I’m really excited about my show with the Bjorkestra 7-piece band at the Blue Note next week (Monday, March 1). In addition to my regular cohorts Becca, Ian, and Yoshi, I also have some great special guests: Rachel Z on piano, Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone, and Clarence Penn on drums. I’m honored to be playing and sharing in this music with these amazing artists.
I’m also excited to present a new arrangement (they’re few and far between these days!) of a Bjork tune. “Crying” from Debut. I’m finding myself more and more gravitating towards Bjork’s earlier material (the last arrangement I wrote was “Come to Me). I feel like I don’t have to do any sort of clever manipulation with the material – everything is already there: clear concise songwriting with beautiful melodies, counter-melodies, cool harmony, and excellent grooves. I’ve tried to write some arrangements for Bjork’s post-Vespertine material, but have had only limited success with that. For this arrangement, the changes I’m making are pretty minimal, it’s almost a straight cover in many respects, but I’m also curious to see how it is going to turn out refracted through the prism of everyone’s influences and abilities.
So come on down and join in on the fun!!