Music of Marty Ehrlich

In the introductory sentences of his professional biography, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader Marty Ehrlich points immediately to the "lyricism and invention" that lie at the heart of his music, and his "creative interests [that] present a view of the musical world that puts the new and the traditional in dynamic play." If you don't trust this self-assessment, here's the New York Times: "one of his time's most original thinkers."

Nothing could better summarize a musical profile that aligns with the philosophy of New England Conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation program—so it's appropriate that Ehrlich's residency here kicks off our 40th anniversary celebration of the CI program. Ehrlich himself is a graduate of NEC, and has a recent recording with current CI chair Hankus Netsky among his extensive discography—Ehrlich and Netsky will perform some of this music tonight.

Other collaborators range from Muhal Richard Abrams to John Zorn, and from New York City Opera to l'Orchestre National de Lyon. Ehrlich's own ensembles have names equally suggestive of a musical explorer: Dark Woods Ensemble, Traveler's Tales Group, Rites Quartet.

Tonight's concert concludes a week of work with NEC's jazz and Contemporary Improvisation students, who will perform with Ehrlich (on clarinet and saxophone) and NEC faculty on his compositions dating from 1993 to the present. The residency leads off with a lecture by Ehrlich on his music on September 6.

Read Marty Ehrlich's notes on tonight's music.

String Quartet No. 1 (Plowshares People)
Abigale Reisman, Abby Swidler, violin
Eden MacAdam-Somer, viola
Valerie Thompson, cello

Frog Leg Logic
Kai Sandoval, trumpet
Daniel Pencer, tenor saxophone
Zoe Christiansen, clarinet
Simón Willson, bass
Jeff Balter, drums

Scroll No. 1
Hui Weng, guzheng
Sonny Lalchandani, sitar
Eden MacAdam-Somer, violin
Hankus Netsky, accordion
Zoe Christiansen, Anna Patton, clarinet
Daniel Pencer, bass clarinet

Sojourn
Nima Mohammadi, Jussi Reijonen, oud
Anna Patton, clarinet
Abby Swidler, viola
Valerie Thompson, cello
Hui Weng, guzheng
Daniel Pencer, bass clarinet
Andria Nicodemou, percussion

Agbekor Translations
performed by full ensemble from the Contemporary Improvisation department

Fables Medley
Marty Ehrlich, clarinet
Hankus Netsky, piano

The Price of the Ticket
for James Baldwin
Natalie Cadet, vocals
Henrique Eisenmann, piano
Simón Willson, bass
Jeff Balter, drums

Rites Rhythms
Rachel Panitch, violin
Ilya Portnov, harmonica
Daniel Karp, ukelele
Dylan McKinstry, Jacob Means, mandolin
Andria Nicodemou, vibraphone
Vessela Stoyanova, marimba
Alexander Monti, electric bass
Nima Mohammadi, frame drum

Inauguration Suite
Kai Sandoval, trumpet
Henrique Eisenmann, piano
Simón Willson, bass
Jeff Balter, drums

Comprovisation/Blue Boye’s Blues
performed by full ensemble from the Contemporary Improvisation department

In photo: Marty Ehrlich (right) with James Weidman from his quartet