Edition Redux: Broadcast Transformer

Ken Vandermark has long made it a priority to dedicate nearly all of his compositions to other artists. From painters and photographers to writers, poets and fellow musicians, his influences span a wide artistic spectrum. Film, in particular, has been a significant source of inspiration for this long-time Chicago resident. While Vandermark has composed two commissioned soundtracks—Strade D'Acqua / Roads Of Water (Multikulti Project, 2010) and Parallax Sounds (Just Temptation Recordings, 2014)—his approach to music consistently embodies a cinematic scope.

Edition Redux is an ideal group for realizing Vandermark's cinematic vision. The quartet features Erez Dessel (keyboards), Beth McDonald (tuba), and Lily Finnegan (drums), alongside Vandermark himself. Their debut, Better A Rook Than A Pawn (Audiographie, 2023), introduced a dynamic framework that Broadcast Transformer continues to explore. The players navigate Vandermark's intricate prearranged systems, which shift modes and emotions multiple times within the four tracks presented.

This release features 14 new compositions that can be organized or even rearranged during live performances. The piece "Other Nichols Other Dimes (for Herbie Nichols and The Minutemen) / Salto (for Jacob Lawrence) / Pony Up (for Rebecca Morris)" pays tribute to two painters, bebop pianist Herbie Nichols, and the punk rock band Minutemen's seminal album Double Nickels On The Dime (SST Records, 1984). It begins with an electric synthesizer groove paired with the driving interplay of tenor saxophone and tuba. Vandermark then signals a tempo and thematic shift, opening into a section of free improvisation where he transitions to clarinet and Dessel switches to piano. Dessel's sharp, dynamic piano work escalates the tension before the music shifts again, with Vandermark unleashing an urgent, baritone saxophone- driven passage.

The collaged nature of the compositions evokes the works of film composers like Nino Rota, Max Steiner, and Bernard Herrmann, creating music that feels visual— almost as if it were written for an imagined film. The remaining three tracks follow a similar structure of suites with shifting themes, drawing inspiration from two painters, four photographers, a filmmaker, Japanese saxophonist Akira Sakata, and jazz luminaries such as Lester Bowie, Bill Dixon, and Cecil Taylor. The punk band Scratch Acid also finds its place among Vandermark's eclectic sources of inspiration.

Ultimately, Vandermark's compositions not only pay homage to the artists who influence him but also invite his listeners to explore and discover these creative references for themselves.

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