Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Citizens Orchestra


Outpost 186
Cambridge, MA

Two graduates of Bennington College's storied Black Music Division invited Bill Dixon to visit Cambridge last week.  Eric Zinman and Stanley Jason Zappa had a notion to put together a small improvising orchestra as a tip of the aesthetic hat to Bill and the Bennington experience.

We gathered in a rehearsal room at MIT on Wednesday for three hours, setting some broad parameters for a musical interaction.  Drummer and former Black Music Fellow Syd Smart was with us throughout, making the hang with Bill and the musicians.  The following evening I ended up conducting both the improvisations, grouped in small sets of players, and some of my own material, scored for the occasion. Check out Chris Rich's wonderful write-up of the project on the Brilliant Corners blog.

Eric is resolved to continue this experience somehow.  Something to watch out for...

 

Eric Zinman, Bill Dixon, Lawrence Cook & Stanley Jason Zappa at Outpost 186

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