Patrick Zimmerli - New York composer of contemporary classical and jazz music

<body bgcolor="#15384B" text="#A4A194" link="#15384B" vlink="#15384B" alink="#15384B"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" height="100%"> <tr> <td align="center" valign="middle"> <a href="http://www.patrickzimmerli.com/" target="_parent" style="text-decoration:none;"><img src="images/logo_indexbottom.gif" alt="Patrick Zimmerli, Composer, Logo"></a><br><br> <font size="-1">Please enable frames in your<br>browser options and click the<br>above logo to re-enter.<br></font> <br> <div style="width:100%;height:10px;overflow:hidden;"> <font color="#15384B" size="-1"> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> March 10, 2004 TBA Metamorphosen New York Overture (2003) March 2004 Tannery, Upstate NY Mike Mermagen, Scott Yoo, John Novacek Piano Trio #1 (2002) April 16, 2004 Jordan Hall, Boston Metamorphosen Movements for Chamber Orchestra July 2004 Seattle Chamber Music Festival Scott Yoo et al Piano Trio #2 (2003) World Premiere </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano (2002) Premiere Performance, January 2003, at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, Nordstrom Hall SCOTT YOO Violin, BION TSANG Cello, JOEL FAN Piano I. Allegro mp3 real audio first theme, transition II. Semplice mp3 real audio first half III. Energico mp3 real audio first and second theme IV. Molto Rubato-Largo-Presto mp3 real audio final presto section </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Concerto No. 2 for Piano, String Orchestra and Percussion (2001) Premiere Performance, March 2002, Jordan Hall, Boston SONIA RUBINSKY Piano, SATOSHI TAKEISHI Percussion Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, SCOTT YOO Conductor I. Exuberant mp3 real audio first theme group mp3 real audio second theme group II. Tribal mp3 real audio piano improvisation III. Andante mp3 real audio opening theme IV. Con Fuoco mp3 real audio first theme group </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Concerto No. 1 for Piano, String Orchestra and Percussion (1997-99) Premiere Performance, April 2000, Jordan Hall, Boston ETHAN IVERSON Piano, SATOSHI TAKEISHI Percussion Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, SCOTT YOO Conductor I. Allegro mp3 real audio piano entrance, second theme (x2), beginning of bridge II. Maestoso mp3 real audio end of C theme, retransition recapitulation and coda III. Ritmico mp3 real audio piano solo, transition chorale and coda </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Phoenix (2004) Phoenix' debut album, released by Songlines Recordings PATRICK ZIMMERLI Composer & Soprano Saxophone SCOTT YOO Violin I, YOON-KYUNG KWON Violin II MAURYCY BANASZEK Viola, INBAL SEGEV Violoncello KEVIN HAYS Piano, TSUTOMU TAKEISHI Fretless Electric Bass SATOSHI TAKEISHI Percussion, Drum Programming & Electronics I. M (background clip for website) II. Away From You mp3 real audio III. Wunderlichen Städt mp3 real audio IV. How Insensitive mp3 real audio V. Clouds and Machines mp3 real audio VI. The Bird Dances mp3 real audio VII. Breath mp3 real audio VIII. M mp3 real audio IX. Feel mp3 real audio X. Gnosis Crisis mp3 real audio XI. Only Surround mp3 real audio XII. Summer Passes mp3 real audio XIII. M </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> The Book of Hours (2002) Album released by Songlines Recordings Composed for and performed by Octurn BO VAN DER WERF Baritone Saxophone & Leader PATRICK ZIMMERLI Soprano Saxophone BEN MONDER Guitar REVIEWS PURCHASE I. Dawn mp3 real audio introduction II. Interlude (Duet) III. Morning IV. Interlude (Trio) V. Noon VI. Interlude (Quartet) VII. Afternoon VIII. Dusk mp3 real audio head to beginning of trombone solo IX. Interlude (Sextet) mp3 real audio two fugal expositions and episodes X. Night mp3 real audio motto and main theme XI. Sleep mp3 real audio beginning of saxophone solo </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Expansion (2000) Album released by Songlines Recordings PATRICK ZIMMERLI Tenor Saxophone BEN MONDER Guitar STOMU TAKEISHI Fretless Electric Bass SATOSHI TAKEISHI Percussion REVIEWS PURCHASE I. Sand (1994) mp3 real audio head II. Evidence THE ELEMENTS SUITE III. Fire/Earth mp3 real audio beginning of saxophone solo IV. Air V. Water mp3 real audio first A section VI. Invitation mp3 real audio head </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Opius: From the Collection (1999) Unreleased collection featuring PATRICK ZIMMERLI Soprano Saxophone, PETER NASHEL Synthesizers & Drum Programming, BEN MONDER Guitar, SCOTT COLLEY Bass, SATOSHI TAKEISHI Percussion. The pieces were composed with the idea of sampling snippets of classical/contemporary