Photo: Michael Jackson

Chicago-based clarinetist/composer James Falzone and his working quartet KLANG will play hometown gigs tonight at Jerry’s Wicker Park and tomorrow night at The Hideout before heading into the studio on Thursday to record their fourth release, Brooklyn Lines, Chicago Spaces.

The band, which features Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone), Jason Roebke (bass) and Tim Daisy (drums), will be presenting all new compositions by Falzone, including pieces commissioned through the 2010 Kickstarter campaign for its previous release, Other Doors (Allos Documents).

Critics have called KLANG’s music “thoughtful and stylish” (Ben Ratliff, New York Times), “so unmistakably right” (Brian Morton, Point of Departure), “adventurous yet accessible” (Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com), “distinct, challenging and pleasurable” (Mark Holston, Jazziz) and “an impressive combination of practiced virtuosity and spontaneous creativity” (The New York City Jazz Record).

“The level of rapport is extraordinary,” adds Cadence reviewer Stuart Kremsky, “and the malleability of each player’s role in the ensemble provides a broader range of instrumental color than you might expect. Great stuff, with more to discover in the music each time around.”

Learn more about James Falzone and KLANG at http://allosmusica.org

Photo: David C. Sampson

In a last minute addition to his schedule, clarinetist/composer James Falzone will perform tomorrow afternoon at Corbett vs. Dempsey Gallery in Chicago.

His 40-minute set, beginning at 2:00 p.m., will feature a condensed version of his solo project, Sighs Too Deep For Words, as well as “Abyss of the Birds”, the solo movement from Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time.

Each is a preview of things to come. Falzone will release a DVD of a full live performance of Sighs Too Deep For Words later this year (check out the preview clip on YouTube), and, as part of an annual tradition, perform the complete Quartet for the End of Time at The Musical Offering in Evanston on March 30th and Covenant Presbyterian Church in Chicago on April 1st.

Learn more at http://allosmusica.org

Photo: Jeff Meacham

In its new profile, posted yesterday, New Music USA’s online publication NewMusicBox explores the breadth of Chicago-based clarinetist/composer James Falzone’s recent work, including his extended solo project Sighs Too Deep For Words, his Arabic-themed Allos Musica Trio and his working jazz quartet KLANG.

The eight-minute video, titled James Falzone—Music Through Other Lenses, includes live performance footage and an exclusive interview.

“James Falzone is not sitting back contentedly watching his star ascend,” writes contributor Devin Hurd in his accompanying article. “As an accomplished performer, composer, improviser, and educator, Falzone pursues a musical vision rooted in the middle ground between the fully notated world of conservatory-trained musicians and the improvisation-based energy of jazz and creative music. It is a territory he explores with an omnivorous appetite for musical influences and aesthetic directions, whether leading his quartet KLANG through a set of contemporary jazz compositions at a late night haunt, directing liturgical music with the Grace Chicago Consort, or composing for orchestra.”

He adds, “It’s that extra layer of consideration informed by experience that goes into creating music that gives the otherwise widely varied musical expressions of James Falzone its unifying quality. It’s what allows him to distill so many different influences into an aesthetic that is identifiably his own, pushing at the boundaries of what music is and might be.”

Falzone’s entire discography is now available digitally (in a variety of formats from MP3 to FLAC) through his label’s new Bandcamp site, including his nearly out of print debut, The Already and the Not Yet.

Learn more about James Falzone and his music at http://allosmusica.org

After a quick detour to New York for APAP|NYC and Winter Jazzfest last week, we’re now officially up and running with our newly expanded client roster for 2012. It is our great pleasure to be serving as the exclusive media contact for these nine musicians and two labels throughout our 10th anniversary year.

Please click on the following links to visit each client’s page on our site for additional information.

AUM Fidelity
Darcy James Argue
Eric Hofbauer
Fay Victor
James Falzone
Jason Stein
Jon Irabagon
Josh Sinton
Mary Halvorson
Myra Melford
Playscape Recordings

For those not familiar with our roster system, this is the third consecutive year we’ll be working with a small group of clients to help them promote all of their performing and recording activities on a per-year basis. This is intended to be a more organic alternative to the traditional one-off system in which individual events or recordings are promoted outside the larger context of one’s overall career. In cases where a venue or label already has a publicity infrastructure in place, we will augment that promotion as appropriate by collaborating with those existing contacts. In short, if at any point you have any questions or requests related to the 11 clients listed above, please direct them to us and we’ll be happy to help.

In the meantime, thank you for your continued support of independent creative improvised music and we look forward to being in touch with you about all the exciting projects our clients are a part of in 2012.

