the pickPocket Ensemble

the pickPocket Ensemble...replete with pockets!

Continuing on my journey in discovering new classical music I discovered this skillful and creative lot: the pickPocket Ensemble, a diverse quintet that can often be found playing cafes and venues across Northern California. 
      Their music, which they aptly call "cafe music", exudes a relentless exoticism and yet they manage to make listeners feel right at home amid tunes inspired by Appalachian folk, jazz, and Balkan music traditions. Our pickpocketers include Rick, the founder, accordionist/pianist, and composer; Marguerite, the versatile violinist; Yates Brown, whose name is so cool I had to write it out on guitar and banjo; Kurt on bass; and fellow abettors Brian Rice with percussion and Sam Bass ironically on cello.

If a classical ensemble had the spirit of a jazz band and the soul of a folk musician they'd be pickPocket Ensemble. 

I quickly listened to and watched everything I could by this group falling more in love with their music with each new song. Every piece takes you on a miniature journey that begs a cinematic companion. Their piece Remember the Moon has Arabic qualities with its rhythm and harmony (liberal use of augmented seconds and 5/8 have a way of doing that). The timbre of the accordion lends it a folk feel, as if you're at a chaotic Middle Eastern bazaar midday. The melody is memorable and Remember the Moon simply makes me want to grab a sash, some finger bells, and start belly dancing.

What makes their music particularly infectious are its song-like elements with use of doubling, small range, and few melodic themes (usually just one) that generally break for instrumental solos. Their music began heavily influenced by jazz but evolved to include the Mediterranean sounds of the Balkans (so much so I was seriously wondering where the clarinet was in all this!). If you've never heard Balkan music here's an example from Youtube (from a teacher who tried to sell me on eastern European music; I just smiled at the way the violinist's head bobbed). I always lose the downbeat when I hear it, but then maybe that's the point. 

I'll leave you to enjoy For Those Who've Left which is a "French cafe meets rustic Americana" type of tune. The pickPocket Ensemble truly is something special, not just in repertoire but how they relate to the music they create and to audiences. So if you live, work, or plan to travel to Northern California go see them. They are definitely worth having with your coffee. 

Exploring Blurred Lines with Maria

I have a confession. Lately, I've been listening to jazz. A lot.

*Gasp*

I know! I know. I've surprised myself. This is classical music blog; I'm only supposed to listen to that. But I've been spending my waking hours actively searching for and wantonly consuming its riches. Could you ever forgive me?

(*Melodrama over*)

On a serious note, though, as I've been riding this jazz wave for the past three weeks I've come to notice that much of the current jazz scene sounds a lot like current classical one. Maybe it's just me. So as heretical as this may come, this post is dedicated to one such composer whose jazz compositions have me conflicted over where my loyalties lie ('cause she knows I want it).

I just met a girl named Maria

Maria Baptist

OK, so maybe she's a woman and from Germany, but that doesn't stop me from loving her heartbreakingly beautiful music. Maria Baptist rocks!

She recently released an album last November called Episodes for piano and string quartet. In it she crosses all over traditional boundaries exploring the relationship between the styles of chamber music and jazz. Each track varies in length from the barely there Interludes that each last an average of thirty seconds, to the longer more contemplative Impressions of a Journey. She only offers clips on Soundcloud, so I highly recommend buying the album.



First off, this clip begins deceptively a lot like a contemporary classical piece. It actually wasn't until 20 seconds in when I noticed the syncopated rhythm in the violin that I began to suspect anything. And even if screaming angsty strings aren't you're thing, hang in there because about halfway through this clip it transitions into this Scott Joplin fangirl piano melody.

One could even argue that she's making a statement. Seriously, the zeitgeist at the turn of the 20th century is not that different from that of the new millenium--a focus on upward mobility, fashionable multiculturalism/cultural appropriation, the ever increasingly socioeconomic disparities, and the (misguided) accumulation of personal and sovereign debt with the vain confidence of future security. 

You begin to see the parallels...but best to just enjoy the music! Buy this track as it continues its playful batting match between the two timbres and styles for dominance and equilibrium. 



Now, this clip comes from her earlier album Gate 29 (click the link to buy it) and I love it. Really, the whole album is gold, but this track! There's a fragile hymn-like quality about this track, so much so that you can almost hear the drawn breath of someone about to sing. I especially love the added touch of solemnity from the baroque-esque walking bass before the cymbals come in and you finally realize that this is a jazz work. I would have sooner classified this a contemporary classical piece if I didn't already know that it was part of a jazz album. But I'm wondering if this was the beginning of a beautiful journey for Maria in exploring the similarities between two genres, two worlds, and two countries. 

