David Jaeger is featured on Vintage Americana, a new release on the Navona Records label

CEE founding member David Jaeger is featured on Vintage Americana, a new release on the Navona Records label.

A work that was composed by David Jaeger in 1979, during the first decade of the CEE, Quivi Sospiri for solo piano and live electronics has been included in a new release of 20th Century works for piano, performed by Toronto piano virtuoso Christina Petrowska Quilico. The work was originally composed for a concert presented by the CEE, and remained in the active touring repertoire of the CEE for many years. Petrowska Quilico, a brilliant, internationally acclaimed piano soloist has championed the work and has recorded it several times.

Essentially a tone poem depicting the third canto of Dante’s famous poem, Inferno (the first part of his Divine Comedy,) Quivi Sospiri was inspired by the qualities described by Dante as his protagonists in the poem enter the gates of hell. As the journey begins, the poet’s imagery is limited to sonic artifacts alone, due to the pitch blackness inside those terrible gates. This is the only time in the great poem where Dante uses no visual imagery. Jaeger felt this circumstance was a perfect opportunity to create a sonic landscape for performance by solo piano and live electronics.

The solo piano part of Quivi Sospiri is fashioned in a manner not too far removed from Romantic piano repertoire, taking advantage of Petrowska Quilico’s extensive experience with the virtuoso repertoire of that much earlier period. The writing for the electronic components of the work complements the virtuosity of the piano part, supporting it and amplifying its progress in the telling of the dark sonic tale.

Quivi Sospiri was included in the Navona album by Petrowska Quilico, along with works by American composers Lowell Liebermann, David Del Tredici, Frederic Rzewski, Mario Davidovsky and Paul Huebner, all composers who were active in the contemporary American music scene in the 20th Century. Jaeger, who was born and raised bu the USA before moving to Toronto in 1970, has had relatively little visibility as an American composer. His profile is much more strongly associated with Canadian music, and in particular, with the CEE.

Vintage Americana, was released by Navona Records in November of 2021, The catalogue number is Navona nv6384. CBC Music included the album in its list of top classical releases of the year 2021. The link for the complete list is: https://www.cbc.ca/music/canada-s-top-21-classical-albums-of-2021-1.6261267 The album is available on most of the popular digital music services as either streamed audio or as a download.

The PtT Project (Pass the Track)

After the high of the CMU residency, we returned to Toronto at the end of February just in time for the Coronavirus crisis. As the reality of social isolation and physical distancing set in, we decided to try doing some music while maintaining our isolation. The result: the PtT project. Here’s the order of track creation for each part of the project.

  • PtT-1: Paul, John, Jim, Rose, David J., David S.
  • PtT-2: Jim, David S, Rose, David J, John, Paul
  • PtT-3: David S, Rose, David J, John, Paul, Jim
  • PtT-4: Rose, Paul, John, Jim, David S, David J.
  • PtT-5: John, David J, Paul, David S, Jim, Rose
  • PtT-6: David J, Jim, David S, Paul, Rose, John

Here’s two of the resulting projects; PtT-1 and PtT-5 with visuals by Intrepita (Paul Stillwell). Enjoy.

PtT-5 was initiated by John, followed by: David J (Darth), Paul, David S. (Suds), Jim (Mudfish) and Rose (band rule; you have to be over 60 to have a pseudonym). Everybody hears the tracks as they’re produced and can then think about a response. John’s stark opening vocal track was a shoku.  By the time it got to me, Darth, Paul and Suds had each taken the project in new and deeper directions. What could I add to an already rich project?  I decided to relax, and just – breathe. Paul’s video is the exhalation of our combined inspiration – or something.

Mudfish

Bluffers Lookout Released Today 2014/04/22

Bluffers Lookout

 

2014/04/22

Today we are very proud to announce the release of our new studio album, Bluffers Lookout!

Almost 2 hours long, this live electronic music by the CEE is a collection of several recently composed and improvised pieces. It was recorded in the spring of 2013 with editing, mixing, and mastering taking place throughout the following year. It was a difficult time for us as Larry was sick and unable to join us on any of the sessions, however his influence is present in the creation of this music. We are pleased to share these compositions with listeners around the world.

We dedicate this album to the memory of our dear friend and CEE co-founder, Larry Lake (1943 – 2013).

You can listen and purchase at http://thecee.bandcamp.com.

November 26 – John Farah Releases New CD

OK… I’m a bit late with this post 🙂 John and his good friend Attila Fias released their new CD back in October. However, it IS brilliant and you should all go and buy a copy of it as soon as you can!

Pieces of the Earth

Toronto composer-pianists Attila Fias and John Kameel Farah present a CD of Earth-themed compositions and improvisations for two pianos.

PIECES OF THE EARTH is inspired by our planet in all of its manifestations: as a world of deep oceans and pillared mountains of natural wonder and majesty, as a precious island in our solar system, as a place of civilisations blooming and falling, and as a fragile, delicate environment in peril. Themes of the fluttering of birds, volcanic plumes, cosmic dervishes, dreamy gardens and trembling warnings from the Earth itself dance and intertwine throughout the album. Drawing upon their combined diverse backgrounds in jazz, free improv, minimalism, Electronic music, Early music and avant-garde experimentalism, the stylistic range of these new pieces and improvisations expand the boundaries of the piano duo repertoire.

David Dacks, an independent reviewer for exclaim.ca wrote in his review:  “…their incredible dexterity is much more than mere flash. With two pianos you get double the majestic chords, twice the number of contrapuntal runs and infinitely more possibilities for atmospheric effects.”