Born Identity
Tristano-Inspired Music Meets Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra
This project delves into the music that I was literally born into. As the newborn daughter of Ted and Phyllis Brown, who met while studying with Lennie Tristano in the original wave of students, I’m told I attended regular sessions in a basket. At the time of my organizing this endeavor, my parents are both 86 years old, with birthdays before year’s end. Of the musicians who forged a playing career from that group of students, the only two who remain musically active in the United States are my father, Ted Brown (tenor sax) and Lee Konitz (alto sax). While not a student, vocalist Sheila Jordan was also on the scene musically and socially.
In the 1950’s, many musicians composed original melodies over the chord progressions of existing standard tunes. Lennie assigned such compositions to his students as a point of departure in broadening students’ concepts of the melodic line. Within the past decade the players and collection of compositions by Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Sal Mosca, Lennie and my father have enjoyed increased recognition.
This project entails my writing arrangements of some of the aforementioned compositions for my jazz orchestra. Like any writing project, rehearsing and performance follows the completion of the writing, and plans are fluid. In other words, specifics regarding titles are subject to change. Therefore, this endeavor will be executed in phases.
PHASE I:
Arrangements will be written this summer beginning in June, which will includeFeatherbed, Smog Eyes and Jazz of Two Cities (Ted Brown), and Kary’s Trance andSubconscious-Lee (Lee Konitz). Since 2010, sketches have been on hold for the first of these arrangements, a segment of which was previewed by Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra,with guest artist, Ted Brown: http://youtu.be/_m8PBsHVXtQ (Downbeat at 3:23)
PHASE 2:
Additional arrangements will be written beginning this fall for a number of other titles selected from the following: Background Music (WarneMarsh) and April, 317 East 32nd and Turkish Mambo (Lennie Tristano) and perhaps others.
PHASE 3:
Rehearsal, editing and performance bookings intended, beginning early Spring 2015.
Anita Brown Jazz Orchestra is a 17-piece jazz orchestra dedicated to playing the original compositions and arrangements of Anita Brown since 2000. It is comprised of New York’s finest Broadway, studio and jazz musicians. Guest artists will be invited to perform the arrangements of the Born Identity collection whenever possible.
Fundraising begins today for PHASE 1 of Born Identity
The goal is $5000 by June 30th!
Your contributions would allow completion of Phase 1 this summer. Donations to support this project are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law through contributions made payable to Fractured Atlas on behalf of Anita Brown, Composer/TeachingArtist.
Contributors names will be cited on the blog on my website and will receive exclusive e-mail progress reports at the end of June, July & August. For more information please visitwww.anitabrownmusic.com and click Donate Now at Fractured Atlas.
Be a part of the Born Identity project! You can help make this happen!
Born Identity is an objective of Anita Brown, Composer/Teaching Artist, a Fiscally Sponsored Project operating under the 501(c)(3) of Fractured Atlas. Anita Brown,Composer/Teaching Artist is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization.
Contributions for the charitable purposes of Anita Brown, Composer/Teaching Artist must be made payable to "Fractured Atlas" only, and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. See more at: www.anitabrownmusic.com.
Contributors:
Ted Nash, arranger & alto saxophonist with Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
Joop van der Leij, Tristano & Ted Brown fan
Dick Lieb, arranger
David Frank, pianist & Tristano alum
Don Messina, bassist (Ted Brown Quartet)
Sumi Tonooka, pianist/composer