'Maria
Say it loud and there's music playing
Say it soft and it's almost like praying'

Chillin' with Higdon

I Can Haz Muzik?

After listening to Steampunk admittedly a bunch of times, I wanted to find some similar sounding pieces. In that search I came across Concerto 4-3 written by Jennifer Higdon. It could equally work well in that alternate Victorian universe. 

Now, I recognized Hidon's name from a chat with a friend who told me to write about her. (This post is just for you!) But I don't want to post something so similar to the last piece, though you're welcome to click on the link for some epilogue worthy ear candy.

Instead, I'll feature two other pieces from the Brooklynite. Let me first say Jen is praised as one of the most performed living American composers, with her Blue Cathedral piece for orchestra being performed over 400 times since its premier in 2000. I didn't know she was that popular, but after listening to recordings of her music, I'm not surprised. A lot of her stuff sounds really good while being technically challenging. 

Ironically, I chose to feature two woodwind-centric pieces  when her 2014 concert schedule is percussion and string heavy. Of all her performances next year, I'm especially especially excited for Skyline. Also, you can hear Blue Cathdedral performed by the Waynesboro Symphony Orchestra 22 February. 

But on to the two pieces that I chose because isn't that what this post is about? First up is Calmly for its mix of jazz and classical (jazzical?). Also, saxophone is under-represented in classical music and this is one piece that I can see becoming a classical standard. Don't be fooled by the calm introduction. This piece goes places and is deceptively busy despite its title. If you're looking to switch up your playlist for any seasonal party with friends, add this one. The other piece is Autumn Reflection, which has a French impressionist feel with some serious Debussy-esque goings on in the piano. 

Crush On: Steampunk

Heart of Veridon by Luis Melon

I'm so excited I don't even know where to begin! I recently discovered popular British American composer David Bruce who two years ago wrote a wildly loved piece commissioned by Carnegie Hall called Steampunk. 

I might be late to the party that was excitedly blogged about from here to kingdom come, but I actually came across it after finding out about Art of Elan (who I'll feature on a later post). But I absolutely freaked out when I heard this piece. I loved it instantly!

Steam all the Punk!

Steampunk is highly imaginative. From the first seconds when the clarinet is calling out over the other winds, you're thrown into the midst of construction on this city built on steam and clockwork. You travel down the too narrow streets surveying people going about their daily lives with brass trinkets and gadgets. The horns make their triumphal entry heralding the hero of the story--the scrappy underdog who has impossible luck for just escaping big trouble. The music is hurried and the violin's pizzacatto ticks time away. 

The second movement explores the damp underbelly of the city, revealing the political mechanics of how the city runs. There's men selling and buying items on the black market and secret passages behind storefronts. Nothing here is as it seems and yet the unlikely hero is inextricably connected to this world. It's as much a part of him as the gilded one above. He might even have an old uncle who tinkers in his shop trying to make something of value while striving to keep from being thrown out on the streets. Life here is unforgiving and brutally honest. The gruffness of the bassoon mixed with the undulating harmonies in the strings attest to it.

The third movement is like the calling card of a young woman who's beautiful, uncharacteristically tough, and yet stuck in a world of formalities where she feels positively alien. The triplet waltz evokes tradition and aristocracy while the minor key and melody go against the usual lightness of the dance. The violin shines in this movement. And when the entire ensemble joins in concert to play the tune, you know she's scheming her escape for another world, one full of adventure and where such pretense doesn't exist. Perhaps she unwittingly captures a glimpse of our unlikely hero. The movement coda's into what could be the theme of the city's capital. It begins softly with pizzacatto. All the instruments move as one often doubling one another. The music isn't simply formal, but meticulously regulated; not a hair is out of place. 

The fourth movement is light and funny. Its wonky off-kilter rhythm evokes the life of the hero--typical and yet not really. He's at work in a factory, but something happens. The obscure tremolo (16th notes?) in the lower strings ominously interrupts the otherwise light fare. His routine is interrupted. He might have something that doesn't exactly belong to him and is being chased by persistent but incompetent officers. The young man escapes the factory and uses his charm on an unsuspecting shopkeeper to hide him until the coast clears. Of course, nothing goes as planned and he's discovered. You can tell by the bassoon that growls suddenly. He ends up barely escaping through the busy streets amid contraptions and people and ultimately runs into the young woman, whom he uses as part of his cover. Her agitated and confused voice is evoked by the flute clarinet. She's asking him a thousand questions and he answers as quickly and calmly as possible. She's his only hope of escaping capture and he has seconds to convince her to help him. The tune from the bassoon comes back (the officers). They work their way through the market and eventually come upon the young woman. They question her. She tells them saw nothing. Once they leave, she blackmails him into inviting her into his world of adventure. An officer turns around and spots the man with her and the chase ensues. They ultimately escape, of course, on an airship!

