CI All-Star Concert
New England Conservatory celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Contemporary Improvisation department with a series of events in New York in March 2013.
The series comes to a close with an all-star lineup of NEC musicians beloved by New York audiences.
Representing the youngest generation of NEC's Contemporary Improvisation community, Eden MacAdam-Somer has given violin lessons in Afghanistan, fiddled for square dances all over New England, and is one fourth of the vocal-instrumental-dance quartet Sail Away Ladies, which began its life as an NEC Honors Ensemble. Sarah Jarosz, also a member of Sail Away Ladies, has staked her claim as a singer-songwriter to watch, and received a Grammy nomination during her freshman year at NEC.
Pianist Ran Blake will perform solo and as a duo with vocalists Dominique Eade and Christelle Durandy. Eade studied with Blake at NEC, and has gone on to be the school's first Artist Diploma graduate in Contemporary Improvisation, and a faculty magnet for improvising vocalists. Blake and Durandy performed together last summer at the Toucy Jazz Festival in France, where they were introduced to each other by NEC alumnus Ricky Ford, who founded the festival in 2009. Ran Blake will also pair with Sarah Jarosz during her solo set.
Pianist Frank Carlberg performs with his wife, vocalist Christine Correa. Correa, a former student of Ran Blake's, is the director of Maine Jazz Camp.
John Medeski—the keyboard third of Medeski Martin & Wood—will also perform a solo set. Medeski is on the verge of releasing his first-ever solo album on the iconic and newly revived OKeh label. Here's an opportunity to hear him preview this material.
Pianist Anthony Coleman brings his Damaged Quartet: saxophonist Ashley Paul, bassist Sean Conly, and drummer Brian Chase, who will also be familiar from his band the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
The Claudia Quintet, formed in 1997 by drummer John Hollenbeck, will appear in a hybrid configuration for this show, with old and new players: vibraphonist Matt Moran, bassist Chris Tordini, accordionist Ted Reichman, and Chris Speed on clarinet and tenor saxophone.
Tickets $38, $28.
Symphony Space is located at the intersection of Broadway and 95th Street.
Complete schedule of CI40 NYC events:
2013-03-17 Kalmanovitch, Coleman, Reichman at Cornelia Street Café
2013-03-20 Today's Jewish Music at Symphony Space
2013-03-21 CI Alumni Improvisation Festival at Barbès
2013-03-23 CI All-Star Concert at Symphony Space
Are you an NEC faculty member or student who is giving a school concert? Submit your artist and repertoire information now!
GEORGE GERSHWIN