December is glowing: Hanukah candles, Christmas trees, Kwanzaa lights, Solstice and New Year preparations. Gifts and music are a major part of the celebrations and it has me thinking about the gifted artists in NEXUS and their offerings, ranging from choral to kids.
Following our blog post about Michael Craden‘s cover art on the NEXUS recording Garden of Sounds (with Richard Stoltzman), we heard from Nick Moreau at the Art Gallery of Peel here in Canada in downtown Brampton, Ontario. The Art Gallery has a Michael Craden work in its permanent collection.
Almost exactly 21 years ago, on November 13, 1989, NEXUS performed at the the “NEXUS Now” CD. Also on the WNYC broadcast is Wendy Mae Chambers’ “Night of the Shooting Stars,” (a tone poem for 16 percussionists inspired by The Leonids meteor shower), that features Jack-in-the Boxes, key chains, conch shells, sleigh bells, and slide… Read more »
Garry recently posted on YouTube three excerpts from a concert called Super Percussion, presented as part of the Tokyo Music Joy festival in 1988. It was the fourth annual Music Joy festival, produced by Toru Takemitsu and Koinuma Music, and sponsored by the Seibu-Saison Group in Tokyo. The four-day festival was organized around a jazz… Read more »
NEXUS performs “Kpanlogo” at Tokyo Music Joy concert in 1988, with Abraham Adzenyah on congas, Steve Gadd on drumset and Samul Nori from Korea.
NEXUS performs Steve Gadd’s “Duke’s Lullaby” at Tokyo Music Joy concert in 1988, with Steve Gadd on drumset and Abraham Adzenyah on congas.
NEXUS performs Bob Becker’s “Palta” at Tokyo Music Joy concert in 1988, with Steve Gadd on drumset.
Here is a lovely review by Gene Tyranny that Bob Becker has discovered on the Midomi site (visit it here to read the original). The review is undated, but provides a most sensitive description of NEXUS’ signature work, Toru Takemitsu’s From me flows what you call Time… Performed by the percussion group Nexus, and the… Read more »
The NEXUS CD Rune features three major works commissioned by and composed for NEXUS by award-winning Canadian composers John Hawkins, James Tenney and Bruce Mather. It also features cover art by Regan Morris: two works entitled Lightning and Lightning #2.
Michael Craden was a founding member of NEXUS. In addition to his skills as a musician, Michael was a gifted sculptor and painter with showings in Los Angeles and Toronto.
NEXUS is celebrating the beginning of its 40th season on Saturday, May 22nd when the group turns 39! Having ushered in their anniversary season with a sold-out concert introducing their new commission from Steve Reich, NEXUS is looking forward to appearances in Toronto, Minnesota, Japan, Europe, New York State, Texas, Virginia and points west. It’s… Read more »
The now-out-of-print LP entitled Music of NEXUS
Tonight’s concert at Koerner Hall with NEXUS, Steve Reich, Ryan Scott, Greg Oh, Simon Docking, David Occhipinti, James Brown and Roberto Occhipinti, was SO amazing! There was excitement, complexity, simplicity, anticipation, all sorts of unexpected delights:
The serene cover art for the NEXUS album out of the blue is in keeping with what Swiss drum-set artist here.) In out of the blue‘s booklet, Hauser says, “Improvising with NEXUS is like having 10 extra arms and ears and being surrounded by about 150 years of musical experience …I heard NEXUS in… Read more »
In 2008 NEXUS performed at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival. Incredibly, this was NEXUS’ first time at the OCMF. They gave three different performances: one in a late-night “after-hours” venue, the second a formal evening solo concert, and the third an afternoon educational concert at the Museum of Civilization. Here is an interesting article and… Read more »
