Stories » 98.1KING-FM set for new digs in Seattle Opera building

Stories for August 07, 2020

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    Everything is perfect on John Finbury's 'Quatro' / MUSIC ZOOM
     
    Posted At : August 7, 2020 12:34 PM

    The American composer John Finbury writes his music thinking of whole America, Brazil and all South American countries. His music is interpreted by singer Magos Herrera on four of the seven songs, Chano Dominguez on piano, John Patitucci on double bass and Antonio Sanchez on drums. The production is by Emilio D. Miller. The music was recorded in two sessions in New York in 2019, before the virus changed everything. As always, for his part, the music is fascinating and the songs are a continuous change of South American rhythms coming from the various traditions of the continent. Everything is perfect in production, there is very little to complain about, the record is a perfect meeting between producer, composer and musicians. Salón Jardínhe is in a trio, with the pianist taking the applause for how he manages to interpret a bolero rhythm in such a sensual way, but to underline it is also the solo of John Patitucci who transforms his bulky instrument into a kind of guitar. The lyrics are singer in Spanish and English with the sensual and sometimes dramatic voice of Magos Herrera , as on All The Way To The End . Great album, a very high level production in the genre. SEE THE MUSIC ZOOM PAGE

  • 'Love Avalanche' from Sharon Isbin/Amjad Ali Khan - Strings for Peace makes CapRadio - Ear To Ear
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 2:08 PM

    No doubt, you've heard some new music in rotation lately on KXPR - music that seemingly stands a bit outside of what you are used to hearing on the classical station.  There's no question that the standard European repertory that we've come to associate with classical music is important. The music is beautiful, powerful, and well, classic. But there's a whole world of amazing and unique classical music either rarely presented or being created right now across the globe. On KXPR, we want to bring you examples of the diverse face of classical music today. Among our few examples of the broad classical music reach we're spinning, from Manhattan (New York OR Kansas) to Mumbai is....Amjad Ali Khan - "Love Avalanche" - Performed by Sharon Isbin. Guitarist Sharon Isbin has been incredibly busy of late. One of her three albums released within the last year is called "String for Peace."  The record is Isbin's first foray into the intriguing sounds of Indian classical music. It's not always easy to separate classical music from its traditional European roots. But when I listen to the music of Amjad Ali Khan, I am reminded that there is so much more out there.  Isbin and Ali Khan have been working on making this collaboration happen for nearly a decade. Isbin's guitar is paired with traditional Indian instruments including the sarod, played by Amjad and sons, and the tabla. Ali Khan says of the collaboration, "The idea is to achieve a cross-fertilization at both the cellular and cosmic levels of two classical music traditions, which are often held to be radically different."  You can hear more about the recording on a recent episode of New Classical Tracks from Minnesota Public Radio. SEE THE FULL CapRadio - Ear To Ear PAGE

  • Jean Michel Blais 'Nostos' from 'Angele Dubeau - Pulsations' makes CapRadio - Ear To Ear
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 2:00 PM

    No doubt, you've heard some new music in rotation lately on KXPR - music that seemingly stands a bit outside of what you are used to hearing on the classical station.  There's no question that the standard European repertory that we've come to associate with classical music is important. The music is beautiful, powerful, and well, classic. But there's a whole world of amazing and unique classical music either rarely presented or being created right now across the globe. On KXPR, we want to bring you examples of the diverse face of classical music today. Among our few examples of the broad classical music reach we're spinning, from Manhattan (New York OR Kansas) to Mumbai is....Jean Michel Blais - "Nostos" - Performed by La Pieta Jean Michel Blais draws inspiration from a lot of composers, but is probably most akin to minimalists like Philip Glass and Steve Reich. "Nostos" was improvised initially on the piano in the composer's bedroom in Montreal and recorded on a Zoom microphone, a style of collaboration all too familiar to many of us these days.  On the album "Pulsations," the work is arranged for string orchestra and the cinematic qualities of the piece are very apparent. "Nostos" is chock-full of emotional, sweeping melodies and lush textures. The title in Greek refers to an epic journey by sea like the one found in Homer's "Odyssey," and the piece sounds as though it could easily be the accompaniment to a hero's return to his loved ones from battle. SEE THE FULL CapRadio - Ear To Ear PAGE

  • Caroline Shaw's 'And So,' performed by PBO with ASVO makes CapRadio - Ear To Ear
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 1:48 PM

