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05/10 Saturday
11:30 AM Yoga with Caroline Logan
3:00 PM Johnny Carcrash,
the unusual duo of saxophonist Pat Donaher and pianist Jeff Hwaen Ch'uqi, reconvenes at the Lily Pad on Saturday, May 10 . Tapping into a fifteen-year young musical conversation, and the two's very different musical upbringings in classical, jazz and indigenous musics, Johnny Carcrash will perform a set of “instant compositions”, unplanned improvised stuctures that are too tight to be called “free”, and too in the moment to be tunes.
The unusual pairing of American saxophonist Donaher and Peruvian classical pianist Ch'uqi began in 1994 when Jeff was Pat's accompanist at the Eastman School of Music. A close friendship and deep musical relationship began there, and the two started improvising as Johnny Carcrash a couple of years later. The two gave their first concert as Johnny Carcrash (a play on Jeff's name) at the Knitting Factory in New York in 2001, and have since played at many venues in the Boston and New York areas. This is their first duo performance in Boston in nearly five years.
Born near Cuzco, Peru, Hwaen Ch'uqi began his musical studies at the age of five, upon arriving to the United States; he gave his first public recital the following year. He currently holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman, studying
under Natalya Antonova. He quickly distinguished himself as the only pianist to be three times invited as a fellow to the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center. Mr. Ch'uqi has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and improvisor. Most recently, Mr. Ch'uqi was accepted to participate in the Sviatoslav Richter International Piano Competition in Moscow. He will be in Russia in the second half of June, representing his native country.
Donaher’s first CD, On Any Given Day, prompted Cadence Magazine to declare him “…a young talent worth watching”, and he has won as ASCAP Young Jazz Composers' award for his writing. An intense, probing improviser and composer, he is a steady presence on the Boston scene with many varied projects, including the acoustic quintet Lift and the electric No Sale Value. He has performed with such diverse luminaries as Bob Brookmeyer, Bernard Haitink, Benny Carter and Steve Vai.
On Nov 19, 2007, at 12:18 PM, gill aharon wrote:
7:00 PM Tortuga Quartet
Bennett Eiferman-drums
Micah Grossman-guitar
Aaron Jacobs-piano
Nate Mendelsohn-sax