Photograph by Matt Marcinkowski
A few times a year, Jeremy Kannapell plays experimental electronic music with a variety of self-built and vintage electronics, either solo or in collaborative, improvisational settings. His role in the local music scene goes far beyond his own gigs, though.
He spends much of his time as program coordinator of New Music Circle, and he brings occasional shows to town under the banner of Mild Power. He creates fliers, posters, and album artwork. More than anything, he serves as one of the city’s leading advocates for adventurous, experimental, and generally uncategorizable acts while helping incubate a positive scene for local artists.
Kannapell—who grew up in Jacksonville, Florida—moved to St. Louis after college and eventually found his niche in the city’s music culture. A decade and change later, he sees it in a good place. “I love it here,” he says. “Ever since I moved to St. Louis, there’ve been more people coming out. Even if it seems like a humble audience, size-wise, the audience here is interested and engaged and more substantial than [those in] some bigger cities.”
When considering a possible booking, he looks at three things: 1) the amount of cash required, 2) the possibility of finding an audience, and 3) any challenges regarding equipment. Even when all of those elements don’t align, he’ll sometimes take a shot at a gig that he believes St. Louis should see and hear.
“I feel pretty lucky that I’ve taken some risks and been able to pull them off,” he says. “The really cool thing about the little world I work with is that it’s really informal and everybody has this trust. When people say, ‘You should bring this person to St. Louis; people will enjoy it,’ there’s a trust that it’s something meaningful.”
Kannapell presents Kawabata Makoto of Japanese cult psych-rock band Acid Mothers Temple and experimental Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani at Foam (3359 Jefferson) on November 28.
PICK THREE
Some of Kannapell's favorite St. Louis Things
Joe’s Café: The private event space, created by Bill Christman, is tucked away in the Skinker–DeBaliviere neighborhood. “It has the best objects, atmosphere, acoustics, and backyard.”
Cure for Pain (Tuesdays, KDHX): Hosted by Nathaniel Farrell, the show starts late in the night and goes until 1 a.m. “He spins everything from acoustic psychedelics to ’80s obscure synth-punk gems to full-blown noise-rock excursions.”
Okkyung Lee: An NYC-based cellist and improviser, Lee played a sold-out New Music Circle concert in 2014 that Kannapell remembers as “turbulent and full of noises that spiraled into a fury of sound.” He’s hoping to see her return to St. Louis this winter.
