EMERALD TRIO - THE BIG GREEN APPLE

• emerald trio: the big green apple
      (2017, cd, usa, composers concordance records)

The Emerald Trio features Karen Bogardus (flutes), Orlando Wells (violin, viola) and Matt Castle (piano).  "The Big Green Apple" is the their first album.

"The Big Green Apple" presents the Emerald Trio performing pieces by seven contemporary New York-based composers.
If you have kept an eye on the Composers Concordance Records label, quite a few of these names will sound familiar.
The result is impressive. The fact that there are contributions by different composers results in a varied and colorful album.

1. trio for flute, viola & piano : I. allegro (matt castle)
2. trio for flute, viola & piano : II. largo (matt castle)
3. trio for flute, viola & piano : III. allegro scherzando (matt castle)
4. a wintry mix: of snow... (carolyn steinberg)
5. a wintry mix: ... and ice (carolyn steinberg)
6. mixture (joseph pehrson)
7. loud cries at regular intervals (gene pritsker)
8. magla (paranosic)
9. behooves (dan cooper)
10. the passions of the present (davide zannoni)
11. the firebird suite: V. infernal dance (arr. for flute, viola & piano) (stravinsky)
12. trio for flute, viola & piano : I. allegro (matt castle) - live
13. trio for flute, viola & piano : III. allegro scherzando (matt castle) - live

I like it lot.
As you might have noticed in the above tracklist, the album has a couple of bonus tracks : Stravinsky's 'Infernal Dance' plus two live renditions.
Recommended listening.

Read more about it here:
http://www.sequenza21.com/cdreviews/2018/07/emerald-trio-the-big-green-apple/

Listen to some samples here :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074KR749J/

PANCREAS

Contemporary classical / experimental music from Brazil.
"Mitose" by Pancreas.

Recorded in 2015.

https://soundcloud.com/pancreasmitose

This album, comprised of six works from a research that interconnects the passionate aspects of Shakespeare sonnets with religiously sourced African rhythms. Unlike the "immaculate condition" notably held by Christians, African beliefs are based on human archetypes. Orixas, like all of humanity, have an emotional response stirred by love, respect and, sometimes, possession. Counterpointed by a where the ego comes before the common good, well described and found in reasonable portion among mundane literature, including Shakespeare sonnets.

LABTRIO FT MICHAËL ATTIAS AND CHRIS HOFFMAN - THE HOWLS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM

• labtrio ft. michaël attias & chris hoffman: the howls are not what they seem
      (2016, cd, bel, out note records otn 623)

Belgian experimental jazz band Labtrio was founded around 2007, featuring Lander Gyselinck on drums, Anneleen Boehme on double bass, and Bram De Looze on piano.
They released their first album, 'Fluxus' in 2013 on the Out Note Records label.

Last June, Labtrio recorded their latest album. These recordings took place in New Jersey and featured Michaël Attias on saxophone and Christopher Hofman on cello.
Both Lander and Bram had met Michaël and Christopher a couple of years earlier, while studying in New York City.

The result is entitled "The Howls Are Not What They Seem" and the quintet (Labtrio + guests) are touring Belgium at this very moment to promote this new album.

Yesterday, the band played at 'De Singer' in Rijkevorsel. It was a very impressive performance. The first set was rather experimental while the second set sounded more jazzy and had more of a drive.
A nice equilibrium.
I really liked it.

Check out the new album and try to catch the band in concert !!

Jan 20: Jazz Station, Saint Josse Ten Noode
Jan 21: Handelsbeurs Concertzaal, Gent
Jan 23: Kulturzentrum Jünglingshaus, Eupen

FRANK NUYTS - 18 PIANOSONATES

• frank nuyts: 18 pianosonates
      (2015, 6cd-box, bel, de bijloke)

Three years ago, concert hall and music centre De Bijloke started an impressive project. The artistic director of De Bijloke asked contemporary composer Frank Nuyts to write another four piano sonates. At the time, Frank Nuyts had already written fourteen piano sonates. All of them, including the four new pieces would be performed at De Bijloke during six concerts, spread over 3 years. The sonates would be performed by different pianists and would be recorded and released on CD.

Frank Nuyts agreed and the project took a start at De Bijloke in December 2012.
At every new concert, the audience received the CD of the previous concert, resulting in an impressive set of recordings.
The project ended with a performance of the 11th, 12th and 18th sonate in February 2015.

Last month, De Bijloke released a box set of all six albums.
Piano sonates aren't the easiest pieces of music to listen to, but these are fascinating. They'll keep me busy for long time.

Beautiful artwork as well.

