Either/Orchestra @ LPR 2/11/11

This was a fantastic 3 hour showcase of the vast repertoire this ensemble has produced over the past 25 years. I think there were about 30 musicians in total, and around 18-22 on stage for most of the compositions. Maybe 2 of them were up there for the entire 3 hours.

My favorite was probably the New Orleans inspired piece, which was early on. I also loved everything that had hand drums. The entire 3 hours was phenomenal, though.


Either/Orchestra 25th Anniversary Concert
w/ John Medeski , Matt Wilson , Andrew D’Angelo and Mike Rivard (Club D'Elf)

This is a first come, first serve seated event. Seating is limited and not guaranteed; please arrive early.

The Either/Orchestra 25th Anniversary Concert, NYC Edition The Massachusetts-based Either/Orchestra is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with a show at LPR featuring founder Russ Gershon and the regular ten band members plus an illustrious cast of alumni. (The picture here is from the December 16 Boston edition of the concert, with 27 musicians.) The E/O has been the breeding ground for a startling array of jazz stars, and the alumni who will be rejoining the band for this show include John Medeski, Josh Roseman, Mike Rivard (Club D'Elf) and a host of others. A major highlight will be the presence of the four drummers who have defined the band's style over the decades: Jerome Deupree (Morphine), Matt Wilson, Harvey Wirht (Angelique Kidjo) and Pablo Bencid.

The E/O has released 11 albums include 2010's "Mood Music for Time Travellers," and has put its stamp on a wide range of jazz and Latin styles, and has emerged as the world's foremost non-Ethiopian interpreters of Ethiopian music. The group has played over 1000 shows in 34 of the United States and 11 foreign countries.

The concert will survey 25 years of original music, radical reinterpretations of jazz and pop tunes, and include a healthy dose of Ethiopian flavor, represented by the legendary expatriate singer Teshome Mitiku.

Personnel:
Trumpets: Tom Halter, Dan Rosenthal, John Carlson
Trombones: Joel Yennior, Josh Roseman, Russell Jewell, Curtis Hasselbring, Dan Fox
Reeds: Russ Gershon, Charlie Kohlhase, Hailey Niswanger, Douglas Yates, Jeremy Udden, Henry Cook, Godwin Louis
Guitar: John Dirac
Keys: Rafael Alcala, John Medeski, Dan Kaufman
Basses: Rick McLaughlin, Mike Rivard, Bob Nieske
Drums: Pablo Bencid, Jerome Deupree, Matt Wilson, Harvey Wirht
Congas: Vicente Lebron
Vocals: Teshome Mitiku