Morgan Powell
Orphans On The Road with the Tone Road Ramblers and Phoebe Legere
(EIN-013 CD)

"Orphans on the Road" represents Morgan Powell's most exciting work to date with the Tone Road Ramblers. This collaboration between composer and ensemble truly tramples boundaries. For years the trombonist has been fusing elements from experimental jazz and classical avant garde. His sound world encompasses serialism, Cage-ian conceptual game pieces, Parker/ Ellington bop and post-Ornette free improv. Powell masterfully defines his work through instigation and opportunities presented to musicians who possess a spontaneous, familiar, and intuitive vocabulary amongst themselves. Multi-talented vocalist Phoebe Legere has a 4.5 octave range and an extended technique which lends a beautiful other-world-li-ness feel to these compositions, going from a trembling hush to a direct plucking on your synapse. The Ramblers are John Fonville-flute; Eric Mandat-clarinet; Ray Sasaki-trumpet; Morgan Powell- trombone; Jim Staley-trombone; Steve Butters-percussion.