    No doubt, you've heard some new music in rotation lately on KXPR - music that seemingly stands a bit outside of what you are used to hearing on the classical station.  There's no question that the standard European repertory that we've come to associate with classical music is important. The music is beautiful, powerful, and well, classic. But there's a whole world of amazing and unique classical music either rarely presented or being created right now across the globe. On KXPR, we want to bring you examples of the diverse face of classical music today. Among our few examples of the broad classical music reach we're spinning, from Manhattan (New York OR Kansas) to Mumbai is.... Caroline Shaw - "And So" - Performed by the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Anne Sophie von Otter. I just love how this song begins: A harpsichord and a voice, that's all. The way that something so simple can command your attention is a testament to how great a composer Caroline Shaw is.  She utilizes the rest of the orchestra very carefully as they pluck their way through the second verse, all the while momentum builds in the stunning mezzo-soprano voice of opera star Anne Sophie von Otter. Caroline Shaw is an expert at writing gorgeous melodies that weave through unique textures in the ensemble. "And So" is part of a larger song cycle called "Is A Rose" that juxtaposes 18th and 21st-century poetry and music. SEE THE FULL CapRadio - Ear To Ear PAGE

  • Ray Chen's lockdown produces 'Solace' / udiscovermusic.
     
    Posted At : August 5, 2020 12:00 AM

    Award-winning violinist Ray Chen, described as "the ray of sunshine in the violin world" by The Times, has announced his new studio album Solace, professionally recorded and released from his home during the global lockdown, will be digitally released on 7 August 2020.  Solace features six movements from J. S. Bach's Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin representing the personal and powerful feelings Ray Chen has experienced this year. Violinist Ray Chen will digitally release his new Bach album ‘Solace', recorded from his home during lockdown, on 7 August 2020.
    READ THE Q&A

  • Colin Stetson - Sarah Neufeld: 'Never were the way she was [Constellation]' makes 'popMatters - 10 Best Experimental Albums of 2015'
     
    Posted At : August 4, 2020 12:00 AM

    Music of all kinds are tending toward a consciously experimental direction. Maybe we're finally getting through to them. In spite of the great lull in today's rock music climate, 2015 proved an astonishing year for experimental music, signifying the simultaneously shrinking and expanding gap between avant-garde and pop traditions. Several of this year's releases, like Clarence Clarity's ineffable No Now or new albums by Oneohtrix Point Never and Holly Herndon, tackle heady concepts of global capitalism and hyper-connectivity of the Internet Age. While some albums venture into brutal and immersive territory-Blanck Mass' Dumb Flesh, Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld's Never were the way she was, and Prurient's Frozen Niagara Falls-others are glossy and luminous-for instance, the bubblegum bass of PC Music's new compilation or the plinking and clinking of Battles' La Di Da Di. Overall, music of all kinds seems to be tending toward a consciously experimental direction. Just look at recent music from hip-hop greats Kendrick Lamar and Kanye, or even the work of pop stars Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus. Maybe we're finally getting through to them. In April, a couple of Constellation instrumentalists-Colin Stetson and Sarah Neufeld-got together to produce the craggy shambler Never were the way she was. The two have occupied close quarters in the past (in Arcade Fire, Stetson was a collaborator and Neufeld a core member). Here, the two position themselves outside the formal constraints of classical and jazz, though the traditions inform their work as much as any others. Never were the way she was tells the story of a girl "who ages slow as mountains; excited, exalted, and ultimately exiled in her search for a world that resembles her experience". "The sun roars into view" roars into view from a ghostly wisp into a Lovecraftian beast, and "In the vespers" is a jubilant breaking free from a wildwood enclosure. And few song titles more adequately describe their own effect than "With the dark hug of time". Between Stetson's torrential blasts and clacks of bass clarinet and contrabass sax-waves smashing ceaselessly on the shore-and Neufeld's relentless flourishes of string-an epic weaving of linen tapestry-Never were the way she was implores us to contemplate our journey rather than plow through it. To adequately hum these tunes, your entire lymphatic and digestive systems must hum as well. SEE THE FULL popmatters PAGE

  • Niv Ashkenazi discusses 'Violins of Hope' with 89.7WCPE
     
    Posted At : August 4, 2020 12:00 AM

    Violins of Hope is an artistic and educational project composed of instruments that were owned by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. Violins in the collection were played in the concentration camps and ghettos, providing a source of comfort for some and a means of survival for others. The project was founded by Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshalom, Israeli luthiers who collect these instruments, refurbish them to concert quality, and bring them to communities all over the world, so that their voices can be heard again. The Violins of Hope have traveled to Jerusalem, Sion, Madrid, Maastricht, Monaco, Rome, Berlin, London, Bucharest, Dachau, Dresden, and Auschwitz. In the United States, the project has been presented in Charlotte, Cleveland, Houston, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Washington, D.C, Cincinnati, Nashville, Birmingham, Knoxville, Phoenix, Louisville, Fort Wayne, and San Francisco. 89.7WCPE: Wake Forest NC classical host, Rob Kennedy spoke with Niv about the recording. Listen to the attached interview.

