Welcome to the weekend (and the holiday weekend for those in the United States). Our list of the best of what’s New in Music This Week: September 1st is led by jazz artists pushing the boundaries (as they usually do).
Our top pick for New In Music This Week: September 1st is:
JAZZ: REFRACT – BlankFor.ms – Red Hook Records
Any artist who can bring drummer Marcus Gilmore and pianist Jason Moran together to create a trio album has got to have something special. BlankFor.ms (AKA Tyler Gilmore) is just such an artist.
The press release for this album refers to BlankFor.ms as an electronic musician and tape loop specialist. His own website says he is a musician who uses “degraded tapes, analog synthesizers and a spinet piano.”
Sun Chung produced the album and contributed to all the songs on Refract. The three musicians. Tyler Gilmore is credited with co-writing all the songs with various contributions from both Moran and Marcus Gilmore.
This is a fascinating album that I’ve found myself listening to several times already.
Our other picks for New In Music This Week: September 1st are:
CLASSICAL: BUDDHA PASSION – Tan Dun – Decca Classics
If you love choral music or have thought about exploring it, I strongly recommend this massive 100-minute work from composer Tan Dun. This work from 2018 for soloists, large orchestra, multiple choirs, percussion, western and eastern instruments and more is, quite simply, remarkable.
We’re accustomed to passions typical exploring Christian beliefs. Given the title, this work explores them from a Buddhist narrative.
Tan Dun is perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning score for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. As much as I enjoyed that score, his Water Concerto for Water Percussion and Orchestra plus his Water Passionwere amongst my favorite works of his. I now add Buddha Passion to that list and you can, too.
CLASSICAL: RACHMANINOFF: THE PIANO CONCERTOS & PAGANINI RHAPSODY – Yuja Wang/Los Angeles Philharmonic/Gustavo Dudameli – Deutsche Grammophon
You may recall I had the privilege of going to Carnegie Hall to hear Yuja Wang perform all five of the works in a single concert. It was a breathtaking performance and one I wish the whole world could see.
Since that isn’t possible, it’s a good thing that Wang performed all five works with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and conductor Gustavo Dudamel. This recording captures the works in exactly the same order as they were performed in New York (these live performances occurred over multiple days instead of just one).
Wang has so thoroughly mastered these works that the performances on this recording are essential listening for anyone who loves Rachmaninoff’s work.
JAZZ: LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD – Kris Davis – Pyroclastic Records
Pianist/composer Davis released her album Diatom Ribbons in 2019 to enormous critical acclaim. Along with drummer Teri Lyne Carrington, bassist Trevor Dunn and electronic musician Val Jeanty, they created an album that showcased Davis’ ability to combine work that is equal parts composed and improvised.
Those collaborators joined Davis for the performances at New York’s Village Vanguard that make up this enormously impressive two-disc album. They are joined by guitarist Julian Lage.
Ten of the eleven tracks were composed by Davis (Geri Allen’s The Dancer is the only track not composed by her).
New In Music This Week: September 1st isn’t a huge list (probably due to the US holiday), so I recommend checking out previous editions of New In Music from August 25th, August 18th, August 11th, July 21st and June 30th to check out some music you might have missed.
That’s our small, but mighty, list of the best of What’s New In Music This Week: September 1st.
Enjoy the music and enjoy your weekend!
Main Photo: An excerpts from the album cover for Rachmaninoff: The Piano Concertos & Paganini Rhapsody – Yuja Wang, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel