HOMAGE Liner Notes by Louis Levitt

AlvinBatiste(1932-2007)

From Tune Suite no. 1 (2000)

1. Blues in a Cabaret from Tune Suite no. 1 8:12

2. Dancing in Cyberspace 3:37

3. After Episode One 3:35

MembersoftheMusicAliveEnsemble:

RachelJordanandAmyThiaville,violins

SixtoFranco,viola;RachelHsieh,cello;YuikoAsano,piano

Assistingmusicians:

SteveHass,drums2&3

KarlVincentWickliff3,bassviolin

TrevorWeston(b.1967)

From Griot Legacies (2014)

4. There is a Balm in Gilead 3:26

MembersoftheLyrisQuartet:

AlyssaPark,violin;LukeMaurer,viola;TimothyLoo,cello

EarlLouisStewart(b.1950)

Rhythm Sonata (2018)

5. Majestic 4:09

6. Larghetto 3:14

7. Moderato e animato 3:00

LyrisQuartet:

AlyssaParkandShaliniVijayan,violins

LukeMaurer,viola;TimothyLoo,cello

JohnDuncan(1913-1975)

Clarinet Quintet (1967)

8. Allegro con brio 3:20

9. Adagio Cantabile 3:30

10. Allegro 2:13

11. Allegretto 2:52 LyrisQuartet

TrevorWeston(b.1967)

From Griot Legacies (2014)

12. Lord, How Come Me Here 3:34

MembersoftheLyrisQuartet:

AlyssaPark,violin;LukeMaurer,viola;TimothyLoo,cello

HerbertFranklinMells(1909-1953)

Quintet in A minor (1944)

13. Slow 4:02

14. Very Slow 5:43

15. Slow: Moderately Fast 5:37 LyrisQuartet

Musicby AfricanAmericanComposers forClarinetandStrings

HOMAGE is a tribute to the music of Herbert Franklin Mells, John Duncan, Alvin Batiste, Earl Louis Stewart, and Trevor Weston. Each composer has crafted music that celebrates their African American heritage and personal style.

We pay homage to their contribution and humanity.

from Tune Suite no. 1 (2000) – Alvin Batiste –JazzstronautsPublishing

1. Blues in a Cabaret

2. Dancing in Cyberspace

3. After Episode One

membersofTheMusicAliveEnsemble:

RachelJordanandAmyThiaville,violins

FrancoSixto,viola;RachelHsieh,cello;YuikoAsano,piano

Assistingmusicians:

SteveHass,drums2&3

KarlVincentWickliff,bassviolin3

Tune Suite no.1 isajourneyofNew Orleansandbluestraditionsin a “classical”chamber music setting.One can hearin allmovementsthe playfulnessand feelthe subtle backbeator“groove”.The inventive writingfor theclarinetisprominent –antiphonal,solo,and collaborative.Eachtuneormovementpaintsapicture,setsthe stage,and engagesthelistener.-MarcusEley

Alvin Batiste (1932-2007) was a music master, composer, arranger, and educator. He received a Master of Music degree in clarinet performance and composition from LouisianaStateUniversityandaBachelorofMusicEducationdegreefromSouthernUniversity.Hewasoneofthemostdistinctiveandvirtuosicofmodernjazzclarinetists. Althoughsometimescalleda “NewOrleansclarinetist”,AlvinBatistewasanavant-gardeplayerwhodidnotfiteasilyintoanyclassification.Hisworkwonhimfellowships fromtheNationalEndowmentfortheHumanitiesandtheLouisianaDivisionoftheArts,theNationalAssociationofJazzEducators’NationalHumanitarianAward,theInternationalAssociationofJazzEducator’sLifetimeAchievementAward,OffbeatMagazine’sLifetimeAchievementAwardforArtsEducation.

from Griot Legacies (2014) - Trevor Weston

4. There is a Balm in Gilead

membersoftheLyrisQuartet:

AlyssaPark,violin,LukeMaurer,viola,TimothyLoo,cello

GriotsareWestAfricanperformerwhopreserveandcommunicatethehistoryoftheircommunitythroughsongs.AfricansbroughttoAmericaduringtheAtlanticSlavetrade continuedtocommunicateandsharetheirexperiencesthroughsong.“ThereisaBalm”imaginesabetterexistencewheretheproblems…arehealed.–TrevorWeston

