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| Madre Vaca – Knights of the Round Table CD Release Concert December 5 @ 7:00 pm @ Friday Musicale Jacksonville FL Madre Vaca performs a ten-part suite that musically depicts the Knights of the Round Table. The Knights of the Round Table are the legendary order of knights who were dedicated to defending King Arthur and his kingdom in England. They have been depicted in many poems, books, and films. Stories from the Arthurian legend are ancient, with some originating as far back as the 12th century. CD Release Concert December 5 @ 7:00 pm @ Friday Musicale Jacksonville FL Friday Musicale 645 Oak Street Jacksonville, FL 32204 904.355.7584 featuring Jarrett Carter - Guitar Jonah Pierre - Piano Thomas Milovac - Bass Benjamin Shorstein - Drums Juan Rollan - Saxophone Lance Reed - Trombone Steve Strawley - Trumpet Milan Algood - Percussion Rebecca Shorstein - Voice Molly Sweet - Clarinet Michael Emmert - Flute ...a splendid album of contemporary jazz, perceptively interpreted and handsomely performed by Madre Vaca. - Jack Bowers Allboutjazz.com October 2023 Composer-drummer Benjamin Shorstein, on Knights of the Round Table, utilizes eleven musicians from the Madre Vaca collective to perform a ten-part jazz suite portraying characters and action from the tales. Among the featured musicians are pianist Jonah Pierre, guitarist Jarrett Carter, bassist Thomas Milovac, saxophonist Juan Rollan, trumpeter Steve Strawley and trombonist Lance Reed. Shorstein's sister Rebecca Shorstein adds her beautiful singing voice to select pieces. The suite begins with "The Lady of the Lake, " a haunting jazz waltz that has the group playing in a groove reminiscent of John Coltrane's music with pianist Pierre (who is brilliant throughout the suite) sounding a bit like McCoy Tyner. "Galahad" is episodic and includes a militaristic theme with horns, a short vocal, Carter contributing Spanish-type guitar during a quiet romantic section, and Strawley adding some melodic muted trumpet. "Excalibur" is quite dramatic while "The Knights of the Round Table" is celebratory with impressive guitar, tenor sax, trumpet, piano, and bass solos. "Camelot" receives the magical and mystical theme that it deserves. "Holy Grail" uses a prominent drum pattern that accentuates its mysterious atmosphere. The set also includes the thoughtful "Merlin, " an energetic "King Arthur" (which is highlighted by some wailing tenor sax), the warm ballad "Guinevere, " and the colorful and exhilarating "Lancelot." Benjamin Shorstein is a major and versatile composer who is equally skilled in both classical and jazz. His music has been performed at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, heard in film, and featured in concerts and recordings. Among his releases have been classical works (String Quartets and Fantasy for Violin and Piano), duets with Rebecca Shorstein (A Certain Kind of Darkness), and playing drums and vibes with a traditional jazz group (Backdoor Stompers Vol. 1). Shorstein is a founding member of Madre Vaca, which features some of the top modern jazz musicians from Jacksonville, Florida. Their releases on the Madre Vaca Records (MVR) label include Nexus, Nero, Winterreise (a jazz arrangement of Franz Schubert's song cycle), The Elements, and Castle Town. Benjamin Shorstein and Madre Vaca's latest accomplishment, Knights of the Round Table, features rich melodies, creative solos, impeccable ensembles, and a spirit that does justice to King Arthur and the legendary stories. write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |