VIDEO PREMIERE: ‘Trozo’ by Tristan Eckerson

Posted on October 14, 2019 by maestrobeats

Brazilian dancer Saan Queiroz spins and glides his way through a forest in the new video for Tristan Eckerson’s “Trozo.”

The piece, which is the title track from Eckerson’s 2016 debut full length album, is a melancholy work for solo piano featuring continuous arpeggios and sparse melodies. Recently, Eckerson completely re-recorded, re-mixed, and re-mastered the album, which he will re-release as Trozo Revisited on October 18.

In this video created by Caio Nogueira (Pupilla) and directed by Emily Naitê, Queiroz gives a fluid and animated dance performance in a sunlit forest, giving a new dimension to Eckerson’s atmospheric work.

Tristan Eckerson’s Trozo Revisited is out Friday, Oct. 18. For more information, click here.

VIDEO PREMIERE: ‘Robert Henry’ by The Westerlies

Posted on September 23, 2019 by maestrobeats

by Peter Tracy

The Westerlies take us on an upbeat journey through early childhood with their performance of “Robert Henry,” an original composition by the ensemble’s trombonist Andy Clausen.

“Written shortly after the birth of my first nephew, ‘Robert Henry’ aims to lovingly capture the vibrant energy that a new member of the family contributes,” Clausen says. At times groovy and melodic, at other times rhythmically complex and jazzy, the Westerlies capture the excitement and hopeful energy of early childhood—as well as some of its unexpected turns.

We’re proud to premiere our in-studio video of the Westerlies performing “Robert Henry.”

Want more music from the Westerlies? Click here for another video from this session.

VIDEO PREMIERE: ‘Cheating, Lying, Stealing’ by David Lang

Posted on August 29, 2019 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

“Ominous funk” is the expression marking at the beginning of David Lang’s score for Cheating, Lying, Stealing.

It’s an apt descriptor for a pulsing piece of post-minimalism that owes about as much to rock music as it does the classical tradition. The piece has an immediacy that’s hard to shake, and its infectious off-kilter groove is heightened by its unusual instrumentation: cello, bass clarinet, piano, marimba, and some triangles and car parts for percussion.

We’re thrilled to premiere our exclusive in-studio video of the piece, performed by an all-star cast of Seattle musicians: cellist Rose Bellini, clarinetist Rachel Yoder, pianist Brooks Tran, and percussionists Melanie Sehman, Storm Benjamin, and Kerry O’Brien.

For more performances by percussionists Melanie Sehman, Storm Benjamin, and Kerry O’Brien, check out Good Vibes Only this Friday, Aug. 30 at Washington Hall.

VIDEO PREMIERE: ‘Tight Sweater’ by Marc Mellits

Posted on August 27, 2019 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

Marc Mellits makes music you can groove to. Funky rhythms, catchy riffs, and pulsing melodies—his music bursts with energy.

Tight Sweater is a prime example. Composed for the unlikely trio of cello, piano, and marimba, the piece dances through one restless and infectious groove after another, each with its own distinctive color and sound.

We’re thrilled to premiere our in-studio video of Mellits’ Tight Sweater performed by cellist Rose Bellini, pianist Brooks Tran, and marimbist Melanie Sehman.

For more music of Marc Mellits (including performances by marimbist Melanie Sehman), check out Good Vibes Only: a concert of minimalist music for vibraphones and marimbas this Friday, Aug. 30 at Washington Hall.

VIDEO PREMIERE: Majel Connery’s ‘Rebeam Me’

Posted on May 24, 2019 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

Majel Connery had a rather unusual path to the world of pop music.

Originally trained as a pianist, opera singer, and eventual musicologist, she went on to collaborate with a number of wide-ranging artists both within and beyond the genre of “new music.” Among them are the art pop duo Hae Voces, the book-club-band Oracle Hysterical, and the radically experimental Opera Cabal, to name just a few.

Presently, she’s set her ears on exploring her own voice as a solo artist. Her new EP Anything Chartreuse features four original songs that layer her translucent voice over shimmering electronics. The result is dreamy art pop with the sensitivity and nuance of classical music—but none of the inhibitions.

We’re thrilled to premiere the music video for her new song “Rebeam Me.”