Phoebe Legere Explained

Phoebe Hemenway Legere
Nationality:American
Occupation:Artist
Notable Works:Foundationfornewamericanart.org

Phoebe Hemenway Legere is an American pioneer of multi-disciplinary art.[1] [2] She is a Juilliard-educated composer,[3] soprano, pianist and accordionist, painter,[4] poet,[5] and film maker. A graduate of Vassar College[6] with a four octave vocal range,[7] [8] [9] [10] Legere has recorded for Mercury Records in England, and for Epic, Island, Rizzoli, Funtone, ESP Disk and Einstein Records in the United States. Legere plays seven musical instruments[11] and has released 15 CDs of original music.[12] She has appeared on National Public Radio, CBS Sunday Morning, PBS's City Arts, WNYC's Soundcheck, Charlie Rose and in films by Troma, Island Pictures, Rosa von Praunheim, Ela Troyano and Ivan Galietti, Abel Ferrara, Jonathan Demme, Ivan Reitman and many others.[13] Legere is of Acadian and Abenaki descent. She is a standard bearer of the Acadian and Abenaki renaissance in America.[14]

History

Legere's parents were artists, her grandparents were musicians. She began piano lessons at age 3, and learned the techniques of oil painting and draftsmanship when she was age 5. By age 9 Legere was a professional musician.[15] [16] She had her debut at Carnegie Hall at age 16.[17] At 17 she became the Resident Composer for the Wooster Group working 9-5 M-F with Willem Defoe, Spalding Gray, Richard Schechner, Victor Turner and Ron Vawter. This grounding in experimental theater, performance art and music was the basis for Phoebe's MONAD, an all girl Performance Art rock band. While still a teenager she invented "Total Art Synthesis" a Universal Field Theory of the Arts. She was signed to Nemperor/Epic Records by Nat Weiss who was co-founder of Apple Records with Brian Epstein and John Lennon. She was a cultural leader in the East Village Renaissance. Her band Monad performed opening night at the Pyramid Club on Avenue A. She had formative friendships with Larry Rivers, Allen Ginsburg, Peter Beard, Don Cherry, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel, Crystal Field, David Bowie and many others.

As the opening act for David Bowie on his 1990 Sound+Vision Tour US tour, Legere played her original songs for 20,000 people a night.[18] A huge forklift brought a white grand piano to the stage, where she performed with her seminal punk-rock band, MONAD:The Four Nurses of the Apocalypse.[19] [20]

In 2000, with composer[21] Morgan Powell, she co-wrote The Waterclown  - a musical setting of her epic poem about water issues, "The Waterclown"  - for the Cleveland Chamber Symphony.

Beginning in 2001,[22] Legere worked as Head Writer, on-air host, and interviewer for Roulette TV, a collection of video programs broadcast online and on New York City cable television,[23] that captures the creative process of live performance at "the extreme frontier edge of art and music" and is dedicated to experimental art and music.[24] Legere's musical invention the Sneakers of Samothrace were the subject of one episode of the programs on 9 December 2007. She was interviewed afterward by David Behrman, an American composer and pioneer of computer music, revealing that her first job was resident composer for The Wooster Groupand discussing in detail their influence on her art making.[25]

Legere is Founder and archivist for the New York Underground Museum (founded 2006).[26]

In 2013, she created The Shamancycle, a four-wheeled alternative vehicle designed in the form of a moving giant eagle sculpture constructed from repurposed metal and powered by alternative energy and having room for 15 people, the idea for which came to her in a dream.[27]

In 2015, Legere appeared on It's Me, Hilary: The Man Who Drew Eloise, an HBO documentary produced by Lena Dunham about Hilary Knight who is best known as the illustrator of Kay Thompson's Eloise series of children's books.[28] [29]

Legere was touring again in 2017,[30] [31] bringing art and music to the children in low income communities on behalf of her nonprofit Foundation for New American Art, founded in 2016.[32]

Legere, who has Native American heritage,[33] has been an outspoken advocate for female, gay, Native American, and universal civil rights. She will represent North America at Cannes.[34]

