Matt Venuti
A Natural Musician
By Ginger Brashinger
It may sound cliché to talk about immersing yourself in the music, but in the case of Matt Venuti’s pieces, we’re simply talking reality. Venuti is as one with the Hang, an instru- ment which defies definition, even as it creates music so complete that it requires none. “The Hang is a work in progress,”
Venuti says of what is frequently his instrument of choice. “It has a new resonance, a new look, a new feel. It’s a sound sculpture.” Even that description does not
prepare one for the full effect of the music—a soothing liquid sound with a heartbeat (think of the early morning song of a red-winged blackbird) played on a “soft” steel surface. Venuti and his band, The Venu-
sians, were “the darlings of the dot com era,” according to Venuti, and continue to maintain a healthy schedule of gigs ranging from Napa Valley to Mexico to Germany. Despite the success of the band—together now for 20 years—and the pleasure Venuti derived from playing yet another unique instrument, the Electronic Valve Instrument, he was looking for something new. “I put the word out to my friends
that I needed something differ- ent.” One of those friends mentioned hearing a “hand pan.”
“I was obsessed,” Venuti said of
his subsequent search. “It took me months just to find out what it was really called.” When he finally made the con-
nection, Venuti discovered that the artists who created the Hang were not just selling to anyone, cautious about the possible ex- ploitation of their artwork. A re- quest by letter was required, and if the request was acknowledged, it might result in an invitation to Switzerland where Felix and Sabina, Hang creators, worked their magic. Venuti went on to order a Hang
from Switzerland (“before I even played one”) and then found one for sale online at almost the same time, going from a dearth to a vir- tual “Hang plethora” in a very short time. A natural musician, Venuti quickly
recorded his first of many Hang
CDs, Dance of the Helix and sent it
off to Switzerland. “They loved it,” Venuti said of
Felix and Sabina, “and they asked me to please send more and come to Switzerland.” He took them up on the offer the
following year and has visited sev- eral times since. “We became friends,” Venuti
said. “These two are brilliant artists. Their new creation ‘Integral Hang’ is so deep and beautiful; it just
takes your heart away.” Speaking with passion about an
instrument that Venuti truly plays with his whole being, he honors Felix and Sabina’s ultimate vision of the Hang as a “complete holistic entity.” “We should wait before we put it
into a box,” Venuti says of those who might want to categorize the instrument. “It’s going to change. It’s almost as if it’s ancient, but it’s brand new. It needs a story. It needs time. I guess that’s my job.
www.venusians.com
When you get to know this pro- foundly compassionate and loving individual, it’s not surprising that he and his music, his instruments are “one.” After his wife of 20 years, Yolanda, was diagnosed with a terminal illness, Venuti took a leave from his musical career to become her constant companion and caretaker. Despite her passing last year, she remains a presence in his life through his music, their mutual love of nature and compassion for animals. When the author caught up with Venuti for this interview, he had just come in from outdoors where he takes care of 15 feral cats on a daily basis, something he and Yolanda shared. Check out his Facebook page for more.
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