
ProjeKct One performed four consecutive shows at the Jazz Cafe from December 1 through December 4, 1997. All four concerts have been made available for download through DGMLive.
- V-Drums)
While ProjeKct One was the first of the sub-groups planned, ProjeKct Two actually convened and recorded first. It featured Fripp, Gunn and Adrian Belew on drums rather than guitar (his usual instrument with King Crimson). This configuration was unplanned, but when the group gathered at Belew's home studio to record, he had recently taken possession of the V-drums and Fripp was keen to experiment with their use. The group enjoyed the results enough that it was decided to keep this configuration for the whole course of the project.
They released the studio album Space Groove
in 1998. Additionally, they performed thirty-five concerts between February and July 1998. As of May 2, 2011, twenty-six of these shows have been made available for download through DGMLive.
- drums).
ProjeKct Three (P3) performed five shows from March 21 through March 25, 1999 in Texas. As of April 26, 2011, three of these five shows have been made available for download from DGMLive.
On March 3, 2003, P3 performed instead of King Crimson at the Birchmere in the Washington, DC, area, as Adrian Belew was taken ill that night. Following their impromptu performance, the three band members interacted with the audience in the form of a question and answer session. This is the only other full concert appearance of P3 other than the tour of Texas in March 1999. The complete Q&A is available at the DGMLive web site .
ProjeKct Four performed a seven-show tour of the United States from October 23 to November 2, 1998. These shows consisted of improvised material, as well as expanded upon material developed by earlier ProjeKcts.
All seven of these shows have been made available for download through DGMLive.
was not a group as such, but a CD based on material recorded during The ConstruKction of Light sessions and remixed and re-assembled by the band, particularly Mastelotto and Gunn. The resulting album, Heaven and Earth
, was released in 2000 alongside The ConstruKction of Light. Additionally, when the 2001-03 group performed improvised pieces during their live shows, they would use the name ProjeKct X
to differentiate themselves from the regular King Crimson, thus freeing up their talents to stray beyond the usual repertoire.
along with Crimson alumni Fripp and Mel Collins
(returning after 40 years), this was ultimately dubbed "A King Crimson ProjeKct," and has been referred to by Fripp as "ProjeKct 7". The album A Scarcity of Miracles
features this line-up, along with other Crimson alumni Tony Levin and Gavin Harrison
.
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
.
Devoted to instrumental and heavily improvised music, the ProjeKcts were most active from 1997 to 1999, but have performed intermittently since. Guitarist Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
has described their purpose as being "research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
" for King Crimson.
While Fripp stated he was happy for a ProjeKct to be formed without him, he has been the only consistent member of all the ProjeKcts to date.
ProjeKct One (1997)
(Robert FrippRobert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
- Guitar, Trey Gunn
Trey Gunn
Trey Gunn is an American musician, known for his membership in progressive rock band King Crimson from 1994 to 2003, playing Warr Guitar and Chapman Stick.-Biography:...
- Warr Guitar, Tony Levin
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
- Bass, Bill Bruford
Bill Bruford
William Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
- Drums)
ProjeKct One began as a suggestion by Bruford to Robert Fripp that they do some improvisational shows together. Fripp suggested adding Gunn, while Bruford suggested adding Tony Levin — four of the six members of King Crimson were now involved.
Fripp then developed the idea of "fraKctals
Fractal
A fractal has been defined as "a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into parts, each of which is a reduced-size copy of the whole," a property called self-similarity...
": multiple different subsets of the band working separately as a way of developing new material for King Crimson, the band having been at something of a compositional impasse.
ProjeKct One performed four consecutive shows at the Jazz Cafe from December 1 through December 4, 1997. All four concerts have been made available for download through DGMLive.
ProjeKct Two (1997–1998)
(Fripp, Gunn, Adrian BelewAdrian Belew
Adrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
- V-Drums)
While ProjeKct One was the first of the sub-groups planned, ProjeKct Two actually convened and recorded first. It featured Fripp, Gunn and Adrian Belew on drums rather than guitar (his usual instrument with King Crimson). This configuration was unplanned, but when the group gathered at Belew's home studio to record, he had recently taken possession of the V-drums and Fripp was keen to experiment with their use. The group enjoyed the results enough that it was decided to keep this configuration for the whole course of the project.
