IZNIZ RELEASES WAYNE HORVITZ’S SONGBOOK ON DECEMBER 4th
The prolific composer/bandleader curates gems from his celebrated canon in an intimate 11-track program for solo piano
A half-century of provocative work has surely proven Wayne Horvitz to be one of American music’s most singular voices. The Seattle-based bandleader has performed and recorded with a wide swath of his generation’s most vital artists, creating a gorgeous world of sound that enjoys the camaraderie of teamwork while sharing the kind of revelations that come from expert improvisation. Along the way, he’s proven himself to be a deeply compelling composer. Chamber pieces, film scores, funk groups, prog-pop outings, radiant etudes — stylistic breadth is a cornerstone of the Horvitz esthetic. From standing shoulder to shoulder with guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist John Zorn in the heady atmosphere of downtown NYC in the 1980s to mentoring a steady parade of skilled up-and-comers at Seattle’s Royal Room in the 2000s, the man who has participated on more than 100 albums does many things well.
At the request of Izniz founder Toby Dodds, Horvitz now turns to the solo piano realm. Though he’s shared space on solo albums with his wife Robin Holcomb (most recently on Echos At Casa Console) and recorded a terrific set of spontaneously conjured tunes on 11 Improvisations for Piano and Amplified Piano, he hasn’t previously sat alone to document his own fetchingly designed tunes, many of which fans have cherished through decades of ensemble performances. Dodds writes “I’m so happy that Wayne liked the idea of presenting highlights from his career in a solo piano format. To me songs like ‘American Bandstand’, ‘Love, Love, Love’, ‘In One Time and Another’, and ‘After All These Years’ are masterpieces that I’m honored to help shine a light on.”
At the center of Songbook is the poise that has marked Horvitz’s solo efforts from the get-go. Part of that thoughtful bearing comes from the way the music is constructed. On pieces such as “No Blood Relations” and “American Bandstand,” a sturdy architecture bolsters an ethereal rendering. Cheerfully discerning at the age of 70, Horvitz brings a distinct air of refinement to his playing on this date. Moving from “Olympia” to “In One Time and Another,” his touch at the instrument also enhances the album’s wistful atmosphere.
“I’m not classically trained,” says Horvitz with a laugh. “I didn’t get the benefit of that training – I’m not a full-on two-fisted pianist. But we can all feel it when something’s right. I just kept finding the takes where I wasn’t overthinking the process, you know? I’m really happy with how this one came out.”
Pieces written for Robin Holcomb, Carla Bley, Cecil Taylor, an old flame, and a dear friend who passed far too early are energized by a poignancy that’s long been part of the pianist’s sound. Here, his rendering of dramatic moments arrives with the simplest phrases, giving them a stealth impact that in some ways has become a Horvitz calling card. The candor of Songbook reveals a wealth of emotions, reiterating the notion that intimacy can magnify almost everything.
CAREER AT A GLANCE
In a career starting in the late 1970s, Wayne Horvitz has led the Gravitas Quartet, Sweeter Than the Day, Zony Mash, Pigpen, The Four plus One Ensemble and co-founder of the New York Composers Orchestra. He has performed and collaborated with Bill Frisell, Butch Morris, John Zorn, Robin Holcomb, Fred Frith, Julian Priester, Philip Wilson, Michael Shrieve and Carla Bley, among others. He has been commissioned by the NEA, Meet the Composer, Kronos String Quartet, Seattle Chamber Players, Mary Flagler, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Earshot Jazz and others. Collaborations with choreographers include work with Paul Taylor with the White Oak Dance Project, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, and Crispin Spaeth. Film work includes music and sound design for three PBS specials and Gus Van Sant’s ‘Psycho’.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
OR TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW PLEASE
CONTACT TOBY DODDS, toby@dodds.org, 202-365-3746.