Altona Sketches was conceived following a lengthy session of prepared piano improvisations delivered in support of a one-man juggling show with Australia’s highly regarded contemporary circus troupe Circa. The album splits its sound palette between short and sweet excursions into music boxes and prepared toy piano and lengthier explorations of Griswold’s unique prepared piano approaches.

Words from Erik Griswold:
Bolts, screws, paper, rubber strips, and bits of cardboard are wedged, laced, and screwed between the piano strings to create layers of interlocking microtonal scales. These form a matrix of possibilities that are explored, sounded and discovered in a series of improvised musical moments. Cross rhythms. Imperfect memories.