PLATO & the Western Tradition

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PLATO & the Western Tradition is a Postmodern Improvisation Ensemble that has been recording real-time improvisations using electronic and acoustic instruments since 1988. The founders and core members are David K. Barton of South Bend, Indiana, and Boyd Nutting of Niles, Michigan. As of December 4, 2016, we have recorded 4,054 improvisations, and would like to share our music. PLATO & The Western Tradition invites others in the Electronic Music Community to participate in the creation of an on-line compilation called “Weaving Indra’s Net”. Here are the “rules”:1. Download from http://www.soun...

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PLATO & the Western Tradition

Episodes

PLATO No. 10680 Full Aries Moon 07.10.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded October 6, 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 1608, “Convoluted Methods of the Mechanic Phylum” (David, & Boyd Nutting, 2-28-08) 00:06-13:06, 46:09-59:09.

PLATO No. 10679 Broken Shards 06.10.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded October 5, 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 1976, “Twisted Ambience” (David, Julie Soales, & Boyd Nutting, 6-23-10) 00:06-12:22, 02:29-14:45, both Tr -1.

PLATO No. 10678 The Persistence of Memory 05.10.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded October 4, 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 1687, “Past Life Revisited” (David, & Boyd Nutting, 1-21-09) 00:06-13:06, 54:25-67:25.

PLATO No. 10677 Deviant Information 04.10.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded October 3, 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 0677, “The Left-Hand Way 1” (David, & Boyd Nutting, 12-16-96) 18:41-31:41, 31:41-44:41.

PLATO No. 10676 Esoteric Minstrelsy 03.10.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded October 2, 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 0671, “Harding’s Reels & Jigs No. 5” (David, & David Harding, viola, 12-11-96) 00:04-13:04, 32:40-45:40.

PLATO No. 10675 Not Required Listening 02.10.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded October 1, 2025, PLATO’s Pilot House, Michiana. PLATO, No. 6980, “Magic’s Imperious Gaze” (David, solo, 9-15-19) 00:00-13:00, 13:00- 26:00. {9880 time-folds PLATO, No. 1576, “Spurious Anniversary 2, No. 3” (David, solo, Spurious Fugitive Gallery 9-7-07) 13:01-39:01, 33:20-59:20.}

PLATO No. 10674 Broken Loom 01.10.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded September 30, 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 0714, “Tangled Threads of Time, part 2” (David, Marian Stetler-Emery, Carol Miranda, & Tim Backer 4-12-96) 00:02-13:02, 21:20-34:20.

PLATO No. 10673 Radiant Pioneers 30.09.2025 13:04

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 29, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David; PUSH+Kybd—›Synths+Voice; PLATO, No. 10043, “Candle of the Nine Skies” (David, solo, 9-29-24). Boyd: Electronics—›Pro-cessors+Recorder; PLATO, No. 0731, “Between Extremes ” (PLATO & CONCRETE: David, Boyd, Andrew Lersten & Jon Yazell, MIMF VI No. 9, 6-15-96) 19:00-32:00. {10043 ti...

PLATO No. 10672 Utopian Regeneration 30.09.2025 12:58

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 29, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David; PUSH+Kybd—›Synths; PLATO, No. 9417, “Animal Husbandry” (David, solo, 9-29-23). Boyd: Theremin—›Vocoder—›Process-ors; PLATO, No. 0216, “Truth Revealed by Time part 4” (David, Boyd, Evie Barton, Phil Ray 5-28-90) 13:00-26:00. {9417 time-folds PLATO, No. 0166, “Joan the Squirrel” (...

PLATO No. 10671 Collective Immersion 30.09.2025 13:01

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 29, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David; Kybd—›Synths; PLATO, No. 8788, “Cottage Industry” (David, solo, 9-29-22). Boyd: Electronics—›Processors+Cajon Drum+Voice; PLATO, No. 0611, “Dreaming of Deep Time 1” (David & Boyd 3-27-95) 32:00-45:00. {8788 time-folds PLATO, No. 0788, “Esoteric Industrial Music, part 2” (David &...

PLATO No. 10670 Bouts of Reason & Unreason 30.09.2025 13:01

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 29, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David; PLATO, No. 8163, “Cat’s Eye” (David, solo, 9-29-21). Boyd: Electronics—›Processors. PLATO, No. 0706, “Temples of the Anunnaki 2” (David & Boyd 3-21-96) 13:00-26:00, 19:00-32:00. {8163 time-folds PLATO, No. 1836 “the eye of the lynx“ (David, Boyd, Julie Soales 11/4/09).}

PLATO No. 10669 Plunging Into Daydreams 30.09.2025 13:00

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 29, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David; Kybd—›Synths+Voice; PLATO, No. 7538, “Ghostly Crosstalk” (David, solo, 9-29-20). Boyd: Electronics—›Processors;Voice+Per-cussion. PLATO, No. 1966, “Aftermathematics” (David & Boyd 5-26-10) 13:00-26:00, 20:00-33:00. {7538 time-folds PLATO, No. 3882, “Phantom Landscape” (David & B...