Trevor Weston (b.1967)receivedhisBAfromTuftsUniversityandcontinuedhisstudiesattheUniversityofCalifornia,BerkeleywhereheearnedhisMAandPhDinmusiccomposition.HisprimarycompositionteacherswereT.J.Anderson,OllyWilson,AndrewImbrie,andRichardFeliciano.Dr. WestoniscurrentlyaProfessorofMusicand ChairoftheMusicDepartmentatDrewUniversityinMadison,NJandaninstructorfortheMusicAdvancementProgramandPre-CollegeatTheJuilliardSchool,NYC.Hishonors include the George Ladd Prix de Paris from the University of California, Berkeley, a Goddard Lieberson Fellowship and the Arts and Letters Award in Music from the AmericanAcademyofArtsandLetters.

Rhythm Sonata (2018) – Earl Louis Sewart -AmericaComposersAlliance

5. Majestic

6. Larghetto

7. Moderato e animato

membersoftheLyrisQuartet:

AlyssaParkandShaliniVijayan,violins

LukeMaurer,viola,TimothyLoo,cello

ThethreemovementsofRhythmSonataarestandalonefugues.Eachmovementhasauniqueeightmeasurethemebutwithanunusualtwist–theyarejazzinspired. Theinfectiousrhythmicsyncopationofeachfugueanditsimpliedbackbeatisapleasantsurpriseforthelistener.–MarcusEley

Earl Louis Stewart (b.1950)isaProfessorEmeritusoftheDepartmentofBlackStudiesattheUniversityofCaliforniaSantaBarbara.HereceivedhisBSinSecondaryEducation fromSouthernUniversity,BatonRouge,studyingunderWalterCraigandAlvinBatiste.HethenreceivedhisMMandDMAinCompositionfromTheUniversityofTexasatAustin, studying with Karl Korte, Joseph Schwantner, and Kent Kennan, author of Counterpoint. Ensembles who have performed his music include the Austin Symphony Orchestra (Texas);theBostonOrchestraandChoral(Massachusetts);theNationalSymphonyOrchestraofGhana(Accra,Ghana,WestAfrica);theScottJoplinOrchestraofHouston(Texas); theUniversityofCaliforniaJazzOrchestra;andtheMobileSymphonyOrchestra(Alabama);andmembersoftheLouisianaPhilharmonicOrchestra.

Clarinet Quintet (1967) – John Duncan –courtesyWilliamandGailCookMusicLibraryatIndianaUniversity

8. Allegro con brio

9. Adagio Cantabile

10. Allegro

11. Allegretto

LyrisQuartet

Thefirstmovementopenswithafast-pacedtempoinamarch-likestyle.Theclarinetisatthefore-thestringquartetpunctuateswithrivetingaccompaniment.Thesecondmovementisverylyricalandexpressive.Astheclarinetisprominent,thestringquartetalsosharesthislovelytheme.Apulsatingsyncopatedrhythmformsthebasisofthethirdmovement.Themusicisplayfulandendearing.Theshortfourthmovementhasthesamefast-pacedtempoasmovementone.Theclarinetstatestheprincipalthemewhichispassedto thecellothenotherstrings.Asthemusicapproachesthefinale,theclarinetandstringquartetsprinttoitsspiritedclimaticend.–MarcusEley

John Duncan (1913-1975)receivedtheB.M.andM.M.degreesfromTempleUniversityandstudiedfurtheratNewYorkUniversity.HewasanarrangerforjazzgroupsinPhiladelphia. Duncan was on the faculty at Samuel Huston College and Alabama State University, 1939-1975. He wrote many compositions, although few were published, but many wereperformedon universitycampusesthroughoutthe South.Among hiscompositionswere: “ThreeProclamationsforTrombone andString Quartet”,Concerto for Trombone andOrchestra”,“AtavisticforStringQuartet”,“GideonandEliza,anEasterCanticle”andothers.

