Let’s just all start off by admitting that there simply aren’t a lot of big band concerts that…
- Have accordion and guitar players, and not doing French songs
- Put poems to orchestrations
- Use Morse Code as messages in the rhythm section
- Use a Walophone
- Have a saxophone player backed by a stone
But that’s what the packed house at The Broad Stage experience Friday night, and Grammy winning conductor, composer and arranger Maria Schneider made it all work together like a giant musical mosaic with her 18 member big band. Schneider’s band has been together for 30 years, with many of the players still being charter members, and it’s easy to see why they are so loyal; her creative arrangements make for challenges for each artist, demanding the best of both the performer and listener, as the 100 m inute concert revealed.
Schneider has an alchemists talent for mixing various element to create her own golden sound. You hear elements of her mentor Gil Evans, but also hints of Vaugh Williams, Debussy and Copland, with an Ellingtonian vision of allowing each song to be a focus on usually one soloist.
The easy swinging “ That Old Black Magic” conjured up rich musings by tenor saxist Rich Perry” while “A Potter’s Song” mixed dreamy accordion musings by Julien Labro and warm horn work from Mike Rodriguez. Trombonist Keith O’Quinn was warm and pastoral on the mystical to funky “Look Up” wile fellow bonemeister Ryan Keberle took the band on a harrowing nightmare Blade Runner ride through the dystopic “Don’t Be Evil”. Dave Pietro’s alto sax was passionate around the pastoral see saw between the orchestra and rhythm section of “Braided Together” before tenor saxist Donny McCaslin almost brought the house down as he cried out into outer space on the Ham Radio inspired “CQ CQ Is Anybody There?” coaxed on by the eccentric harmonies of guitarist Ben Monder and accordion player Labro. Even outer space became an inspiration for song, as “Sputnik” and baritone saxist Scott Robinson going boldly where no man has bone before with a dreamy and crystalline aria, while “American Crow” mixed ornithological “caws” and Steve Wilson’s glorious alto sax.
Encoring with a recitation of poet Ted Kooser, Ms. Schneider mentioned that she hopes that her music will be an inspiration for a present culture of social disharmony to think like an orchestra, which “is all about listening. That is the beauty of music”. With pieces like “Walking By Flashlight” and an evening of musical adventure, one hopes that listening deeply will be a message well learned, as it was adroitly taught by the Minnesota Maestra.
Upcoming shows at The Broad Stage include Bria Skonberg 03/10, St. Martin in the Fields 03/11 and Jason Moran 06/03