SPALDING'S BOUNCE

AND OTHER CHAMBER WORKS

Ferdinando De Sena

 

OVERVIEW

 

Composer Ferdinando DeSena presents a selection of chamber works offering a mixture of musical elements. DeSena’s distinct musical style draws on all his diverse musical influences including jazz, popular, and classical avant garde. The popular and jazz fingerprints on his music are subtle, but can be found in his instrumentation and instrumental writing; on this album his combinations include the flute, guitar, sax and even harp and electronics to express unique sounds.

 

The title track Spalding’s Bounce, an homage to Esperanza Spalding, presents a modern culmination of transcendental groove-like material that is heavily syncopated, suggesting bebop.

 

Anima Mea, one of several duos on the album, is titled after the beginning of “The Magnificat”, a Latin Marian prayer.  The piece is a tremendous achievement in two-part, free counterpoint; the subtle differences in timbre between the flute and alto saxophone achieving clear, compelling phrases.

 

The versatile role of the guitar is presented in Deceptive Clarity, serving both as a melodic force equal to the flute, and as a reflective swath of jazz, Latin jazz, popular and classical guitar music from the twentieth century.

 

Art Market is structured as a “sextet” for synthesizer.  Beginning with 12-tone equal temperament with Pythagorean harmonics, the resulting nine overtones are synthesized and mixed to create each of the six “voices”.

 

​HIGHLIGHTS

 

De Sena’s music mixtures are influenced from his composition training (University of Miami, Florida), along with his years as a touring pop/rock vocalist and keyboardist in the 1970’s and 80’s

 

Born in Brooklyn, NY, DeSena teaches composition and electronic music at the New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida

 

De Sena’s music has been performed throughout the continental US and in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Argentina, Italy, Ireland and Scotland.  He continues to hold regular performances of his music

 

De Sena performs the electronic sounds on his compositions himself

 

Several pieces were commissioned by performers including Cynthia Cripps of The University of Texas, Christine Nield Capote and Pamela McConnell of University of Miami Florida, and Jorge Gomez Abrante and Rafael Ramirez

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BIOGRAPHIES

 

Ferdinando De Sena is a Miami composer, born in Brooklyn NY. He currently teaches composition and electronic music at the New World School of the Arts in Miami Florida; From 1992-2009 he served on the faculty of the University of Miami School of Music and in 2003 was appointed Director of the Electronic Music program. His music has been performed throughout the continental U.S., Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Argentina, Italy, Ireland, and Scotland.

 

www.desenamusic.org

 

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ALSO ON NAVONA RECORD

 

ONYX (NV6020)

 

 

 

Release Date: August 12, 2016

Catalog #: NV6052

 

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TRACK LISTING

 

 

 

​1  Spalding’s Bounce     Philipp Staeudlin, tenor saxophone; Javier Caballero, cello;     Karolina Rojahn, piano 2  Deceptive Clarity     Diedre Viau, flute; David Ross, guitar 3  Pulsonic Turn     Maria Wozniakiewicz, violin; Rane Moore, clarinet;     Karolina Rojahn, piano 4  Art Market     electronic music 5  Lasting Virtue     Diedre Viau, flute; Peter Sulski, viola 6  Eyes of Resurrection     Julia Okruska, violin; Molly McCaffrey, harp 7  Anima mea     Sarah Brady, flute; Philipp Staeudlin, alto saxophone 8  The Wind From the Fire     Rafael Ramirez, mandolin and mandola;    Jorge Gomez Abrante, guitar

 

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CREDITS

 

Tracks 1-3 & 5-7 recorded February 20-21, 2016

at The Bridge Sound and Stage in Boston MA

Session Producer Andy Happel

Session Engineer Alex Allinson

 

Track 4 all synthesis, audio manipulation and editing, mixing, and production by Ferdinando De Sena

in the desenamusic studio in Miami FL

 

Track 8 recorded April 26-27, 2016

at Sounds Productions in Miami FL

Engineer Lester Carrodegaus

Producers Jorge Gomez and Fred De Sena

 

Editing, Mixing & Mastering Andy Happel

 

Cover Painting Abstract #2 by Johan Gilbert

 

Executive Producer Bob Lord

Executive A&R Sam Renshaw

A&R Brandon MacNeil

Recording Session Manager Matt Konrad

Editing, Mixing & Mastering Andy Happel

Audio Director Jeff LeRoy

Production Engineer Nate Hunter

Art & Production Director Brett Picknell

Graphic Design Ryan Harrison

Marketing Morgan MacLeod