Skeleton Key Orchestra performances 2003

Nathan Hubbard Skeleton Key Orchestra

Thursday May 29th 2003 Dizzy's

sand, wind and the vast pacific ocean

next love (all things want to fly)

making my way thru it/waiting in vain

(intermission)

sleeping against other warnings (pt. I)

san dieguito river

is that you (earl)?/dogs don't bark at ghosts

Lee Elderton - soprano and alto saxophone, flute
Ellen Weller - flute, clarinet
Jason Robinson - tenor saxophone, bass flute
Ward Baxter - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet, alto flute, conducting
Gabriel Sundy - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Jay Easton - alto and baritone saxophone, bassoon
Isaac Tubb - trumpet, flugelhorn (to bad he never showed up)
Jon Lacy - horn
Steve Vertigan - trombone
Gascia Ouzounian - violin
Al Scholl - electric guitar
Jon Garner - electric guitar
Jarrod Chilton - cello
Paul Holtz - piano
Leah Meadows - harp
Scott Walton - acoustic bass
Joscha Oetz - acoustic bass
Nathan Hubbard - percussion, compositions, conductor
(missing Ty Constant and Justin Grinnell)
Karen Hubbard - photography
Stella Hubbard - paintings

program notes (NMH) - The compositions presented tonight showcase a strange cross-section of my recent work involving medium to large creative music ensembles. The Skeleton Key Orchestra was formed in 2001 with hope for growth and new possibilities. The original version of this group was (basically) a big band with double rhythm section. My early concepts of this medium have changed quite a bit, and trying to lead a creative music large ensemble on the left coast has found to be a trying effort (but well worth it). So tonight we have a band that includes cosmologic, a flute quartet, the arching strings of leah meadows, return to one, the rough hewn tenor of jason robinson, the paul holtz trio, the formidable duo of joscha oetz and scott walton, the singing tone of lee elderton, a string septet and a million other possibilities and personalities. Due to different musical needs and to allow for more steady performances this smaller ensemble has been the core group for the last 8 months. My hope is to have a recording available soon showcasing both this smaller ensemble as well as the larger (22-26 member) group.

The pieces sand, wind... and san dieguito river are from an on going project tentatively entitled the san diego cycle. The cycle is in some ways a decision to come to grips with 27 years on the pacific rim, fourth generation encinitas born, lilse ellis, DPH, harry partch, stella hubbard, douglas campbell and many other people. sand, wind... written december 2002, reorchestrated spring 2003. san dieguito river written december 2002, reorchestrated spring 2003. Angela should be playing this...... Tonight sand, wind... is for phillip wachsmann and catherine hope-jones. Thank you for the best day in san diego in many years... san dieguito river -from the desert to the ocean, over 27 miles for stella. Please see San Dieguito River Park- www.sdrp.com. Sometimes you never notice what's in front of your eyes.

The other compositions loosely fit into two catagories-old or used (sometimes both). making my way/waiting in vain was written for Return To One spring 2002 and has been performed from san diego to seattle. The larger arrangement for SKO allows for my original intentions of a fugue involving four duets, repetition structures to open improvisation, transition to main section with backgrounds and the groove cannon solo section (reorchestrated for two electric guitars and electric bass). No kevin tinkle tonight, but lees solo should make up for that. Tonights performance of sleeping against... will feature only the first section of this extended work. The first sketch for this piece dates summer 2002. Flute quartet, harp, gascia and more... The composition next love was written for a SKO performance in Los Angeles earlier this year. Originally conceived as a vehicle for multiple ensembles interacting on different planes of activity, it has taken shape as a multiple section composition for string octet and double percussion using graphic and traditional notation. For korrie. is that you (earl)? is the oldest piece on the program, dating back to high school and a vicious road trip with Return To One to the Monterey Jazz Competition. This tune loosely documents the fabled ghost Earl who is said to live in the hallway outside my bedroom. You'll have to ask kelly about this one.....From the original trio arrangement to the quartet arrangement RTO has been playing for the last couple years, this piece has seen quite a bit of change. The larger format gives a few more options and possibilities-maybe even teaching an old dog a new trick or two. And a chance to use gabe, steve and isaac...

making my way/waiting in vain and sleeping against other warnings are both for m (someday she will understand) Thank you dutz, rahboat, greg, lou harrison, lee, neil young, 8/8/74 and jason. Special thanks to karen for 5:00am (7:15?), great pictures and understanding

(Concert Review, Curtis Glatter) - SUNDAY 29, DIZZY'S, SAN DIEGO, CA. The evening fierce with nostalgia as I entered Dizzy's in downtown San Diego. The nostalgia came by way of seeing numerous concerts that attracted me enough to remain grounded in San Diego. As I entered the venue, the crowd was friendly and a few were aware of my entrance in the doorway but most of the attention was focused on the stage as onlookers watched dozens of musicians chiding each as they assembled before the audience. There were smiles and laughs tossed around between several musicians and some were practicing their music or running through some scales.

As Nathan Hubbard (composer and conductor for the Skeleton Key Orchestra) ascended the stairs to step foot on the stage, there was a lull in the crowd and the musicians straightened their backs and focused on his gestures. I have heard S.K.O. do some very rambunctious and dissonant music in the past, so it was surprising to hear them begin with the ensemble gliding through "Sand, Wind and the Vast Pacific Ocean". I had also heard the adventurous music of the San Diego based quartets Cosmologic and Return to One (both ensembles that Hubbard performs in) prior to this evening's performance and it appeared that members from both ensembles were gathered to perform the music written by Hubbard. As I sat listening with a smile on my face I began thinking to myself, "This music is MUSIC. Period. No need to slap a label on it." Tonight the idea was presented to me that a "junk percussion" solo was as relevant as a violin solo. I was also excited by the fact that all of the soloists were assertive and soloists also appeared to be democratically represented regardless of their instrument. While listening to "Next Love" and "Making My Way Thru It," it appeared that the compositions were a "statement" about constructing and deconstructing musically notated charts, improvising on themes and constructing tone clusters while retaining tenderness and unapologetic honesty in the music.

After the evenings intermission it seemed to me that Hubbard remained very humble and usually remained behind the drum kit while occasionally stepping to the podium as a part-time conductor. From "Sleeping Against Other Warnings" to "Is that you (Earl)?," Hubbard's signature sound blended a wide range of musical colors, textures and memorable lyrical melodies. The organic growth of Hubbard's compositions did not rely on doubling parts or adding frivolous accents and layers to the delicate melodies and rhythms. Hubbard's music was crafted and his signature was evident from the first note played by the ensemble. Since I had witnessed many Cosmologic and R.T.O. performances in the past, it was refreshing to hear that the orchestral music was more of an evolution of these "smaller group" ideas rather than just an event programmed around common big band charts beefed up from jazz "lead sheets." Hubbard's arching structures and part writing added dense dimensions to his lyrical melodic writing while allowing the music to remain clear and concise. To the experienced listener I think the music also struck a nerve congruent to Anthony Braxton, Pierre Favre and Max Roach. Like Hubbard's predecessors, the compositions took the time to bravely explore the improvisational elements while crossing over from "chamber jazz music" to "avant-noise". The various soloists and improvised duos and trios exhibited their instrumental prowess remaining ever-conscious of each others musical statements by creating "MUSIC."

Although I had seen Hubbard perform in numerous ensembles in the past four years, I think that the Skeleton Key Orchestra took some chances and broke down a few musical boundaries while drawing from a wide range of jazz influences. For example, the members of the ensemble were not afraid to scream through the wind instruments and drummers were not afraid to use their bare hands and that is something rare to see among orchestral musicians. If the listener is brave and has ears brave enough to get around tone clusters and large ensemble improvisations then this music should enter the ears and hearts when (and if) they are willing to listen to a composer wading in an orchestral ocean with percussion mallets, baton, pen and staff paper in hand. * Curtis Glatter/San Diego New Music Newsletter-May 2003

Thursday May 1st 2003 Trummerflora - Spring Reverb - Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Downtown