Terence Blanchard & the E-Collective

Saturday, April 8, 2017 8:00pm

General Admission: $35, $25; Five College, GCC and 17 & Under: $10

Trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard breaks the mold with his new quintet, The E-Collective. This project journeys to an exciting realm of grooved fusion teeming with funk, R&B, and blues colors. Joined by guitarist Charles Altura, Fabian Almazan on piano and synths, bassist Donald Ramsey, and Oscar Seaton on drums, Blanchard’s latest release Breathless is a master class in storytelling, written in response to social tensions and inspired by Eric Garner’s resounding words: “I Can’t Breathe.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 Replies to “Terence Blanchard & the E-Collective”

  1. Amazing show. Glad to hear Mr. Blanchard play live. Love the new music. The third composition by Charles Altura brought tears to my eyes. Oscar Seaton drumming was mesmerizing. Watched David Ginyards right hand do some interesting finger work with the strings. Fabian Almazon’s piano playing is captivating.

  2. I thought the band and the music was excellent. Amazing players! I also did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. We have series seats in row F, which provides for a very good view. Sitting there, the volume was so loud and the sound so muddy that it distracted from the music itself. One of us was forced to leave for the back after two pieces, as she was so physically uncomfortable. We did go and have a good chat with the FAC sound guy, who was very understanding, and we talked about the limitations created by the hall (way too little in the way of acoustic treatment! – something we have long felt) and the desires of the performers. Having said that, we will not get future tickets for that kind of electric music in the FAC space (works better in Bowker…) . We also want to point out that we came to see the Sydney Dance Co., also excellent performers, but who also had music played so loud that it distorted, and also seriously detracted from our appreciation of the dance. The sound guy said that the Dance Co. “really wanted it that way, so as to be disturbing” and that “they turned up the settings” he had made. I am OK with emotionally disturbing, but not physically disturbing so as to be painful.

    As one can see from my website I am a composer of music that is often electronic and/or electric, so this is by no means a critique of content or style, just of how it hits the audience.

  3. Last night’s music was right up there with the best music I’ve heard. EVER. I woke up this morning wishing I could listen to the concert all over again.

    It was amazing, the way the group ambled onto the stage and just started playing. And ay peak intensity, right from the getgo. No words, no patter, just music. Fantastic. Talk about hitting the deck running!!!

  4. I did enjoy Terrance Blanchard, but was seated right in the front next to
    the speakers. Too close, too loud, a bit painful, but that was part of his
    message. The creativity, communication, and innovation was extremely
    powerful.

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