Gunung Sari, from the ancient Javanese for “Mountain Essence,” is the Brooklyn-based performance ensemble of Nick Lesley, Stanley Ruiz, and Michael Dotolo. While taking inspiration from Gamelan and other percussion-based folk musics of Southeast Asia (such as Kulintang), their instrumentation is anything but traditional. Circuit-bent electronics, homemade analog synthesizers, remnants of wood and metal are their main tools, in addition to the laptop, which is used both for image and sound processing.
Since 2005, Gunung Sari has played in a number of festivals, art and music events, and galleries around New York, including Eyebeam, The Ontological Hysteric Theater, Galapagos, Issue Project Room, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, MonkeyTown,Cakeshop, and Bard College.