music and then writing new pieces around them, with modern beats and improvisation. "Junction" incorporates a sample from Milton Babbitt's "Beaten Paths" for solo Marimba. "Vox Luminae" incorporates a sample of the Hilliard Ensemble singing "Lassus". I. Placid II. Vox Luminae mp3 real audio soprano saxophone solo, beginning of guitar solo III. Junction mp3 real audio head, breaks </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Twelve Sacred Dances (1998) Album released by Arabesque Recordings PATRICK ZIMMERLI Tenor Saxophone ETHAN IVERSON Piano REID ANDERSON Bass JOHN HOLLENBECK Drums, Percussion & Marimba REVIEWS PURCHASE I. The Tenor Alone II. Introit III. Submersion I mp3 real audio head IV. Fragment A V. Introit II (Piano Solo) VI. Submersion II VII. Anaptyxis VIII. Introit III (Tenor Solo) IX. Fragment B X. Submersion III XI. Epenthesis mp3 real audio head XII. Finale </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Explosion (1995) Album released by Songlines Recordings PATRICK ZIMMERLI Tenor Saxophone BEN MONDER Guitar STOMU TAKEISHI Fretless Electric Bass SATOSHI TAKEISHI Percussion REVIEWS PURCHASE I. Hemispheres II. Where Have I mp3 real audio A, A', and B sections, fades at beginning of last A III. Arc IV. Don't Stop V. Rings mp3 real audio introductory duet, beginning of head VI. Seven Steps to Heaven mp3 real audio head, tenor solo VII. Where or When mp3 real audio end of solo, tenor intro, head </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> Shores Against Silence (June 1992) Unreleased album featuring PATRICK ZIMMERLI Tenor Saxophone, KEVIN HAYS Piano, LARRY GRENADIER Bass, TOM RAINEY Drums. Track I is based on Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing If it Ain't Got That Swing". Track II won the Thelonious Monk Composers' competition, and was performed at the Kennedy Center in 1993. I. Hephaestus mp3 real audio head, tenor solo II. The Paw mp3 real audio head III. Three Dreams of Repose mp3 real audio tenor solo IV. Athena V. Conceptualysis mp3 real audio head VI. Soft Blues mp3 real audio head, tenor solo </p> <p>Patrick Zimmerli is the renowned New York contemporary classical and jazz composer of contemporary classical music and contemporary jazz music. He has released multiple albums with two major record labels of contemporary jazz music and contemporary classical music - Songlines Recordings and Arabesque Recordings - including Phoenix, The Book of Hours, Twelve Sacred Dances, Explosion and Expansion. He composes for the Boston chamber orchestra Metamorphosen, has worked with such musical talents and musicians such as guitarist Ben Monder, conductor Scott Yoo, electronic percussionist Satoshi Takeishi and his fretless electric bass-playing brother Tsutomu Takeishi. Patrick Zimmerli is also a skilled New York saxophonist, leading the band members and orchestras who take on his complex and intellectually challenging pieces. Patrick Zimmerli makes great New York contemporary jazz music, great New York contemporary classical music, and is at the top of his game as an important New York composer.</p> <p> <a name="bookofhours"></a> <h2>Praise for <span class="i">The Book of Hours</span> (2002)</h2> <table class="album" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="cover"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onClick="MM_openBrWindow('../listen_jazz/images/bookofhours_cover_big.jpg','bookofhours','menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=415,height=420')"><img src="../listen_jazz/images/bookofhours_cover_small.jpg" alt="Book of Hours Cover"></a></td> <td class="words"> Album released by Songlines Recordings<br> Composed for and performed by Octurn<br> Bo Van der Werf <span class="i">Baritone Saxophone & Leader</span><br> Patrick Zimmerli <span class="i">Soprano Saxophone</span><br> Ben Monder <span class="i">Guest Soloist on Guitar</span><br> <span class="launch"><a href="../listen_jazz/index.html#thebookofhours" target="content">LISTEN</a>    <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006LSM6/qid=1071182525/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/103-5791242-3641436?v=glance&s=music" target="_blank">PURCHASE</a></span> </td> </tr> </table> <p class="p1" style="padding-top: 10px;">from Hot Box reviews in <a href="http://www.downbeat.com/" target="_blank">Down Beat Magazine</a>, March 2003:</p> <p class="reviews170">"...an impressive accomplishment....Whether from the point of view of Zimmerli's compositions, which are complex and rich especially in terms of rhythm, or the high quality of the performances, which must have been an absolute bear given such tricky material, <span class="i">The Book of Hours</span> is a mighty success...