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FRANK NUYTS UPDATE

Music centre De Bijloke Ghent is releasing 18 piano sonates by contemporary composer Frank Nuyts.
These sonates have been recorded in concert at De Bijloke the last couple of years.

Released in a 6 CD box.
More details very soon.

FIREWORKS ENSEMBLE HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT

The Fireworks Ensemble is released a new album last month, entitled "American Tapestry".

Works by Bill Monroe, Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ives, ...

You can  check it out at
http://fireworksensemble.org/audio/

YVAR MIKHASHOFF - PANORAMA OF AMERICAN PIANO MUSIC

• yvar mikhashoff: panorama of american piano music
      (2014, 4cd, usa, mode records mode 262/65)

"Panoram Of American Piano Music" is a 4CD collection of pieces that Yvar Mikhashoff performed on the grand piano. It's his unique perspective on trends in American piano music from the last one hundred years.
This collection is enormous. Both in quantity as in quality.
62 works, 48 composers, 4 hours and 34 minutes.
John Cage, Morton Feldman, Lou Harrison, Conlon Nancarrow,...
Plus Yvar's performance of Frank Zappa's 'Piano Introduction To 'Little House I Used To Live In' '.

Incredible.
Essential.

BIRD STAUSS AND HIS ART COMPANIONS RICHARD KOCH & REMI STRÄULI - EN ROUTE

• bird stauss and his art companions richard koch & rémy sträuli: en route
      (2014, cd, switzerland, fazzul music fm 0833)

About three weeks ago, Markus Stauss' Fazzul Music label released a new (and excellent) Zauss album. The Zauss project has Markus collaborating with guitar player Francesco Zago. The album is called "Diafonia Leitmotiv Waves" and it's the fourth Zauss album to date. You definitely need to check it out.

But there's more, as the Fazzul record label lets us become acquainted with Bird Stauss and his Art Companions (or Vogel Stauss und seine Art Genossen as they're called in the German language), the Art Companions being Richard Koch on trumpet and Rémy Sträuli on drums and weird background keyboards noises.
"En Route" sounds very fresh and open. Composed, and yet with a lot of space for improvisations.
As Markus Stauss added : "(it sounds) almost 'happy' compared to other Fazzul productions."

http://www.fazzulmusic.ch/

WDR SINFONIEORCHESTER PLAYS ZAPPA

The WDR SinfonieOrchester recently performed four Frank Zappa pieces that you don't get to hear in concert that often.
May 4, 2013, as part of the "Acht Brücken" Festival.

John Adams
»Short Ride in a Fast Machine« (1986) für Orchester

Bernhard Gander
»orchannibal corpse« (2013) für Orchester UA

Hans Abrahamsen
»Concerto« (2000) für Klavier und Orchester

Steve Reich
»New York Counterpoint« (1985) für 11 Klarinetten

Frank Zappa
4 Stücke für Solodrummer und Orchester, arrangiert von Andrew Digby und Hubert Steiner UA

• Aerobics In Bondage
• Navanax
• Naval Aviation In Art?
• Put A Motor In Yourself

György Ligeti
»San Francisco Polyphony« (1973–74) für Orchester

Tamara Stefanovich, Klavier
Dirk Rothbrust, Schlagzeug
NYC Project mit Thorsten Johanns, Nicola Jürgensen
und Studierenden der Musikhochschu
len in NRW
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln Leitung: Jonathan Stockhammer

The Zappa pieces start at around 01:25:00

ELECTRA - ABLE TO BE

• electra: able to be
      (2008, cd+dvd, nl, attaca 27111 & 27112)

The Electra ensemble peforms the music of contemporary composers.

Monica Germino: violin, electric violin

Tatiana Koleva: mallets, percussion

Susanna Borsch: recorder, electronics

Marijje van Stralen: voice

Michaele Riener: voice

"Able To Be" presents works from Louis Andriessen, Ron Ford, and from Corrie van Binsbergen !

Corrie van Binsbergen's piece is entitled 'The Fifth Element', and has text fragments in the Kobaian language. (get you Magma t-shirts out !!)

The album got released in 2008 (and somehow escaped my radar...).
The second disc on "Able To Be" is a DVD.

Here's the introduction: 'Meet Electra'.
ELECTRA behind the scenes...a mini-documentary by Pjotr 's-Gravesande & Sieuwert Verster, from the CD/DVD 'ABLE TO BE'.

