FES ft. Uri Caine

Uri Caine is known for his work on the New York avant garde jazz scene (if you remember his cooperations with John Zorn and Dave Douglas among many others). In the past few years he has risen to popularity, not in the least in Europe, with his adaptations of music by Mahler (‘Uhrlicht’), Bach (‘Goldberg Variations’) and Beethoven (Opus 120). Starting with the basic material of the original pieces, he rewrites them in his own peculiar idiom, rooted in the current New Yorkan “jewish wave” of which he is one of the leading figures. He has recently published a brilliant trio album, ‘Live at The Village Vanguard’ (Winter & Winter, 2004).

At a personal meeting in New York, about two years ago, Uri Caine was intrigued by Peter Vermeersch and his Flat Earth Society. Never having worked with a big band before, FES’ obstinate approach seduced him into forging a complot. Vermeersch and Caine agreed from the start not to be project-minded and pinned to a theme, but to simply walk a portion of the road together, up to the next crossroads. They agreed to do what they always did, each starting from his own biotope. That is: to create music and exchange it.

Existing pieces were newly arranged, embryonic ideas were explored further, finished pieces were mutilated, allowed to mutate and infect each other, nothing restraining the musicians from transforming each other’s material. It was clear that this would result in a varied programme. The vast field between improvisation and set-in-stone scores is open, and the big band is filled with small bands. FES will sound different from before again, and what’s for sure is that this new repertoire will have a clear thread running through it.

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A Slow-up project, coproduced with the Province of East-Flanders and KC Vooruit.

The biggest part of the FES ft Uri Caine repertoire appears on the CD 'Psychoscout'.

PAST TOURDATES

2004
10-11 FES ft Uri Caine - Vooruit, Ghent (BE)
12-11 FES ft Uri Caine - Kaaitheater, Brussels (BE)
13-11 FES ft Uri Caine - De Singel, Antwerp (BE)