I'm a tad overdue for a blog update. Got things on my mind to share but time has been a little tight as I prepare to head out on the road in a few days. I'll be in Belgium for three weeks guesting with RadioKUKAorkest. Details on the appearances page of the website. Gotta finish a new composition for the group…soon!
Speaking of composition I had the pleasure of hearing portions of Arnold Shoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire played live here in NYC by the Argento Chamber Ensemble. Each month they have been presenting a portion of Pierrot Lunaire along with music of other composers. What's great is that they have been repeating the program every Sunday in each month. Hearing the pieces a second time allowed even deeper listening. If you're in NYC in the coming weeks I recommend it. I was sitting just a few steps away from the ensemble in a rather small room with about thirty people. It was amazing to experience the power (in focus more than in force) as well as every nuance, movement and color in the music. There's something about the kaleidoscopic kinetic effect created when each player acts somewhat independently (and yet contributes to the whole) that I have always tried to emulate in my own group improvisations. And hearing the concision of ideas (as the result of composition) really reinforces my desire to continually strive for the essence of whatever improvised statement is being made.
Bizness…
Drummer Gerry Hemingway and I have been performing improvised duo music for some years and have just released "Inbetween Spaces" on Gerry's Auricle Music label. It's just getting into the pipeline now so you may see mention of it in the coming weeks. I'll have copies available via mail order from my web site once I'm back from tour in a few weeks. Gerry will have more information on his site soon…
hatOLOGY Records informs me that my 1996 recording "One Great Day…" is slated for reissue in the coming months. Apparently The Penguin Jazz Guide has chosen this recording as one of 1000 Best Albums. I haven't yet seen the book but there's a review of it here: The Penguin Jazz Guide The History of the Music in the 1000 Best Albums
In other news…
I've deleted my MySpace account. Gotta better consolidate my on-line thing. Too much sprawl. I plan to upload some selected tracks and videos onto this blog from time to time. Like I was saying to a friend the other day, I don't mind Facebook and all that just as long as it facilitates some FaceTIME, you dig?!? Go out and support your local scenes, as I'm sure you already do...
Check back in in a few weeks for a post-tour recap. And enjoy your holidays...
Ellery - I had the pleasure of stumbling across your pieces with Gerry Hemingway on YouTube (I believe it was from inbetween spaces) and another video featuring you and Sylvie Courvoisier. This was the first I had heard of you and/or listened to your music. All I can say is holy sh*t ... you are a musical beast man! This is the reason I listen to music ... especially jazz. I hate to be a fanboy and am not usually trying to track down the websites of people I listen to ... but just wanted to let you know I enjoy what you do. The reason I came across your blog is through searches trying to track down cds of some of your stuff. To that end, where can I get inbetween spaces? Any cds with more of you and Sylvie? Anyways, keep it up man ... would be great to see you make it to the Chicago/Milwaukee area.
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ReplyDeleteHello Anon,
ReplyDeleteThanks very much. Was in Chicago a couple of months ago. That CD and others are available from my site. Drop me an email and I'll be glad to fill you in. Address is on the site:
http://home.earthlink.net/~eskelin/