American band.

"Committed to the New, Now in Smaller Forms"
The New York Times, November 16, 2006

An article about a surprising, smart new direction currently being pursued by the American Composers Orchestra, in which Corey Dargel, Susie Ibarra and Derek Bermel feature prominently.

Tonight through Saturday night, the orchestra will be collaborating with Wynton Marsalis's Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in a compelling "Third Stream" program featuring Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with Marcus Roberts at the keyboard, as well as a premiere by Bermel and music by Charles Mingus, John Lewis, Gunther Schuller and others. Those performances are all sold out -- a very good sign.

If that leaves you looking for something else to do tonight in New York City, consider this: Dargel is performing with fellow "artsongwriter" Kamala Sankaram at The Tank at Collective: Unconscious. Both will offer individual sets, and they'll be teaming up in selections from Nick Brooke's multimedia chamber opera, Tone Test. (Keep an eye on Dargel's site for details of an A.C.O.-sponsored showcase coming up next March.)

Playlist:

Robert Plant - Fate of Nations, Dreamland and Mighty Rearranger (Es Paranza/Rhino, from the box set Nine Lives)

Opeth - Ghost Reveries (Roadrunner "Special Edition")

Philip Glass - Wichita Vortex Sutra  - Branka Parlić (YouTube video, via aworks)

Grateful Dead - "So Many Roads," Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, Las Vegas, NV, June 26, 1994 (YouTube video)

Comments

[Judd]

Nice article. Also on that series of theirs is my man Andrew McKenna Lee, who's a terrific composer and an absurdly gifted guitarist - and he often combines those musical aspects to great effect, much like Derek with his amazing clarinet skills.

[mwanji]

Is this your first non-review article for the NYT, Steve? I liked it.

[Bruce Hodges]

Glad to see all of these composers getting such good comments, particularly Nick Brooke. I saw "Tone Test" at the Lincoln Center Festival and thought it was quite stimulating, both conceptually and musically.