| Matt Bauder's critically-acclaimed recorded debut as a composer occurred right here. Anthony Braxton has of course had as much impact as anyone in modern (jazz) composition. So we are excited by the opportunity to present these two composers - and performers - side by side in a program realized at Wesleyan University in 2003.
"The multi-reedist/composer might very well be jazz's last bona fide genius," reads the All Music Guide's entry for Anthony Braxton. "The best of his work is on a level with any art music of the late 20th century, jazz or classical." Fellow multi-reedist/composer, and former Braxton student, Matt Bauder has been an active member of the Berlin, Chicago and New York scenes where he performed and recorded with a long list of today's most prominent improvisers. His 2003 debut, Weary Already of the Way, was a Top 10 of 2004 pick in Coda and led Cadence reviewer Michael Rosenstein to call him "a talent to keep an eye on."
2 + 2 Compositions unites the prolific Braxton with the members of the longstanding improv trio Memorize the Sky, as they perform two innovative graphic score-based pieces from each co-leader. Bauder's works are based on various classes of sound and the inspiration of Braxton and John Cage respectively, and Braxton's pieces come from his new Falling River Musics series, which in his words, "seeks to explore image logic construct 'paintings' as the score's extract music notation." |