Tag Archives: Philip Glass

Imagine if Philip Glass had produced The Feelies’ first album

Posted on July 7, 2016 | Leave a comment

The Feelies celebrate their 40th anniversary at The Woodland in Maplewood, New Jersey. (Copyright 2016, Steven P. Marsh/www.willyoumissme.com)

The Feelies celebrate their 40th anniversary at The Woodland in Maplewood, New Jersey. (Copyright 2016, Steven P. Marsh/www.willyoumissme.com)

The Feelies co-founder Bill Million reminds us of an obscure fact about negotiations for the iconic New Jersey band’s first album, “Crazy Rhythms,” that could have changed its history:

“We turned down a lot of major labels because they wanted to bring in a producer to work with us. One of ’em was Philip Glass, and Glenn and I went to meet him. After a while he looked at us and said, ‘Well, you guys sound like you know exactly what you want, you don’t need me.’ So it was cool meeting Philip Glass.”

The band was influenced by the drones and repetition of the musical Minimalists on the scene at the time, 40 years ago, with Glass and Steve Reich at the top of the list. But imagine what having Glass himself behind the board could have done to the songs of Million and co-founder Glenn Mercer.

It’s great to learn that Glass recognized their talents and declined to get in their way.

GO HERE to read the full Flood interview. 

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Posted in Concerts, Music, News, Pop and Rock

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A bright, musical — and FREE — way to end a dull, gray Tuesday

Posted on October 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

Miller Theatre’s Pop-Up Concerts are back

Ugh. It’s pretty grim to realize it’s only Tuesday. And what a nasty Tuesday it has turned out to be.

But there’s something happening tonight that’ll put a drink in your hand, a smile on your face and send you back out into the world with a head full of music: Pop-Up Concerts at Columbia University’s Miller Theatre.

And it won’t cost you a dime.

Here’s the deal: One Tuesday a month, this very cool program takes over the theater for a quick, casual get-together that ends in a very cool concert. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Grab a free drink (thanks to Harlem Brewing Co.) when you get there, and hang out with fellow music lovers until the show starts at 6.

Tonight’s program is Minimalism’s Evolution. Sure, it sounds a little heady, maybe even academic. This is happening on an Ivy League campus, after all. But this series isn’t like any college course you might remember. Pop-Up Concerts let you get up close and personal with the artists in an informal performance that lasts just an hour.

Be sure to save the dates of the next two installments of Pop-Up Concerts: Nov. 13 of 120 Years of Solo Piano and Dec. 11 for John Zorn for Strings.

Tonight you’ll get three members of the awesome Ensemble Signal: Courtney Orlando on violin, Lauren Radnofsky on cello and Paul Coleman on sound.

Read on for the full program and all the details you need to get there. Continue reading →

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Posted in Concerts, Contemporary, Contemporary Classical, Free, Music, News

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Signal plays Philip Glass

Posted on April 15, 2010 | Leave a comment

Brad Lubman conducts Signal with Michael Riesman. (Photos copyright 2010, Steven P. Marsh)

Signal, the stunning young contemporary chamber ensemble, did a great job performing some of the works of Philip Glass at Manhattan’s (Le) Poisson Rouge on Sunday evening. They gave the New York premiere of Glassworks, the 1981 suite that in a recorded version became ubiquitous to the point of absurdity in its day as it seemed to be on everyone’s cassette Walkman during that time. Other works performed included Music in Similar Motion and selections from the opera La Belle et la Bête and Anima Mundi.

Michael Riesman, longtime keyboardist and musical director for the Philip Glass Ensemble joined Signal for Sunday’s two shows, and made new arrangements of some of the works.

Sadly, Glass himself did not show up for the early show, which many fans hoped would happen. But the heavy-lidded senior statesmen of minimalism did make it to the second set, to the apparent delight of that audience.

More photos after the jump. Continue reading →

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Posted in Concerts, Contemporary, Music, News, Opera

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In C turns 45 — and the party’s tonight!

Posted on April 24, 2009 | Leave a comment
Terry Riley

Terry Riley

In C changed musical history. Composer Terry Riley so influenced The Who’s Pete Townsend so deeply that he titled his highly experimental rock classic Baba O’Riley came from a mashup of the names of Riley and Indian mystic Meher Baba.

Riley’s heavily-improvised work had a profound impact not just on Townsend, but on a generation of musicians including John Adams, Morton Subotnick, Philip Glass and Steve Reich.

At 8 tonight, Riley celebrates the work’s 45th anniversary at Carnegie Hall in a performance the brings together the original performers and a host of guests — including Kronos Quartet, rocker Dan Zanes, and One Ring Zero co-conspirator Michael Hearst. Some tickets are still available. Click here for more information.

Riley, who is 73 years old, remains quite active performing and composing. But tonight’s show will be a rare opportunity to hear In C performed by the musicians who were there at the beginning along with many whose lives were changed by the piece.

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