from Griot Legacies (2014) - Trevor Weston

12. Lord, How Come Me Here

membersoftheLyrisQuartet: AlyssaPark,violin,LukeMaurer,viola,TimothyLoo,cello

“Lord,HowComeMeHere,”isanexampleofaspiritualthatexplorestheexistentialquestionssometimesfoundinspirituals. Thepiecefundamentallyasksthequestion,“Why?”Many spiritualswerecreatedtoconsoleandsupportindividuals.–TrevorWeston

Quintet in A minor (1944) – Herbert Franklin Mells –courtesyUniversityofIowa–RitaBentonMusicLibrary

13. Slow

14. Very slow

15. Slow: Moderately fast

LyrisQuartet

Thefirstmovement(Slow)isharmonyrichandextremelyrhapsodic.Theclarinetandstringquartetareequalpartners.Thesecondmovement(VerySlow)islike the first movement. However, there is more introspection. The beautiful melodic lines of this movement are featured by the clarinet. The third movement (Slow: ModeratelyFast)openswithabriefintroductionwhichseguestoawaltz-likedanceintriplets.Thisdancethemeisequallysharedbyallinstruments. Mells’Quintet isengagingmusicfromadifferenttime.–MarcusEley

Herbert Franklin Mells (1909-1953)wasborninDarien,Georgia.HeattendedMorehouseCollegewherehereceivedaBachelorofSciencedegree,lateraMaster ofArtsdegreefromIndianaUniversityandwasoneofthefirstAfricanAmericanstoearnaPhDattheUniversityofIowa.He taughtatLangstonUniversity,HamptonInstituteandwaschairmanofthemusicdepartmentatTennesseeStateUniversity.Hewasawell-respectedpianist,composer,andmusiceducator.

Marcus Eley is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Music in clarinet and studied at the Hochschule fuer Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria. Eley has performed as a soloist with the BerlinSymphonyOrchestra(Germany),theLouisvilleOrchestra,theIndianapolisSymphonyOrchestra,the Edmonton (Canada) Wind Sinfonia and the National Army Military Band of the People’s Republic of China (Beijing). He has also given numerous recitals in major cities of the United States. He has participated as guestartistattheNationalArtsFestivalinGrahamstown,SouthAfrica.Ofhisperformance,JeffBrukmanof Cue Magazine said, “… consummate artistry. The festival is indeed fortunate to host such a master of the clarinet.”Eleywasaguestperformeratthe2016BeethovenfestBonn.ClaudiaWallendorf,musiccriticofthe Bonn General Anzeiger said, “(Eley’s) colorful and nuanced clarinet playing . . . was very pleasantly displayed”.In2012,recordcompanySonoLuminusreleasedMr.Eley’sCompactDisc,titled“ButNotForgotten: MusicbyAfricanAmericanComposersforClarinetandPiano.”SteveArloff,MusicWebInternationalcites,“… adiscofpureunalloyedjoy.”TheListener(Germany),RainerAschemeierexclaims,“Wow!’Whatabeautiful,variedCD!ThisCDhas succeededinitswell-chosenrepertoire,aswellasinterpretationandsound.”“MarcusEleyknowswhenandhowtomaketheclarinetcharm,dance,singandcry.–JeanYvesDupperon,ClassicalMusicSentinel.In2023,ImaginaryAnimals,thedigitallabelofBright ShinyThings,releasedEley’srecording,PERSEVERANCE.Throughtheirefforts,thelabelsubmittedthisrecordingforconsideration foraGRAMMYAward.PatrickRucker,recordingreviewerforGramophoneMagazine(February2024)stated,“Twothingsarelikely tostrikeyoulisteningtoPERSEVERANCE.FirstistheextraordinarybeautyofthesoundofEley’sclarinet,velvetythroughoutallof its registers, not to mention its immense expressivity. The second is the sheer variety of musical expression.” Eley has served as Dean ofStudents attheNewEnglandConservatory, Assistant(Adjunct)ProfessorofMusic(Clarinet)atCalifornia State University LosAngelesandMarketingProjectsSpecialist/ArtistRelationsforRicoInternational.

