MUSIC

 In the first portion of this concert, pianist/composer/improviser Anthony Coleman— a member of NEC's composition, jazz, and Contemporary Improvisation faculties—performs solo at the piano. In the final portion, he performs with the quartet that has accompanied him in "Damaged by Sunlight" concerts: Ashley Paul on clarinet, alto saxophone, and vocals; Sean Conly on bass; and Satoshi Takeishi on drums and percussion. The middle portion of the concert pairs Paul with Coleman on piano and electric organ.

This quartet, with bassist Brad Jones in lieu of Sean Conly, appears in a 2010 video performing Damaged by Sunlight.

Anthony Coleman has supplied these notes:

After several years of extravaganzas, a nice relaxed Chamber Evening with some of my favorite collaborators. Solo Piano set, duo with Ashley (connected to the upcoming disc) and then The Damaged Quartet, playing at least four of the Seven Words: Autochton, Irredenta, Concupiscence, Judeophilia. And, by the way, the Tzadik CD The End of Summer (featuring my NEC Ensemble, Survivors Breakfast) is out!

Part I

Every year I like playing solo more and more. I think I'm finally finding real reasons to do it. I made a sketch (Oogenera) that functions as a kind of template for improvisation.

Part II

Ashley Paul was my student when I first came to NEC. She is a rare talent—one of the most individual musicians I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Playing duo with her is a rich and strange joy.

Part III

Seven Words explores some allusive verbal objects and the associations I have with them. Some very smart people study the Semiotics of Music. I like to think about them and riff on them. More than that is too much for my unschematic brain.