Photo: Michael Jackson

Chicago-based clarinetist/composer James Falzone and his working quartet KLANG will play two local concerts before heading into the studio at Electrical Audio to record their fourth release, tentatively titled Brooklyn Lines, on February 9th. The band, which features Jason Adasiewicz (vibraphone), Jason Roebke (bass) and Tim Daisy (drums), will be presenting all new music composed by Falzone, including pieces commissioned through the 2010 Kickstarter campaign for its previous release, Other Doors (Allos Documents).

Tuesday, February 7th at 9:00 p.m.
KLANG
Jerry’s Wicker Park
1938 W. Division Street in Chicago, IL
http://jerryssandwiches.com

Wednesday, February 8th at 9:30 p.m.
KLANG
The Hideout
1354 W. Wabansia Avenue in Chicago, IL
http://www.hideoutchicago.com/event/86769/

Critics have called KLANG’s music “thoughtful and stylish” (Ben Ratliff, New York Times), “so unmistakably right” (Brian Morton, Point of Departure), “adventurous yet accessible” (Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com), “distinct, challenging and pleasurable” (Mark Holston, Jazziz) and “an impressive combination of practiced virtuosity and spontaneous creativity” (The New York City Jazz Record). “The level of rapport is extraordinary,” adds Cadence reviewer Stuart Kremsky, “and the malleability of each player’s role in the ensemble provides a broader range of instrumental color than you might expect. Great stuff, with more to discover in the music each time around.”

Founded in January 2006 as a one-off ensemble for a now defunct local concert series, KLANG has since become one of Chicago’s most recognizable bands. Made up of four of the city’s busiest bandleader/composers, the group has performed music ranging from original compositions to its innovative tribute to fellow Chicagoan and jazz legend Benny Goodman at prominent venues, series and festivals across the Midwest. The success of its 2011 recording, Other Doors, helped earn Falzone a nomination for Clarinetist Of The Year at the Jazz Journalists Awards, as well as profiles in DownBeat and a half dozen other publications this year.

Learn more about James Falzone and KLANG at http://allosmusica.org

Congratulations to our clients on being recognized by the following 2011 polls and year-end lists!

Darcy James Argue

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Composer (#1)

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Big Band (#2)

DownBeat Readers’ Poll: Big Band (#2)

JazzTimes Readers’ Poll: Best Big Band (#3)

100 Composers Under 40
—NPR in conjunction with WQXR 

Top 10 concerts/gigs in Ottawa
—Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen 

Top 10 Concerts Of The Year (Brooklyn Babylon)
—David R. Adler, New York City Jazz Record

Noteworthy Live Shows This Year (Brooklyn Babylon)
—Ralph A. Miriello, Jazz Journalists Association

AUM Fidelity

Darius Jones

Musicians Of The Year
—The New York City Jazz Record

Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp, Cosmic Lieder (AUM066)

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Francis Davis, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Steve Dollar, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Ed Hazell, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Tim Niland, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Albums For 2011
—S. Victor Aaron, Something Else!

Top 10 New Releases For 2011
—Tim Niland, Music and More 

Top 10 of 2011
—Stanley Zappa, Free Jazz 

Top 30 of 2011
—Andrew Forbes, THIS IS OUR MUSIC.

2011’s Ten Best New Releases
—Alain Drouot, Jazz Journalists Association

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Top 10 Concerts of the Year
—Andrey Henkin, The New York City Jazz Record

Farmers By Nature, Out Of This World’s Distortions (AUM067)

Top 5 Albums of 2011
—Kevin Le Gendre, BBC 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—David Fricke, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Ten New Releases of 2011
—Kevin Le Gendre, Jazzwise 

Top Ten New Releases of 2011
—Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise 

Best New Jazz/Improvised Music Albums of 2011
—Steve Holtje, Culture Catch

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Best Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, AllAboutJazz.com 

David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/WilliamParker/Muhammad Ali, Planetary Unknown (AUM068)

Jazz & Improv A-Z
—The Wire 

Record Of The Year (#34)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Clifford Allen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Larry Birnbaum, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Steve Dollar, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—David Fricke, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Aiden Levy, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Chris Monsen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Bret Saunders, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Ten New Releases of 2011
— Daniel Spicer, Jazzwise 