They released the studio album Space Groove
Space Groove
Space Groove is the first and only studio album recorded by ProjeKct Two, a King Crimson fraKctal group. It was recorded at Studio Belewbeloible during November 19 - November 21, 1997.-Track list:Volume One: Space Groove# Space Groove II - 19:03...
in 1998. Additionally, they performed thirty-five concerts between February and July 1998. As of May 2, 2011, twenty-six of these shows have been made available for download through DGMLive.
ProjeKct Three (1999, 2003)
(Fripp, Gunn, Pat MastelottoPat Mastelotto
Pat Mastelotto is a rock drummer who has worked with Mr. Mister and King Crimson, amongst others. For King Crimson he initially formed part of the "double trio" lineup, joining Bill Bruford on drums...
- drums).
ProjeKct Three (P3) performed five shows from March 21 through March 25, 1999 in Texas. As of April 26, 2011, three of these five shows have been made available for download from DGMLive.
On March 3, 2003, P3 performed instead of King Crimson at the Birchmere in the Washington, DC, area, as Adrian Belew was taken ill that night. Following their impromptu performance, the three band members interacted with the audience in the form of a question and answer session. This is the only other full concert appearance of P3 other than the tour of Texas in March 1999. The complete Q&A is available at the DGMLive web site .
ProjeKct Four (1998)
(Fripp, Gunn, Levin, Mastelotto)ProjeKct Four performed a seven-show tour of the United States from October 23 to November 2, 1998. These shows consisted of improvised material, as well as expanded upon material developed by earlier ProjeKcts.
All seven of these shows have been made available for download through DGMLive.
ProjeKct X (2000)
ProjeKct XProjeKct X
ProjeKct X was a side project of the music band King Crimson during the year 2000.In 2000, while the band King Crimson recorded their album The ConstruKction of Light, the four members of this line-up also recorded the album Heaven and Earth as ProjeKct X...
was not a group as such, but a CD based on material recorded during The ConstruKction of Light sessions and remixed and re-assembled by the band, particularly Mastelotto and Gunn. The resulting album, Heaven and Earth
Heaven and Earth (2000 album)
Heaven and Earth is an album by "ProjeKct X" released in 2000 on the Pony Canyon label as a Japanese Exclusive Release.-Tracklist:# The Business of Pleasure 2:44.39# Hat in The Middle 3:43.72# Side Window 3:08.39# Maximizer 6:29.35...
, was released in 2000 alongside The ConstruKction of Light. Additionally, when the 2001-03 group performed improvised pieces during their live shows, they would use the name ProjeKct X
ProjeKct X
ProjeKct X was a side project of the music band King Crimson during the year 2000.In 2000, while the band King Crimson recorded their album The ConstruKction of Light, the four members of this line-up also recorded the album Heaven and Earth as ProjeKct X...
to differentiate themselves from the regular King Crimson, thus freeing up their talents to stray beyond the usual repertoire.
ProjeKct Six (2006)
The ProjeKcts were then dormant until 2006, when Fripp on guitar and Belew on drums played live under the name ProjeKct Six. There has been no ProjeKct Five, but in 2006, Fripp mentioned plans for a ProjeKct Five distinct from the then current King Crimson line-up (Fripp, Belew, Levin, Mastelotto).Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins - A King Crimson ProjeKct (2010–present)
A project including Jakko JakszykJakko Jakszyk
Jakko M. Jakszyk is an English guitarist, singer-songwriter , multi-instrumentalist and producer...
along with Crimson alumni Fripp and Mel Collins
Mel Collins
Mel Collins is a British saxophonist and flautist and session musician.He has worked in a wide variety of contexts ranging from R&B and blues rock to jazz, but is perhaps known for his work in progressive rock, as with King Crimson, Camel and the Alan Parsons Project.-Career:Collins has worked...
(returning after 40 years), this was ultimately dubbed "A King Crimson ProjeKct," and has been referred to by Fripp as "ProjeKct 7". The album A Scarcity of Miracles
A Scarcity of Miracles
A Scarcity of Miracles is an album by Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins. It unites current/former King Crimson musicians Robert Fripp and Mel Collins with singer-songwriter and guitarist Jakko Jakszyk A Scarcity of Miracles is an album by Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins. It unites current/former King Crimson...
features this line-up, along with other Crimson alumni Tony Levin and Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison
Gavin Harrison is a British drummer and percussionist. He is best known for playing with the British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree which he joined in 2002. As of 2008, he also plays with the band King Crimson....
.