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A little more than ten years ago, during a period of semi-self-(un)employment between P.R. gigs, I found myself spending a beautiful late-summer (or early autumn) afternoon at The Grey Dog’s Coffee on Carmine Street in Greenwich Village with Jeff Gauthier and G.E. Stinson, two Los Angeles-based musicians. I can’t recall the specifics of what we…
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CD review: Tristan Murail – Winter FragmentsErin Lesser, flutist; Argento Chamber Ensemble, conducted by Michel GalanteAeon AECD 0746; CDThe New York Times, March 25, 2007(Amazon.fr, FNAC.com) Prior to filing this review, I ascertained from the Aeon label’s American distributor that there were no plans to release this disc here, which is why the last line…
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Good news: As of this morning, Billboard classical-music industry reporter and world-music expert Anastasia Tsioulcas has reopened her always worthwhile blog, Cafe Aman. Today’s post reveals what’s been keeping her busy in months past, as well as what’s on the horizon. (A tip of the hat to Alex, whose new and valuable special report on…
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Not too long ago, I blogged about my experience of presenting a couple of guest lectures at the University of Richmond, prompted by Dr. LP, my fiancée, who is currently teaching there. (For the record, she detested the title of that post.) One of the things that’s been keeping the good doctor busy down south…
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The MATA Festival at the Brooklyn LyceumThe New York Times, March 22, 2007
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David Del Tredici’s 70th Birthday Concert at the Brooklyn Conservatory of MusicThe New York Times, March 19, 2007 This was a warm, intimate, gratifying event, and there are more on the way. Here are few taking place in and around New York City: Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30: Del Tredici is currently distinguished…
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Even if you’ve already seen and enjoyed the Met’s current production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, there’s a compelling reason to catch it again — namely, Joyce DiDonato, who’s taken over the role of Rosina. No disrespect to Diana Damrau, the dishy German soprano who launched this production last fall, whose portrayal I thoroughly admired.…
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The Oratorio Society of New York at Carnegie HallThe New York Times, March 15, 2007
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I’ve been waiting patiently for a very, very long time in hopes of catching a live performance of Philip Glass’s Einstein on the Beach. And, given that this is Glass’s birthday year, I’ve been keeping my eyes and ears peeled for news of a production somewhere, anywhere. No luck so far, but mere moments ago…
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The Seventeenth Annual Festival with no fancy name, Part 2 (or B) got underway on Monday night (March 12) at Experimental Intermedia, composer Phill Niblock’s homey loft and performance space in Lower Manhattan, with a performance by Jason Kahn (pictured) and Jon Mueller. I previewed the concert for this week’s issue of Time Out New…
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"Young Composer Finds His Fuel In Restlessness"The New York Times, March 11, 2007 An article about buzzworthy young composer Nico Muhly, whose Zankel Hall concert this Friday night (March 16) will alternate between his own original compositions and Tudor choral works by Taverner, Byrd and Weelkes. (The article explains why.) This interview was one of…
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A public service announcement from our friends at Downtown Music Gallery: On WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28TH from 5:00 to 6:30pm, legendary musician/composer Anthony Braxton will autograph copies of his forthcoming box set, 9 Compositions (Iridium) 2006 (Firehouse 12 Records), at a special signing event at New York’s Downtown Music Gallery. This will also be the first…
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Wakonda’s Dream by Anthony Davis and Yusef Komunyakaa at Opera OmahaThe New York Times, March 9, 2007
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CD review: Phillip Bimstein – Larkin Gifford’s HarmonicaStephen Caplan, oboist; Sierra Winds; Equinox Chamber Players; Abramyan String Quartet.Starkland ST-214; CD.The New York Times, March 4, 2007(ArkivMusic, Barnes & Noble)
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Simone Kermes with the Venice Baroque Orchestra at Weill Recital HallThe New York Times, March 1, 2007
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The Columbia University School of the Arts has just named John Zorn the 2007 recipient of its William Schuman Award. Named for its first recipient and presented periodically by the dean of the School of the Arts, the award is an unrestricted grant of $50,000. Previous winners have included David Diamond, Gunther Schuller, Milton Babbitt,…
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Stanley Crouch has long been one of the more powerful — and controversial — figures in jazz criticism. He’s also a highly visible (and therefore easy) target for free-floating opprobrium…and of this, I’ve sometimes been as guilty as anyone. The problem is that Crouch’s occasional wrongheaded B.S. — as in his ill-informed, unforgivable comments about…
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Cuarteto Casals at Weill Recital Hall and New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie HallThe New York Times, February 27, 2007
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I don’t normally repeat news of an artist’s passing until it’s been firmly documented, but a thread on Jazzcorner’s Speakeasy bulletin board has reported the death of violinist and composer Leroy Jenkins. Since the original post in the thread cites Chuck Nessa, founder of the influential Chicago avant-jazz label that bears his last name, I’m…
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Another former member of King Crimson has passed away: drummer Ian Wallace, who was part of the same Islands-era lineup as the recently departed Boz Burrell. I’ll refer you to the post I wrote on Burrell’s passing for specifics of that band’s trying times and lasting legacy. Wallace, who succumbed to esophageal cancer on Thursday,…
Night After Night 