The Salem News Online Plus Edition Wednesday, March 24, 2004

On Wednesday night, the eery 1920 black-and-white film will come together with the music of the present-day Devil Music Ensemble. The Boston-based group will perform its original score as the movie is screened at Museum Place Patriot Cinema. Members of the 4-year-old band are Brendon Wood on guitar and lap steel; Jonah Rapino on electric violin and vibraphone, a XYlophone-like instrument; and Tim Nylander on drums. Both Wood and Rapino also play the synthesizer. The ensemble will play theaters and performing arts centers all over the region before bringing the silent movie soundtrack to Atlanta and Chicago. New England natives, the bandmates earned fine arts degrees from Massachusetts' universities, Wood from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, Rapino from Boston University and Nylander from Harvard. They are a rock trio, Eastern European folk band and a country group but focus most of their energy and touring performances on live music for silent films. While the name conjures images of the satanic heavy metal band, Rapino insists there is nothing devilish about the group. He likens the ensemble to its blues and rock predecessors, who played what was often referred to as "devil music" by those who didn't appreciate those styles. The band also shares its name with a selection written by American composer George Crumb in response to the Vietnam War. The anti-war composition for string quartet is well loved by Wood, who named the band. The group got its start when Wood, who played with a group in New York, was fishing for new bandmates after moving back to the Boston area in 1999. He called on acquaintances, Rapino and Nylander, and the three have been the Devil Music Ensemble ever since. Devil Music Ensemble writes its film scores while the silent movie's images are projected on the screen in its practice space. The themes and moods in the composition are driven by the characters and events in the movie, Rapino says. He called "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" psychological, dramatic and scary. Without DME's music, the impact of the film would be less powerful, Rapino says. "I like to get the chance to control how the audience is feeling," he says. Without dialogue, the viewer can sense conflict but the music heightens their impressions, Rapino added. "When we play, I feel an interaction." Rapino says the group chose "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" based on the suggestion of some friends. He admits "we're not film guys" but acknowledges that the band's recent work has inspired a love of classic cinema. The 75-minute concert Wednesday will be followed by a question and answer session with the group. Staff writer "> Setting silent cinema to musicEnsemble to play original soundtrack with classic film The Boston-based Devil Music Ensemble will perform its original score to the German horror film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari Wednesday at Mueum Place Mall. When: Wednesday, March 24, at 8 p.m. Where: Museum Place Patriot Cinema, East India Square, Salem How: Admission is $8. For more information, visit www.massdist.com/DME "> If you go Details on Devil Music Ensemble performance

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