|
07.31.08 | September 11 concerts
I'm really honored to be curating six performances in NYC on September 11th as part of the September Concert series, whose mission is to to bring communities together, reaffirm our hope for peace, celebrate life and our universal humanity, and of course pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the attacks.
All the performances will be free of charge and will be from 1-3 in various office buildings around Manhattan.
I'll announce the line-up closer to Sept. 11th. For more information about September Concerts, click on the link below.
06.09.08 | The One Seat
All blog posts will now be at the One Seat - www.theoneseat.blogspot.com. Click on the link below to go there.
04.19.08 | Terezin Suite
I am very honored to be a recipient of a grant from The Puffin Foundation, which will support the composition and performance of songs I have written based on children's poetry from the Holocaust. The Puffin Foundation, to which I was introduced by pianist Anat Fort, dedicates itself to "opening the doors of artistic expression by providing grants to artists and art organizations who are often excluded from mainstream opportunities due to their race, gender, or social philosophy." Click on the link below to learn more about them.
The poems I have been setting are all from children who perished in the concentration camp of Terezin, which was the main instrument of the Nazi plot to deceive International Red Cross inspectors into believing that Jews were being treated humanely, and thus functioned more as a work camp rather than a death camp. The children were taught art classes, and encouraged to write poetry about their experiences. Against Nazi orders, the art teacher in the camp preserved the children's work, which has since been translated and published in a beautiful book that also includes drawings and paintings that survived the camp. Most of these children, along with many inmates from the camp, were later murdered at Auschwitz.
I found out about these poems while looking through pictures that I took while visiting Auschwitz in 2003. A simple poem, entitled "A Little Garden," was inscribed on a stone there and struck me enough to be photographed, something I refrained from otherwise during my visit. This poem was the first work I set, and led me to the book, which is entitled "I Never Saw Another Butterfly" and published by Schocken Press.
Though the poems are tragic and definitely the most intimidating material I have taken on, they also speak of incredible hope and resistance by showing how the human spirit can inwardly transcend even the darkest episodes in human history, and thus have much to show us today beyond simply being a history lesson.
I am very thrilled that Puffin has selected me as a 2008 recipient and hope to premiere the settings in concert sometime this fall.
03.23.08 | Words Project II
I just finished mixing the next installment of Words Project songs, which will feature the voices of Monika Heidemann, Becca Stevens, and Wendy Gilles, along with a band that includes Pete Rende, Nate Radley, Eivind Opsvik, Bill Campbell, and guests Richie Barshay, Jeremy Udden, and Daniel Blake. Look for it in the fall, possibly sooner. I will be posting a more detailed account of the process on my blog in the next few days.
03.13.08 | Minnesota Public Radio interview - The Jazz Connection
Click on the link to listen to an extended interview I did for Minnesota Public Radio about The Words Project. It will air on Saturday, March 15th as part of "Jazz Connections." This is it in unedited form.
02.27.08 | CD Review by Budd Kopman in All About Jazz
Click on the link below or go to the "Reviews" section to read it. This is definitely one of the most different and thoughful reviews of the CD.
01.15.08 | CD Review in Cadence Magazine by Jay Collins
Jay Collins has written one of the most in depth reviews of the CD for Cadence Magazine this month. Read it below.
The fusion of Jazz and Poetry is a relationship that has been fostered
for many years. Sure, there are the Boho coffeehouse arenas, the
spoken word over instrumental accompaniment or the consciousnessraising
schools. For every Mingus or Lacy, there are, unfortunately, many
less convincing results. Few, if any, have sought to incorporate the written
words as the melodic centerpiece where the poems themselves form the
lyrics over which the musical accompaniment paints the sound picture.
New York-based reedist Sam Sadigursky decided to approach the Poetry/
Jazz realm differently when he formulized his Words Project conception
by using such poems as the lyrical soul for his brooding, reflective compositions.
For the Project, Sadigursky crafts ten pieces to accompany poems
by lesser-known poets (only one Sylvia Plath and none of the expected
folks), though the words are incredibly vibrant and thought provoking.
