Welcome to book one of a cycle of compositions inspired by the Island of Marsville. Book One, The Birds of Marsville is a field guide to the extinct birds of Marsville, as compiled by the great Hungo-Italian anthropologist, C. Smalloochi. I wrote this piece using a mechanical street organ, built by Brampton inventor and Cuckoo clock enthusiast, Henk De Graauw. It premiered as a one-person show at the Guelph Jazz Festival 2022. The music captures the wild spirit in Friendly Rich Marsella's music, from early days composing music for MTV's The Tom Green Show, through to leading noise parades with hundreds of grade four students on homemade musical instruments. This piece captures that exploratory feel, in a carnival-esque saunter through 76 different imaginary bird species. - Richard Marsella
