“Where on the West Coast is JHLE?”

February 27, 2011

As the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble embarks on its first-ever tour, we’re sure many of you Pacific-huggers are pressed more than ever by this very question. To ease your wonders, we’ve assembled a special Internet-powered map to help guide you along the journey.

View Where on the West Coast is JHLE? in a larger map

Yes, each colorful symbol you see littered on along the Northwest corridor represents another stop along the 18-person whirlwind. Click on it to view address information, ticketing information, and a link to the venue’s website. As the band progresses, we’ll mark their progress. We’ll also keep you posted with to-the-minute inside-tourblimp status updates along the way. It’s our hope these new tools (and the ways we wield them) will help our West Coastal folk make well-informed decisions about how many JHLE shows to attend this coming weekend. You can even show your support for the whole all-out JHLE venture on our special West Coast Invitation Page.

And don’t forget that before these musicians make their way there, they’ll be here at the beautiful Jazz Standard this Tuesday, March 1st at 730 & 930pm. New Yorkers ready to get onboard can visit their own special New York Invitation Page. Says Fung Chern Hwei, “I MUST COME”. So must you!

We leave you with the championship performance of the 2005 Reed High Winter Percussion Program, playing a tune we suspect you’ll know. Enjoy.

These words have been brought to you by Sir Jacques, Chronicler of John, to whom JH has ceded control of his online persona. All queries, complaints, kind remarks and general feedback regarding this blog may be directed to johnhollenwebpr@gmail.com

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble to Convene at Jazz Standard Next Tuesday

February 23, 2011

As promised, John Hollenbeck has returned to his native New York to convene the eighteen musicians of the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble. The group meets Tuesday, March 1st, first at 730, then again at 930. John has selected The Jazz Standard to serve as the venue for the confab, designed to resolve the matter of seating arrangements aboard Hollenbeck’s private blimp, “Wizmark”. Only twelve seats will be available as 18 players journey 3000 aerial miles from New York to Seattle this week for The John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble Grand Tour Hollenbeck is said to have been overheard remarking, “I’m quite excited to see how this will turn out.”

You can buy tickets for the 730pm show here and tickets for the 930pm show here. Visit this page to gaze intently at links to both shows while you contemplate which to attend.

Real quotes from real people:

“Profound, imaginative, well-developed pieces for 20 musicians, grown out of jazz and classical music, built around soloists but never subservient to them. As a big-band jazz composer, Mr. Hollenbeck was already good; now he’s become great.” — Ben Ratliff in the NY Times

“John is one of the most brilliant musicians I’ve had the privilege of working with.” — Meredith Monk

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John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble Crash Courses to Fit Every Schedule

February 17, 2011

As JHLE gears up for its bicoastal tour, we reach out to those who don’t yet know this big band’s bag. How to become better informed on the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble in…

Ten seconds: Stare deeply into this picture of them:

One Minute: Read this blurb from TONY’s David Adler (via Ann Braithwaite):

“John Hollenbeck’s 18-piece Large Ensemble can explode with rhythmic drive and technical dazzle, or it can evoke serene calm, tone poetry and even prayer. It’s a big band for a new eclectic world, building on the legacy of seminal big-band composer Bob Brookmeyer and other role models. Hollenbeck holds it together with intricate drumming, compositional acumen and searing wit as he marshals the resources of top jazz improvisers, including saxophonist Tony Malaby and vocalist, Theo Bleckmann. The ensemble is currently touring to celebrate Eternal Interlude (nominated for a Grammy in 2009), the eagerly awaited follow-up to A Blessing (nominated for a Grammy in 2006) and Joys and Desires, a memorable side project with Europe’s Jazz Bigband Graz.”

Nine minutes: Watch this video of JHLE performing “Guarana” live at the Painted Bride in Philadelphia, PA

20+ minutes: Listen to WNYC’s “No Cover” feature on JHLE. The easiest way into JHLE is through its music, here artfully curated by WNYC and bearing its own set of quick, blurby factoids.

Audio:

[Full article]

A good hour: Purchase, download and listen to “Eternal Interlude”, JHLE’s grammy-nominated 2009 album. Because you still believe in the special integrity that goes along with listening to a really great album start to finish.[LINK]

Bonus assignment: Using your newfound understanding of the JHLE ouevre, write them a section on John’s Wikipedia entry With your mighty hand, knowledge-holders, go inscribe them in the book of Wiki forevermore. Theirs can be a robust entry, all we need is you!

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Orchestre National de Jazz Premieres Shut Up and Dance [Video] [Contains Dance]

February 4, 2011

A more beautiful embedded player you never did see. Let us take you floating through the Théâtre du Chatelet for the Paris premiere of John’s latest Franco-American engagement, “Shut Up And Dance”. From 58:00, you will see this series of ten mini-concertos written for the Orchestre National de Jazz, “each one dedicated to a different orchestra musician and tailored to their personality and language.” Appropriately, the musicians will be joined onstage by real dancers. May we recommend “Life Still” at 1:26:00, “Shaking Peace” at 1:44:00, “Praya Dance” at 2:01:00, and, our pick for Best Costume, “Melissa’s Dance” round 2:18:00.

BBC’s Jazz on 3 showcased “Shut Up & Dance” this past Monday evening featuring an interview with John and the broadcast of its world premiere performance, recorded at the London Jazz Festival in 2010. At press time you’ve five days left to listen to it here. Earlier that day, Monday’s Jazz on 3 Newsletter saw presenter Jez Nelson wonder aloud about some revolutionary notions:

The success and enterprise of the ONJ begs the questions – why doesn’t Britain have a publicly funded and artistically progressive jazz orchestra? Besides the good work done by the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, could more be done to support new writers for large jazzensembles?

“Could more be done” indeed!

Visit ONJ’s Shut Up & Dance page pour en savoir plus and please visit this store here to purchase an ONJ/SU&D download of your very own. And don’t forget ONJ joins the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble at Le Poisson Rouge on April 25th. When tickets go on sale, you’ll be the first to know.

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