Tagged with: aurora nealand
Strange!... auspicious and perhaps a little suspicious. I have made it to Rising Star in the guitar category in the Downbeat Critics Poll. Getting the attention is, as Jeff Albert says in his blog, probably a good thing. Jeff's article puts it well and points out that Aurora Nealand also made it. Congratulations to Aurora, Jeff, and... Me!
Listen to parts 1,2,3, and 4, of an interview with colorful saxophone/clarinet/accordion/songwriter/electronic music composer, Aurora Nealand. Here...
Also available as a podcast through itunes or the RSS link on this site.
Check out the complete recent at the open ears music series performance of Jonathan Freilich & The Peaceful Revolution.
Jonathan Freilich- guitar
Aurora Nealand- Alto/ soprano sax
Dan Oestreicher- Baritone sax
Jeff Albert- Trombone
James Singleton- Bass
Doug garrison- Drums
Featuring all original compositions by Jonathan Freilich
Yesterday, the quintet performed on WWOZ for their pledge drive. The group was:
Jonathan Freilich-guitar
Aurora Nealand-alto and soprano sax
Dan Oestreicher- sax
Joe Cabral- bass
Doug Garrison- drums
Energetically speaking, the performance went well; a crazy morning energy. Some precision elements flying out the window, sacrificing themselves for a rapid phoenix-like, burn up to get the energy to carry through the transmitters.
The quintet I'm writing for, Dan Oestreicher, Aurora Nealand, Joe Cabral, Doug Garrison, is doing some recording at Dave Pirner's new home studio. It's a bit of parallel guinea pigging; he's trying to get his new studio up and running while we are trying to troubleshoot arrangements with the slightly new sort of syntax I have been writing in.
The conversation turned to whether we are making a record and, it occurred to me that I don't even know what that means anymore. Dave concurred, "What does that mean anymore." We are, nonetheless, still in there recording amidst the building of a new studio. In this time we definitely are make recordings but not records in the old sense. The purpose is clearly different. We are probably moving towards purposelessness or a much more ephemeral, rapidly evaporating type of purpose. Ironically, both Dave and I were at the tail end of whatever that world was; of course, I believe his recording career was somewhat more successful, but in both cases, in those times, there were contracts for making a product, the record.
Now?...how do you even talk about it? We're sitting there talking about making a record (rabbit ears flying everywhere in the air), producer role (more rabbit ears) etc. Dave came to the good conclusion- that now things really are a labor of love; they have to be, or why would we do it?
I'm enjoying it. the guy is a pleasure to work with. I like the "idea" of Dave as a producer. His hearts in it and there's a lot to be excited about; his studio; talented engineer, George; this talented combo messing around with some unusual sounds in a new format with new ears. Creative possibility and outcome looming.
Looking forward to seeing what happens.