download press release – festival 2016

Co-CuratorsDaveDouglas,MarquisHill,StephanieRichards,MichaelGurfield,AaronShragge,JohnBlevins,andTaylorHoBynumRepresentABroadSpectrumofStylesAndSensibilities2016FONTMusicAwardofRecognitionGoesToJazzTrumpetLegendJohnMcNeilFromSeptember19through25,2016,NewYork'sawardwinningFestivalofNewTrumpetMusic(FONTMusic)returnsforanewseasonofgenre-crunching,forward-lookingbrassmusic.Since2003,FONTMusic,directedbytrumpeterandcomposerDaveDouglas,haspresentedexceptionalprogramsofnewtrumpetmusicacrossgenres.AlongwithtrumpetersandlongtimeFONTMusiccollaboratorsStephanieRichardsandAaronShragge,Douglasandhiscoreteamhavethisyearinvitedacommunityofbrassplayersto"co-curate"thefestival.TrumpetersMarquisHill,MichaelGurfield,TaylorHoBynum,andJohnBlevinsallcontributetheiruniquevisionstothisyear'sextraordinaryprogram.Thethemeforthe2016FestivalisFlexus.FlexusisnotonlythenameofaninfluentialbookbyLaurieFrinkandJohnMcNeil,twotrumpeterswhoarehonoredattheFestivalthisyear,itisalsoaphilosophyofpractice.Douglasexplains,“Flexusreferstoflexibilityineveryaspectofmusicmaking.FONTMusichasalwayscelebratedadiversityofmeans—presentingandsupportingnewwaysofthinkingabouttheinstrumentandincludingitinnewmusicofallvarieties.Flexusrepresentsourbeliefinconstantlyemergingforms,andinourneedtobroadentheunderstandingofthepossibilitiesforbrassmusic.”"HonoringJohnMcNeil"willbetheculminatingeventoftheFestivalatTheNewSchoolat5pmonSundaySeptember25.Hewillbeawardedwiththefestival'sAwardOfRecognition,acknowledginghimasoneofthemostoriginalandcreativejazzartistsintheworldtoday.McNeil’srestlessexperimentationandstylisticversatilityareanaptfitwithFONTMusic’smission.PreviousrecipientsincludeWadadaLeoSmith,KennyWheeler,RaymondMase,BobbyBradford,EddieHenderson,andLaurieFrink.Theeveningwillincludeaperformanceof“AnxietyOption”fortrumpetandelectronicswrittenandperformedbyJeffBeal,anaccomplishedtrumpeterandcomposerofmusicforfilm,television,andtheconcerthall–andastudentofbothFrinkandMcNeil.FollowingBeal’sset,JohnMcNeilwilltakethestagewithhisensemble:GaryVersace,piano;JeromeHarris,bass;andJaySawyer,drums.The2016LaurieFrinkCareerGrantawardwinner,TonyGlausi,willjointhem.TheperformancewillbeprecededbyaPanelDiscussionaboutLaurieFrinkandbrasspedagogy,moderatedbyNadjeNoordhuis,trumpeter,Frinkstudent,andmemberoftheLaurieFrinkCareerGrantBoard.PanelistsincludepastLaurieFrinkstudentsfeaturingKeyonHarrold,MichaelRodriguez,DaveBallou,andDaveDouglas.SignaturesinBrass,curatedbyMarquisHill,winnerofthe2014TheloniousMonkInternationalTrumpetCompetition,willperformonWednesday,September21andThursday,September22atDizzy’sClubCoca-Colawithsetsat7:30pmand9:30pm.Thegroupwasahighlightofthe2015FestivalofNewTrumpetMusicperformingattheJazzGallery.ThisyearMarquisbringsthegroup—featuringtrumpetersMarquisHill,TheoCrocker,MauriceBrown,JasonPalmer,DarrenBarrett,andIngridJensen—toJazzatLincolnCenter’sDizzy’sClubCoca-Colafortwoshows,co-sponsoredbytheFestivalofNewTrumpetMusic(FONTMusic)andJazzatLincolnCenter(JALC).ThismarksFONTMusic’sfirstcollaborationwithJALC,bringingtogethertwoformidableadvocatesforjazzandnewmusic.Theshows