She wrote and starred in the play Speed Queen: The Joe Carstairs Story, performing as multiple characters in a musical about the life of Marion Barbara 'Joe' Carstairs (1900-1993), the wealthy British power boat racer known for her speed and lavish lifestyle. The production combined storytelling, painting, sculpture, movie stars, costumes, and music.[35] Legere performed this transdisciplinary play seven times between March 7 and March 24, 2018, at Dixon Place, in the main performance space of the New York City theater organization dedicated to the development of artwork from a broad range of performers and artists.[36]

Personal life

Legere is single. She has never been married. [37]

Discography

Plays

Filmography

See also

List of people in Playboy 1980–1989

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Holden. Stephen. Review/Cabaret; Phoebe Legere Flaunts Contradictions. New York Times. 22 November 2017. 9 April 1991.
  2. Web site: Boa. Vienna. Legere. Phoebe. Art, Music, Money – Phoebe Legere with Vienna Boa. The Brooklyn Rail. 22 November 2017. 4 March 2013.
  3. Web site: Dyroff. Denny. On Stage: Phoebe Legere really is unique. The Unionville Times. 23 November 2017. 3 August 2017.
  4. Web site: Legere. Phoebe. Artist, Phoebe Legere. 23 November 2017.
  5. Web site: Ponce. Roberto. Phoebe Legere, cabaret transgresor que reverdece. Proceso. 22 November 2017. es. 25 May 2012. 1 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201043011/http://www.proceso.com.mx/308752. dead.
  6. News: Cabaret's New Star. Where New York. March 1991. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041238/http://phoebelegere.com/wheremagazine.jpg. 4 March 2016. 22.
  7. Web site: Vassar Historian. A Documentary Chronicle of Vassar College. 22 November 2017. 24 April 1987.
  8. Web site: Holden. Stephen. A New Generation Of Performers Is Revitalizing Cabarets. New York Times. 22 November 2017. 19 August 1988.
  9. Web site: Lippencott. Procter. Singer Steals Show. New York Times. dead. 22 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222062809/http://phoebelegere.com/nytimes.jpg. 22 February 2014.
  10. Web site: Szabo. Julia. Performer Phoebe Legere Returns To Vassar. Miscellany News, Volume LXXVII, Number 18. 23 November 2017. 17 April 1987.
  11. Web site: A History of the Accordion in Americana Music. Accordion Americana. 23 November 2017. 1 September 2017.
  12. Web site: Kenney. Jay. Phoebe Legere Bringing Cajun Music and More to Orleans, Mass.. Limelight Magazine. 22 November 2017. 21 August 2015.
  13. Web site: Wildermann. Patrick. Deutsche schmecken gut. Der Tagesspiegel. 22 November 2017. de. 20 November 2012.
  14. Web site: Forson. Kofi. The Demystification of Phoebe Legere: Language and Light. Whitehot Magazine. 22 November 2017. June 2008.
  15. Web site: Phoebe Legere's Old New York. BlackBook. 27 December 2017. 14 February 2011.
  16. Web site: Lawrence. Josh. The Real Phoebe Legere. The East Hampton Star. 23 November 2017. 2 October 1997. 1 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044019/http://easthamptonstar.com/Archive/1/Real-Phoebe-Legere. dead.
  17. Web site: Accordion Queen Phoebe Legere. The Music Room on WVUD (University of Delaware). 23 November 2017. English language interview aired 24 October 2017. 8 August 2017.
  18. Web site: Legere. Phoebe. 'I Started to Fall Backwards': My Faint Recollection of Opening For David Bowie. Bedford + Bowery (based on an interview as told to Frank Mastropolo). 13 January 2016.
  19. Web site: von Bernewitz. Robert. Phoebe Legere - Singer/Songwriter. Musicguy247: A celebration of people involved in music. 23 November 2017. Interview transcript. 4 March 2017.
  20. Web site: Cooper. Michael. REPORT: LOWER EAST SIDE/EAST VILLAGE; Old Favorite Wheezes Back Into Bohemia. New York Times. 23 November 2017. 26 May 1996.
