Jazz quartet "Stanley Maxwell" to perform world premieres at Wesleyan University on Sunday, March 1, 2015
Stanley Maxwell
Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 3pm
Jazz quartet to perform several world premieres as part of
free concert on the "Music at The Russell House" series
Middletown, Conn.—The "Music at The Russell House" series presented by Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts and The Russell House concludes with a free concert by the Connecticut-based jazz quartet Stanley Maxwell on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 3pm in The Russell House, located at 350 High Street on the corner of Washington Street on the Wesleyan campus in Middletown. The group plays music that blends tight arrangements with intricate group improvisations. The concert at Wesleyan will feature acoustic arrangements of original tunes from the past decade, including several world premieres. (Please see below for more details about the "Music at The Russell House" series).
Stanley Maxwell features Andy Chatfield on drums, Mark Crino on bass, Eric DellaVecchia on alto saxophone, and Evan Green on piano. The group has built a grassroots name for themselves at colleges and festivals throughout the northeast since 2001, combining the virtuosic and the simple into a visceral concoction, which helped lead to their winning “Best Jazz Band” in the Hartford Advocate’s Grand Band Slam Readers' Poll in 2007, 2009, and 2010. "Mousetrap," an eleven-bar blues written by pianist Evan Green, was influenced by Thelonious Monk, and was featured on Stanley Maxwell's debut album "Don't Wake The Baby!" The band’s recording of the composition attracted international attention, including "Mousetrap" winning "Best Jazz Song" at the 7th annual Independent Music Awards in December 2007. The band also won the Relix Magazine November 2007 "JamOff" contest for unsigned artists, with "Mousetrap" featured on that month's Relix CD sampler, included with over 100,000 issues of the internationally distributed magazine, dedicated to jam bands and improvisational music.
Past acoustic performances by Stanley Maxwell in Middletown have included appearances at The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts and Cultural Center in 2003, and a benefit concert for Riverview Hospital for Children and Youth, held at the Green Street Arts Center in 2008.
Several live shows by Stanley Maxwell can be downloaded for free from the Internet Archive's Live Music library here: https://archive.org/details/StanleyMaxwell.
"Hearing this quartet bop their way through their own brand of modern jazz is like a cleanser for the overexposed mind, as the four players manage to create an ensemble-sized sound with a wealth of nuance and compositional thoughtfulness."
—Home Grown Music Network
Past artists that have been featured on the "Music at The Russell House" series since 1997 include Bruce Molsky; Private Lessons Teacher Carver Blanchard; Charlie Kohlhase's Explorers Quartet with Eric Hofbauer, Mike Connors, and Jef Charland; "Dead Cat Bounce" with Matt Steckler '97, Jared Sims, Terry Gross, Dave Ambrosio, and Private Lessons Teacher Bill Carbone MA '07, Ph.D. candidate; "Elite Syncopation" with Private Lessons Teachers Roy Wiseman and Perry Elliot, Liz Smith, Ettie Luckey, and Gary Chapman; Private Lessons Teacher Fred Simmons with Phil Bowler; Private Lessons Teacher Giacomo Gates with Jeff Fuller; "Jazz Alive!" with John Banker, Al LaPorte, and Sherman Kahn; Ken Wessel '79 Trio; "The Music of Lennie Tristano" Quintet featuring Anthony Braxton (on piano), Jackson Moore '98, Andre Vida '97, Mike Szekely, and Chris Lightcap; Visiting Instructor in Music Noah Baerman's Trio with Henry Lugo and Vinnie Sperrazza, playing the music of Kenny Barron; Private Lessons Teacher Qi Liu and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Pheeroan akLaff; Susan Davis Pereira '77 and Sabor Brasil; the Taylor Ho Bynum '98 MA '05 and Tomas Fujiwara Duo; Private Lessons Teacher Tony Lombardozzi; the "Turn of the Century Jazz Quartet" with Adjunct Professor of Music and African American Studies Jay Hoggard '76 MA '91 and Paul Brown; and William Tatge.
Admission to the concert is free. The concert will be followed by a reception with food provided by The Green Room and Nardelli's Grinder Shoppe.