The fifth movement begins with a heavy melody in the horns as if a funeral. Perhaps the young woman's mother doesn't know where her daughter is and the young man's uncle's worst nightmare is soon to become a reality. The brooding melody lasts for a long time. The young man and woman have to find where the gem he "found" belongs. The promise of riches for its rightful return is his motivation. The music eventually becomes more hurried with constant eighths in the strings. The brass interjects its ominous calls. Our two heroes face off against formidable adversaries who are determined to place him in jail and her in a corset and fixed marriage. The accelerando give the clear sense that time is running out. There's a race between the winds and brass with the strings keeping time.

How does the story end? I'll let you listen and decide. 


Also, check out my inspired pinboard of it on Pinterest! Oh, and don't forget to get the FREE download of this. You're crazy not to. Positively mad! Now to find my pilot's goggles...

Crush On: Madeleine Cocolas

A Piece A Week

Aussies know how to rock bold prints and write great music. 

Meet Madeleine Cocolas. If you read her name and thought Coca Cola, don't worry I did too. She's a cute girl from Australia who somewhat reminds me of Sia. I'm happy to have stumbled across the music of this awesome Aussie transplant who is writing one piece a week. It's a daunting task and while her latest piece is only from week 30 (It's been about a year already), I'm sure the delay is from finding time to record and properly post it all.

She chronicles each piece (with regular interjections of Seattle living) in her blog Fifty-Two Weeks. Her music varies in style, but much of it is theatrical, which comes as no surprise since she's worked in film and television. Although I wish the compositions weren't so piano-centric, the collection isn't bad. Her music is perfect for everything from yoga to stargazing to driving. Here are a few of my faves:


Did I mention that I like how her pics complement each track. 

Eine Kleine Grimmusik





Grimmusik before spinning a tale of musical terror



Meet the Brothers Grimm

I'm paranoid after hearing the music of brothers Grimm, AJ and BC, and you would be, too. I stumbled across this fraternal pair whose last name really is Grimm by chance. Together they are Grimmusik, multi-instrument wielding composer-musicians who are making a name for themselves in the Wisconsin theatre and dance community. 

Their most recent work? An eerie score for the play This is NOT Shakespeare's MacBeth.  For those of you who might have fallen asleep in high school or asked your "friend" in English to write that paper for you, I'll give you a three-sentence synopsis of it: Macbeth was a Scottish general who met 3 crazy cat ladies witches who told him he would be king of Scotland. A series of events not too unlike Game of Thrones takes place (it helps to imagine Macbeth as Joffrey and his wife as Cersei). He and his overbearing wife eventually die of guilt and denial, or a sword to the neck depending on who you ask. 

Back to the music! 

Grab those in-ear buds and you'll see that they create an atmosphere intense enough to make you think you're losing your mind. One minute it sounded as if a fly was buzzing inside my ear and the next like I'm slowly going deaf. Needless to say, this isn't going to be anyone's jam. But if you have a haunted house (or basement) and need creepy music to introduce that "urban legend" you came up with 20 minutes ago, this is your music.

Sadly, you won't find these Brothers Grimm on the performing circuit anytime soon--they're taking a two year hiatus while big brother AJ teaches in Spain.

I couldn't choose just one piece because they are all so deliciously dark. Enjoy!

Hannah's Autumn Tale

As I walked outside yesterday I noticed quickly the red and brown leaves crunching underneath my feet. I know they weren't there last week. I breathed in deeply all the sights and sounds of fall. Soon, I found myself thinking of all the tastes of it--apple cider, roasted turkey, pumpkin everything! And after listening to Trade Secrets, I developed an appetite for more season-worthy pieces. 

Please excuse the typo. Being a word-class composer is tiring. 

Enter Filigree in Textile by Hannah Lash. This piece is in three movements: Gold, Silver, and Silk. (A lot like the popular Pokemon titles minus the Silk version, which was shelved after it was discovered that pokemon's bugged (no pun intended?) Harden skills made it impossible to move forward). In any case, I'm only going to talk about Gold--up to 07:12. Filigree in Textile begins with what I consider the defining timbre of autumn--the cello. It has a dark wet-earth feel to it that I love. And the interweaving lines from the rest of the quartet that emerge are like streams joining into a river. The harp plays into the sensation dancing around the other voices. It's as though it's leading us down a winding path to take in an idyllic landscape. 