[Zimmerli's] a composer with an outstanding ear for layers and a personal way of creating transformations within a given piece, and he's an excellent soprano saxophonist."  John Corbett </p> <p class="reviews170">"...intriguing, often quirky strokes of modernistic composition..."  John McDonough</p> <p class="reviews170">"Impressive stuff."  Jim Macnie</p> <p class="reviews170">"Fresh writing couples with strong ensemble work from saxophonist Zimmerli. Each song, much like the one that precedes it, is a marvel of group cohesion..."  John Ephland</p> <p class="reviews150">"A superior exercise in chamber jazz...Moving faultlessly through a variety of time signatures, harmonies, melodies and compositional colors, the band members play their parts seemingly without a note out of place...Zimmerli has taken the outlines of a pious ceremony and used compositional alchemy to make the multi-movement suite both secular and energetic..."  Jeff Kaiser, <a href="http://www.jazzweekly.com/" target="_blank">Jazz Weekly</a></p> <p class="reviews150">"...the album presents music of great beauty and melodicism; Zimmerli employs often bright and crisp colors and textures (fully realized here by the ten likeminded musicians of Octurn), and there is also a warmth that suggests the post-Gil Evans approaches of a composer like Maria Schneider. In short, <span class="i">The Book of Hours</span> is engaging and accessible throughout...listeners with a non-traditional streak should find favor in the polyphonic complexity of Zimmerli's scores, which avoid the typical head-solos-head structures of much conventional jazz (the canon-like "Interlude" segments have a particularly strong classical influence, beginning in duet form and adding instruments cumulatively during trio, quartet, and sextet iterations interspersed among the other album tracks). Thematic material (signifying the many moods of a passing day) is stated and restated in variation as soloists enter and exit against an always surprising and involving backdrop - this is music that could keep even the most dedicated avant-gardist on his or her toes with its constantly evolving permutations...Zimmerli's music can be bold, energetic, and propulsive ("Night"), yet it often maintains a subtle and understated quality; even the seemingly highly improvised dialogue between baritone saxophone and percussion on "Noon" suggests a conversation rather than a shouting match. As for Zimmerli the saxophonist, his soprano solo on the lovely "Sleep" that concludes the disc is a thing of true beauty and one of the album's most striking improvisational moments, even as the piece tends to calm rather than excite the listener's heart..."  Dave Lynch, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/" target="_blank">AllAboutJazz</a></p> <p class="reviews150">"...the writing here is strong and performed warmly with soft, rich and elegantly flowing harmonies. Monder plays exquisite acoustic guitar with the dreamy horns swirling around and the subtle percussion chattering eloquently. This is superb chamber-jazz and obviously a great deal of work went into the composing of this warm, intriguing and well performed ensemble music...There is a stream of great solos from many of the fine musicians here...The interlude sections do a fine job of balancing the flow of the more dense sections, by streamlining and adding suspense as the interludes increase in the number of players involved. What is wonderful about this entire 56 minute suite is that it is adventurous throughout, without getting too dark or disturbing. Rather Zappa-like, especially the percussion, in its complexities without the angst or unnecessary humor."  <a href="http://www.dtmgallery.com/Main/" target="_blank">Downtown Music Gallery</a></p> <a name="expansion"></a> <h2>Praise for <span class="i">Expansion</span> (2000)</h2> <table class="album" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="cover"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onClick="MM_openBrWindow('../listen_jazz/images/expansion_cover_big.jpg','expansion','menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=415,height=420')"><img src="../listen_jazz/images/expansion_cover_small.jpg" alt="Expansion Cover"></a></td> <td class="words"> Album released by Songlines Recordings<br> Patrick Zimmerli <span class="i">Tenor Saxophone</span><br> Ben Monder <span class="i">Guitar</span><br> Stomu Takeishi <span class="i">Fretless Electric Bass</span><br> Satoshi Takeishi <span class="i">Percussion</span><br> <span class="launch"><a href="../listen_jazz/index.html#expansion" target="content">LISTEN</a>    <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004TKG6/qid=1071182206/sr=8-5/ref=sr_8_5/103-5791242-3641436?v=glance&s=music&n=507846" target="_blank">PURCHASE</a></span> </td> </tr> </table> <p class="p1">"Zimmerli writes a catchy tune…He's very much within the current school of American free jazzers who swap fearsome complexity for a degree of accessibility to a non-specialist crowd… the intention seems to be to couch this undeniably difficult stuff in the language of the neo hard bop one hears everywhere these days passed off as new jazz. His peers in this quartet help reinforce this, giving Zimmerli an interesting, unusual setting for his prowling tenor, a setting which is generally pulsed and structured by a different kind of jazz than that which informs a Charles Gayle quartet, for example. While many (musings) readers will prefer Gayle's approach, most jazz fans won't, and Zimmerli's real talent is to make a music which radio stations might play and the public at large might actually get into."  Richard Cochrane, <a href="http://www.geocities.com/" target="_blank">Geocities</a></p> <p class="reviews150">"...Zimmerli is one of an increasing number of jazz players who are breaking down traditional barriers with contemporary classical music...The intriguing "Sand" is additionally inspired by Hindustani classical music and the Japanese Gagaku. "The Elements Suite" is kaleidoscopic and jazzier, with Ben Monder's fluid guitar lines a vital element. The original compositions are demanding listening in comparison to two delightfully refreshing interpretations of jazz standards - Thelonious Monk's "Evidence", itself based on "Just You, Just Me", and Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation". Here, Stomu Takeishi's fretless electric bass provides the propulsion and Satoshi Takeishi offers enchantingly oblique percussion rather than trap drums. I'd love to hear an entire album of standards by this band. Another challenging and impressive production from the Songlines label."  Andy Hamilton, <span class="i">Classic CD</span></p> <p class="reviews150">"A 1993 winner of jazz' prestigious BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute Composer's Competition, saxophonist/composer Patrick Zimmerli's 2000 release, titled <span class="i">Expansion</span>, represents the artist's third recording as a leader and signifies his penchant for combining multifarious musical elements with poignant, breezy themes amid wavering rhythms and engaging group dialogue. A distinct sense of flotation prevails yet Zimmerli, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Stomu Takeishi and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi are quite adept at melding fragmented motifs into comprehensive statements that intertwine and redevelop into climactic opuses featuring Zimmerli's extended notes and richly melodic lyricism. Throughout, guitarist Ben Monder counterbalances the saxophonist with deft single note leads and subtle chord voicings while the Takeishi Brothers provide the predominately linear underpinnings. However, the saxophonist employs a shift in strategy as he turns in a softly stated and stunningly beautiful rendition of the time-honored standard, "Invitation". With photos of our expanding universe gracing the CD liners, the Patrick Zimmerli Ensemble achieves the desired or perhaps implied effect of defying time and space while performing with quiet fire and blithe spirit along with a relaxed sense of urgency. Zimmerli's impressionistic dreamscapes amid the band's heated flurries and circuitous discourses signify a mark of invention while the saxophonist pursues a sound and style that is clearly his own!"  Glenn Astarita, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/" target="_blank">AllAboutJazz</a></p> <p class="reviews150">"...Like <span class="i">Explosion</span> (1995) the quartet clarifies their approach with the familiar. On <span class="i">Explosion</span> they covered Miles Davis' "Seven Steps To Heaven," here it is Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and the classic "Invitation." They cover Monk much like Kahil El' Zabar's Ethnic Heritage (percussion) Ensemble would, except for the percussion part! Satoshi Takeishi's stripped-down drumset includes a traditional Japanese taiko drum and minimal cymbals. He approaches rhythm as an equal to the horn, guitar and bass. His hand drumming on "Evidence" doesn't keep time as much as it honors it. The quartet plays as if the songs are given and their role is simply to fill in the color and shading...Guided by world, classical, and a post-Coltrane vision, Zimmerli's saxophone plays a layering game. Solos are contextual not grandstanding. His playing, like his writing and sense of time, relies upon length, blossoming and resignation."  