Also features excerpts from pieces by Jacob TV, Hans Asselbergs, Louis Andriessen, Chiel Meijering, Vanessa Lann, Donnacha Dennehy & Corrie van Binsbergen. This & more is available on the CD/DVD retrospective, ABLE TO BE (on Attacca Records) 

SOUND LIBERATION - DAYS

• sound liberation: days
      (2014, cd, usa, naxos, composers concordance comcon0013)

March 2014 will see the release of a new Sound Liberation album.
As you should know, Sound Liberation performs the music of Gene Pritsker, a composer without musical boundaries. Gene Pritsker blends soulful rhythm 'n blues with chamber music strings and hip-hop rhymes. And he might add some bop jazz guitar lines on the spot.

"Days" collects compositions from different projects. There's music from the "Money" hip-hop-chamber opera, there's remixe of previously released songs, some hip-hop jams based on orchestral samples, and even a couple of live concert recordings.

My favourite track is 'What Shall I Do, a beautiful song that features the supeb voice of Chanda Rule, accompanied by a string quartet and a guitar.
Worth checking out.

Here's the poppy 'Breath':



www.composersconcordancerecords.com

www.genepritsker.com

TOO NOISY FISH - FIGHT EAT SLEEP

• too noisy fish: fight eat sleap
      (2013, cd, bel, rat records rat 022)

I think I already mentioned the second Too Noisy Fish album: "Fight Eat Sleep" a little while ago.
After giving it its first spin exactly a week ago, I've played it again almost every day, but I do have to admit that Sunday morning seems like the best moment. Don't ask me why.

Peter Vandenberghe (piano), Kristof Roseeuw (double bass) and Teun Verbruggen (drums) are also know as Flat Earth Society's rhythm section. It shows.

"Fight Eat Sleep" is a fine album.
Worth your attention.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF PIERRE BOULEZ OUT ON DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON

http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4806828

Deutsche Grammophon has released a 13 CD box with the complete works of Pierre Boulez.
12 CDs with music, and 1 with an interview.

VLAAMS SINFONIETTA - FETISH

• vlaams sinfonietta: fetish
      (2013, cd+dvd, nl, vanderkrieken vdkc13001)

On "Fetish", the Vlaams Sinfonietta performs two pieces by Frank Nuyts: his 5th symphony, entitled 'Fetish', and a concerto for piano, called 'Innocence In Admiration'.
Contemporary classical music.

Beautiful.

It's the first release on the Vanderkrieken Classics label.
http://www.vanderkriekenclassics.nl/

As a bonus, the album includes a DVD on which Frank Nuyts talks about his composing and about the two pieces that got recorded by the Vlaams Sinfonietta. Very interesting.

THE INSOMNIO ENSEMBLE WILL BE PERFORMING THE YELLOW SHARK

http://www.insomnio.nl/site/?page=agenda

The Insomnio Ensemble, conducted by Ulrich Pöhl, will be performing Zappa's "Yellow Shark"


December 17, 2013, in Utrecht, NL:
Frank Zappa's "Yellow Shark" and Luc Ferrari's "Symphonie Déchirée".

December 19, 2013, in Eindhoven, NL:
Frank Zappa's "Yellow Shark".

December 20, 2013, in Amsterdam, NL:
Frank Zappa's "Yellow Shark".

December 21, 2013, in Rotterdam, NL:
Frank Zappa's "Yellow Shark" and Luc Ferrari's "Symphonie Déchirée".

December 30, 2013, in Groningen, NL:
Frank Zappa's "Yellow Shark" and Luc Ferrari's "Symphonie Déchirée".

DOCTOR NERVE'S EUROPEAN TOUR STARTS TONIGHT

Doctor Nerve

Check out these dates !!

http://www.doctornervetour.eu/

21.5. Cairo, Jugendkulturhaus Würzburg, Germany

http://www.facebook.com/events/160498977438845/

22.5. Participating in "La noblesse à pris le visage du printemps"

http://www.facebook.com/events/126539237538218/

23.5. Le Triton, Paris, France

http://www.facebook.com/events/439277479481570/

24.5. Eisenwerkschänke Schwelm, Germany

http://www.facebook.com/events/127690647429606

25.5. Cultuurhuis Heerlen, Holland

http://www.facebook.com/events/216031328521357/

26.5. Rider's Cafe, Lübeck, Germany

http://www.facebook.com/events/468324886570969/

27.5. Fundbureau Hamburg, Germany

http://www.facebook.com/events/481127938620289/

28.5. Jazz House, Copenhagen, Denmark

http://www.facebook.com/events/540763292624298/

29.5. Pumpe, Rostock, Germany

http://www.facebook.com/events/530985866946312

30.5. Club Hanseat, Salzwedel, Germany

http://www.facebook.com/events/184160371731011

31.5. Mózg, Bydgoszcz, Poland

http://www.facebook.com/events/169785889835174

SAMPLESTRA CONCERT IN NYC ON MAY 23

A message from Gene Pritsker

Hi folks,

I would like to invite you to my CD release concert for my new album 'Samplestra'.

