{"id":657,"date":"2011-11-30T15:16:36","date_gmt":"2011-11-30T20:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=657"},"modified":"2019-09-12T21:40:28","modified_gmt":"2019-09-13T01:40:28","slug":"orchestrating-improvisation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2011\/11\/orchestrating-improvisation.html","title":{"rendered":"Orchestrating improvisation"},"content":{"rendered":"

My new\u00c2\u00a0CityArts column<\/a> is about the wave of conducted orchestral improvisation currently sweeping New York City \u00c2\u00a0— with Karl Berger’s Stone Workshop Orchestra<\/a> and Lawrence Douglas “Butch” Morris’s Lucky Cheng Orchestra<\/a> wrapping up\u00c2\u00a0their lengthy Monday night runs, Elliott Sharp<\/a> reconvening\u00c2\u00a0Carbon at Roulette<\/a>, Greg Tate’s Burnt Sugar: The Arkestra Chamber<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0at Tammany Hall in a benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America<\/a>, Adam Rudolph’s\u00c2\u00a0Organic Orchestra<\/a>\u00c2\u00a0also in the mix and\u00c2\u00a0“soundpainter” Walter Thompson<\/a> in discussion with aforementioned Dr. Morris at Columbia U’s Center for Jazz Studies<\/a> (that’s tonight, November 30), leading students from Columbia U Jazz Ensembles at Miller Theater<\/a> Dec. 4.<\/p>\n

Conducting improvisation of individuals constituting large ensembles might be likened to herding cats or directing crowd scenes or arriving at consensus in the General Assembly or processing activities through chaos theory or refereeing games or . . . I don’t know, but it looks like fun and can sound spellbinding. Better witnessed live than heard on recording, usually — you want to see what’s happening. At least I do. Lots of opportunities to do that, immediately.<\/p>\n

howardmandel.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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My new\u00c2\u00a0CityArts column is about the wave of conducted orchestral improvisation currently sweeping New York City \u00c2\u00a0— with Karl Berger’s Stone Workshop Orchestra and Lawrence Douglas “Butch” Morris’s Lucky Cheng Orchestra wrapping up\u00c2\u00a0their lengthy Monday night runs, Elliott Sharp reconvening\u00c2\u00a0Carbon at Roulette, Greg Tate’s Burnt Sugar: The Arkestra Chamber\u00c2\u00a0at Tammany Hall in a benefit for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":658,"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":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-657","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-main","8":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/karl-berger-stone.jpeg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-aB","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":875,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2012\/04\/rhymin-simon-swings-3-6-mil-wyntons-way.html","url_meta":{"origin":657,"position":0},"title":"Rhymin’ Simon swings $3.6 mil Wynton’s way","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"April 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Jazz at Lincoln Center has released a \"Post Gala Report\" on the April 18 concert debut of Paul Simon performing his career songbook with both his band and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, plus special guest vocalist Aaron Neville. \u00c2\u00a0$3.6 million was raised at the black tie\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","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\/2012\/04\/Paul-Simon-Wynton-Marsalis-300x213.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1214,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2013\/02\/another-take-on-butch-morris-conduction-1-current-trends-in-racism.html","url_meta":{"origin":657,"position":1},"title":"Another take on Butch Morris’ Conduction #1, “Current Trends in Racism”","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"February 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Poet\/playwright\/critic \u00c2\u00a0Allan Graubard has been a close friend and collaborator with Buch Morris, writing highly descriptive and evocative notes for Testament: A Conduction Collection \u00c2\u00a0as well as their theater work, \"Modette,\" and the liner notes below, intended for the 25th anniversary re-issue of Conduction #1, Current Trends in Racism in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "about"","block_context":{"text":"about","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/about"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":292,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2010\/01\/saxes_percussion_boulez_sympho.html","url_meta":{"origin":657,"position":2},"title":"Saxes & percussion, Boulez & Symphony","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 29, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Last weekend the World Saxophone Quartet and percussion ensemble M'Boom blasted 21st century conventions at Birdland -- this weekend Pierre Boulez conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra through Bartok's two piano & percussion concerto and Stravinsky's \"The Firebird\" at Carnegie Hall. Listening opportunities in New York City cover a vast range.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"wsq & mboom robt klurfield.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wsq%20%26%20mboom%20robt%20klurfield.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":76,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2008\/02\/butch_morris_jazz_conductor.html","url_meta":{"origin":657,"position":3},"title":"Butch Morris, jazz conductor","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"February 25, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"(slightly corrected version)Conductor of improvisation Lawrence Douglas \"Butch\" Morris is an East Village charmer, now-too-infrequent cornetist and internationally-known instigator of large ensemble music made spontaneously in real time by free-from-convention individuals. During a radio interview for the NPR show News & Notes, Butch identifies himself as a jazz musician not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1769,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2015\/03\/new-yorkish-new-orleans-and-chicago-diva-at-symphony-center.html","url_meta":{"origin":657,"position":4},"title":"New Yorkish New Orleans and Chicago Diva at Symphony Center","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"March 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Butler, Bernstein and the Hot 9 -- that's pianist Henry Butler, brassy brassman and arranger Steven Bernstein, and their touring NYC-based all-stars\u00c2\u00a0-- plus beloved local singer Dee Alexander with her trio were double billed on a cold, cold night last week (Feb. 27)\u00c2\u00a0at Chicago's downtown Orchestra Hall in Symphony Center.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"A","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/CSO150227_065-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1767,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2015\/02\/jazz-composers-meet-symphony-orchestra-challenge.html","url_meta":{"origin":657,"position":5},"title":"Jazz composers meet symphony orchestra challenge","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"February 28, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The American Composers Orchestra's Jazz Composers Orchestra Initiative rides again\u00c2\u00a0-- application deadline April for a two part intensive beginning August 2015. I blogged about at length\u00c2\u00a0about the Buffalo Philharmonic's 2013 reading of\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0first symphonic works by five highly skilled performer-composers who otherwise would be hard-pressed get a chance to write for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"rufus","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/rufus.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/657","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=657"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/657\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}