Steve Wright and Giorgio Magnanensi: Photo Chris Randle (www.chrisrandle.com)
We had a great concert with the NOW Orchestra at the Roundhouse last Friday.
It was said to be our best show ever by several people. Wonderful to get that kind of feedback.
It was a pleasure to work with all of the players. Jean Derome brought great humility, enthusiasm, cool compositions from his extensive book of work and focus that was wonderfully inspiring. I look forward to collaborating with him again.
It was also a blast to work with electronic musicians Steve Wright and Giorgio Magnanensi. They really seemed to work together as one. There was great attention to detail in all of the pieces that they contributed to. They exhibited a great energy in doing what was best for the work at hand. They had great ideas and restraint with all of the power that they wielded. Next time it would be great to have eight speaker surround sound rather than just the four that we had. It whet my appetite for more possibility.
I haven't worked with another amazing musician, Sal Ferraras. Sal played marimba. It added such a beautiful timbral pallete to the mix of the band. He is such an extraordinary musician and improvisor. He worked so well with the always so alive and creative drummer/percussionist Skye Brooks. The rhythm section in this band is so inventive. Tommy Babin played both electric and acoustic bass on this night. Tommy plays great arco and is such a willing cohort in any tenderness or mayhem, whatever comes down the pipe. I also can't say enough about the Orchestra's guitarist, Chad MacQuarrie. He is a real risk taker in his improvising and his contributions to the interpretations of the materials that the composers presented. He is a vividly imaginative player.
I also really love JP Carter's contributions on trumpet/electronics. I feel he is one of the best trumpet players that this country has produced. He continually adds the unexpected flavours to help keep things fresh and interesting.
I really look forward to hearing the mixes of the show. I think it will make an exciting release.
There are a few photos that Chris Randle took at the event that I've included here. Check out some more of his stunning work at www.chris randle.com
Jean Derome and Coat Cooke: Photo Chris Randle (www.chrisrandle.com)