  21. Web site: Powell, Morgan (1938-). The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 23 November 2017. 2012.
  22. Web site: Hello Mrs. President presented by Phoebe Legere. www.accordionusa.com. 23 November 2017. August 2004.
  23. Web site: ROULETTE TV. Roulette TV. 23 November 2017.
  24. Web site: Kelly. Louise. Phoebe Legere "Marijuana Lollipop" Show - Opening Night of Big Gay Bay Area Tour. SanJose.com. 23 November 2017. 9 May 2015.
  25. Web site: Roulette Intermedium. Phoebe Legere. Vimeo. 23 November 2017. 9 December 2007.
  26. Book: von Burden. Zora. Women of the Underground: Music: Cultural Innovators Speak for Themselves. 2010. Manic D Press, Inc.. San Francisco, CA. 978-1-933149-19-6. 23 November 2017.
  27. Web site: Shamancycle. 23 November 2017.
  28. Web site: Stanley. Alessandra. Review: 'It's Me, Hilary' Documentary Spotlights Eloise's Illustrator. New York Times. 23 November 2017. 22 March 2015.
  29. Zuckerman. Esther. 'Eloise' illustrator Hilary Knight talks new HBO documentary and his bond with Lena Dunham. Entertainment Weekly. 23 November 2017. 18 March 2015.
  30. Web site: Leighton. Anne. Phoebe Legere is coming to town. Bridgeport Banner w Rob Sullivan. 23 November 2017. 26 April 2017.
  31. Web site: Clyde. Beth Ann. Phoebe Legere Returns to Her Roots. Long Island Pulse. 23 November 2017. 27 June 2017.
  32. Web site: Legere. Phoebe. A Letter From Our Executive Director. Foundation for New American Art. 23 November 2017.
  33. Web site: Hagan. Debbie. Returning to Her Roots. Merrimack Valley Magazine. 19 January 2018. 16 May 2017.
  34. Web site: Afterglow Provincetown Live Performance Art Festival. Phoebe Legere. AfterglowFestival.org. 23 November 2017. Provincetown, Massachusetts. 28 June 2017. 1 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033459/http://www.afterglowfestival.org/2017/06/phoebe-legere/. dead.
  35. Web site: Kickstarter: Joe Carstairs Trans Heiress Musucal. Curve Magazine. 26 December 2017. 11 September 2017. 25 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171225220449/http://www.curvemag.com/Culture/Kickstarter-Trans-Heiress-Musical-2121/. dead.
  36. Web site: Dixon Place. SPEED QUEEN: THE JOE CARSTAIRS STORY - Written and Performed by Phoebe Legere. DixonPlace.org. 26 December 2017. 26 December 2017.
  37. limited . Register . legere . 1565540280165695489 .
  38. Web site: Phoebe Legere, Blue Curtain: Magically 14th Street. Roulette Intermedium. 14 February 2018.
  39. Web site: Blind Pursuits. DRAM (part of Anthology of Recorded Music, Inc.). 4 January 2018.
  40. Web site: Blind Pursuits: Jim Staley with Phoebe Legere and Borah Bergman. Roulette Intermedium. 14 February 2018.
  41. Web site: Morgan Powell, The Common Root: Tone Road Ramblers with text and vocals by Phoebe Legere. Roulette Intermedium. 14 February 2018.
  42. Web site: Leighton. Anne. Phoebe Legere. Anne Leighton - Media * Music Services * Motivation. 23 November 2017. 9 March 2017. Phoebe Legere's new Americana CD "Heart of Love" is out on Valentine's Day..
  43. Web site: Litt. Larry. Shakespeare & Elizabeth I: The Reality Show. New York Theatre Wire. 22 November 2017. 12 December 2013.
  44. Web site: Parr. Nicole. Accordion Queen Phoebe Legere. Radio station WVUD at the University of Delaware. 22 November 2017. 24 October 2017.
  45. Web site: Magnotta. Ernie. Review: "The Toxic Avenger Part II' (1989), Blu-Ray Special Edition From Troma Entertainment. Cinema Retro. 14 February 2018. 25 May 2015.
  46. Web site: Canby. Vincent. A Self-Doubting Monster Fights the Forces of Evil. New York Times. 22 November 2017. 10 November 1989.
  47. Web site: Marquis de Slime. Imdb.com. 3 January 2018.
  48. Web site: The Bar Channel. Vimeo.com. 3 January 2018.

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