Allen Hulsey

Allen Hulsey
Background information
Birth name Allen Hulsey
Born (1985-02-08) February 8, 1985
Rochester, New York, US
Genres Alternative Rock, New wave, Indie
Occupation(s) Singer, musician, songwriter, Guitarist, Visual artist, actor
Instruments Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Bass, Piano
Years active 2008–present
Associated acts Muj, Emperor City Motorcade
Notable instruments
Fender Stratocaster,
Fender Telecaster,
Twelve-String Guitar,
Harmony Company models,
Silvertone (instruments)

Allen Hulsey (born February 8, 1985) is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and visual artist. He is the founding member of New York City–based music duo Muj. Allen has also pursued musical projects outside of Muj's work, including numerous collaborations with other bands such as Emperor City Motorcade. He is also inclined towards acting, having worked in a 2011 short movie, I'm So Tall.[1][2] Allen's paintings have also been exhibited in a number of venues, including Flamboyan Theatre.[3]

Early life

Born in Rochester, New York (February 8, 1985), Allen was attuned to music from early years of childhood, responding intensely to local church bells as an infant and writing his first songs shortly thereafter. Allen moved to Turkey at the age of 7, at which point he undertook the study of cello and piano. He began playing guitar before attending boarding school in Germany at age 13. At boarding school Allen was introduced to a plethora of more modern music, which he incorporated into his vast knowledge of classical musics. He also then started to play bowed guitar in order to incorporate his prior knowledge of cello with his guitar playing. His rendition of Saint Saens' Le Cygne, later appeared in I'm So Tall, an art film starring Allen and directed by Yael Zeevi, in 2011. Exploring microtonal music and Turkish art/folk music lead him to apply to Berklee College of Music in 2003. Allen studied modern classical music privately, alongside the jazz composition courses he took at Berklee, studying under David Tronzo, Ken Pulig,[4] Yokob Gubanov,[5] and David Fiuczynski.

Upon graduating in 2006, Allen moved to New York City, NY. In New York, Allen played with multiple bands, taught and did session work. Allen composed music for modern and traditional dance, performing at the LaMama Moves! Dance festival "World Summit" 2007. For two years Allen played lead guitar for Emperor City Motorcade, with whom he performed on WRXP 101.9 hosted by Matt Pinfield. While with this band he also performed at Bowery Ballroom, Gramercy Theater, Webster Hall, and Mercury Lounge. In 2009, Allen formed Muj with Emre Atabay, his Berklee friend. The duo recorded "Muj 2012", releasing the album in 2010.

Styles and influences

Allen's styles of guitar playing includes extended guitar techniques such as fretless guitar, slide guitar, prepared guitar. He has been strongly influenced by Erkan Ogur, Fred Frith, David Tronzo, Derek Bailey and John Cage. Allen has also been an admirer of John Lennon and especially Dani Rabin of Marbin. He participates in and is a founding member of yearly tribute to the life and music of John Lennon. The event is held in Central Park on December 8, the anniversary of Lennon's assassination. Performing in the Naumburg Band Shell across from Strawberry Field, hundreds gather each year in the freezing cold to celebrate and remember the music of John Lennon.[6]

Instruments and recordings

Allen primarily plays Fender Stratocaster, Silvertone 1457, twelve-string acoustic and Harmony hollowbody guitars. He uses alternative tuning in most of his songs, including Open G, Open D and C# Minor tuning. He has solo recordings and has recorded with Geron Hoy, Emperor City Motorcade, Jenn Logue, Ignacio, 6L6, and Muj. Allen and Emperor City Motorcade composed original music for the movie Rex.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ["http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1941554/" "Allen Hulsey's "I'm So Tall" – short movie"] Check |url= value (help). imdb.com. Retrieved February 2011. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  2. ↑ ["http://www.monacofilmfestival.de/72-0-2011-STUDENT-SHORT-FILMS.html" "Allen Hulsey's I'm So Tall at Monaco film festival"] Check |url= value (help). monacofilmfestival.de. Retrieved February 2011. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  3. ↑ ["http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/112761-allen-hulsey" "Allen Hulsey's exhibits at the Flamboyan Theatre in New York"] Check |url= value (help). artslant.com. Retrieved October 2009. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  4. ↑ ["http://www.berklee.edu/faculty/detail/ken-pullig" "Ken Pulig's profile at Berklee"] Check |url= value (help). berklee.edu. Retrieved March 2011. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  5. ↑ [" http://www.yakovgubanov.com/html" "Yakov Gubanov's website"] Check |url= value (help). yakovgubanov.com. Retrieved March 2011. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  6. ↑ ["http://www.loveoflennon.com/" "Love of Lennon yearly concert"] Check |url= value (help). loveoflennon.com. Retrieved December 2010. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  7. ↑ ["http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0991028/" "Rex at Imdb"] Check |url= value (help). imdb.com. Retrieved 2008. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)

External links

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