January, 2002 – For Immediate Release :
NEXUS
Bob Becker, Bill Cahn, Robin Engelman, Russell Hartenberger, John Wyre
Performs with Marimba Soloist
Leigh Howard Stevens
on a New NEXUS-Label CD
(“LULLABY” – NEXUS CD # 10612 )
Premiere Recording of Three Major New Works
“LULLABY” contains three new works created especially for NEXUS.
[1] Lullaby for Esmé (1997) by Robin Engelman Time-13:08
Lullaby for Esmé features Bob Becker on solo steel pans. Inspired by a Malagan song, “Duerme, Nino Chiquito” (“Sleep My Little Babe”), upon the birth of the composer’s first grandchild Esmé, and affected by the subsequent death of composer Toru Takemitsu, the work is scored for bass harmonica, waterphone, Tibetan cymbals,Chinese zither, Japanese and Tibetan prayer bowls, thundersheet, marimba, tuned Swiss cowbells, toy piano, Japanese cup bowls, darabuka (middle eastern hand drum), wooden tongue drum, tenor drum, small shaker, and a child’s toy rattle.
[2] Nocturnal (1997) by Jo Kondo Time-15:13
About Nocturnal the composer writes, “the title, Nocturnal has been chosen not only because of the general atmosphere this music presents, but also because night is the time when the border becomes indefinite: borders between things, between categories, and between this world and the other world. This ‘romantic’ implication of the title also reflects to some extent my impression on music of Toru Takemitsu, who is no more with us. He was the best musical friend of NEXUS and myself.
[3] Rosewood Dreaming – A Concerto for Marimba (1997) by William L. Cahn
Featuring Leigh Howard Stevens – Marimba Solo Time – 23:31
Rosewood Dreaming was composed between October 1996 and December 1997 for Leigh Howard Stevens, to whom the composition is dedicated. The three movement work is scored for marimba solo and an ensemble of five percussionists, performing on two marimbas, a vibraphone, six tuned tom toms, two suspended cymbals, a glockenspiel, and a digital sampling keyboard. For this recording Mr. Stevens performs his own original cadenza in the second movement.
CDs by NEXUS
The new compact disc is the 21st recording by NEXUS (including 11 other titles on the NEXUS CD label) now available at record stores.
For More Information, Contact:
NEXUS Records
8740 Wesley Road
Bloomfield, New York 14469
Tel./Fax: (585) 582-2508
Website: www.nexuspercussion.com
U.S. Distribution: Albany Music Distributors – 915 Broadway, Albany, NY 12207
Canadian Distribution: S.R.I. Ltd. – 638 The Kingsway , Unit A, Peterborough, ON Canada K9J 7C8