Top 10 Satisfying CDs of 2011
—Bret Saunders, Denver Post

Top 10 Albums of 2011
—Lawrence Joseph, Montreal Mirror

Best New Jazz/Improvised Music Albums of 2011
—Steve Holtje, Culture Catch

Top 10 of 2011
—Stanley Zappa, Free Jazz 

Best New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com 

Best New Releases of 2011
—Clifford Allen, Ni Kantu 

Top 10 New Releases For 2011
—Tim Niland, Music and More 

Best of 2011
—Antonio Terzo, Jazz Journalists Association 

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Darius Jones Trio, Big Gurl (AUM069)

Albums of the Year
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Record Of The Year (#19)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Larry Birnbaum, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Steve Dollar, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Alain Drouot, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Tad Hendrickson, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Lyn Horton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Chris Monsen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Jeff Stockton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Jazz Albums of 2011
—Shaun Brady, Philadelphia City Paper 

Best New Releases of 2011
—Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com 

Best Releases of 2011
—John Sharpe, AllAboutJazz.com 

Top 10 of 2011
—Guy Peters, Free Jazz 

Top 10 of 2011
—Tony Verstraete, Free Jazz 

Top 10 of 2011
—Lyn Horton, The Paradigm For Beauty

Top 10 New Releases
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Jazz Journalists Association

Top 10 New Releases
—Shaun Brady, Jazz Journalists Association

Top 10 for 2011
—Tad Hendrickson, Jazz Journalists Association

Best of 2011: New Releases
—Luke Stewart, Jazz Journalists Association

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM

David S. Ware, Organica (AUM070)

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Larry Birnbaum, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Jazz Albums of 2011
—Shaun Brady, Philadelphia City Paper 

Best of 2011: Jazz
—Bill Meyer, Dusted 

Best New Jazz/Improvised Music Albums of 2011
—Steve Holtje, Culture Catch

Top 30 of 2011
—Andrew Forbes, THIS IS OUR MUSIC.

Top 10 New Releases
—Shaun Brady, Jazz Journalists Association

James Falzone

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Clarinet (#4)

Great Arts Events I Was At 2011
—Janis Hashe, Chattanooga Pulse

KLANG, Other Doors (Allos Documents)

The year’s best jazz CDs
—Neil Tesser, Examiner.com 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Lyn Horton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Derek Taylor, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM

Albums of the Year: Honorable Mentions
—The New York City Jazz Record

Best of 2011
—Antonio Terzo, Jazz Journalists Association

Top 13 of 2011
—Neil Tesser, Jazz Journalists Association

Mary Halvorson

DownBeat Critics’ Poll: Rising Star Guitar (#1)

Best Guitarist 2011
—Village Voice, Best of New York

100 Composers Under 40
—NPR in conjunction with WQXR 

Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone, Departure Of Reason (Thirsty Ear)

My favorite albums of 2011
—Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader 

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Lyn Horton, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Top Albums for 2011
—Mark Saleski, Something Else!

Top 10 of 2011
—Lyn Horton, The Paradigm For Beauty

Weasel Walter/Mary Halvorson/Peter Evans, Electric Fruit (Thirsty Ear)

Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Alain Drouot, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

2011’s Ten Best New Releases
—Alain Drouot, Jazz Journalists Association

Fay Victor

Other Dimensions In Music featuring Fay Victor, Kaiso Stories (Silkheart)

Vocal Releases of the Year
—The New York City Jazz Record 

Best Vocal Album (#6)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Record Of The Year (#40)
—Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year
—John Szwed, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Ed Hazell, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Robert Iannapollo, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Chris Monsen, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Vocal Release of the Year + Top 10 New Releases of 2011
—Derek Taylor, Rhapsody Jazz Critics’ Poll 

Albums of the Year
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, The New York City Jazz Record

Best of 2011
—Derek Taylor, Dusted

Vocal releases of 2011
—John Szwed, Jazz Journalists Association 

Top 10 New Releases + Vocal releases of 2011
—Laurence Donohue-Greene, Jazz Journalists Association 

Top 10 of 2011
—Guy Peters, Free Jazz

Top 10 of 2011
—Stanley Zappa, Free Jazz

Favourites for 2011
—CKUT 90.3 FM 

Favorite 20 + 3 for 2011
—John Braithwaite, CKUT 90.3 FM 

Photo by Michael Jackson

On Sunday, December 4th, Chicago-based clarinetist/composer James Falzone will perform two hometown gigs with his working quartet, KLANG, featuring vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tim Daisy.

The group will premiere a new book of original music it plans to record next year for the follow-up to its latest release, Other Doors (Allos Documents).

At 4:00 p.m., the band will perform at the Old Town School of Folk Music before heading across town to Hungry Brain for a 10:00 p.m. double-bill with drummer Frank Rosaly’s sextet, Cicada Music, which also features Falzone, Adasiewicz and Roebke.

