Mackey: Asphalt Cocktail – Whitacre: October – Ticheli: Blue Shades Julian Bliss & Joby Burgess

• John Mackey (b. 1973):
• 1 Mackey: Asphalt Cocktail 05:31
• Eric Whitacre (b. 1970):
• 2 Whitacre: October 07:31
• Frank Ticheli (b. 1958):
• 3 Ticheli: Blue Shades 09:44
• Total Runtime 22:46

Info for Mackey: Asphalt Cocktail – Whitacre: October – Ticheli: Blue Shades

Julian Bliss and Joby Burgess combine forces for these recordings made during the 2020 UK lockdown. Working from their homes (although only a few miles apart from each other), each performer combines multiple layers of clarinet and percussion to create these exciting and dynamic new arrangements of much-loved standards of the American Band Music world.

Composer John Mackey describes Asphalt Cocktail as “a five-minute opener, designed to shout, from the opening measure, ‘We’re here.’ With biting trombones, blaring trumpets and percussion dominated by cross-rhythms and back beats... Picture the scariest NYC taxi ride you can imagine, with the cab skidding around turns as trucks bear down from all sides.”

The composer’s favourite month, Eric Whitacre’s October contains “simple, pastoral melodies and subsequent harmonies inspired by the great English Romantics (Vaughn Williams, Elgar)... perfectly suited to capture the natural and pastoral soul of the season.”

During the first lock-down I decided to record some more multi-track pieces, but wanted to do something a little bit different. Over the last decade I’ve become increasingly more involved in the American band world, and have grown more familiar with the repertoire: if you were in a band at school you may already have performed these three pieces, or others by the composers.

"These multi-clarinet versions were arranged with the fantastic percussionist Joby Burgess—we each recorded our parts at home before I edited our performances together. It has been a huge amount of fun to create, as well as a fascinating challenge for me to learn more about the production side of music." (Julian Bliss)

"It was great to hear from Julian a couple of months into the first national lockdown here in the UK, who introduced me to John Mackey’s riotous Asphalt cocktail. Having heard Julian’s brilliant recording of Steve Reich and Marc Mellits a few years back, I knew this project would be kick ass. I added the full arsenal, often in duplicate of percussion to the multi-tracked clarinets from my home studio. Working in isolation, although only just a few miles apart, this was a great way to undertake a new duo project in 2020. I hope you enjoy our vivid selection of re-imagined American band music." (Joby Burgess)

Julian Bliss, clarinet
Joby Burgess, percussion

Julian Bliss
is one of the world’s finest clarinetists, excelling as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, jazz artist, masterclass leader and tireless musical explorer. He has inspired a generation of young players as co-creator of the Leblanc range of affordable clarinets, introducing a substantial new audience to his instrument. Julian started playing the clarinet aged 4, going on to study at the University of Indiana and in Germany under Sabine Meyer, turning professional aged 12.

In recital and chamber music he has played at most of the world’s leading festivals and venues, including Gstaad, Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Verbier, Wigmore Hall (London) and Lincoln Center (New York). As a soloist, he has appeared with a wide range of international orchestras, including the São Paulo Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Paris, Auckland Philharmonia, the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras.

Album releases receive rave reviews from critics, record of the week spots and media attention. Projects include multiple jazz albums with the Julian Bliss Septet, Mozart & Weber Quintets with the Carducci String Quartet; Schubert’s Shepherd on the rock with Christopher Glynn (piano) and Sophie Bevan (soprano); Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint; Mozart and Nielsen’s concertos with the Royal Northern Sinfonia; a new piece for clarinet & string quartet by David Bruce, Gumboots, and a recital album of Russian and French composers with American pianist, Bradley Moore.

Julian has also arranged pieces for clarinet and piano, notably Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata, Op 19, the third movement of which has been set as a grade 6 piece on the new London College of Music clarinet syllabus.

Joby Burgess
One of Britain’s most diverse percussionists, Joby is best known for his virtuosic, often lissom performances, daring collaborations, extensive education work, and regularly appears throughout Europe, the USA and beyond.

Joby commits much of his time to his own projects, most notably with the audio visual collective Powerplant—a collaboration with sound designer, Matthew Fairclough and visual artist, Kathy Hinde—where the worlds of minimalism and electronica collide. Powerplant has released albums on Signum and nonclassical featuring music by Steve Reich, Gabriel Prokofiev, Graham Fitkin and Max de Wardener.

Joby performs, records and collaborates with artists including Peter Gabriel, Will Gregory (Goldfrapp), Dario Marianelli, Max Richter, Sasha and Eric Whitacre. Joby can often be heard on major film and TV scores, notably leading the percussion on Black Panther, The Darkest Hour, The Last Kingdom and was featured on the score to Alex Garland’s Ex Machina. His extensive collection of instruments is featured exclusively on Spitfire Audio’s Percussion Redux, recorded at the world famous Air Lyndhurst Hall, London.

Booklet for Mackey: Asphalt Cocktail – Whitacre: October – Ticheli: Blue Shades