'Ballads' reawakens aftermath of Katrina
Ted Hearne's "Katrina Ballads," was given its world premiere Thursday afternoon to popular response at Circular Congregational Church by the New Music Collective and Yes Is a World.
The texts for the Piccolo Spoleto Spotlight performance are from interviews following Hurricane Katrina — ranging from survivors of the storm to Barbara Bush. They are brought to life by a quartet of singers and 11 instrumentalists, with some sounds electronically altered and enhanced.
Mezzo-soprano Abby Fischer began with "Prelude: Keeping Its Head Above Water," delivered in a near-perfect N'awlins accent. Nathan Koci's horn solo (with electronic enhancement) powerfully evoked "When We Awoke, It Was to That Familiar Phrase: New Orleans Dodged a Bullet."
Baritone Anthony Turner brought me to tears with the lament "Hardy Jackson: 8.30.05." His rich tone was like heavy cream as he sang, "My wife, I can't find her body, she gone."
Tenor Isaiah Robinson shone in the hard-driving "Dennis Hastert: 9.1.05." His voice mounted with intensity to climax at "that place could be bulldozed." The bleak "Bridge to Gretna" featured electric guitarist Taylor Levine and bass clarinetist Eileen Mack.
"Anderson Cooper and Mary Landrieu: 9.1.05" brought together Turner and soprano Allison Semmes, with Turner calm and Semmes giving robotic responses. Only here musical balances went awry, with instrumentation briefly swamping the voices.
Hearne provided the star turn, performing the frenetic "Brownie, You're Doin' a Heck of a Job." This take on President Bush's notorious phrase, taken at top speed, covered the extremes of vocal range.
A bluesy interlude featuring trumpeter Christopher Coletti led to "Barbara Bush: 9.5.05." Fischer had the accent down to perfection.
"Kanye West: 9.2.05" was Robinson in a strong quasi-sermon; the other singers joining in a Chicago gospel-style shout.
Semmes closed with "Ashley Nelson," a gripping meditation from an 18-year-old New Orleans resident that brought me to tears, again.
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jazzkeez (anonymous) says...
The above review of 'Katrina Ballads' doesn't surprise me - Anthony Turner is not only a long-time friend but is one of the best baritones you will hear. I recently heard him out here on the west coast in Oakland and his interpretation of Spirituals was absolutely superb. For those of you unfamiliar, 'Born in the boughs of slavery, the Spiritual soared beyond the confinement of circumstance and lifted a People's vision and aims into freedom's wake. Spirituals, anonymously and corporately composed, form a significant body of folk art songs. The universality of the Black Spiritual resides in its broad scope. The full range of human experience is celebrated from joy to sorrow, despair to hope, from protest to affirmation, with the coping devices of deception and humor.' (quote by Dr. W. Hazaiah Williams, 1987)
Regarding the content of 'Katrina Ballads', my only hope is that the absurdity of the comments made by certain politicians will somehow find their true meaning back to those who spoke them.
In any case, thank you to Ted Hearne for this work and for those who performed it.
June 5, 2007 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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