Critics have called KLANG’s music “immensely impressive” (Brian Morton, Point of Departure), “thoughtful and stylish” (Ben Ratliff, New York Times), “adventurous yet accessible” (Troy Collins, AllAboutJazz.com) and “distinct, challenging and pleasurable” (Mark Holston, Jazziz).

“The level of rapport is extraordinary,” adds Cadence reviewer Stuart Kremsky, “and the malleability of each player’s role in the ensemble provides a broader range of instrumental color than you might expect. Great stuff, with more to discover in the music each time around.”

Falzone, who had a very fruitful year that included the release of two recordings, a Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards nomination for Clarinetist Of The Year and profiles in DownBeat among other publications, will close out 2011 with a December 14th performance at the 914 New Music Festival featuring his other working ensemble, James Falzone’s Allos Musica Trio.

Learn more about James Falzone and his many musical activities at http://allosmusica.org

Another year is almost in the books, which means it’s time for critics and fans alike to start compiling their best-releases-of-the-year lists.

For your reference, here’s a list of our clients’ 2011 recordings.

AUM Fidelity

Darius Jones & Matthew Shipp, Cosmic Lieder
Farmers By Nature, Out Of This World’s Distortions
David S. Ware/Cooper-Moore/William Parker/Muhammad Ali, Planetary Unknown
Darius Jones Trio, Big Gurl (Smell My Dream)
David S. Ware, Organica (solo saxophones, volume 2)

James Falzone

KLANG, Other Doors (Allos Documents)

Mary Halvorson

Weasel Walter/Mary Halvorson/Peter Evans, Electric Fruit (Thirsty Ear)
Mary Halvorson & Jessica Pavone, Departure of Reason (Thirsty Ear)
Taylor Ho Bynum Sextet, Apparent Distance (Firehouse 12 Records)
The Thirteenth Assembly, Station Direct (Important Records)

Eric Hofbauer

Eric Hofbauer & The Infrared Band, LEVEL (Creative Nation Music)

Playscape Recordings

Ted Rosenthal Trio, Out Of This World

Fay Victor

Other Dimensions In Music Featuring Fay Victor, Kaiso Stories (Silkheart)

More news about 2012 releases coming soon!

Photo by David C. Sampson

Chicago-based clarinetist/composer James Falzone has a busy and typically ecelctic week ahead, including a performance and workshop at Southern Illinois University and collaborations with The Merce Cunningham Dance Company and the improvising French music ensemble, Le Bon Vent.

Tonight at 7:00 p.m. at Southern Illinois University’s Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall, Falzone will present Sighs Too Deep For Words, his original work for solo clarinet and electronics, before joining fellow clarinetist Eric Mandat and percussionist Ron Coulter for a series of improvisations.

On Thursday, he’ll reunite with The Merce Cunningham Dance Company for a performance at Notre Dame, where he’ll play John Cage’s “Solo for Bb Clarinet from the Concert for Piano (’57)”.

They’ll repeat that program on Saturday night once Falzone returns from Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he’ll perform with Le Bon Vent at the Michigan Festival of Sacred Music on Friday night at 8:00 p.m.

Learn more about James Falzone and his many genre-spanning activities at http://www.allosmusica.org

Photo: David C. Sampson

Tonight, Chicago-based clarinetist/composer James Falzone will celebrate his 40th birthday with a hometown performance at Comfort Station with his Allos Musica Trio.

The Arabic-themed group, which is gearing up for a week of Midwest/Southeast tour dates in October, features Ronnie Malley (oud and voice) and Tim Mulvenna (hand drums and percussion).

Its set will feature the premiere of a series of new pieces written specifically for its upcoming tour, as well as selections from its 2010 release, Lamentations (Allos Documents).

“The album,” writes the Chicago Reader‘s Peter Margasak, “includes several beautiful original pieces by Falzone—he calls many of them ‘lamentations on time,’ and they meditate on its relentlessness, its mercuriality, or the restless human desire to speed it up. Though the Arabic influence is unmistakable, the music’s emotional clarity and lyrical grace is universal.”

A nominee for Clarinetist of the Year at the 2011 Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards, Falzone been called “a virtuoso and a brilliant strategist” (Michael Jackson, DownBeat), “an articulate and interesting composer” (Jerry D’Souza, AllAboutJazz.com) and “the finest improvising clarinetist in Chicago” (Neil Tesser, Examiner.com).

Learn more about James Falzone and his genre-spanning career, including his latest release, Other Doors (Allos Documents), at http://allosmusica.org