Rome Prize winner and New Orleans native Christopher Trapani's first portrait recording is in part inspired by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina on his home town. Trapani found himself reaching towards the music of the deep South, particularly Delta Blues, and exploring ways to incorporate stylistic elements into his own work. The other works of the album reflect a similarly voracious approach to style; drawing variously from aspects of Turkish music, Conlon Nancarrow, Bob Dylan, and Hank Williams, Trapani displays a deft hand at exploring a wide range of aesthetics while preserving a rigorous approach to integrating them into his work. Performers include Talea Ensemble with soloist Lucy Dhegrae, Longleash Trio, pianist Marilyn Nonken, and JACK Quartet.
credits
released September 28, 2018
Produced by Christopher Trapani and Ryan Streber (tracks 1-5, 8, 10-12), Christopher Trapani (tracks 6-7, 9)
Engineer: Ryan Streber with Assistant Engineer: Nathan De Brine (tracks 1-5, 10-12), Jeffrey Svatek (tracks 6-7), Ryan Streber (track 8), Joe Patrych (track 9)
Waterlines recorded October 11, 2017 at Oktaven Audio (Mount Vernon, NY)
Passing Through, Staying Put recorded April 30, 2015 at EMPAC (Troy, NY)
Visions and Revisions recorded July 30, 2016 at Oktaven Audio (Mount Vernon, NY)
The Silence of a Falling Star Lights Up a Purple Sky recorded December 5, 2017 at Patrych Sound Studios (Bronx, NY)
Cognitive Consonance recorded October 11, 2017 at Oktaven Audio (Mount Vernon, NY) and December 5, 2017 at Columbia Computer Music Center (New York, NY)
Support for this CD has been graciously provided by the Aaron Copland Fund for Music, the Alice M. Ditson Fund, the Fritz Reiner Fund, and Akademie Schloss Solitude.
Cover art from The Alluvial Valley of the Lower Mississippi River by Harold Fisk, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (1944). Figure courtesy of Julien Jalâl Eddine Weiss (p. 4)
New Focus Recordings is an artist led collective label featuring releases in contemporary music of many stripes, as well as
new approaches to older repertoire. The label was founded by guitarist Daniel Lippel (who is the current director), composer engineer Ryan Streber, and composer Peter Gilbert in 2003-4, and features releases from many of new music's most active performers and composers....more
After having to endure a full day at work with someone else's 1980s "Punk" music on all day, listening to this album is what makes me feel normal again. Highly recommended to realign your whatevers. jwilliamkay