Concert Review: Composers Concordance Presents 'Eclectic Bands


Michael Wolff Trio
Dan Cooper Quartet
Gene Pritsker's Sound Liberation

Thursday, March 3rd, 2022
Birdland Theatre, NYC


 At the legendary BIRDLAND venue in midtown Manhattan, ‘Composers Concordance’ presented their “Eclectic Bands” concert, featuring three different groups, all showing their own distinctive flavors. Although all three were seemingly rooted in the Jazz world, one still could notice other elements filtered in.  The term “Jazz” seemed to feel limiting.  Such is often the case with any Composers Concordance concert.

The night started with Micheal Wolff and his Trio, performing his “Pandemia: Parts 1, 2 & 3”. Primarily inspired by the events of Covid-19. Originally premiered including a string quartet, here it was presented in its trio version. Wolff glides through his Jazz based oeuvre with a nod to the gloss of classical affectation. Even if you missed the luminous strings of the original version, it still was an effective piece.

Next came Dan Cooper and his Quartet.  Inspiring performances came from Cooper with his multi string and multi sounding bass guitar, along with lively performing from his group, especially flautist, Bart Platteau.  Cooper’s pieces had a solid funk groove with a lighthearted coloration that held it all together. In particular, ‘Platypus Blues’, during which, the whole audience bobbed their heads in unison.

The evening ended with Gene Pritsker and his Sound Liberation.  Pritsker, no stranger to mashing genres together, presented the world premiere of his “Sadness Expensive Prayer” work, inspired by the poetry of his long time collaborators, Erik T. Johnson and Robert C. Ford.  The work opened with Johnson’s longing recitation and ended with the serene vocals of soprano Adriana Valdes, as she serenaded the words of Ford.  All works were well aided by Franz Hackl’s golden trumpet, Melisa Slocum’s weighty sounding bass and a solid rhythmic foundation provided by drummer, Jerry Brown.  Overall, Pritsker’s work was another affective product born out of his ambitious goal to meld all genres into one.
With this concert, Composers Concordance continues to inspire and to challenge anyone willing to listen, Adding even more truth to Duke Ellington’s famed quote “If it sounds good, it is good.”
-  The Off-Kilter Critic

 

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