“The Instant Composer,” this release’s center of gravity, is a tune cycle based on a text I’ve written on the nature of the matter, and why I think the practice is relevant in the current cultural and political climate. In regard to the compositional strategies employed here, I’ve worked with the current version of my graphic notation code “Cookbook”—its syntax updated from earlier renditions of roughly a decade ago.
The four sections of “The Instant Composer” are surrounded by five additional pieces, mostly using conventional notation on staff paper. These were written to create contrast and thus allow for a more diverse set of conceptions. All sheet music for the nine tracks that comprise “The In Side” were created with my friend and master clarinetist Christof Knoche in mind.
Christof and I have a lot in common: originally from Germany and around the same age, we both have been living in New York City for many years. Our artistic paths cross regularly, and we’ve been colleagues in the bands of Karl Berger, Juan Pablo Carletti, Enrique Haneine, Butch Morris and Carolin Pook. Besides, we’ve always enjoyed playing duets together; the cornet and clarinet are lovely companions.
Expertly recorded by David Stoller at Samurai Hotel Recording Studio in Queens, and mixed, mastered and sound designed by the legendary Jon Rosenberg, we sincerely hope you will enjoy “The In Side.” Plus there’s bonus material: in addition to the score of “The Instant Composer” and the (German) text that inspired this work, we have included photos from the recording session and a short video.
Thomas Heberer, New York City, May 26, 2023 (Miles’ birthday!)
Simply amazing to hear a new album with Wadada and Ewart!! ...And Reed rounds out this trio beautifully.
Just gave it my first spin. Absolutely magical. jeffrey maurer
A sonic exploration of the life and thoughts of trees, this is brave and exploratory contemporary classical music and avant-jazz. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 6, 2022
Listening to Unclosing is captivating. I'm never sure what kind of sound will come next, only that it will be precise and I'll hear it with clarity. Crooked Frame is a prime example of how Illegal Crowns punctuate songs with peculiar, unexpected sounds, but it is only one way they are able to do it. The rest of the album ebbs and mostly flows, even with alternating songwriters from track to track. At times though, I wish that what sounds like musical tinkering would break more into a song. rvss.eel