A festival celebrating the continuing diversity and creativity in new music for the piano and the fine musicians playing it. Virtuoso performances of modern classics which re-defined the instrument. Innovators in contemporary improvisation. Jazz, minimalism, new technologies, neo-neo, and incredible fingers. The festival is held to inaugurate Roulette’s new piano, a rebuilt 1894 Steinway B. To hear these concert recordings, search the individual artist.
4/23/92: Joe Hannan
The composer/pianist presents piano solos and chamber works including Variations on a Theme of Bill Conti and songs based on poems by Villon, with Steve Elson, sax, and Christopher Berg, piano. Hannan’s work is distinguished by an infectious counterpoint and a drawing-in-the-air impression. He has written widely for theatre and dance, most notably for Robert Longo, Eric Barsness, Jill Kroesen, Eric Bogosian, Bill T. Jones, and on a commission for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
4/24/92: Oliver Lake & Donal Fox
The saxophonist and pianist perform collaborative pieces involving real-time constructions using tone rows and chord sets. Donal Fox is a classically-trained composer with Lisztian fingers while Oliver Lake is a saxophonist known for his work with The World Saxophone Quartet, Anthony Braxton, Cecil Taylor, and Jump Up. Fox is currently working on a piece commissioned by the St. Louis Symphony. Lake has written for the Arditti String Quartet. As a duo they have two upcoming releases on Koch Records and New World Records.
4/25/92: Myra Melford
The pianist/composer plays solo and with her trio featuring Lindsey Horner on bass and Reggie Nicholson on drums. Myra Melford has emerged as one of the most thoughtful and explosive jazz-influenced pianists of the 90s. She also works with Butch Morris, Henry Threadgill, Tom Cora, Samm Bennett, MOBI, Leroy Jenkins, Diedre Murray, and with her longtime partner Marlon Brandis. Her record Jump on Enemy Records led to a recent Downbeat critics poll award. Also featuring Thomas Chapin on sax and flute and Marty Ehrlich on clarinets.