Advance tickets are $10 ($15 at the door)

All proceeds from this concert will go directly to the Dave Gotay fund, to help our friend in his time of need

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dave-fights-evil-cancer

Composers Concordance Records

presents the CD Release Concert for

'Samplestra'

the Electro - Acoustic music of Gene Pritsker

Thursday, May 23rd, 9:30pm 2013

DROM NYC

85 Avenue A  New York, NY 10009

(212) 777-1157

Tickets: $10 adv and $15 at door - Ticket Purchase Includes the new cd 

TAMIO SHIRAISHI AND STANLEY JASON ZAPPA

Stanley Jason Zappa performed with Project/Object recently.

André Cholmondeley:
"At the tour opener in NJ, we had the pleasure of STANLEY ZAPPA sitting in on sax with us. Some video of that will surface soon. Here is Stanley & his friend Tamio Shiraishi performing in an NYC subway. We will be doing some music with him in the future -- another generation of Zappa creativity!!"



Tamio Shiraishi, Stanley Zappa 1am, E train, Spring street station, 5-12-13 1/2

ALON NECHUSHTAN - RITUAL FIRE

• alon nechustan: ritual fire
      (2013, cd, ger, between the lines btlchr 71234)

Two years ago, Alon Nechustran surprised us with "Words Beyond", a beautiful modern jazz album.
And now there's "Ritual Fire", an action suite in 10 parts, as it says on the album.

The Between The Lines record label explains:
"Jackson Pollock made "Action Painting" well known a while back, and he became one of the most important painters of the 20th century. This art form considers improvisation to be a pivotal element in painting. Color is often not applied with a brush, but drop by drop, for example, sometimes applied to the canvas directly from the can. Simple materials and techniques result in amazing results. In spite of this, it is not at all dilettantism, but instead is done based on comprehensive knowledge of all set structures and techniques. But they are just not satisfied with set structures. "Action Suite" by the pianist Alon Nechushtan pursues similar considerations. Based on virtuoso mastery of musical instrumentation and with a clear idea of what music pieces created in free improvisation should express, a number of precious pieces are created - and these grow together into an overall work of art. Free improvisation in this sense is the opposite of lack of prerequisites. To the contrary: It only works if each single member of the band contributes all of his expertise, experience and skills into a mutual work networked internally. That is what accounts for the extraordinary fascination of "Ritual Fire": Inner concordance of the musicians that has become rare that makes the free improvisation seem to listeners as if it were composed."

In the liner notes, Kurt Gottschalk quotes Alon Nechushtan saying "Though each track was mostly freely improvised with very little preparation, there was a definite, preconception for the overall organization of the session and controlling the order of these building blocks I was using to shape and form the full suite as it appears on the CD".

The result, "Ritual Fire", is very impressive. All four musicians sound as if they have been playing togher for years.
Alon Nechushtan on piano, Ken Filiano on bass, Bob Meyer on drums, and (the eighty years old) Harold Rubin on clarinet.
Every fan of contemporary, modern, improvised jazz should hear this.

Here's a live recording of a concert that featured Alon Nechustan and Harold Rubin.
Tel Aviv, August 2011.
It will give you an idea of the beautiful interaction between these musicians.



"Ritual Fire" is released on the German Between The Lines record label.

http://www.betweenthelines.de/

GENE PRITSKER - SAMPLESTRA

• gene pritsker: samplestra - the electro-acoustic music of gene pritsker
      (2013, cd, usa, naxox / composers concordance comcon0015)

Gene Pritsker says: "Samplestra" is the name I give to any prerecorded elements in my music. I see it as an orchestra of samples, since I meticulously notate everything that you hear in the electronic track, in essence making an orchestral score out of the samples. I treat these samples as found objects to write new music with, using little fragments of pre-existing music or sounds and manipulating them to my own composition. Just as if I found a stick or a rock on the street and used these as percussion instruments, I take a fragment of a human voice or a few notes from an instrument or a noise and recreate them to what I need."

Subtitled "The Electro-Acoustic Music Of Gene Pritsker", "Samplestra" combines electronic samples with classical instruments like a horn, a bassoon, or a violin. The result is fascinating.
This is contemporary classical music at its best.
I love it.

Here are some samples.
'Misfortune Has Its Uses" features Peter Krysa on violin.




'Digital Debussy - La Mer' features Kathleen Supové on piano. Performed live.



www.composersconcordancerecords.com

http://noizepunk.wix.com/samplestra

Recommended listening !