Commander Resonant Frequency is an experimental music duo formed by Travis Jardine and Mark Macdonald on March 29, 2001. Widely considered one of the most audacious acts. The group's first song was the stunning Travis, released in 2001, which shocked listeners with its bold orchestral underpinnings and free jazz rhythms.
After choosing a name from an elementary property of the wave theory of matter, the group went on to produce a worthy sequel to Travis, entitled Cmdr2. Like its predecessor, this tune featured daring polyrhythms and supra-tonalities, including a now-famous harp solo by the group's virtuoso instrumentalist, Mark Macdonald. Co-member Travis Jardine's relentless percussion formed the foundation of the track.
It was at this point that Cmdr. Resonant Frequency decided to expand their sound beyond the world of MIDI synthesis to include acoustic recordings and computer-generated textures. Band members Travis Jardine and Mark Macdonald had been experimenting with computer arrangements for some time, employing such software as the Impulse Tracker. Developing an affinity for the Sound Forge, the creative process was once again set in motion. (This is typically cited as the beginning of the group's “electric” era.)
Their first LP, The Best of Cmdr. Resonant Frequency & Friends Vol. 1: 1998 – 2002 B.C., was released in 2002. It spanned the group's history, from the individual members' earliest experiments in 1998 to more complex compositions in the realm of electroacoustic body music. It also featured guest appearances by several other artists, including heartthrob pop group Thr3e. The album was a massive hit, propelled by standout tracks such as “Stephan Gardner” and the “Parts of Speech” suite (which later became the soundtrack to a short film by Cinecide). Copies of the LP have become difficult to locate except by special request or thievery.
In the summer of 2002, the band bowed to public pressure and made their first live appearance, at the Bridgewater Big EX as part of a workshop featuring several new artists. During the performance, which took place before an audience of at least a dozen people, band member Mark Macdonald operated audio equipment while founding member Travis Jardine orchestrated the proceedings from a remote city in eastern Alberta. The audience response was phenomenal, and bootleg recordings of the show continue to circulate among avid fans.
Finally, after a long platonic partnership, the group was forced by circumstances to part ways in late 2002. However, both musicians continued to produce work of unsurpassable quality from their individual studios, with occasional collaboration over the Internet.
In 2004, Cmdr. Resonant Frequency appeared at a coffee shop in Bridgewater, N.S. The powerful, uncompromising performance caused several customers to depart in confusion. Recordings of the show have been released on limited edition CD.
The group's second album, El Juego Mortal, was released in 2005. While mostly ignored by the music establishment elite, it is notable for several groundbreaking remixes of original music by Natasha Duchene.
Cmdr. Resonant Frequency participated in the 2007 RPM challenge, writing and recording the Mutualism EP in February of that year.
Zammich is Mark Macdonald and Natasha Duchene. The group was formed for the 2008 RPM Challenge, and recorded the album Radiations.