In the process of digitizing various old scores, Michael Mantler recently re-acquainted himself with some of his earliest compositions, in particular the material from his classic, ground-breaking 1968 double-album “The Jazz Composer’s Orchestra” which had featured such icons as Cecil Taylor, Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd, Pharoah Sanders, Larry Coryell and Gato Barbieri as “free jazz” soloists within the context of a large jazz orchestra. Only some of these compositions were performed live, in 1969 at the Electric Circus in New York.

Mantler became intrigued anew by this music to envisage performing it again, and during ensuing talks with Christoph Huber of Porgy& Bess (faithful supporter of several of Mantler’s projects in the past), as well as with musical cohort Christoph Cech (who recently conducted a new work by Mantler for the Max Brand Ensemble during INÖK’s Tage der Neuen Musik), The Jazz Composer's Orchestra Update project was born.

The program will include a complete re-working of all the pieces from the album, as well as even older and perhaps new material. The instrumentation of the orchestra will remain basically the same as the original, yet with some additions, such as electric guitar and amplified string quartet, representing Mantler’s musical developments and preferences developed in the course of his compositional career. Therefore, rather than recreating historic performances, Mantler will present new versions performed by an accomplished orchestra of young and versatile musicians accompanying some of today’s most creative soloists.

It is planned to record all performances for an eventual release on Mantler’s label ECM Records.

Additional general information: www.mantlermusic.com

Eintritt: 20.- €, Achtung: begrenzte Sitzplatzkapazität!!