517 Music

2010 NYC Undead Jazzfest June 12th & 13th

You will not want to miss this!  2 days, 3 venues, 35+ groups.  $25 for one day or $30 for both.  Check out the schedule here.  An unusually large dose of great music for an unusually small fee.  See you there!

Fala português?

Regardless of whether or not you speak Portuguese, you can still listen to the Flying Dragon Orchestra being broadcast by Ivo Martins during his radio program BAILE DOS BOMBEIROS on RADIO UNIVERSITARIA do MINHO – PORTUGAL (right here on the world wide inter-web).  Espero que desfrute (hope you enjoy)!

FWD: Urgent NYC Arts Funding Cuts

Greetings Jazz Gallerians: 

Recent News: The mayor recently released his budget proposal for 2011, which included a steep cut to New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs. If passed by the New York City Council, the reduction would translate into a 31% cut in city funding to arts organizations of all sizes, throughout New York City. 

You can register your opinion about this matter with your City Council member - to find out how to reach yours, follow this link:http://council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml. You can also contact The Jazz Gallery's City Council member Christine Quinn through the same link. 

Remember, the arts provide value in multiple ways - they enhance our lives, create jobs, encourage tourism and generate significant revenue. 

Deborah Steinglass 
Executive Director 

290 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013

(212) 242-1063

info@jazzgallery.org 

RIP Hank Jones (1918-2010)

 The music community lost a true master this week with the passing of Hank Jones.  I chose this video because it demonstrates Hank's incredible touch on the piano (and make sure to check out his re-harmonization of the last A section).  Absolutely beautiful.  Thanks Hank!

Graduate Recital Videos Now Online

Just uploaded my graduate composition/arranging recital videos, and you can watch them here. Also, stay tuned as I will be posting the written materials from my recent lecture recital (entitled "incorporating dramatic elements into music composition") along with score excerpts in the very near future.  Thanks again to all the wonderful musicians who shared their talents on my recital!

Let's Try This Again...

We know you could hardly contain your excitement for our attempted dual recital last Thursday, but our strong will and determination were not enough to fend off a school canceling, life-threatening, epic snow storm (and by epic, I am of coarse referring to the low standards set by the great state of New Jersey. These standards no doubt  provide a good laugh elsewhere in the country where residents can deal with a little snow on the ground...but I digress).  So, this leaves only one option.  It's time we show Mother Nature who's boss by performing some hot original jazz music not once, but twice next week! 

The newly re-scheduled dates for our graduate composition/arranging recital are as follows:

Monday, March 8th at 7:30 p.m. - Shea room 101

Tom Erickson small ensemble featuring:
Kenny Warren - trumpet
Caleb Curtis - alto sax
Keith Packard - guitar
Chris Pattishall - piano
Bill Thoman - bass
Colin Stranahan - drums


What's that?  More you say?  Coming right up!

Tuesday, March 9th at 8 p.m. (now also in Shea room 101) featuring:

WPU Jazz Orchestra

Eric Burns' small ensemble:
Mike "Birthday Boy" Wilkens - tenor sax
Eric O'Donnell - trumpet
Sam Trapchak - bass
Ryo Noritake - drums

Nadya Kourani-Vln
Sue On-Vln
Louise Stine-Thomas-Vla
Kate Victor-Vlc

 

And because our dear friend Mike Wilkens will be celebrating his birthday on Tuesday, we will hold a post-reception reception in his honor at the Brown House.  Please inquire for further details.

Jazz Meets Team Zissou

Upcoming this week for those of you in the NJ/NY area, I will be presenting my graduate lecture recital at William Paterson University on Tuesday, February 23rd at 12:30 p.m in Shea room 103. This recital will feature the sounds of the WPU Jazz Orchestra, and will focus on the use of dramatic elements in music composition.  I'll be discussing a piece I wrote entitled Jaguar-shark, based on the life of Steve Zissou, from Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic, as well as Jim McNeely's Absolution.

Team Zissou

Also, on Thursday, Feb 25th at 8 p.m. in the Shea Auditorium, I am sharing my graduate arranging recital with fellow composer Eric Burns. My portion of the double recital will feature Caleb Curtis, Kenny Warren, Keith Packard, Chris Pattishall, Bill Thoman, Colin Stranahan, and the WPU Jazz Orchestra.  My small ensemble program includes an original entitled Tasma, a re-arranged version of Come Rain or Come Shine, and two original pieces based on the life and work of Buckminster Fuller (which as you might have guessed are slightly more "mathematical" in nature).  The big band will be performing my arrangement of  Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer's I'm Old Fashioned, as well as Jaguar-shark.  Eric and I would love to see you there!

Kneebody with Theo Bleckmann

Kneebody and Theo

If you still haven't checked out Kneebody, or Theo Bleckmann, don't miss them performing the music of Charles Ives on Saturday Feb 20th at the Bleecker Street Theater (45 Bleecker).  The gig starts at 10:30 PM, and tickets are $15, $12 with student ID, which is incredibly cheap for such a great show (I paid $40 to see them at Joe's Pub, and of all the high priced gigs I attended last year, several top headliners included, I felt Kneebody and Theo were by far the best and well worth every penny).

This collaboration successfully presents some classic Ives repertory in many imaginative new ways. From the raw energy and patient ensemble-oriented improvisation of Kneebody (one of the best bands in any genre in my opinion, but especially live), to the soundscapes of overwhelming beauty of Bleckmann's voice and effects, this show has a little something for everyone.  Do yourself a favor and get your tickets in advance!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Jazz Orchestra

Master of the Flying Guillotine

    So, to answer your question, the name Flying Dragon Orchestra comes from my love of classic kung fu movies.  I think the parallels between kung fu and jazz music are many.  Both require years of focused training, apprenticeship and practice for mastery. One must truly live in the moment, and have complete control of the mind and body. The kung fu fighter and the jazz musician alike find themselves in unfamiliar situations, and must quickly react and acclimate in order to be successful.  Also, let's not forget the obvious need for good to triumph over evil, and to avoid the humiliation of defeat and/or death while restoring honor to your fallen master (mostly in the case of the jazz musician).   

    Also, I wanted a name which didn't give any preconceived, genre specific label to our sounds.  I didn't name the band the Tom Erickson Jazz Orchestra, because there are certain expectation after hearing a name like that which I wanted to avoid. I also tried to create a certain curiosity, where listeners come in with open minds as much as possible.  But I did still want people to know we make music, and hopefully the word orchestra lets folks know sound is involved without causing any serious expectations.  

    If you're looking for some good kung fu action, a few of my favorites are: King Boxer aka Five Fingers of Death, Five Deadly Venoms, Master of the Flying Guillotine, 5 Element Kung Fu, and more recently, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill 1 + 2, Hero, Ong Bak.  

    Here is some more info for those interested in 5 Animal Kung Fu.  Shaolin monks use animal symbolism to define and classify their different Kung Fu styles. The five main animal styles are as follows: 

1) Shaolin Tiger Kung Fu: The Tiger is the lord of the land/realm. It is the king of the animals, king of the mountain. The Tigers natural, easy fluidity hides it's ferocious power and dominance. Armed with deadly claws, sharp and strong jaws, the Tiger style is one of simplicity, directness and power. Very simple, honest and direct strategies valuing truth, honor and justice above all. Dominating, controlling, powerful, frontal, larger than life, Tigers rely upon their size and the explosive force delivered by their short, thick muscles, clarity of mind, rightness and purity of spirit to achieve their needs and wants. 

2) Shaolin Panther Kung Fu: The Panther stylist chooses the time, the place, the conditions, the style, the everything. S/He is in command of any situation, not by brute power but by the breadth of their skills, abilities and cunning. It never does the expected unless that is the last thing you would expect. It is always well prepared, well informed and always surprising. It likes to use and even create confusion for use to it's own advantage. As a style is has the greatest amount of technical expertise, widest range of techniques used in the most impossible ways. It is always the attacker, never the attacked. Panthers are the most complex of the 4 Animals with the most varied and interesting strategies, habits and solutions. 

3) Shaolin Crane Kung Fu: The Crane stylist prefers a harmonious environment and would sooner walk away from a conflict than even consider partaking in it. The Crane Stylist is a dancer, the most beautiful mover of all the Shaolin animals. It's forms a beautiful, graceful and full of elegance. All though all movements, each turn and hop, each pause have a meaning, often a Crane stylists practice of form will look more like a dance. They are very light on their feet and can be mistaken for ballet dancers at the highest level. 

4) Shaolin Snake Kung Fu: The Snake is for wisdom, knowledge, experience, avoidance and tradition. It is a minimalistic style that would only act if everything was perfect or there is no other choice. No surpurflouse movements, action or thought. It is the animal that most relies on pressure points and is a perfectionistic, intense and impatient. 

5) Shaolin Dragon Kung Fu: The Dragon is a mythical animal representing all that is best. In context of the 5 Animal System it represents the mastery of the physical 4 and is not a sperate style in itself. When you are able to win without someone else losing, then you have achieved a Dragon solution. In the physical sense, all matters to do with direct chi & breath disruption are considered Dragon techniques. Anything that debilitates and stops an attacker without doing permeant damage or causing great pain is said to have Dragon tendencies! Dragons understand most everyone but only Dragons understand Dragons. 

*it is important to note that it is not my intention for the qualities of the dragon to be compared to my composing, nor do I pretend to have any high level of mastery in this area.  When summoning the qualities of the dragon, I'm referring to the musicians in the ensemble and their ability to improvise and create in the moment.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. King was a beautiful spirit, and although me blogging about this is nothing new, we must not forget his message, nor to remind ourselves just how much work still lies ahead.  This quote is from his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech on December 10, 1964.  His words remain every bit as truthful in 2010 as they were 45 years ago.

"I accept this award today with an abiding faith in America and an audacious faith in the future of mankind. I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the "isness" of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal "oughtness" that forever confronts him. I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsom and jetsom in the river of life unable to influence the unfolding events which surround him. I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.

I refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of thermonuclear destruction. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. I believe that even amid today's motor bursts and whining bullets, there is still hope for a brighter tomorrow. I believe that wounded justice, lying prostrate on the blood-flowing streets of our nations, can be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men. I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed, and nonviolent redemptive good will proclaimed the rule of the land. "And the lion and the lamb shall lie down together and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid." I still believe that We Shall overcome!"

-Dr Martin Luther King Jr