It’s the most wonderful time of the month on New Sounds – the new releases show! On tap is music for the Portland State Chamber Choir with Native American flute, and recordings that pair Scandinavian and Western musicians with musicians from Northern and Southern Africa. There’s also a work for percussion from Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir, a work for piano and strings by English-born, New York-based composer Antonia Jane Cornish, as well as music by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, arranged for guitar and cello.
Hear a short tune from English guitarist Ramon Goose, where old-school blues of Skip James and John Lee Hooker meet the loping groove of Sahara Desert blues. Then, the African-Nordic jazz outfit Monoswezi (their name comes from their countries of origin - Mozambique, Norway, Sweden and Zimbabwe) blends Indian harmonium, Malian ngoni and African-American banjo atop minimalist global groove. There's also a preview of a record, Ladilikan, due in September from Trio Da Kali and the Kronos Quartet. The Trio, Malian musicians—Hawa Kasse Mady Diabaté (voice), daughter of legendary Kasse Mady Diabaté; Lassana Diabaté (balafon), formerly of AfroCubism and Toumani Diabaté’s Symmetric Orchestra; and Mamadou Kouyaté (ngoni), eldest son of Bassekou Kouyaté – formed to collaborate with Kronos. Expect a stunning record.
Listen to a work of “unappeased yearning” with a “tender earthbound comfort” in chamber music with electronics by Jane Antonia Cornish, her “Into Silence I.” Also, hear music from Estonia by Arvo Pärt, his “Spiegel im Spiegel” arranged for guitar and cello by Rupert Boyd & Laura Metcalf. Music by Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds for the Portland State Chamber Choir, led by Ethan Sperry, closes the show. Ešenvalds’ work, “First Tears,” explores an Inuit legend of The Raven and the Whale – a cautionary tale about how grief came into the world. (Story synopsis here.) Ešenvalds learned the story from native elders in Greenland and Alaska. In addition to chorus, he uses Native American flutes, jaw harps and extended vocal techniques – like throat singing for a captivating setting of the story.
PROGRAM #4007, New Releases (First Aired: 7/31/2017)
ARTIST: Portland State Chamber Choir, Ethan Sperry, Cond. ft. Jeff Evans, Native American flute, Max Kolpin, percussion; Erick Lichte, Jaw harp; Kenan Koenig, overtone singing
WORK: Eriks Esenvalds: The First Tears, excerpt [1:00]
RECORDING: The Doors of Heaven
SOURCE: Naxos 8.579008
INFO: www.naxos.com
ARTIST: Ramon Goose, Ft. Justin Adams
WORK: Futa [2:25]
RECORDING: Long Road To Tiznit
SOURCE: Riverboat Records TUGCD1104
INFO: Due out Aug. 25, 2017
ARTIST: Monoswezi
WORK: Loko U Muka [5:04]
RECORDING: A Je
SOURCE: Riverboat Records 1103
INFO: worldmusic.net
ARTIST: Kronos Quartet & Trio da Kali
WORK: Eh Ya Ye [3:37]
RECORDING: Ladilikan
SOURCE: World Circuit/Nonesuch
INFO: Due out Sept. 15, 2017 | worldcircuit.lnk.to/Ladilikan
ARTIST: Los Angeles Percussion Quartet
WORK: Anna Thorvaldsdottir: Aura [6:09]
RECORDING: Beyond
SOURCE: Sono Luminus DSL-92214
INFO: sonoluminus.com
ARTIST: Jane Antonia Cornish
WORK: Into Silence 1 [6:46]
RECORDING: Into Silence
SOURCE: Innova 976
INFO: Due out Aug. 25, 2017 | innova.mu
ARTIST: Rupert Boyd & Laura Metcalf
WORK: Arvo Part (arr. Boyd & Metcalf) :Spiegel im Spiegel [8:28]
RECORDING: boyd meets girl
SOURCE: Sono Luminus DSL – 92217
INFO: sonoluminus.com
ARTIST: Portland State Chamber Choir, Ethan Sperry, Cond. ft. Jeff Evans, Native American flute, Max Kolpin, percussion; Erick Lichte, Jaw harp; Kenan Koenig, overtone singing
WORK: Eriks Esenvalds: The First Tears [14:05]
RECORDING: The Doors of Heaven
SOURCE: Naxos 8.579008
INFO: www.naxos.com