willalsofeatureaworldpremiereofnewmusicbyMarquis,fundedbytheFONTMusicawardoftheRoyCampbell,Jr.Commission,inhonoroftheorganization’sco-founder.Saturday,September24featuresaNightofLargeEnsemblesatTheNewSchoolat7pm.FirstupistrumpeterTaylorHoBynum'sPlusTet,afifteen-pieceensemblemadeupofsomeofhisclosestcollaborators,includingTomekaReidandNicoleMitchell.Drawingonavarietyoftechniquesfromimprovisedconductiontobigbandorchestration,thePlusTetpresentsBynum'suniquetakeonthecreativeorchestratradition.ThisspecialFONTMusicperformanceistheNYCdebutofthisall-starband,andcelebratesthereleaseofthenewrecording"EnterthePlusTet"(Firehouse12Records).TheeveningalsofeaturesaspecialpresentationoftrumpeterandcomposerWadadaLeoSmith’s“RosaParks-Oratorio,6SongswithVideo”performedbya12-pieceensemble,featuringTedDaniel,HughRagin,andGrahamHaynes.AccordingtoWadada,"‘RosaParks’employsthesongformascompositiontoconveyaphilosophicalandspiritualnarrativeaboutmyvisionofRosaParks.Theoratorioisconcernedwithideas,mymeditationontheCivilRightsmovement;andthroughtheuseoflightandvideoimages,reconnectinghistorywiththepresent."OpeningtheFestivalonMonday,September19andTuesday,September20,curatorsJohnBlevinsandAaronShraggepresenttwonightsofprograms—WingWalkerOrchestra+FONTMusic—thatexpandtheideaofwhatatrumpetplayercandoandhighlightmusicalinnovationthatdefiesgenres.Monday’sprogramfeaturestrumpetersNadjeNoordhuisinaduowithpercussionistJamesShipp;theKennyWarrenQuartet;andRalphAlessiplayingwiththeWingWalkerOrchestra.OnTuesdaynight,trumpetersAaronShraggeandEliAsherperformasaduo;ShaneEndsleybringshisquartet;andEndsleyclosesthenightfrontingtheWingWalkerOrchestra.Showsstart8pmatThreesBrewing,333DouglassSt.,Brooklyn.OnFriday,September23,curatorMichaelGurfieldpresentsExplorationsinNewMusicfeaturingtheBrooklynBrassQuintetandThePracticalTrumpetSocietyatTheNewSchoolat7pm.Thiseveningoftrumpetmusicisbasedaroundtheconceptofdeconstruction/reconstruction,inreferencetobothmusicalmaterialandform,aswellasoverallaesthetic,whicheachpiecedemonstratesinuniqueways.TheconcertincludesWorldandNewYorkPremieresandfeaturestheBrooklynBrassQuintet,ThePracticalTrumpetSociety,andduotrumpeterJasonPriceandtrombonistJenBaker.TheprogramincludesmusicbyLim,Globokar,Stockhausen,Kagel,andothers.AskedabouttheselectionofJohnMcNeilastheFONTMusicAwardeefor2016,DaveDouglassaid,“McNeilhaslongbeenaforward-lookingvoiceontheinstrumentinjazz,influencingmanyinsubsequentgenerations.Hisuniqueviewofjazzpracticehasopeneddoorsforcountlessplayers.FONTMusicisproudtobeabletocelebratehiminourcommunitythisyear.”Douglasadded,"LaurieFrinkwasreallyapillarofthetrumpetcommunity.NotonlydidshesupportFONTMusicfromitsveryinception,includingperformingseveraltimes,shewasalsoateachertomanyofthetrumpetersinvolved.Thebooksheco-wrotewithJohnMcNeilcalledFlexuscontinuestobeasourceofinspirationtotrumpetersaroundtheglobe.Herapproachtomusicisonewecanallaspireto.”NateChinenoftheNewYorkTimesdescribedtheFestivallastseason:“theFestivalofNewTrumpetMusic…foldsanenormousrangeoforiginalmusicintoitsembrace.Increasingly,Mr.Douglashasengagedabraintrustoffellowtrumpeterstohelpprogramtheevent.”The2016Festivalcontinuesthistradition,furtheringitsmissiontosupportadiversecommunityoftrumpetandbrassplayers,andpresentingtheirworktothepublic.Formoreinformation:fontmusic.orgorfontmusic@gmail.com.

AtaGlance2016FestivalofNewTrumpetMusicProgram:FlexusMonday,September198:00pm$10VisionariesNight1@ThreesBrewing,333DouglassSt.,BrooklynMusicforWingWalkers+FONTMusicfeaturingNadjeNoordhuis,KennyWarren,RalphAlessiwithWingWalkerOrchestraTuesday,September208:00pm$10VisionariesNight2@ThreesBrewing,333DouglassSt.,BrooklynMusicforWingWalkers+FONTMusicfeaturingAaronShragge,EliAsher,ShaneEndsleywithWingWalkerOrchestraWednesday,September217:30pm&9:30pm$35Thursday,September227:30pm&9:30pm$40SignaturesinBrass@Dizzy’sClubCocaColaCuratedbyMarquisHill.FeaturingMarquisHill,TheoCrocker,MauriceBrown,JasonPalmer,DarrenBarrett,andIngridJensenWorldpremiereofnewmusicbyMarquisHill,fundedbyFONTMusic’sRoyCampbell,Jr.Commission.Friday,September237:00pm$20ExplorationsinNewBrassMusic@TheNewSchool,AlvinJohnson/J.M.KaplanHall,66West12thStreetCuratedbyMichaelGurfield.FeaturingtheBrooklynBrassQuintet,ThePracticalTrumpetSociety,andJasonPrice.MusicbyLim,Globokar,Stockhausen,Kagel,andothers.Saturday,September247:00pm$20NightofLargeEnsembles@TheNewSchool,AlvinJohnson/J.M.KaplanHall,66West12thStreet• TaylorHoBynum’sPlusTet,a15-pieceensemblewithTomekaReid,NicoleMitchellandmanyothers• WadadaLeoSmith’s“RosaParks”-Oratorio,6SongswithVideo,a12-pieceensemblefeaturingTedDaniel,HughRagin,GrahamHaynes.

Sunday,September253:00pmFREEPanel@TheNewSchool,GlassBoxPerformanceSpace,ArnholdHall,1stfloor,55West13thStreetPanelDiscussionaboutLaurieFrinkandbrasspedagogy,moderatedbyNadjeNoordhuis.PanelistsincludepastLaurieFrinkstudentsKeyonHarrold,MichaelRodriguez,DaveBallou,andDaveDouglas.Sunday,September255:00pmBYDONATIONHonoringJohnMcNeil@TheNewSchool,TheresaLangCommunityandStudentCenter,ArnholdHall,RoomI-202,55West13thStreetFeaturingJeffBeal,JohnMcNealEnsemble&LaurieFrinkCareerGrantawardeeTonyGlausiFormoreinformation:fontmusic.orgorfontmusic@gmail.com.