Bios
Akie Bermiss
mr. bermiss is a brooklyn native reared by former-activists in a musical household full of jazz and politics. he began singing in church, moved it to school for a while, and then took it up as a career. he flirted with going professional in high school but gave it up in the hopes of becoming a better musician. it was at bard, in 2001, that he began to seriously study piano. Under the auspices of John Esposito, Erica Lindsay, and the composers George Tsontakis and Kyle Gann, mr. bermiss began experimenting with form and function in music. He works as a jazz pianist and singer, teacher, and freelance journalist.
in their former band, theFoundation, mr. bermiss and mr. jaster worked to hone the improvisational aspects of their sound to astounding levels. incorporating improvisation not only in harmony and melody, but in rhythm, form, and lyricism. they wrote their best music in somewhat detrimental 48 and 72 hour blocks consisting of little more than writing, playing, drinking, and smoking. for mr. bermiss, the mimetiks is a chance to strip away the accessories to musical intention and be real.
aside from singing and playing, mr. bermiss is a composer (with pieces played by the American Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado String Quartet) and children’s book author (“I Hate to Be Sick” — out on Scholastic). He is a shameless blogger, a lover of science fiction, a huge fan of criollo cigars and takes his bourbon: neat.
Kyle Jaster
born in D.C., raised on a national park, kyle jaster picked up the bass in high school and has been playing the hell out of it ever since. he is a player of unique control and imagination — equally adept on both electric and upright — and a student of the music surrounding him. his seemingly effortless playing comes out of a mixture of the jazz, soul, and blues he heard as a kid, and from the sounds of more advanced compositions that he began to tackle in high school. Soon after starting on bass he was playing in a number of funk, jazz, and gospel bands.
in 2001, mr. jaster met akie bermiss at Bard College in a funk band called MotherMing. through a number of incarnations, MotherMing became the grassroots limit-stretching soul quartet, theFoundation. mr. jaster and mr. bermiss developing an uncanny musical rapport through out. mr. jaster believed the mimetiks was the natural continuation of their interaction. in the intervening years mr. jaster has devoted his time to music, math, philosophy, and art. A lover of fine cigars and a good glass of spirits, mr. jaster is a sucker for Shakespeare.
Akie Bermiss and Kyle Jaster have (separately and/or collectively) shared the stage with with:
