{"id":386,"date":"2011-03-04T10:59:23","date_gmt":"2011-03-04T15:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/2011\/03\/unsafe_concert_threadgill_la_b\/"},"modified":"2011-03-04T10:59:23","modified_gmt":"2011-03-04T15:59:23","slug":"unsafe_concert_threadgill_la_b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2011\/03\/unsafe_concert_threadgill_la_b.html","title":{"rendered":"UNsafe concert: Threadgill, La Barbara, ACO dare to fail"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Playing It UNsafe&#8221; is how the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.americancomposers.org\/rel2010_11.html#program3\">American Composers Orchestra<\/a> characterizes tonight&#8217;s concert of works by Henry Threadgill, Joan La Barbara,&nbsp;<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; \">Sean Friar and&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; \">Laura Schwendinger<\/span>&nbsp;at Zankel Hall, NYC. Afraid of classical musicians improvising? Multi-layered &#8220;sound paintings&#8221; of multi-tracked voice, electronic ambiance and instrumentalists sitting in the audience? Symphonic and light collaborations? Then walk on the wild side &#8212; or at least watch the fine videos by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.othersideofthewater.org\/bios.asp\">Jeremy Robins<\/a> &#8212; like the&nbsp;two of Threadgill explaining his ACO-sponsored research and development project, below &#8212;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; \"><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"480\" height=\"300\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xGdPJEmPka4\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div><font class=\"Apple-style-span\" face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"><br \/><\/font><\/div>\n<div><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; \"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; \"><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"480\" height=\"300\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cVOPpuFTVY4\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe>&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div><font class=\"Apple-style-span\" face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\"><br \/><\/font><\/div>\n<div><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; \"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div><font class=\"Apple-style-span\" color=\"#000000\" face=\"arial, sans-serif\"><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;\"><br \/><\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--more--><br \/>\n<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; \">Threadgill wants the Orchestra&#8217;s players to take responsibility for listening to and creating with the interval sets he prescribed for &#8220;<\/span><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; \">No Gates, No White Trenches, Butterfly Effect<i>,&#8221;&nbsp;<\/i>a commissioned world premiere expanding on strategies he&#8217;s developed with his small group, Zooid. La Barbara&#8217;s &#8220;In solitude this fear is lived,&#8221;&nbsp;inspired in this work by the late visual artist&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/paintingresearch.wordpress.com\/2010\/10\/30\/at-work-agnes-martin\/\" style=\"text-decoration: underline; \">Agnes Martin<\/a>,&nbsp;incorporates breath and voice, electronically processed and natural, in a wash of sounds. Friar&#8217;s &#8220;Clunker Concerto&#8221; features the percussion ensemble Line 3 as soloists addressing the possibilities of junked cars as drumming surfaces. Schwendinger and her cousin Leni Schwendinger, a lighting designer, came up with &#8220;Shadings,&#8221; a confabulation of photo imagery captured in Japan (&#8220;ephemeral architecture . . . Buddhist dry landscapes&#8221;) with orchestral writing promoted as &#8220;rich pearlescent tones, with shades of grey.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<div><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial, sans-serif; border-collapse: collapse; \"><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div><font class=\"Apple-style-span\" color=\"#000000\" face=\"arial, sans-serif\"><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;\">To learn more, take a look at the brief but informative video clips produced by Robins&nbsp;for the ACO (incidentally, these clips are the sort of thing the Jazz Journalists Association is trying to encourage with its <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eyejazz.tv\/p\/whats-eyejazz-video.html\">eyeJAZZ<\/a> video news training program). Robins&#8217; work serves as intriguing trailers for the pieces and help explain what ACO artistic director <a href=\"http:\/\/www.milkenarchive.org\/people\/view\/all\/631\/Beaser,+Robert\">Robert Beaser<\/a> means when he says, &#8220;In order for the Orchestra to build on its history, we need to reinvent it.&#8221; May such reinvention never end.<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<div><font class=\"Apple-style-span\" color=\"#000000\" face=\"arial, sans-serif\"><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.howardmandel.com\" target=\"blank\">howardmandel.com<\/a> <br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/JazzBeyondJazz\" target=\"_blank\">Subscribe by Email or  RSS<\/a> <br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/archives.html\" target=\"_blank\"> All JBJ posts <\/a><br \/>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/w.sharethis.com\/widget\/?tabs=web%2Cpost%2Cemail&amp;charset=utf-8&amp;style=default&amp;publisher=6ed88875-2235-4b29-aaa3-60183b0bcbcc\"><\/script> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Playing It UNsafe&#8221; is how the American Composers Orchestra characterizes tonight&#8217;s concert of works by Henry Threadgill, Joan La Barbara,&nbsp;Sean Friar and&nbsp;Laura Schwendinger&nbsp;at Zankel Hall, NYC. Afraid of classical musicians improvising? Multi-layered &#8220;sound paintings&#8221; of multi-tracked voice, electronic ambiance