Marie Incontrera: Eco-Music Big Band and Fred Ho / Cal Massey Album Release

About

This June, the legendary Eco-Music Big Band celebrates the release of their second album, REBEL SPIRITS, by paying homage to their founder Fred Ho. REBEL SPIRITS is a posthumous reimagining of the music of three of the most underrated and influential jazz composers of the 20th century: the late Fred Ho, who served as an influence to John Coltrane; trumpeter Cal Massey; and multi-genre composer and arranger Romulus Franceschini.

REBEL SPIRITS creates a living practice of the music of the deceased. Rather than preserving the music of these late composers, this album imagines their voices in the present world. This album includes the first posthumous release of recordings of works by Ho: previously-unreleased Soul Science Stomp and Grace of the Guerrilla, as well as a reimagining of Massey and Franceschini's iconic Black Liberation Movement Suite. The performance will also feature the world premiere of American Rose, a new work by composer Jessica DiMari, as well as other works by Ho that have not been performed since his passing in 2014.  

The Eco-Music Big Band is a multigenerational big band that defies style, tradition, and expectations with genre-bending, avant-garde performances and recordings. Founded by Fred Ho in 2013 and currently led by Marie Incontrera, the Eco-Music Big Band's roster includes some of the nation's most acclaimed cross-genre performers and composers, such as legendary bass trombonist David Taylor, violist Melanie Dyer, and trumpeter Adam O'Farrill.