The LYRIS QUARTET, described as "radiant... exquisite... and powerfully engaged" by Mark Swed of the LA Times, is one of the most sought-afterensemblesonthewestcoast.Equallyathomewithstandardquartetrepertoireandthemusicoftoday,Lyrishaspremiered countless works and has been involved in numerous commissions by some of the mostexciting composersof our time.Members ofthe quartet have won top prizes at the Tchaikovsky International Competition and Aspen Music Festival and have collaborated with renownedartistsNataliaGutman,DavidGeringas,MarthaArgerich,AlbanGerhardt,BorisPergamenschikov,Midori,GuillameSutre,MyungWhunChung,GlennDicterowandRichardStoltzman.

The quartet has appeared throughout North America, Europe, and Asia in a diverse range of ensembles including Grammy nominated groups Absolute Ensemble, Southwest Chamber Music, and Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa as well as solo and chamber appearances in variousfestivalssuchasBravo!Vail,Ravinia,BrahmsFestivalinMadrid,MusicAcademyoftheWest,BanffCentrefortheArts,CzechSommerFest, and Oregon Festival of American Music, among others. Lyris has been featured several times on the LA Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella series, including a commission of a new workby Michelle Lou premiered at Noon to Midnight. Lyris gave the west coastpremiere of David Lang's "The Difficulty of CrossingaField”withLongBeachOperatocriticalacclaim.NotableprojectsincludeinnovativemultimediaconcertswithartistsAndrewBurkeandAnaPrvackiaswellasopeningforKraftwerkattheHollywoodBowlandforBenHarperattheFoliesBergereinParis.

TheLyrisQuartetisthefoundingresidentensembleoftheHearNowMusicFestival,whichfocusesonthemusicoflivingLosAngelescomposers.Aspartofthisseries,theyhave collaboratedwithandpremieredworksbyStephenHartke,DonDavis,ArturoCardelus,NinaShekharandVeronikaKrausas,amongothers.TheLyrisQuartethasrecordedfor ToccataClassics,ARS,andNaxos.

Blues in a Cabaret, Dancing in Cyberspace, and After Episode One from Tune Suite no. 1 wererecorded bymembersofthe Music Alive Ensemble atthe Ellis Marsalis Center for Music inNewOrleans,LAonMarch 15and16,2024.

NewOrleansbased, Music Alive Ensemble isablendofoutstandingmusicians, composers, arrangers and educators who believe that music as art conveys the breadth, passion and intellect of society. Music Alive Ensemble provides concerts, artist demonstrations and teaching workshops featuring classical and jazz collaborations. Theorganization alsoprovideswork forNew Orleansmusicians aswellasvisitingartists.

MarcusEleywith(LtoR)

YuikoAsano,piano

RachelJordan,violin

AmyThiaville,violin

RachelHsieh,viola

FrancoSixto,cello

“There is a Balm in Gilead”,“Rhythm Sonata”,“Clarinet Quintet”,“Lord, How Come Me Here”,and“Quintet in A minor” wererecordedwithLyrisQuartetat Allegro Recordings inBurbank,CAonApril13,2024.

Photo Alisa Banks

Credits

In New Orleans, LA:

StageandEquipmentSetUp

DarylDickerson,TheEllisMarsalisCenterforMusic–NewOrleans,LA

Recording Editing and Engineering

JustinArmstrong,JustinArmstrongProductions–Slidell,LA

Music Consultants

RachelJordan–NewOrleans,LA

AmyThiaville–RiverRidge,LA

In Burbank and Studio City, CA:

EditingandMixingTomWeir,StudioCitySound-StudioCity,CA

KellieMcGrew,StudioCitySound–StudioCity,CA

MatthewSnyder,AllegroRecordings,LLC–Burbank,CA

Immersive Audio Mastering Engineers

TomWeir,StudioCitySound-StudioCity,CA

KellieMcGrew,StudioCitySound–StudioCity,CA

Photography:

AlisaBanksPhotography–Burbank,CA

Cover Art:

ImaginaryAnimals

Producers

MarcusEleyandSusanFrederick

Thanks to:

EdithChattersBatiste–BatonRouge,LA

MaynardBatiste-BatonRouge,LA

TheJazzFoundation–NewYork,NY

TheEllisMarsalisCenterforMusic–NewOrleans,LA

Sabron:EntertainmentPayrollServices–TolucaLake,CA

RitaBentonMusicLibrary-TheUniversityofIowa–IowaCity,IA

WilliamandGayleMusicLibraryatIndianaUniversity–Bloomington,IN