Mark Corroto, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/" target="_blank">AllAboutJazz</a></p> <p class="reviews150">"...Throughout this record Zimmerli and his associates bring advanced performing skills and great intelligence to bear on the interpretive challenge he sets, producing highly polished, exciting, unique music that suggests new creative directions beyond labels."  <a href="http://www.vergemusic.com/old/0800.htm" target="_blank">Verge Music Distribution</a></p> <a name="twelvesacreddances"></a> <h2>Praise for <span class="i">Twelve Sacred Dances</span> (1998)</h2> <table class="album" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="cover"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onClick="MM_openBrWindow('../listen_jazz/images/twelvesacreddances_cover_big.jpg','twelvesacreddances','menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=415,height=420')"><img src="../listen_jazz/images/twelvesacreddances_cover_small.jpg" alt="Twelve Sacred Dances Cover"></a></td> <td class="words"> Album released by Arabesque Recordings<br> Patrick Zimmerli <span class="i">Tenor Saxophone</span><br> Ethan Iverson <span class="i">Piano</span><br> Reid Anderson <span class="i">Bass</span><br> John Hollenbeck <span class="i">Drums, Percussion & Marimba</span><br> <span class="launch"><a href="../listen_jazz/index.html#twelvesacreddances" target="content">LISTEN</a>    <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000AGDK/qid=1071182206/sr=8-4/ref=sr_8_4/103-5791242-3641436?v=glance&s=music&n=507846" target="_blank">PURCHASE</a></span> </td> </tr> </table> <p class="p1">"The world of free jazz includes a lot of territory, from chordless bop to textural soundscaping to deconstructionist posing, but it is still unusual to hear an artist stake out an area that seems completely unlike something you've heard before. Zimmerli does this by an original synthesis that draws on general elements of mid-century serial music without worrying with the impossibly demanding structures of the post-Webernites. He uses the most attractive aspects of the modernists' work - freely atonal melody and the concern with space and color - very effectively, and his group's creation is much easier to approach than poeple like Boulez. Pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and percussionist (in the broadest sense) John Hollenbeck are very impressive players, and Zimmerli has found his own way to add to the post-Coltrane tenor lexicon. At a time when real originality is rare, Zimmerli is a boy to watch."  Duck Baker, <a href="http://jazztimes.com/" target="_blank">JazzTimes Magazine</a></p> <p class="p1">"A gutsy move by a little-known tenor player. Patrick Zimmerli went into the 1996 recording date that culminated in <span class="i">Twelve Sacred Dances</span> after months of preparation, and you can see why. Zimmerli's devotion to the structure of the album is almost mathematical, to the point that even he makes reference to "the organization of bodies into a moving geometry of form" in the accompanying notes...Zimmerli's "The Tenor Alone" is a delight. He doesn't just run fingering exercises, but mounts a swooping, unpredictable, thoroughly assured exhibit. Much the same goes for his single-handed shepherding of the trio through the dramatic "Anaptyxis," and it whets this listener's appetite for more of Zimmerli's robust sound and adventurous flair."  Jeff Morris <a name="explosion"></a> <h2>Praise for <span class="i">Explosion</span> (1995)</h2> <table class="album" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="cover"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onClick="MM_openBrWindow('../listen_jazz/images/explosion_cover_big.jpg','expansion','menubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,width=415,height=420')"><img src="../listen_jazz/images/explosion_cover_small.jpg" alt="Explosion Cover"></a></td> <td class="words"> Album released by Songlines Recordings<br> Patrick Zimmerli <span class="i">Tenor Saxophone</span><br> Ben Monder <span class="i">Guitar</span><br> Stomu Takeishi <span class="i">Fretless Electric Bass</span><br> Satoshi Takeishi <span class="i">Percussion</span><br> <span class="launch"><a href="../listen_jazz/index.html#explosion" target="content">LISTEN</a>    <a href="http://www.omnitone.com/store/711508.htm" target="_blank">PURCHASE</a></span> </td> </tr> </table> <p class="p1">"Patrick Zimmerli is a young tenorman looking in a different direction, expanding on modernist concepts initiated by the late Warne Marsh, and, by extension, Anthony Braxton. On <span class="i">Explosion</span>, he insinuates melodic shapes that teeter on the brink of atonality without sounding clinical or dispassionate. Zimmerli may caress a theme with acidic intervals ("Where Have I") or flit from pitch to labyrinthine pitch ("Rings"), but never overreaches himself. The quartet doesn't play totally free, but devises well-crafted tunes of ambiguous harmony and surprising details. Guitarist Ben Monder's reverb-drenched, Frisell-like chording cushions Zimmerli's sharp angles, and Stomu and Satoshi Takeishi make for a sensitive rhythm team - especially Satoshi's carefully pitched percussion..."  