and instrumentalists sitting in the audience? Symphonic and light collaborations? Then walk on the wild side [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1202,1201,1204,1200,1209,83,1208,1203,1207,1206,1210,1205,709],"class_list":{"0":"post-386","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-main","7":"tag-playing-it-unsafe","8":"tag-aco","9":"tag-agnes-martin","10":"tag-america-composers-orchestra","11":"tag-eyejazz","12":"tag-henry-threadgill","13":"tag-jeremy-robins","14":"tag-joan-la-barbara","15":"tag-laura-schwendinger","16":"tag-leni-schwendinger","17":"tag-robert-beaser","18":"tag-sean-friar","19":"tag-zooid","20":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-6e","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2025,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2016\/04\/threadgill-wins-pulitzer-for-zooid-and-cheers-for-his-career.html","url_meta":{"origin":386,"position":0},"title":"Threadgill wins Pulitzer for Zooid and cheers for his career","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"April 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Pulitzer Prize for Music\u00c2\u00a0has been earned by Henry Threadgill, composer, bandleader and reedist, for his expansive and in-depth explorations of polyphonic improvisation with his quintet Zooid, the suite stretching over\u00c2\u00a0two cds\u00c2\u00a0In for a Penny, In for a Pound. Big time congratulations! And encouragement listening to all and any of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"ornette and threadgill","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/ornette-and-threadgill-300x297.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":263,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2009\/11\/henry_threadgill_seer_beyond_j.html","url_meta":{"origin":386,"position":1},"title":"Henry Threadgill, seer beyond &#8216;jazz&#8217;","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"November 5, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"In my City Arts column: a new album and Roulette concert with commissioned work from a worldly-wise 65 yr-old NYC\/East Village-based composer-bandleader who keeps looking at music -- Varese's and Wagner's, Scott Joplin's and Ornette Coleman's -- to find something new. I call Henry Threadgill a prophet in the wilderness,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":299,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2010\/02\/threadgill_talks_zooid_photod.html","url_meta":{"origin":386,"position":2},"title":"Threadgill talks, Zooid photo&#8217;d","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"February 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Composer-saxophonist Henry Threadgill performed his quicksilver music with quintet Zooid at the Jazz Gallery a few days back: here are the photos. He talked at Jazz at Lincoln Center, also: a brief synopsis. I was putting final touches on the article Down Beat commissioned about Threadgill, who I first heard\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"4370862203_2617a3c6cc-1.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/4370862203_2617a3c6cc-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1504,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2014\/01\/henry-threadgills-tribute-to-butch-morris-winterjazz-fest-10.html","url_meta":{"origin":386,"position":3},"title":"Henry Threadgill&#8217;s tribute to Butch Morris @ WinterJazz Fest 10","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 12, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Composer-reedist Henry Threadgill created a stunning tribute at WinterJazz Fest 10 in New York City last night to honor his great friend Lawrence Douglas \"Butch\" Morris, who died just short of his 66th birthday on January 29, 2013. The nearly hour-long piece had two movements -- a long, complex, multi-layered\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"butch and henry","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/butch-and-henry.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2037,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2016\/04\/pulitzer-winner-threadgill-what-is-harmony.html","url_meta":{"origin":386,"position":4},"title":"Pulitzer winner Threadgill: &#8220;What is harmony?&#8221;","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"April 19, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"My\u00c2\u00a0profile of Pulitzer Prize winner Henry Threadgill, commissioned by and\u00c2\u00a0published in DownBeat in 2010: Henry Threadgill exuded confidence and impatience when facing four video cameras and a standing-room-only gallery of serious listeners at the Manhattan new music performance space Roulette last October. With his flute, bass flute, alto saxophone and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"41iy0G53C6L._SX425_","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/41iy0G53C6L._SX425_-300x267.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1870,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2015\/06\/ornette-coleman-returned-music-to-freedom-and-basics.html","url_meta":{"origin":386,"position":5},"title":"Ornette Coleman returned music to freedom and basics","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"June 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Sad news this morning: Ornette Coleman died at age 85. Triumphant news: Ornette Coleman returned music to its free-from-cant basics, emphasizing emotional communication and intuitive human interactions over any other elements in the dynamic, multi-faceted, immediate art form. I included several interviews with Ornette -- whom I consider the most\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Ornette-halo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=386"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/386\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=386"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=386"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=386"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}