About Stanley Maxwell
Notable Stanley Maxwell performances and events have included:
Featured performances at annual festivals and prestigious venues including the Adirondack Music Festival (New York, 2004); The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts (for the "Mixed Bag Concert Series" and "Ha! Ha! Hartford" in 2003, and The Connecticut Forum in 2005); Clinton Art and Music Festival (New York, 2008); Connecticut Brewfest (2004, 2005); Connecticut Film Festival (2010); Dfest (Diversafest – Oklahoma, 2008); First Night Hartford (2002, 2005, 2007, 2008), Hartford Advocate Grand Band Slam (2003, 2007, 2008, 2010); ING Hartford Marathon (2008, 2009); Jonathan Edwards Winery Summer Nights Music Series (2004); New Haven Jazz Festival at the Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament (2004); Northeast Kingdom Music Festival (Vermont, 2004); Old State House Lunchtime Summer Concert Series (2002, 2003); SoNo Arts Celebration (2004); and the Taste of The Litchfield Hills (2008);
College tours including Brandeis University, Bryant College, Colby Sawyer College, Curry College, Fairfield University, Framingham State, Maine Maritime Academy, Trinity College, University of Massachusetts, Vassar College, Williams College, and Yale University;
Weekly residencies at the New York City comedy show "Stand-Up Stew" in Chelsea (2002); the trendy Backroom Lounge @ Bottega in New Haven (2003, 2004); the upscale Zen Bar in Farmington (2004); and the free outdoor summer concert series "Jammin' on Jim Brook" in the Ben & Jerry's Courtyard at the open-air shopping destination the Shoppes at Farmington Valley in Canton (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013);
Chosen out of thousands of acts to showcase at the Northeast Regional Conference of NACA (National Association of Campus Activities) in Marlboro, Massachusetts (2002);
Selection as the band to play for thousands at the ESPN X-Trials at Lake Compounce Amusement Park (2001);
Honored for their support of benefit concerts for the National Spinal Chord Injury Association (2001, 2002); Riverview Hospital for Children and Youth (2008); Haitian Relief Show at Freight Street Gallery (2010); Common Ground's "Feast from the Fields" in New Haven (2013, 2014); and the annual "Wish You Were Here" events for the AJR Nocera Memorial Foundation (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).
Memorable shows with other artists have included Addison Groove Project, The Breakfast, The Charlie Hunter Trio, DJ Le Spam & The Spam Allstars, Cyro Baptista & Beat The Donkey, The Disco Biscuits, Dub Is A Weapon, Fred Wesley & The New JBs, Hypnotic Clambake, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, members of Max Creek, moe., Mountain of Venus, The New Deal, Raisinhill, The Roots, Ryan Montbleau, Seth Yacovone, Sam Kininger, Todd Clouser's "A Love Electric," and Zappa Plays Zappa.
For more information about Stanley Maxwell, please visit http://www.stanleymaxwell.com.
About the "Music at The Russell House" Series
The Samuel Wadsworth Russell House is considered to be the premier domestic example of the Corinthian Greek revival style in the Northeast. The mansion was built between 1828 and 1830, designed by the noted architect Ithiel Town. Mr. Russell was the founder of Russelll & Company, and a 19th century leader in the American China trade. Wesleyan University acquired The Russell House in 1937, which was was known as Honors College until 1996. In 1970, The Russell House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001. The house is decorated with period antiques, and the building has been fully accessible since 2004. In addition to The Russell House Series Prose and Poetry events presented by Writing at Wesleyan, the building is currently used as the home for the University’s Philosophy Department.
Concerts take place in the Millett Room, named after Fred B. Millett, who was a Professor of English and Director of the Honors College. In May 1956, Mr. Millett moderated an informal panel discussion at Wesleyan on "Contemporary Jazz: An Art Form with a Purpose," with Metronome Editor Bill Coss, WHDH DJ John McLellan, and musicians and composers Dana Suesse and Teddy Charles.