Sadigursky’s musical support carves out introspective, yet celebratory
impressions that are brought to life by an impressive core quartet of pianist
Pete Rende, bassist Eivind Opsvik, and drummer Tommy Crane. Four
vocalists bring their personal stylistic stamp for each presentation. Becca
Stevens, for instance, adds her fragile, airy vocals to the reflective “Still
Life” and the restless propulsion of “Gardener and Flower Too,” while
the sole male vocalist, Noam Weinstein, creates heartbreaking, whisperlike
sentimentality on “After Love.” Monika Heidemann, certainly not a
novice when it comes to interpretive art, adds her gentle vocalizing on the
wistful “I’m Glad Your Sickness,” the stirring “You’re,” as well as the jagged,
odd-meter rhythms of “Epitaph For A Pair of Old Shoes.”
But worth noting for sure is that while this is Sadigursky’s show, his
goal to present a complete group and compositional picture is realized. In
other words, he is not a ball hog. No, you will not find any grandstanding
or look-at-how-great-I-am ‘tude. Rather, while he has many excellent
solo spots, such as his Wayne Shorter-like soprano work on “Still Life,”
emotive tenor lines on “Love” and “Gardener and Flower Too,” bass
clarinet on “You’re,” as well as soulful flute on a number of outings,
Sadigursky’s presence is immense, but his musical ego is subtle.
Saving the best for last, however, and surely not to take away from the
other vocalists, but Heather Masse’s performances are the standouts. While
this would be a solid record without her involvement, her interpretations
and ability to wrap herself into the core of each syllable sends this record
into the emotional stratosphere. The record’s opening piece, the haunting
“After Paradise,” cuts deep due to Rende’s crestfallen piano and Masse’s
rich alto that eventually builds to a simmering vamp. Masse’s interpretation
of “Water, Aspirin, You” matches perfectly with Sadigursky’s moving
score that allows her to stretch her impressive range and is at its apexduring wordless unison vocalizing. Though the tango dance of “In The
Kitchen” is probably not meant to show off the sensuality of Masse’s
voice, really, it’s the kind of performance (and voice) that one could
never tire of hearing. This is especially true as long as the material is as
strong as Sadigursky’s. As an aside, it is a pity that, to date, Masse’s other
projects fail to connect as strongly as this one does, so here’s hoping there
is much more in this vein from Masse.
Getting back to the record’s center, then, Sadigursky has truly created
one of the more fascinating records of recent years. His ambition is rewarded
by a set of performances that is a brilliant effort from start to finish.
12.31.07 | Steve Smith chooses The Words Project as the top vocal CD of the year
Besides putting the CD on his top ten list of 2007 in Time Out New York, Steve Smith (also a NY Times music critic) names the CD the best vocal release of the year in his blog.
Click the link to see his other choices.
12.28.07 | Jerome Fellowship
I was recently announced a recipient of a Jerome Fellowship and will be headed to rural Minnesota in March for a two-week residency to practice, read, compose, and present my music to the people of New York Mills, who also make this grant possible. Thanks also to my friend and colleague Anat Fort, who is a past recipient and made me aware of the program.
12.26.07 | The Words Project selected as a top ten release of 2007 by Time Out NY
Steve Smith has put "The Words Project" in his top ten list for 2007. He writes:
Sam Sadigursky's literate, luminous poetry settings are given voice by a bumper crop of impressive young singers.
12.05.07 | New review from www.jazzzreview.com
"The improvisation is always exciting, enough to make repeated listens enjoyable. The Words Project is a great piece of modern jazz and an accessible album for new jazz listeners." - Michael Ferguson
Click on the link to read the entire review, and buy the CD at www.newamsterdamrecords.com.
11.23.07 | Courant review
Review by Richard Kamins
"There comes a moment when every aspect of the recording, the words, music, rhythms, solos, fuse. They make sense, and you smile or laugh or sigh. Then you realize just how good Peter Rende's keyboard work is and how smartly the leader blends his reeds with the voices. "The Words Project" is a musical world full of riches and you should partake in this feast."
Click on the link to read the entire review.
10.05.07 | Jazz in Frankfurt
"The Words Project" CD was selected as one of the "Jazz in Frankfurt" CD releases of the month.
10.03.07 | The Words Project review on chicagojazz.net
New review by critic Brad Walseth. Click on the link to read it.
