The Eloquent Light

PULSE with John McNeil and Pete McCann

2007-01-11

5 PM

for the International Association of Jazz Educators Convention in New York, NY

The Eloquent Light is our on-going series of musical compositions about photographs and photography.

Originally the title of a 1963 retrospective exhibition of Ansel Adams, The Eloquent Light explores the interplay of illumination and shadow.

The upcoming Eloquent Light performance, while drawing inspiration from a variety of photographic sources, will focus on a distinctly human element: from historic images of Olympic runners to the work of Jeff Wall. The performance of each composition will feature a projection of the images that inspired it.

The music, which blends jazz improvisation with contemporary chamber music, features soloists John McNeil (trumpet) and Pete McCann (guitar) in dialogue with the dynamic 10-piece Pulse ensemble featuring Dan Willis, Ben Kono (woodwinds), Lis Rubard (horn), Mike Christianson (tuba), Tom Beckham (vibraphone/percussion), Gary Versace (electric keyboard), Ana Milosavljevic, Chris Howes (violins), Frank Foerster (viola), and Jody Redhage (cello). We are all very excited to be working with John and Pete, both whose work on the Omnitone label, among others, shows the breadth and depth of their musical visions and expertise.

recording session of Vipassana

Numinous+

2007-03-26

Systems Two Recording Studio, Brooklyn, New York

March 26 and 27, 2007

Ben Kono, Dan Willis, Ed Xiques (woodwinds), Dave Smith (trumpet, flügelhorn), Deborah Weisz (trombone), Tom Beckham, Mike Pinto (vibraphones), Deanna Witkowski, Brenda Earle (pianos), Amanda Monaco, Sebastian Noelle (electric guitars), Peter Wise, Luke Notary (percussion), Charenee Wade, Julie Hardy, Amy Cervini, Sofia Koutsovitous, Monika Heidemann (voices), Ana Milosavljevic, Skye Steele (violins), Orlando Wells, Joshua Davidowitz (violas), Jody Redhage, Lauren Riley (violoncellos), Thomson Kneeland (bass), and Joseph C. Phillips Jr. (conductor/composer).

VIPASSANA by Joseph C. Phillips Jr.

Numinous+

2007-03-20

8:00 PM

Makor- 35 West 67th Street, New York City

$15 at the door.

Vipassana is an epic four-movement, 70-minute composition for an expanded Numinous ensemble of 25 instrumentalists and singers. In the Pali language of the early Buddhist texts, vipassana means "to see things as they really are" or insight. Vipassana is partly inspired by Björk¹s Selmasongs as well as photographs from Yann Arthus-Bertrand's Earth from Above series and Jake Rajs' The Hudson River . Vipassana, also features the poetry (in the final movement) of Denise Levertov (Variation and Reflection on a Theme by Rilke).

Mr. Phillips states, "Vipassana is an excellent example of my goal as a composer to organically combine the improvisational and rhythmic elements of jazz with the colors, textures, techniques and formal structures of post-minimal music. As a unique and personal composition of expressive beauty and emotional depth, Vipassana also reflects my desire to create music that stimulates the mind and refreshes the spirit."

Ben Kono, Dan Willis, Ed Xiques (woodwinds), Dave Smith (trumpet, flügelhorn), Deborah Weisz (trombone), Tom Beckham, Mike Pinto (vibraphones), Deanna Witkowski, Brenda Earle (pianos), Amanda Monaco, Sebastian Noelle (electric guitars), Peter Wise, Luke Notary (percussion), Charenee Wade, Julie Hardy, Amy Cervini, Sofia Koutsovitous, Monika Heidemann (voices), Ana Milosavljevic, Skye Steele (violins), Whitney Lagrange, Joshua Davidowitz (violas), Jody Redhage, Lauren Riley (violoncellos), Thomson Kneeland (bass), and Joseph C. Phillips Jr. (conductor).

PULSE presents Music of Praise and Celebration

Sihr Halal, featuring the Pulse ensemble with various non-Western musicians performing new compositions celebrating the human spirit.

2007-05-05

8:30 PM

Roulette - 20 Greene Street, New York City

$15

www.roulette.org


Sihr Halal will feature the premiere of six new compositions, melding improvisation, contemporary “classical” and world music: a contemporary re-imagining of Western and non-Western musical traditions.

