Still from Fiery Riot and Revel (2015)

Glorious Ravage is a panoramic free jazz song cycle by San Francisco Bay Area bassist and composer Lisa Mezzacappa featuring a large ensemble of musicians from the San Francisco and greater California improvisers’ communities, performing new music in dialogue with films created by Bay Area moving image artists. It takes as its inspiration the adventures and writings of lady explorers of the 19th century who trekked to the wildest parts of the earth, to escape, to discover, and to lose themselves.

The following animations were commissioned for the Glorious Ravage song cycle:

Fiery Riot and Revel (2015)
collage animation, TRT 4:46
[Watch on Vimeo]

This animation focuses on Isabella Bird, English explorer, writer, photographer and naturalist. It illustrates one of the first adventures she had during her first world tour in 1872 on the island of Hawaii, culminating in a semi-mystical experience at the summit of Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world.

Higher Heights (2015)
collage animation, TRT 4:33
[Watch on Vimeo]

This animation focuses on Annie Smith Peck, American high altitude mountain climber, educator, writer and suffragist and her experiences climbing the Peruvian Andes in the early 1900s, including a record setting climb up the north summit of Mt. Huascaran.

Huntress of Flowers (2015)
collage animation, TRT 5:03
[Watch on Vimeo]

This animation focuses on Marianne North, English biologist and botanical artist and her experiences exploring and painting in Rio de Janeiro and the Brazilian Highlands just outside the city in 1872.

Fish and Fetish (2015)
collage animation, TRT 3:40
[Watch on Vimeo]

This animation focuses on Mary Kingsley, English ethnographic and scientific writer and explorer and her experiences studying biology and exploring native culture in West Africa in 1894.

Screenings

Pacific Film Archives, Berkeley, CA, October 2021 (Huntress of Flowers)
Angel City Jazz Festival, Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theatre (REDCAT), Los Angeles, CA, September 2015
Brava Theatre, San Francisco, CA, October 2015

Press

"A Glorious Voyage Through Music" by Jeff Kaliss, San Francisco Classical Voice, October 2015