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98.1KING-FM set for new digs in Seattle Opera building

Posted: June 20, 2019 12:00 AM | By: Admin
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In a time when many arts organizations are struggling to stay afloat, two companies dedicated to classical music have found a way not only to survive, but to thrive. Beginning in early 2020, Seattle Opera and KING FM 98.1 will be housed under one roof: the opera's civic home on the Seattle Center campus. While the Opera Center was completed in December 2018, the second-floor office has remained intentionally vacant. Seattle Opera General Director Aidan Lang said the company was looking for an organization to rent the space who shared a similar vision and mission. With a long history of working together, (such as broadcasts of McCaw Hall performances), KING FM was the ideal match, Lang said. This fall, a new radio broadcast facility will be constructed on the opera's second floor.

"We have worked closely with Seattle Opera for years, and look forward to finding more opportunities to collaborate once we are only a floor apart," said KING FM CEO Brenda Barnes. "We are thrilled to be moving into this beautiful space, and to be in such close proximity to one of our most important partners."

READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Crossover Media Projects with Various

  • Various

    Orff: Carmina Burana Live From the Forbidden City

    Recorded live to the highest industry standards in front of the magnificent scenery of Beijing's Forbidden City, this unique gala concert celebrates the 120th anniversary of Deutsche Grammophon. The concert features conductor Long Yu and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, both freshly signed as exclusive recording artists to Deutsche Grammophon, and performances from Aida Garifullina, Daniil Trifonov, Mari Samuelsen, and more.

  • Various

    A Day In The Life: Impressions of Pepper

    Impulse! has brought together some of the great progressive jazz musicians of our time to pay tribute to The Beatles'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. A Day In The Life: Impressions of Pepper will be available on vinyl for Record Store Day on November 23, available on CD, digital, and streaming platforms on November 30, with a wide vinyl release on January 18, 2019.

    A Day In The Life: Impressions of Pepper includes performances and interpretations by artists such as UK saxophonist and Impulse! recording artist Shabaka Hutchings, Impulse! pianist Sullivan Fortner, Verve recording artist Miles Mosley, Onyx Collective, percussionist Antonio Sanchez, guitarist Mary Halvorson, The JuJu Exchange and more. 

    This stellar lineup represents some of the great progressive jazz artists from around the world: Shabaka from the UK Jazz scene, Miles Mosley and Cameron Graves from LA's West Coast Get Down, Onyx Collective from NYC, Makaya McCraven and the JuJu Exchange from Chicago.  

  • Various

    Beethoven

    Many people picture grim-faced Beethoven, shaking his fist at the heavens and persisting through deafness and illness to compose works of transcendent beauty, but he also stirs emotions that feel both deeply personal and ubiquitous. There are moments of red-cheeked optimism, quiet introspection, playful dances, heroic declarations, a restless search for the sublime. And while Beethoven is perhaps most famous for his sonatas and symphonies, he composed an opera, chamber works, songs, sacred music, incidental music for the stage, even dances. Taken together, these selections paint a rich portrait of Beethoven's humanity, which has attracted artists of the highest caliber such as Leonard Bernstein, Carlos Kleiber, Janine Jansen, and Martha Argerich. Some of these recordings are legendary, but all of them jump out with their undeniable virtuosity and brilliance. This collection may remind you of that iconic portrait of immortal Genius suffering for Art, but it will also reacquaint you with an artist from another time who somehow captured so much of the human experience.

  • Various

    The Royal Wedding - The Official Album

    Decca Records is proud to release The Official Recording of The Royal Wedding, one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year. Having recorded the entire service live at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle today, every piece of music, the readings, blessings and the vows will be available to listen to permanently on all streaming services in just a few hours: a first for a Royal Wedding. The physical album, on CD, will then be released into retail stores around the world from 1st June. 

