Donny McCaslin Group

Donny McCaslin Group

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This event is expired ( Feb 28, 2013 )

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ SERIES
From New York
Donny McCaslin Group

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013
TICKETS - MEMBERS $24, GUESTS $28
DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Donny McCaslin - tenor saxophone
Jason Lindner - acoustic and electric piano, synthesizers
Tim Lefebvre - electric bass
Nate Smith - drums

Acclaimed saxophonist Donny McCaslin takes a bold leap forward with his tenth album as a leader “Casting for Gravity”. On the disc, McCaslin's gargantuan tenor sound finds an ideal setting in the ferocious grooves and electronic textures of keyboardist Jason Lindner, bassist Tim Lefebvre, and drummer Mark Guiliana. For his Yardbird Suite gig, Guiliana is replaced by Nate Smith, a veteran of the bands of Dave Holland and Chris Potter.

Couching his trademark gift for brawny melodies in lurching dub rhythms, swirling electronica-inspired atmospheres, and arena-rock power, McCaslin has crafted a game-changer of an album, fusing a wealth of forward-looking influences into one wholly new modern jazz sound.

“Casting for Gravity” follows on the heels of 2011's highly acclaimed “Perpetual Motion”, which found McCaslin experimenting for the first time with merging his hard-charging acoustic sound with more funk-inflected electrified elements. But where that album was a blistering electro-acoustic hybrid, “Casting for Gravity” soars past fusion into alchemy, forging a visionary voice from eclectic influences.

"I wanted to make a bigger record with more sonic layers," McCaslin explains. "I wanted to go a lot deeper into the electronic realm and push myself harder."

The quartet swells into luxurious electronic environments, but navigates within that sonic sphere with lithe, incisive blowing. The cohesiveness of the band's sound is the result of an extensive touring schedule prior to recording, a rarity in the modern jazz landscape.

Saxophonist/composer David Binney, a long-time friend and collaborator, has produced most of McCaslin's records and was more integral than ever before in this effort. "David was deeply involved in the whole record and had a huge impact on it," McCaslin says. "He pushed me to really go for it, to make a really landmark album."

The effort paid off, with an album that truly breaks new ground not just for McCaslin but for integrating modern musical genres seamlessly into envelope-pushing jazz. The saxophonist has long been one of the music's most striking voices, leading to long-running collaborations with innovators like Dave Douglas and Maria Schneider. His own solo work has been marked by a restless exploration that is only accelerated with this latest release.

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