November 2001

Open Ears
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By Laurence Donohue-Greene

The first Thursday in October brought an extraordinary event of modern music entitled “Interpretations” at Merkin Concert Hall, located just around the corner from the more “cultured” mainstream of Lincoln Center. The so-called “Interpretations” even included two world premieres, the first by New York-born clarinetist/composer Daniel Goode (“2-Noter”) and the other a collaborative new work, specifically composed in response to the September 11th disaster, simply called “New Work” by Goode, Frank London, and Peter Zummo. Goode’s collective, the Downtown Ensemble (a group he co-founded back in the early-‘80s), performed the first set, including these two world premieres, in addition to two other works, each featuring different combinations of the fifteen musicians which made up the ensemble. Following intermission, percussionist/composer Kevin Norton also presented new compositions (“String Trio #1” and “Integrated Variable Structures #1 for Quintet”), especially written for the concert, in addition to three other works featuring his group of Sam Bardfield (violin), Tomas Ulrich (cello), Mark Dresser (bass), and Haewon Min (piano).

Opening with Goode’s “2-Noter”, the Downtown Ensemble was at its largest size of the evening, as was the length of the piece (in comparison to the other works presented that evening), clocking in at around half an hour. The piece was composed for and featured the instrumentation of two oboes, two trumpets, three cellos, clarinet/bass clarinet, bassoon, trombone, viola, and contrabass. The trombone, trumpet, and clarinet trio combination of Peter Zummo, Frank London, and Daniel Goode respectively served as a modernized minimalist version of Ellington’s Tricky Sam Nanton, Bubber Miley, and Jimmy Hamilton. Not as straight-ahead as what would be associated with Ellington’s music, though, this more aleatoric yet composed music revealed that, by the first few notes from each instrument, it was fully distinguishable as unique unto itself with ever-changing time signatures, harmonies, and melody of two note phrases (hence the title). The trio’s extended opening created a sound collage of a single object moving in three different directions. After the 10-minute exchange, a single coordinated statement from the three gave way to a moment of space, preceding their movement into a coordinated anthem-like procession, concluding on the entrance of violist Stephanie Griffin.

Griffin was soon joined by oboist Matt Sullivan and conductor David Gilbert (Boulez’s assistant conductor at the New York Philharmonic throughout the ‘70s), who stepped up to center stage from where he was seated to the side of the stage during the opening duration of the trombone, trumpet, clarinet trio. The ensuing traffic Gilbert casually directed included a climaxing momentum of random sounds presented, in particular, by trumpeter London. London’s diverse experience--with such artists as John Zorn, Mel Torme, David Byrne, LL Cool J, They Might Be Giants, The Klezmatics, as well as his own group Hasidic New Wave—-serves as a perfect example of what kind of varied background most members of the Downtown Ensemble are capable of having.

Second oboist, Jacqueline Leclair and bassoonist John Winder, joined London in the bombardment of indiscriminate, yet effective stray notes. Collectively, the remaining members of the Downtown Ensemble “manned” their stations so to speak, raising their respective horns up to mouth level on cue. With all members participating in a minimalist and post-minimalist fashion showering of overtones and undertones, the string section began to serve as a layer atop the reeds, as the reeds glided over the brass section in a texturally haunting mode. The string section of viola, three cellos, and bass moved enmasse from bowing to plucking while trombonist, Zummo, filled the leftover gaps. Bassist, Jay Elfenbein (assumably the very same who recently recorded on Paul Simon’s You’re The One, which mind you also features such forward thinkers as percussionist Jamey Haddad, Bang-On-A-Can clarinetist Evan Ziporyn, and accordionist/Anthony Braxton collaborator Ted Reichman) moved back and forth from quick to slow bowing techniques, stressing the tone from his longer arm movements. London’s trumpet splatters could be heard above the wave of sounds, as the ensemble’s plodding sound movements momentarily halted for Goode’s high clarinet notes before London transitioned into his muted trumpet mastery of a Miles’ Sketches Of Spain-like performance.

The piece’s finale led into cumulative arco notes from the strings, repeated in such a hypnotic fashion that it brought everything which preceded it full circle. With absolutely amazing musicianship, kudos should also be given to Goode for his first large ensemble piece since his amazing Tunnel-Funnel (recorded in 1998 for Tzadik). His tutelage under such significant modern composers as Henry Cowell and Pauline Oliveros certainly reflected itself, in both composition and performance, as a forward thinking music that is hard, if not impossible, to put into words. It’s this kind of music that makes the job of a listener almost as difficult as one of the participating musicians. Listeners may have felt like they had just taken a cross-country road trip through what was evidently the centerpiece of the first half of this “Interpretations” concert, with intermission still three (shorter) pieces away.

With a totally different instrumentation of trumpet, clarinet, viola, and cello, Frank London’s “Ivye Quartet” was supplemented (in regards to the music, though not in the program) by trombonist Peter Zummo, who excels within any music he is called upon to perform. Having studied trombone with Roswell Rudd, didgeridoo with Stuart Dempster (a Pauline Oliveros disciple), not to mention having recorded with John Lurie (Music From ‘Variety’), Zummo’s comfort level extends well into the music worlds of contemporary classical, jazz, avant-garde, and ambient, as well as rock, folk, and world musics. The horn trio, minus strings, initiated a breathy and subtle interplay of overlaying trombone parts in conjunction with plungered trumpet that, together, in moments paralleled a New Orleans blues. Coughing through his horn then literally breathing note-less into his trumpet, London over-rode the eventual viola and cello entrance, which subtly and rather unnoticeably squeaked their strings into the composition.