PLATO No. 10668 Melancholy Sky 30.09.2025 12:56

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 29, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David; Kybd—›Synths+Voice+Melodeon+Rainstick; PLATO, No. 6914, “Grace-Full Music” (David, solo, 9-29-19). Boyd: Theremin—›Vocoder—›Processors; Electronics—›Processors; Voice+Percussion. {6914 time-folds PLATO, No. 0657, “Lonesome Doves 3” (Marian Stetler-Emery, Colin Bollinger, 9-29-95...

PLATO No. 10667 The Clarion Call of Antifa 29.09.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded September 28. 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 0617, “Hymns & Whispers 1” (David, & Boyd Nutting 5-10-95) 00:02-13:02, 20:20-33:20.

PLATO No. 10666 Mechanical Failure 28.09.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded September 27. 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 1395a, “Blame IT on the Machines, part 1” (David, & Boyd Nutting 9-27-05) 00:05-13:05, 17:00-30:00.

PLATO No. 10665 Forgetfulness 27.09.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded September 26. 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 0566, “The City of Collective Memory part 2” (David, & Boyd Nutting 10-14-94) 00:01-13:01: with, PLATO, No. 1566, “Alien Jihad No.1” (David, solo, Spurious Fugitive Gallery 7-6-07) 00:01-13:01.

PLATO No. 10664 Understanding the Birds 26.09.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded September 25. 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 0646, “Tasting the Dragon’s Blood 2” (David, & Boyd Nutting 8-11-95) 14:38- 26:38, 18:52-31:52.

PLATO No. 10663 Owning Time 25.09.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded September 24. 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 0663, “Lapidary 1” (David, & Boyd Nutting 10-26-95) 13:02- 26:02, 17:24-30:24.

PLATO No. 10662 Cavernous Sound-Wall 24.09.2025 13:00

New Music by David K. Barton, recorded September 23. 2025, PLATO’s PilotHouse, Michiana. PLATO, No. 6602, “Cataract” (David, solo, 3-25-19) 00:00-13:00, 13:00-26:00.

PLATO No. 10661 Ecstatic Path of the Sun 23.09.2025 13:00

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 22, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: PLATO, No. 1715, “The Podium of Pronouncements” (David, solo, Spurious Fugitive Gallery 3-6-09) 00:03-12:59. Boyd: Electronics—›Processors; PLATO, No. 1616, “Free Tibet!” (David & Boyd 3-18-08) 46:00-59:00.

PLATO No. 10660 Unearthly Sound & Light 23.09.2025 13:00

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 22, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: Bells-on-Stick.. PLATO, No. 1705, “Tara” (David & Boyd, 2-18-09) 11:14-24:10. Boyd: Electronics—›Processors; PLATO, No. 0160, “Light of Other Suns” (David, Boyd, & Kurt Boesinger 8-24-89) 09:00-22:00.

PLATO No. 10659 Stars at Dawn 23.09.2025 13:00

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, with Marcus Furnessy, recorded September 22, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: Voice+Accordion Reeds. PLATO, No. 1695, “The Haven of Perfection” (David, solo, Spurious Fugitive Gallery 2-4-09) 45:17-58:13; Samples from LIVE-9 Sample Matrix. Boyd: Electronics—›Processors; PLATO, No. 3947, “Fibonacci Sutra” (Boyd, solo, 9-22-16). Marcus...

PLATO No. 10658 Liminal Celebration 23.09.2025 13:00

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, with Marcus Furnessy, recorded September 22, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: Bell. PLATO, No. 1685, “Puppetmaster Punctum No. 5” (David, solo, Spurious Fugitive Gallery 1-9-09). Boyd: Guitar—›Processors; PLATO, No. 0586, “The Mind's Endless Adventure part 2” (David & Boyd 12-9-94) 13:00-26:00, 33:00-46:00. Marcus: Cajon Drum, Bells;...

PLATO No. 10657 Low Merriment Faire 23.09.2025 13:00

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 22, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: Kybd—›Synths; Voice. PLATO, No. 1675, “Small Treasures, No. 4” (David, solo, Spurious Fugitive Gallery 12-15-08) 18:15-31:11. Boyd: Guitar—›Processors; PLATO, No. 1756, “Lightness of Being” (David & Boyd Michiana Improvisational Music Fes-tival XIX No. 5, 5-29-05) 13:00-26:00, 1...

PLATO No. 10656 Auguries 23.09.2025 13:00

Real-Time Improvisation by David K. Barton & Boyd Nutting, recorded September 22, 2025, PLATO’s Studio, Michiana. David: Kybd—›Synths+GRII; Voice. PLATO, No. 1665, “Two Painters, No. 3” (David, solo, Spurious Fugitive Gallery 10-31-08) 00:04-13:00; PLATO, No. 10654, “Gifted with Hearing (David, solo, 9-20-25) 08:00-13:00: then PLATO, No. 10655 “Faint Traces of the Past” (David, solo 9-21-25) 00:00...