Not a composer, but an inventor of genius was Arnold Schoenbergs description of John Cage, and the phrase is even more apt for Seattle-based, German-born Trimpin, subject of Peter Esmondes doc. As an artist, Trimpins staked out territory where sculpture, installations, computer technology, and musical instruments overlap, continuing Cages legacy of finding beautiful sounds where no one else would think to look, his DIY, tinkering-in-the-garage spirit, and his unflappable, unaggressive demeanor. Probably his best-known work, locally, is his spectacular tower of self-playing guitars at EMP; Esmonde takes us concisely through the project from conception to completion. He visits a few of Trimpins other constructions as wellthe locations of which are never identified. Its an irritation that grows more acute the more beguiling the work; Id gladly travel to see Trimpins Seismofon, arrays of tuned tubes strung across some ceiling somewhere played by automated clappers that respond to Internet-posted earthquake databut where is it? Is it still up? (Yeah, I could Google it, but thats no excuse for Esmonde not including any informational captions.) The Seismofons warmly woody ripplingimagine that the Close Encounters aliens had a marimba band on that trippy starshipis a prime example of Trimpins guiding belief that sound is always the end, gadgetry the means; no matter how intricate his machines, the music that travels from them to your ear is whats most enthralling. (NR) GAVIN BORCHERT
Wed., July 1, 7:30 p.m., 2009