In celebration of Philip Glass's 75th birthday, the American Composers Orchestra is presenting the US premiere of Glass's Ninth Symphony plus the NYC premiere of Arvo Part's Lamentate, with pianist Maki Namekawa at Carnegie Hall on Glass's birthday, January 31. The orchestra will be led by ACO co-founder Dennis Russell Davies. According to a press release:

The program notes describe Glass's Symphony No. 9 as "a large scale, three movement work for orchestra, and while direct in form, it will be formidable in performance with piccolos doubled, horn section fortified, and with bass brass, and timpani doubled. The Ninth promises to be, in the composer's words 'big and unrelenting,' with an avoidance of solo passagework, this piece will be a real team effort throughout. Each movement follows a similar plan: an opening theme broadly stated a contrasting highly energized middle section, and a slower ending with a newer version of the opening theme. Throughout the work becomes increasingly dense and contrapuntal thereby giving the whole work its overall dramatic shape."

Tickets for the event are on sale now.

Glass's birthday will also be celebrated two days earlier (1/29) at Le Poisson Rouge with Orange Mountain Music and special guests Kronos Quartet, Dennis Russell Davies, Maki Namekawa, Ira Glass, Michael Riesman, Ensemble Signal, Bruce Brubaker, Tim Fain and more. Tickets for this show are on sale now.

It will again be celebrated at the Tune-In Music Festival at Park Avenue Armory which takes place from February 23-26. "Highlights Include: A World Premiere by Hal Wilner, Bill Frisell and Ralph Steadman, Glass's Music in Twelve Parts, An Evening of Music and Poetry with Patti Smith and Philip Glass, and Glass's Another Look At Harmony." Tickets for the Tune-In festival's events are on sale now.

The Metropolitan Museum is also hosting a celebration for Philip Glass this April (it appears to have been rescheduled from 1/21). The event is taking place on April 21 at The Temple of Dendur and will feature Glass performing his chamber music with violinist Tim Fain. Unreserved seating is on sale now.

Program information on the Carnegie Hall show below...

Continue reading "Philip Glass birthday parties -- Tune-In Music Festival & more"

Andrew Bird @ MHOW in 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Summer is not technically here, but the summer season of free NYC shows is beginning. Summerstage (which now encompasses shows in many NYC parks) kicks off tonight (6/7) in two locations. The mainstage in Central Park is hosting "an evening of music, dance, art and stories with legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma, his internationally acclaimed Silk Road Ensemble, and NYC students." On the other side of the spectrum, Betsy Head Park in Brownsville, Brooklyn is hosting the first of Funkmaster Flex's Salute to Hip Hop" shows tonight with EPMD. Special Ed plays Betsy Head Park on Wednesday (6/8). B.T. Express play there on Thursday (6/9).

Flex and EPMD again share the bill at an early show (2 PM doors) on the Central Park Mainstage with Rakim on August 21. Flex moves to other parks throughout the summer too.

To stereotype for a second, BV readers may not be flocking to see the cellist in Central Park or the hip hop in Brownsville this week, but are likely to be out in full force when indie rock violinist Andrew Bird kicks off the free Celebrate Brooklyn season in Prospect Park this Friday (6/10). After the opening night gala, the free-to-the-public Andrew Bird show begins (with no opener) at 8:15pm.

You can also pay to see Andrew on his previously announced solo tour this fall which hits Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie on October 17 (tickets and Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown on October 21 (tickets).

Celebrate Brooklyn continues on Thursday, June 16 (7:00pm / gates 6:00pm) with Hal Willner's Freedom Rides Project...

"The maverick music producer HAL WILLNER brings his golden Rolodex and singular genius for curating multi-artist concept shows to the music of the Civil Rights Movement. Commissioned for Celebrate Brooklyn!, this concert celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides, which integrated the interstate bus system and helped bring America's and the world's attention to the deprivations of the segregated South. In what promises to be an unforgettable event, Willner will convene his usual surprising and eclectic array of musicians, actors, and other artists--established and emerging, famous and infamous--to perform songs that inspired, illuminated, and sprang from the tumultuous aftermath of the Movement. The evening begins with a pre-performance artists discussion. Performers subject to change.

Other artists playing the show include Rosanne Cash, Toshi Reagon, Steven Bernstein "& many more."

Medeski, Martin & Wood play Central Park Summerstage on Saturday (6/11) as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival with Josh Roseman & The King Froopy Allstars and Jim Black's Alasnoaxis.

Many more free summer shows to come. Check out the full Summerstage and Celebrate Brooklyn lineups at their sites.

photos by Lori Baily

[Marianne Faithfull's] new album [Easy Come, Easy Go] adds some great new interpretations to her rich repertoire, including songs by older artists (Smokey Robinson, Billie Holiday) and younger ones (the Decemberists, Neko Case).

Faithfull found a particular kinship with Case. "I read that she took one line for her song from the 'Brothers Karamazov,'" the singer says. "That's something I would do." [NY Daily News]

The Hal Wilner-produced Easy Come, Easy Go is out now on Decca Records. On it, Marianne also covered Dolly Parton, Espers, and Morrissey. Plus, Chan Marshall, Sean Lennon, Rufus Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, Nick Cave, Antony and Keith Richards all make guest appearances! The musician credits are also chock full of familiar names like Marc Ribot and Lenny Pickett. Full track list below.

Marianne played two shows at NYC's City Winery - March 27th and 28th. The pictures in this post are from the first. On March 31st she appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman where she performed the Decemberists' "The Crane Wife 3" (without Nick Cave who helps her sing it on the album).

The Letterman video, and everything else, below...

Continue reading "Marianne Faithfull - new covers album full of special guests, City Winery pics & Letterman (Decemberists) video"