Chamber Pulse

Triocracy

2007-10-19

8 PM

Barbes

Chamber Pulse
featuring Triocracy

Friday October 19 2007

Barbes

376 9th Street

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Pulse is a federation of award-winning composers--Darcy James Argue, Jamie Begian, Joseph C. Phillips Jr., JC Sanford, Joshua Shneider, and Yumiko Sunami--who joined forces to create and perform music that redraws traditional musical boundaries by fluidly combining influences from jazz, contemporary classical, and popular genres. Since 2004 Pulse has engaged, challenged, and entertained listeners through regular concert performances and interdisciplinary projects.

Triocracy, consisting of trombonist and composer JC Sanford and saxophonists Andy Laster and Chris Bacas, has been in existence since 1998 when Sanford formed the group in Boston, MA. The character of the group is intended to be difficult to classify as the music crosses over defined genre lines. "I like to describe the group as free-ish chamber jazz," Sanford says. "Originally our repertoire was spontaneous improvisation or tunes written as a vehicle for free improvisation, but it has evolved to include some other flavors, including some works from the classical and pop worlds, along with a few jazz tunes where we actually improvise over traditional harmonies." Though an unorthodox instrumentation, the rhythm-sectionless ensemble is capable of maintaining rhythmic drive and variation through the musicality of the players, both as individuals and as a collective entity.

Roulette for Kids Series

Joseph C. Phillips Jr. and members of Numinous

2007-10-27

2 PM

Roulette

Joseph C. Phillips Jr. and members of Numinous will perform at Roulette on their Roulette for Kids series on Saturday October 27th, 2007 from 2PM to 3PM. Roulette is located at 20 Greene Street in SoHo. The cost is $5 at the door. Roulette has been known since 1978 as a "home for adventurous and experimental art music" and while the concert is part of the Roulette for Kids series, it is by no means restricted to "kids".

The concert will feature a smaller version of Numinous: Amanda Monaco on guitar, Dan Willis on reeds, and Deanna Witkowski on piano, performing my compositions including a few favorites (arranged for the trio), a new piece based upon my trip earlier this year to Malaysia, and two pieces based upon award-winning picture books performed with projections from the books.

This will be a fun, interactive concert so whether you have kids or are just a "big kid" yourself, I hope you can come out on Saturday and enjoy! Looking forward to seeing you there.

Call Roulette at 212.219.8242 for more information.

Chamber Pulse

Triocracy

2008-01-16

8:00 PM

Brooklyn Lyceum

Chamber Pulse
featuring Triocracy

Wednesday January 16 2008

Brooklyn Lyceum

227 4th Avenue

Park Slope, Brooklyn

718.857.4816

www.brooklynlyceum.com

Part of the Brooklyn Lyceum Wednesday night Jazz Series, curated by me!

Pulse is a federation of award-winning composers--Darcy James Argue, Jamie Begian, Joseph C. Phillips Jr., JC Sanford, Joshua Shneider, and Yumiko Sunami--who joined forces to create and perform music that redraws traditional musical boundaries by fluidly combining influences from jazz, contemporary classical, and popular genres. Since 2004 Pulse has engaged, challenged, and entertained listeners through regular concert performances and interdisciplinary projects.

Triocracy, consisting of trombonist and composer JC Sanford and saxophonists Andy Laster and Chris Bacas, has been in existence since 1998 when Sanford formed the group in Boston, MA. The character of the group is intended to be difficult to classify as the music crosses over defined genre lines. "I like to describe the group as free-ish chamber jazz," Sanford says. "Originally our repertoire was spontaneous improvisation or tunes written as a vehicle for free improvisation, but it has evolved to include some other flavors, including some works from the classical and pop worlds, along with a few jazz tunes where we actually improvise over traditional harmonies." Though an unorthodox instrumentation, the rhythm-sectionless ensemble is capable of maintaining rhythmic drive and variation through the musicality of the players, both as individuals and as a collective entity.

Numinous

Numinous

2008-06-25

8:00pm

Brooklyn Lyceum

I have arranged some of my compositions for a special Tentet version of Numinous. The music, while still composed, features more improvisation and a bit more jazzy side than my more recent large scaled music. I hope you can come out to hear the performance which features: Amanda Monaco-guitar; Tom Beckham-vibraphone; Ana Milosavljevic, Skye Steele-violins; Judith Insell, Corrina Albright-violas; Will Martina, Lauren Riley-Rigby-cellos; Kevin Thomas-bass; Jon Uman-percussion 227 4th Avenue Brooklyn, NY (Park Slope) $10 cover Sets at 8:00pm and 9:30pm

Click Here for Numinous on WNYC's New Sounds