Art Lange, <a href="http://www.towerrecords.com/epulse/" target="_blank">Pulse!</a></p> <p class="reviews150">"What makes this debut recording so interesting is the way in which composer and tenor saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli incorporates an entirely unique compositional aesthetic. Joined only by electric guitarist Ben Monder, electric bassist Stomu Takeshi and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, Zimmerli melds advanced contemporary classical technique with offbeat jazz rhythms, leading to a fascinating blend. For all its complexity, there is something deliciously accessible about the music, although melodies are rare, harmonies are layered and solos are angular. Monder proves himself a wonderfully innovative soloist, void of cliché. The two standards - Victor Feldman's "Seven Steps to Heaven" and Richard Rogers' "Where or When" - are marvelous recreations, pointing to entirely new ways of interpreting traditional patterns."  Steve Loewy, <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/" target="_blank">AllMusicGuide</a></p> <h2>Not-So-Nice Opinions</h2> <h3 class="reviews"><span class="i">The Book of Hours</span><br>Jazz composer and saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli and 10-piece Belgian band Octurn flounder in an hour-long jazz suite</h3> <p class="p1">"Referring to the medieval monastic tradition wherein a different prayer was recited at seven different times of day, Patrick Zimmerli's Book of Hours attempts to incorporate big-band swing, bop, jazz-rock and contemporary classical music into one cohesive musical setting. The attempt fails, but not through any fault of the more-than-accomplished musicians of the Brussels-based collective Octurn.</p> <p class="reviews150">"From the dreary "Dawn" and the tediousness of "Afternoon" through to the laborious "Night," short chamber-jazz interludes break up the uninspired arrangements. The alternations of duet and sextet formats do nothing for the album's consistency, and even the exciting sound of Octurn's double rhythm section, led by Bo Van der Werf, can do nothing to alleviate the dullness that permeates this lukewarm album."</p> <h1 id="profile"><span>Profile</span></h1> <p><img align="left" src="images/patrickzimmerli.jpg" style="margin-right:15px;">Born and raised in the New York area, composer and saxophonist Patrick Zimmerli has been active in jazz and classical music since 1990. Recent commissions include the <span class="i">Piano Trio #2</span> from the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, <span class="b">2003 Gil Evans Fellowship Commission</span>, the <span class="i">Piano Concerto No. 2</span> for the <span class="b">Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra</span>, an hour-length suite for the Belgian ensemble <span class="b">Octurn</span> (with an <span class="b">American Composers' Forum</span> <span class="i">Composers Commissioning Program</span> grant). Upcoming CD releases include the <span class="i">Piano Trios #1</span> and <span class="i">#2</span> on the Arabesque label, and <span class="i">Phoenix</span>, a set of works for string quartet, jazz instruments, and electronics, on the Songlines label.</p> <p>Zimmerli has recorded four CDs of his own music. His latest, <span class="i">the Book of Hours</span>, was released in October 2002 on Songlines. His work has also been recorded on the Arabesque, Blue Note, Antilles, Jazz City and Naive labels, and he has executed hundreds of compositions and arrangements for radio, TV, and film.</p> <p>He has performed at the <span class="b">Guggenheim Museum</span>, on <span class="b">National Public Radio's</span> <span class="i">Fresh Air</span> program, at the <span class="b">Jazz Composers' Collective</span>, and many other venues. Awards include the first annual <span class="b">BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute Composers' Competition</span>. Zimmerli received a BA in literature and music composition in 1990 from Columbia University; he earned an Mphil in 1996 and a DMA in 2000 in Music Composition from Columbia's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.</p> </font> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </body>