Conductor Eric Grunin was present for the quintet’s written out music as a green and red traffic light substitute, signaling the start and stop of the improvisational passages between the musicians who played in subsequent various instrumentation combinations. There was rough and jagged interaction segue-wayed into London’s metal plunger work (which, again, brought forth his obvious Miles Davis influence). Zummo dropped out altogether, at times, allowing for the soft string and clarinet accompaniment of Goode and company. London would also intersperse sudden Lester Bowie note spattering, before quickly returning to the softer repetitive accompaniment.

“New Work”, the co-composed piece by Goode, London, and Zummo, continued the thread of the evening’s modernity. Lying somewhere between Philip Glass and a marching band’s stomping blues number, the three composers and exclusive participants relentlessly worked together to fill every possible space in a foot-tapping manner. Space, of course, is the anti-thesis of someone like Glass’ works, as it was in this case, and interestingly quite opposite of everything previously heard that evening.

The unique and incomparable instrumentation of music for two pianists, Sarah Cahill and Joseph Kubera, and three cellists (Michael Finckel, Matt Goeke, and Alexandra Mackenzie), was the motive and focal point of the final work of the first half, Goode’s composition, “Laendler Land”. The use of pianos and their compositional relationship, with both Cahill and Kubera even momentarily doubling on shakers, turned out to not necessarily have been as complimentary in comparison to the three previous pieces of the concert’s first half. Both pianists have certainly had extensive backgrounds in modern music. Kubera is featured extensively on AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians) co-founder Muhal Richard Abrams’ latest recording, Visibility of Thought (Mutable Music), which combines Abrams’ obvious improvisational and jazz tendencies with his oft neglected interest in the modern classical world. On the recording, Kubera plays in three series of duets, one as a matter of fact is actually a piano duet performed with Phillip Bush (the other two are with bass and violin, respectively with Jon Deak and Mark Feldman). And at the other piano, Cahill, who is an American pianist, has previously performed both classical and modern composed music by such composers as John Adams, John Cage, and Lou Harrison (she is also actually scheduled to perform as part of the continuing Merkin Hall Concert Hall series on December 13th). She recently recorded with trombonist/composer George Lewis on his Endless Shout (Tzadik), during which she pays homage on the title track to Harlem stride piano greats (James P.Johnson, Fats Waller, and Willie “The Lion” Smith), as well boogie-woogie piano giants (Pete Johnson and Meade Lux Lewis, in particular).

The deliberateness of “Laender Land”, however, caged in any potential flights of improvisation and its lack of time signature changes proved weary. The piece called more for the musicians to actually play together utilizing mirrored notes versus the interplay of various parts that collectively worked as a jig saw within the other featured works of the evening. However, the coda subtly shined with a dimension in the closing moments, almost altogether separate from the rest of the piece, with a particularly effective spotlight for lone cello.

After a brief intermission, Brooklyn-born and Staten Island-raised percussionist/composer Kevin Norton brought his group to the stage. Norton, who has been closely associated with some of the major composers and improvisers of the last 30 years-—such as Anthony Braxton, Fred Frith, and String Trio of New York co-founder James Emery—-presented five original works. Two of the pieces, “Barking Hoop” (also, by the way, the name of his record company) and “Walking The Dogma”, were featured compositions on his 1998 release, Knots (Music&Arts). Cellist Tomas Ulrich, both on this Norton recording and during Norton’s second portion of the “Interpretations” event, plays a significant role. A central member to Norton’s string section for this concert, he was featured along with violinist Sam Bardfield (who has performed with the likes of John Zorn, John Cale, The Soldier String Quartet, and the String Trio of New York) and bassist extraordinaire Mark Dresser. Four years Norton’s senior, Dresser (also a Braxton associate, having recorded around a dozen sessions over the course of nearly ten years with the multi-instrumentalist and composer) is truly one of the giants of the so-called Downtown New York improvisational music scene. He plays regularly with John Zorn’s various units, as well as with Tim Berne, Dave Douglas, Gerry Hemingway, Ikue Mori, and just about any forward thinking musician who comes to mind.

The other “string” member was Haewon Min, the classically trained South Korean pianist, who previously performed the music of Braxton in a duet setting with Norton (a recording, documenting the event, is rumored to be available come 2002). It was actually this collaboration that served as the springboard for Norton’s “Integrated Variable Structures #1 for Quintet”, specifically written afterwards not only for these particular musicians within this instrumentational line-up, but for the concert itself. Both Norton and Min revealed the collaborative challenge presented by the composition, which see- sawed itself from Schoenberg to Ornette Coleman compositional influences. The other Norton composition especially written for this “Interpretations” concert was entitled “String Trio #1”, a fully notated piece exclusively spotlighting Norton’s string section of Bardfield (violin), Dresser (bass), and Ulrich (cello). The sheer collective improvisation found on his aforementioned “Barking Hoop” adjoined impromptu playing with a minimalist convergence.

Kevin Norton’s compositions, overall, served as a perfect compliment to Daniel Goode, the Downtown Ensemble, and the first half successes of “Interpretations”. Merkin Concert Hall’s contemporary music series continues with Art Ensemble of Chicago reedman Roscoe Mitchell, who will be joined by trumpeter Baikida Carroll on November 15th. Sarah Cahill will play on December 13th, and on January 10th of 2002 multi-instrumentalist Marty Ehrlich will perform with keyboardists Myra Melford and Borah Bergman. All promise to be memorable music events, as was the case with the October 4th event of compositions and performances from Daniel Goode, Frank London, and Kevin Norton.

It only helps to keep your ears open to the music!