Hear Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint for 12 clarinets (played by Ensemble Modern’s Roland Diry with multiple versions of himself on tape) which is all the more interesting for the interactions of the different parts. Listen to new music from British clarinetist, composer and bandleader Anna Meredith who blends pop, Minimalism, and club music into electro-acoustic bangers. Hear music from her latest record, FIBS.
There’s music by Chicago-based sound & visual artist Damon Locks and his 15-piece Black Monument Ensemble featuring Angel Bat Dawid on clarinets from their “inspired, innovative & immediate intersection of gospel, jazz, activism & 808 breaks”, recorded at the Garfield Park Botanical Conservatory on the West Side of Chicago.
Then, hear music for electric violinist Todd Reynolds, written by and featuring clarinetist and composer, Ken Thomson. There are also works for clarinet and bass clarinet with electronics from Irish composer Neil O’Connor, as Ordnance Survey, together in collaboration with the clarinet player Seán Mac Erlaine, along with a work featuring contrabass clarinet by English clarinetist, keyboardist, and composer John Surman. Plus, Georgian music arranged by composer and Bang on a Can All-stars co-founder, clarinetist Evan Ziporyn, and more. - Caryn Havlik
ARTIST: Ensemble Modern: Roland Diry
WORK: Steve Reich: New York Counterpoint 1. Fast [4:40]
RECORDING: Steve Reich: City Life / 8 Lines
SOURCE: BMG/RCA 66459
INFO: Available at Amazon.com
ARTIST: Ensemble Modern: Roland Diry
WORK: Steve Reich: New York Counterpoint 2. Slow [2:40]
RECORDING: Steve Reich: City Life / 8 Lines
SOURCE: BMG/RCA 66459
INFO: Available at Amazon.com
ARTIST: Ensemble Modern: Roland Diry
WORK: Steve Reich: New York Counterpoint 3. Fast [3:16]
RECORDING: Steve Reich: City Life / 8 Lines
SOURCE: BMG/RCA 66459
INFO: Available at Amazon.com
ARTIST: Anna Meredith
WORK: Paramour [4:57]
RECORDING: FIBS
SOURCE: Moshi Moshi/Black Prince Fury
INFO: https://annahmeredith.bandcamp.com/album/fibs
ARTIST: Todd Reynolds, with Ken Thomson
WORK: Ken Thomson: Storm Drain [6:05]
RECORDING: Outerborough
SOURCE: Innova 741
INFO: innova.mu
ARTIST: Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble
WORK: Sounds Like Now [6:26]
RECORDING: Where Future Unfolds
SOURCE: International Anthem Records
INFO: intlanthem.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Evan Ziporyn
WORK: Tsmindao Ghmerto [4:08]
RECORDING: Bang on a Can: Classics
SOURCE: Cantaloupe 21010
INFO: cantaloupemusic.com
ARTIST: Ordnance Survey
WORK: Neil O'Connor: Sukoon [5:32]
RECORDING: Relative Phase
SOURCE: Scintilla Recordings
INFO: scintillarecordings.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: John Surman
WORK: Saltash Bells [10:29]
RECORDING: Saltash Bells
SOURCE: ECM Records 2266
INFO: ecmrecords.com