09.17.07 | Review of 9/16 CD release at Cornelia St. Cafe
From Steve Smith, music critic for Time Out New York and dedicated blogger:
Afterward, I headed back to Manhattan for a performance by saxophonist Sam Sadigursky, who presented a record-release show for his Words Project at the Cornelia Street Café. I've previously blogged about Sadigursky's disc (recently issued on Judd Greenstein's New Amsterdam label) here, and also reviewed it for Time Out New York. At Cornelia Street, he led a group that included pianist Pete Rende, bassist Eivind Opsvik, drummer Bill Campbell, and vocalists Becca Stevens and Monika Heidemann.
Impressively, Sadigursky didn't just trot out tunes from what I considered to be a successful, substantial record. During the set I saw, most of the material was new.
True, the performances of "Gardener and Flower Too," "Still Life," "I'm Glad Your Sickness" and "Love," all on the CD, were the more technically polished moments. "Love," which closed the set, was especially powerful, melding Stevens, high and light, and Heidemann, lowe and dusky, in solo passages and non-quite-canon echoes.
But the new material -- settings of "To Drive a Nail" and "Paths" from Andrew Boyd's Daily Afflictions, as well as David Ignatow's grody "No Theory" and Bertolt Brecht's epigrammatic "Motto" -- proved the Words Project to be a growing concern rather than a done deal.
The two singers gave Sadigursky ample resources with which to contemplate texts that ranged from sentimental to absurd. His settings provided strict, angular melodies that the singers had to navigate like horn players; conversely, his saxophone solos offered the kind of flexible elaborations that one might expect from a vocalist. The rhythm section was always supportive, and Rende proved an exceptional soloist through his enigmatic, introvert turns of melody and harmony.
08.27.07 | All About Jazz review by Martin Gladu
Click on the link below to read the review of The Words Project written by Martin Gladu in All About Jazz
08.01.07 | Time Out New York review
Noted music critic Steve Smith wrote a full-length review of the album for Time Out New York, in which he gave it four stars. Go the "The Words Project" page in this website to read it in full, or click on the link below.
07.25.07 | The Words Project is now on iTunes
Yes, buy it there, or here: New
Amsterdam Records
07.16.07 | "After Paradise" featured as "Download of the Day" at All About Jazz
Click the link to listen to the complete version of "After Paradise," based on a poem by Czeslaw Milosz.
06.17.07 | CD now available
The Words Project CD, featuring beautiful design and artwork by Susan Dorrington as well as a booklet with the poems, is now for sale at New
Amsterdam Records. Click the link to visit the site and purchase it.
06.11.07 | All About Jazz - June 2007
"Jazz and Poetry. - I wrote this for the "Megaphone" section of the June issue of "All About Jazz." Click on the link to read it.
05.11.07 | Article by Sebastian Cruz
In preparation for the release of the Words Project CD on New Amsterdam Records, guitarist/composer Sebastian Cruz has written the following for the label's website:
Poetry is one of the most self-sufficient forms of expression; each word indispensable, each image precise. It's a condensation of language in its highest use, in which rhythm, order, and form allow language itself to be transcended, describing the indescribable through each poem's internal logic.
Setting poetry to music, therefore, is an enormous challenge. Any step in the wrong direction can be overbearing upon the result. Poetry, also, does not need help in communicating or emphasizing its intent, and it may suffer from any careless tampering with its own inherent rhythm.
Sam Sadigursky's setting of poems to music in The Words Project is remarkable and compelling, for more than one reason. The most important is that he deals with the poetry in poetic terms. That is, considering each piece's particular logic. Each piece on the album is a unique world, the musical elements indispensable and precise, never overbearing. Sadigursky is able to establish an intimate relationship with each poem. Musical elements such as his choice of singers, instrumentation, rhythm, and mood, unfold naturally and organically from this relationship. The result is a recording that flows through a variety of enveloping emotions, from subtle and delicate to agile and intense. Propelled by the motion of the music, the words seem to float through song, surrounding and seducing us.
