Last Thursday, Classicalite was granted exclusive access to rehearsals for Karl Berger and his Improvisers Orchestra fortnightly residence at Brooklyn's ShapeShifter Lab.
And what a treat of ever-shifting sounds it was!
It's rare to see any in-progress footage of master and ensemble--especially one as unique as the KBIO--so we were sure to shoot from both the back and front of the house.
As you can see, hear and virtually feel here, Berger has a way of transmitting his musical thoughts that's exclusive in and of itself--no small feat for a group of 25 strings, winds, brass and percussion (one of whom was none other than Josh Sinton).
What's a rehearsal, though, without a performance proper?
Longtime supporters of Karl Berger, his wife/vocalist Ingrid Sertso and their Creative Music Studio (as well as the attendant Creative Music Foundation), Classicalite wouldn't dare miss the chance to see, hear and experience the real thing.
Conducted in Berger's idiosyncratic style, his orchestra of first-call improvisers explored original themes, folk melodies from around the globe, iconic compositions from the likes of Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman, as well as those motifs that arise spontaneously.
Here, then, is but a snippet of the sounds the KBIO got into last Thursday down in Gowanus.
Good enough for jazz? 'Natch. Grand enough for transcendence...? You betcha.
