Solo
As a solo performer, I find myself equally at home when playing composed pieces as I do when improvising.
Releases
Sun
Sun is a continuation of the themes of Bloom, with the season being depicted that of summer. Self-doubt and cynicism rule in this season - how much heat can you bear while wrestling with your self? Who can you trust to tell you how it really is? Can you even trust yourself?
"Sun" is the second of four originally planned releases surrounding the "Manzanita" concept album. Currently, this concept has been altered in light of the formation of Canterbury Bells, as that band is the evolution of my musical works into a full ensemble.
released July 2, 2021
All music recorded and mixed by Sean Emmett Thompson
Bloom
Bloom depicts the season of Spring through the experience of the Manzanita tree. With that perspective in mind, we experience naive and frail growth. We experience a burst of passion, but then questions and doubts begin to surface. We start to wonder if what we want, or what we are, is the truth. Things are starting to change.
"Bloom" is the first of four releases surrounding the "Manzanita" concept album. Each release represents a significant part of our journey through life. Every journey has pain and loss; every journey has pure joy and celebration. Manzanita seeks to explore these seasons of life through symbolism and prose.
released August 14, 2020
All music recorded and mixed by Sean Emmett Thompson, with exceptions to the following:
Credits to:
Piano on Manzanita - Jace Holmes-Floyd
Drums on Falsehoods Speak - Kevin Figueroa, AKA Nowandformerly
Collected Videos
These videos are a representation of my solo performances in various settings.
These include:
- A live performance for Helen St. Mixr in Oakland during the 2020 Pandemic.
- Now titled "Bliss is Blind" (at this point fka Satanic Bumblebee) performed acoustic at the palace of fine arts in SF.
- A performance of "Flight" for the now defunct Secret Show Society.
- My performance of "Encounters" for the Welcome Days talent show at SFSU, with ~700 in attendance.
Solo
Solo
Live at the Complex: Bliss is Blind
Sean Emmett Thompson - Helen St. MixR August 2020
NativeSF City Sessions: Sean Thompson
Sean Thompson @ The Secret Show Sessions
Liminal
The Smartphone Sessions
"These are ten tracks I created during a ten-week project that all started because I spilled water on my laptop.
Baring the Good, the Bad, and the Weird, it's an exploration of my musical capability and taste, and an attempt to be more comfortable with a more organic and improvisational/experimental approach to music.
Every track is recorded in one take, with no editing, on my smartphone. Each Track also has it's own poem, written in tandem with the music, which was also written in one sitting, no edits. Each track is also paired with a photo, taken and edited by my smartphone.
Hope you find something you like in here."
"This song is about the pandemic, that iteration of the
holiday season, and my mental space, through the lens of liminal
spaces, both physically and mentally."