Kent Sparling joins Bug Eyed Sprite on tiny instruments. What are tiny instruments, you may ask? Ukulele, melodica, and a small Casio synthesizer from the 1980's, sent through a bunch of brightly colored FX pedals and then to the compact and wonderful Fender VibroChamp amp. "I like to think I provide a kind of curtain of sound in front of which Vanessa's voice and guitar, Ben's bass and Toby's percussion drive the songs forward. My parts often supply the atmosphere or mood for the strange worlds that Vanessa sings about." Wistful or creepy, anxious or reflective, the tiny instruments blend the organic with the electronic, and set Bug Eyed Sprite firmly outside the worlds of folk and rock music.

Kent Sparling is a sound designer and re-recording mixer at George Lucas' Skywalker Sound. He is also a composer and songwriter in his own right, having done time in the 80's Bay Area pop outfits Riis Spargo, Eyeland and Hand Some Poets. He somehow finds time between releasing solo CDs of experimental electroacoustic ambient music and his work in film sound, to work with many of his friends as a session musician (keyboards, electronics and background vocals), engineer and producer. He has produced two (going on three) albums for Vanessa Lowe, and two for Gunnar Madsen, and has mixed records and a short film for the Apes of God. He is part of a spoken word trio with poet Mark Neville and legendary bassist Ron Crotty, wherein he again provides a "curtain of sound", improvised with his electronics and devices. Finally, he is putting together live performances of improvised experimental music based on loops from old turntables and a film synchronizer, under the moniker Driftwood Orchestra - look for him around the Bay Area sometime soon.

You can find more information about KS here, and contact him via email right .

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