A saxophonist, flutist, and clarinetist, Sadigursky has filled The Words Project with deeply expressive moments. As a band leader, he has chosen an extraordinary ensemble. Monika Heidemann, Heather Masse, Becca Stevens, and Noam Weinstein, the featured voices for the words, add a distinctive personality and depth to the songs. The band also features Pete Rende on piano, accordion, and pump organ; Nate Radley on guitar; Eivind Opsvik on bass; Tommy Crane on drums; and Robert Burkhart on cello. The band and singers fulfill and enrich Sadigursky's vision through powerful and rich performances.
If "Genuine poetry is able to communicate before it's understood," as T. S. Elliot put it, then Sadigursky's music qualifies as highly poetic. From the first listening this music is continually able to touch, and each subsequent listening - as the poems, the images, the textures, and the melodies begin to unfold - will keep revealing new expressive layers.
Sebastian Cruz
www.cobamusic.com
03.21.07 | Spring
At last, "The Words Project" CD recorded in December will be released in the middle of June. Clips from it are available at www.newamsterdamrecords.com and on MySpace (www.myspace.com/thewordsproject). I am also writing music for another album that I hope to record later this year. Meanwhile, the band has had a few gigs in the city recently that have been a grat joy for me. April will be a busy month, as I am doing a few gigs with one of my favorite singers on the planet, Lucia Pulido, as well as a modern dance commission at Hofstra University, two days at the 92nd St. Y with Folklore Urbano, a gig with the beloved Coba, a night at the Jazz Gallery with Secret Society, and several recordings as well. Also, the June issue of "All About Jazz" will feature an article I wrote about setting poetry to song in their "Megaphone" section. Click on the link abelow to see a video recorded by the people at LP Percussion that features singer Andrea Tierra, harpist Edmar Castaneda, percussionist Dave Silliman, and me on clarinet.
12.11.06 | Winter 2006 - The Words Project
Just recorded my new project, tentatively titled "The Words Project," at Bennett Studios. Featuring songs that I wrote based on poetry, the recording will feature Monika Heidemann, Heather Masse, Becca Stevens, and Noam Weinstein on vocals, and Pete Rende (piano), Eivind Opsvik (bass), Tommy Crane (drums), as well as Nate Radley (guitar) and Robert Burkhart (cello). All the musicians brought not only incredible musicianship, but an astonishing commitment to the project. I am really honored to have them play my music and very excited to start mixing. Featured poets on the record include Paul Auster, Csezlaw Milosz, Osip Mandelshtam, Donald Justice, Maxine Kumin, Marina Tsvetaeva, and others. The project will make its live debut in January (1/25) at Cornelia St. Cafe as part of the Gnu Vox series. I will also post some pictures from the session in the coming weeks.
10.07.06 | Fall 2006
The seasons change once again... Summer was good. I did some recording with COBA (the CD is out on Chonta Records: www.cobamusic.com), some work on the "Robbers on High Street" CD coming out on New Line Records, some recording of music by Sebastian Cruz for a Colombian film, and some gigs with Folklore Urbano, La Cumbiamba, Edmar Castaneda, and Secret Society. Julie Hardy's second record for Fresh Sound was just recorded and later this week Pete Robbins and Centric will be performing music that was composed as part of a grant received by Chamber Music America. I also just put up some music on MySpace that you can check out, and maybe , just perhaps, no big deal, really, but if you are interested, you can even be my friend (??).
04.14.06 | Spring
After some rough first few months of the year, I am excited about some things coming up in the next few months. Darcy Argue's Secret Society has a gig in April, Centric keeps plugging away, and there are various recording projects that are in the works. Hopefully, the trio project with Julie Hardy and Randy Ingram will make its' debut soon as well. Randy and I are also organizing a one week jazz workshop for high school kids in my hometown this summer. Also, two records that I play on were just released: Jason Rigby's "Translucent Space" on Fresh Sound/New Talent and Pete Robbins "Waits and Measures" on Playscape.
02.06.06 | new site
This is the new site. I am very excited to have a site that I can design and update myself. Please check back as I will be adding new tracks periodically and will have a functioning itinerary page as well.
Also, I just was selected as a recipient of the 2005/2006 ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Award. Thanks to ASCAP, and congratulations to a number of friends who are also recipients, including Johnathan Blake, Mike Blanco, Ethan Herr, Julie Hardy, Patrick Cornelius, Loren Stillman, and Erica VonKleist.
And you can check out my big modeling debut in Japan here: www.yamaha.co.jp/
|