    The musical highlight of the moving and joyous ceremony was British cellist, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, one of the most exciting musicians of his generation, who was personally asked by the bride and groom to perform at their wedding. The 19-year-old musician took centre stage for the all-important signing of the register. Dressed in a black Paul Smith suit with vibrant pink tie, Sheku played three beautiful pieces: "Sicilienne" by von Paradis, Schubert's "Ave Maria," and "Après Un Rêve" by Fauré. He was accompanied by orchestra*, as the Royal Couple officially became husband and wife. Knowing he was performing not only for the Royal Family, 600 invited guests in the Chapel, and an estimated global audience of up to three billion people, the talented teenager was thrilled to be involved in the occasion:

  • Various

    Hopes and Dreams - The Lullaby Project

    History was written in 2000 BC, and 2018 marks the 150th anniversary of Brahms' Lullaby, so this precious musical tradition has deep cultural and emotional roots. These personal songs bring people together, span generations, and tell stories about where we come from, who we are now, and our hopes for the future. The legacy continues with the release of Hopes and Dreams: The Lullaby Project on Decca Gold (Verve Label Group). The recording is inspired by the Lullaby Project, a program of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute which pairs pregnant women, new mothers, and family members with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies, supporting maternal health, aiding child development, and strengthening the bond between parent and child. Hopes and Dreams: The Lullaby Project features fifteen lullabies written by parents from across New York City, as performed by Fiona Apple, the Brentano String Quartet, Lawrence Brownlee, Rosanne Cash, Joyce DiDonato, Janice Freeman (The Voice 2017), Rhiannon Giddens (Nashville), Angélique Kidjo, Patti LuPone, Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs), Dianne Reeves, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pretty Yende, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

  • Various

    Jazz Loves Disney 2: A Kind of Magic

    The second installment of the Jazz Loves Disney series, Jazz Loves Disney 2: A Kind of Magic features guest artists including Angélique Kidjo, Laura Mvula, Jamie Cullum, Jacob Collier, George Benson, Madeleine Peyroux and more, taking on beloved melodies from the Disney canon. The album will be released on Verve Records on November 10.  The Jazz Loves Disney series celebrates the nostalgia and universal appeal of the music of Disney films. The rich catalogue of Disney songs that span genres and generations inspired producer Jay Newland and arranger Rob Mounsey to continue the series. 

    7 NEW  106 TOTAL
    SYND:     NPR, CBC
    Direct: SiriusXM
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Portland, Detroit, Denver, Memphis, Orlando, Albuquerque, Wichita, Madison WI, Honolulu, HI(Statewide), Barcelona, Berlin
    INTER: Canada, UK, Spain, Germany, South Africa
    Online: LaughingPlace, Troonradio, Quisqueya, udiscovermusic, The Healthy Mouse, The Daily Shuffle, Dis411, NextBop.com, MOJA, GreenArrow, Jazz Gallery 41, The Jazz groove, Sun Music, Jazz Weekly, Radio Free Amsterdam

    19 Jazzweek ADD's

  • Various

    The Passion of Charlie Parker

    The Passion of Charlie Parker is a new album from producer Larry Klein that tells the story of Charlie Parker using his music as inspiration for new songs that narrate his life. Guest artists include Gregory Porter, Madeleine Peyroux, Kandace Springs, actor Jeffrey Wright, and more. The album will be available on impulse!/ Verve digitally on June 16, with physical release to follow on June 30. Larry Klein says, "With this album I've endeavored to do something new and different in an effort to illustrate who ‘Bird' was as an archetypal character, and to draw attention to the huge impact that his work had on Jazz." Rather than create another tribute of traditional bebop tunes, Klein partnered with lyricist David Baerwald to create a musical play that tells the story of Charlie Parker's life while still playing with the jagged melodic nature of Charlie Parker's compositions.

    7 NEW  123 TOTAL
    SYND:     Jazz After Hours, Jazz Happening Now, Jazz Inspired, Voice of America
    Direct: SiriusXM
    Markets include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Portland, Miami, Detroit, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Austin, Denver, Albuquerque, Orlando, San Antonio, Sacramento, Louisville, Knoxville, Madison WI, Rochester, Tampa, Honolulu, OR(Statewide), WV(Statewide), VT(Statewide), KS(Statewide), MS(Statewide), HI(Statewide), Toronto, Vancouver
    INTER: Canada, UK
    Online: GreenArrow, Jazz & Blues Report, KUHS/Vaya, Soulandjazz.com, Jazz Weekly, Radio Valencia, Que4 Radio, Freaky Party, theguardian

    45 Jazzweek ADD's