Many early events in The Russell House, including lectures and readings by poets, authors, and distinguished scholars, were by invitation only. On December 3, 1942, Vladimir Nabokov spoke about "The Art of Writing." There was a reception for Alice Tully in The Russell House after the soprano's December 7, 1948 concert in the '92 Theater. And on January 18, 1951, Robert Motherwell spoke about "The New York School (Illustrated)," while an exhibition of his paintings was on display in the Davison Art Rooms in Olin Library.
According to the University Calendars in Special Collections and Archives at Olin Library, the first publicized instance of music being performed in The Russell House was a program of Christmas music by the Wesleyan Orchestral Ensemble on December 17, 1946. Some notable classical recitals and chamber music concerts in The Russell House included performances by pianist Charles Welles Rosen (February 1950), and New York Philharmonic violist Robert Weinrebe (May 1952). Bertam Turetzky's ensemble performed a recital of contemporary music in 1964.
Original music has been featured in The Russell House since May 1950, when Wesleyan students under the direction of John Spencer Camp Professor of Music Emeritus Richard K. Winslow '40 performed a recital of chamber music, including works by Wesleyan undergraduates. The world premiere of "Double Fiddle Music" by James Cowdery MA '81 Ph.D. '85 was performed at the senior recital of Tami Bauer '80 with Maggie Holtzberg '79 in 1980. Banning Eyre performed his original works for guitar, "A Spring Song" and "Ode to Zarathustra," in 1980. Works by John Spencer Camp Professor of Music Neely Bruce have been performed on a 1998 chamber music recital by Private Lessons Teacher Chai-lun Yueh with Sarah Meneely-Kyder, as well as a 2000 concert of "Twentieth Century Music for Viola and Piano" by Aaron Westman '00.
The first use of the series name "Music at The Honors College" was for a concert on November 23, 1958 by John Riley, Frederic Cunningham, Jr. and Raymond Rendall, performing works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Samuel Barber. Mr. Rendall was the music director, and Richard K. Winslow was the conductor, for Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "Cosi Fan Tutte," the opening dedication event in Crowell Concert Hall produced by the Theater and Music Departments on October 26 and 27, 1973, with stage direction by Ralph D. Pendleton.
Frank Bennett and Jeff Fuller performed a concert of original jazz works in The Russell House in 1978 with Jane Ira Bloom, Tony Purrone, Gita Bennett, and Private Lessons Teacher Garrett Bennett. A concert of improvisations with piano and drums was performed by Jeffrey Tann Presslaff and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music David Nelson Ph.D. '91 in 1984. The Russell House has also featured world music, including the second annual Graduate Students Concert in 1984.
Experimental music has found a home in The Russell House for 55 years, including the following events:
On February 25, 1960, David Tudor performed an evening of prepared piano music by Christian Wolff and John Cage in The Russell House, including the world premiere of Mr. Cage's "Music for Amplified Toy Pianos."
On December 1, 1991, John Spencer Camp Professor of Music Emeritus Alvin Lucier performed a concert of solo works for voice, piano, and audio oscillator; including "Amplifier and Reflector One" (1991) for open umbrella, roasting pan, and amplified clock; "Music for Snare Drum, Pure Wave Oscillator, and One or More Reflective Surfaces" (1990); "I am Sitting in a Room" (1970) for voice and electromagnetic tape; and "Nothing is Real (Strawberry Fields Forever)" (1990) for piano, amplified teapot, tape recorder, and miniature sound system.
As part of an Experimental Music Mini-Festival in 1993, there was a solo performance of works for voice, electronics, and tape by University Professor of Music, Chair of the Music Department, and Director of the Electronic Music and Recording Studios Ronald Kuivila '77, including "Civil Defenses," "Jocular Static," and "Athabasca."
As part of "Alvin Lucier: Collaborations" in 1994, there was a concert of "Music with Words" with guest poet John Ashbery, including "I am Sitting in a Room" (1970) for voice and electromagnetic tape; selected poems by Mr. Ashbery; and "Theme" (1994) for four speakers with amplified sonorous vessels, featuring music by Mr. Lucier, poem by Mr. Ashbery, and speakers including William Griffin Professor of Philosophy Emeritus Victor Gourevitch, Gertrude Hughes MAT '66, Associate Professor of American Studies Indira Karamcheti, and Benjamin Waite Professor of the English Language Bill Stowe.