Altogether, Filigree in Textile gives you the feeling there's a mystery unfolding in a quiet town. By the end, the timbres all melt into one another; I can't distinguish the violin's pizz. from the pluck of the harp. They become as sparkling and bright as the movement's name--and the story ends on a note that makes me worlds more hopeful than winning a battle against Silcoon with a Magikarp. 

In Reena Esmail's Swinging Hammock

The first time I heard Reena Esmail's Jhula Jhule (pronounced: jewel-a Julie) I didn't know what to say. I was completely mesmerized by this nighttime fantasy world that I was being spirited away to by the piano's introduction. Before last week I didn't know who Reena was. Luckily, I follow Composer's Circle on Facebook. Normally, I only occasionally check in there to find new music, but Reena came up on my news feed. (This was quite possibly a subtle push to get me to return to their fan page. And I did! At least after I could have the chance to find out more about her).

Reena is an American pianist-composer who writes music often infused with Hindustani themes, as is written in her Composer's Circle profile. While she has other works on Soundcloud that are notably more popular, this piece in particular deserves a little more love. It stands out among the rest with its gracefully soaring violin and a piano part that sounds as watery and dreamy as Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 (click the link if you've never heard it!) I would categorize this as "dream music" because if this is a swinging hammock, it does so across a clear night sky, over a lonely oasis, and through a sleepy village far away. I'm definitely keeping this girl's calendar on my short list. 

Speaking of, on February 8, 2014 she will be premiering a new arrangement of Jhula Jhule for piano and oboe at the Tenri Institute. I wholly intend to see it (partly because I hear the acoustics there are amazing). 

Crush On: Mazzoli's Uproar

One of my favorite bands of all time is Muse. Though a fan for a while, Matt Bellamy and crew absolutely stole my heart with The Resistance. It was so amazing that I thought, Muse has got to make this into an opera so I can see it. (I mean, Green Day did a Broadway rendition of American Idiot). And when I hear Matthew's voice, it's all too easy to imagine a mezzo-soprano belting out those lyrics before pyrotechnics, strobe lights, and a comically archetypal villain. But I had since pushed that thought to the back of my mind...that is until I found this girl! 

Missy Mazzoli *stares dramatically off camera*

Missy Mazzoli is the brains behind the opera Song from the Uproar. Its story pieced together by recovered entries of an old strewn journal, Uproar chronicles the life of Isabelle Eberhardt who journeys to Northern Africa alone. There she joins a Sufi sect and falls in love with an Algerian man, but dies soon after in a flash flood. The music is just as mystical as the Sufi spirit that moved within Isabelle. The video below starts with a clip from the song You Are the Dust. The cello plays a haunting discordant melody while the electric bass pulsates ominously. It's unsettling and yet entrancing. Gah, with all this soul-wrenching goodness, I can't help but wonder if Missy's a fan of Muse, too. You can listen to the rest of her opera and buy it at Mazzoli's site. 

McKay's Soundscapes

After yesterday, I dived right in to the soundworld of Tristan McKay. He has an amazing way of making you want to go on dangerous expeditions with the music he writes. Take a minute to visit his page and read his bio. Meanwhile, I'll be getting lost in Tristan's remote icy soundscape inspired by the 1914 shipwreck of an Englishman named Ernest Shackleton. (**Spoiler Alert** After being shipwrecked and spending weeks looking for help in the Antarctic, ever single man on the voyage is rescued). 

Tristan McKay

Tristan is a composer after my heart with his multimedia composition Haiku. While the very clear *Varese-esque feel is rockin,  I just love  the composition. I mean, have you even seen the score? Following along with a recording hasn't been this fun since...I can't remember. I'm strongly tempted to print it out and draw pictures of penguins engaging the travelers in a bloody battle or a walrus slapping someone in the face. But on a serious note, the symbols are indicative of musical gestures, pitch-agnostic. It's fun to correlate the drawings with certain effects. Especially the middle where there's a glimpse of traditional notation and it explodes back into semi-random lines and figures.

Also worth adding, Tristan graciously gives a futuristic steam-punk redux of the whole affair with his short but awesome album Shackleton Gray, whose cover character looks kinda like a cross between Joel and Booker DeWitt (shout out, gamers!) Because what Shacketon's crew lacked was a soundtrack for when they battle mechanized enemies while smuggling a girl around.



*Don't know who Varese is? Explore and be amazed. You're welcome.