Bang On A Can All-Stars Big Beautiful Dark and Scarey
Cantaloupe CA21074 releases 02/28/12

“The Bang on a Can All-Stars have recorded their first studio album in five years and is the first to include the All-Stars’ current line-up: Ashley Bathgate, cello; Robert Black, bass; Vicky Chow, piano; David Cossin, percussion; Mark Stewart, electric guitar; and Evan Ziporyn, clarinets. With Big Beautiful Dark and Scary, the Bang on a Can All-Stars show off their blazing speed, polyrhythmic virtuosity and all-world versatility in a return to the core Bang on a Can sound – an uncategorizable supermix of classical and electric instruments that is part classical ensemble, part rock band.

The album is the first in a decade that features the All-Stars exclusively, rather than as part of a collaborative project. Each of the pieces on the double-CD calls upon a different kind of virtuosity, demonstrating the range of musical abilities and experiences arguably unique to this ensemble. Recorded in New York City, all of the music on Big Beautiful Dark and Scary (including the arrangements of the works by Conlon Nancarrow) were written for and premiered by the Bang on a Can All-Stars.”

“On April 28, Bang on a Can is celebrating its 25th birthday in an extraordinary triple-bill in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall! The festivities open with MIT’s Gamelan Galak Tika performing its signature piece, Evan Ziporyn’s Tire Fire, then continues with Bang on a Can’s electrifying mobile ensemble Asphalt Orchestra giving the New York premiere of new work by Tatsuya Yoshida. The evening culminates with the Bang on a Can All-Star’s performance of the U.S. premiere of Field Recordings, a major new nine-composer multimedia project that uses film, found sound, and archival audio and video (enhanced by conceptual set designer Jim Findlay) featuring works by Tyondai Braxton, Florent Ghys, Michael Gordon, David Lang, Julia Wolfe, Evan Ziporyn, Mira Calix, Christian Marclay, and Nick Zammuto.”

Asphalt Orchestra

Bang On A Can All-Stars

Beginning February 16, tickets will be on sale for $25 for 25 days, celebrating this milestone season! Visit the Bang On A Can web site for ticket purchasing information.

“On November 5 the Bang on a Can All-Stars take the stage at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall in their first New York performance of Bang on a Can @ 25 Years!

At the centerpiece of the program is the New York premiere of Life by the revolutionary Louis Andriessen, with film by Marijke Van Warmerdam. Also on the program is the quiet and poignant for Madeleine by Bang on a Can co-founder Michael Gordon; the hard-driving sunray by Bang on a Can co-founder David Lang; the poly-rhythmic Glamour Girl by Lukas Ligeti (founder of Burkina Electric); the sizzling Instructional Video, Matt Damon, Breakfast at J&M by David Longstreth (of the Dirty Projectors); and the dramatic and mesmerizing Ridgeway by Australian composer Kate Moore.
And stay tuned for the upcoming All-Stars two-CD set titled Big Beautiful Dark and Scary featuring work by Louis Andriessen, Michael Gordon, David Lang, David Longstreth, Kate Moore, Conlon Nancarrow, Julia Wolfe, and Evan Ziporyn to be released on Cantaloupe Music in early 2012.”

The Bang on a Can All-Stars take the stage at Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall on Saturday, November 5 to perform the New York premieres of Louis Andriessen’s Life with film by Marijke Van Warmerdam and David Lang’s sunray. Also on the program is Michael Gordon’s for Madeline, Kate Moore’s Ridgeway, three pieces commissioned by Bang on a Can from David Longstreth of the Dirty Projectors, and Lukas Ligeti’s Glamour Girl. Get your tickets here.

Recordings of these works and more appear on the All-Stars’ first studio album in five years: a two-CD set titled Big Beautiful Dark and Scary to be released on Cantaloupe Music in January 2012.

Original article is here.