What's New?
Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 4:09PM 
Strange!... auspicious and perhaps a little suspicious. I have made it to Rising Star in the guitar category in the Downbeat Critics Poll. Getting the attention is, as Jeff Albert says in his blog, probably a good thing. Jeff's article puts it well and points out that Aurora Nealand also made it. Congratulations to Aurora, Jeff, and... Me!
Friday, May 20, 2011 at 7:23AM Listen to parts 1,2,3, and 4, of an interview with colorful saxophone/clarinet/accordion/songwriter/electronic music composer, Aurora Nealand. Here...
Also available as a podcast through itunes or the RSS link on this site.
Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 1:15PM Check out the complete recent at the open ears music series performance of Jonathan Freilich & The Peaceful Revolution.
Jonathan Freilich- guitar
Aurora Nealand- Alto/ soprano sax
Dan Oestreicher- Baritone sax
Jeff Albert- Trombone
James Singleton- Bass
Doug garrison- Drums
Featuring all original compositions by Jonathan Freilich
Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 12:21AM Yesterday, the quintet performed on WWOZ for their pledge drive. The group was:
Jonathan Freilich-guitar
Aurora Nealand-alto and soprano sax
Dan Oestreicher- sax
Joe Cabral- bass
Doug Garrison- drums
Energetically speaking, the performance went well; a crazy morning energy. Some precision elements flying out the window, sacrificing themselves for a rapid phoenix-like, burn up to get the energy to carry through the transmitters.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 11:43PM The quintet I'm writing for, Dan Oestreicher, Aurora Nealand, Joe Cabral, Doug Garrison, is doing some recording at Dave Pirner's new home studio. It's a bit of parallel guinea pigging; he's trying to get his new studio up and running while we are trying to troubleshoot arrangements with the slightly new sort of syntax I have been writing in.
The conversation turned to whether we are making a record and, it occurred to me that I don't even know what that means anymore. Dave concurred, "What does that mean anymore." We are, nonetheless, still in there recording amidst the building of a new studio. In this time we definitely are make recordings but not records in the old sense. The purpose is clearly different. We are probably moving towards purposelessness or a much more ephemeral, rapidly evaporating type of purpose. Ironically, both Dave and I were at the tail end of whatever that world was; of course, I believe his recording career was somewhat more successful, but in both cases, in those times, there were contracts for making a product, the record.
Now?...how do you even talk about it? We're sitting there talking about making a record (rabbit ears flying everywhere in the air), producer role (more rabbit ears) etc. Dave came to the good conclusion- that now things really are a labor of love; they have to be, or why would we do it?
I'm enjoying it. the guy is a pleasure to work with. I like the "idea" of Dave as a producer. His hearts in it and there's a lot to be excited about; his studio; talented engineer, George; this talented combo messing around with some unusual sounds in a new format with new ears. Creative possibility and outcome looming.
Looking forward to seeing what happens.
