#4934, Works by Julius Eastman and Works for Multiple Cellos

Singer, pianist and composer Julius Eastman was a familiar figure on the so-called downtown music scene in NY in the 1970s, both as a collaborator with artists like Meredith Monk, and on his own. He was black and gay, and pointed that out in provocative titles like "Gay Guerrilla," or "Evil N-word." In the 1980s, he fell into addiction and homelessness, and died virtually unnoticed and unknown in 1990. Now, though, Eastman’s music has come roaring back.

Cellist Seth Parker Woods is one of the musicians championing his works. From the newly released album from the collective Wild Up, Eastman: The Holy Presence, Seth Parker Woods plays a brand new arrangement of Julius Eastman’s “The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc” for ten cellos. (Woods performs the piece solo, playing live alongside nine recordings of himself at The Greene Space on Friday, Oct. 11.) The work is “Eastman’s tribute to the medieval heroine who somewhat paradoxically has become both the personification of fiery religious conviction and a retrospective queer icon” and the inclusion on the recording “owes itself to the dedicated scholarship of Clarice Jensen but also to Seth Parker Woods’ herculean ambition” (Bandcamp liner notes). There’s more music by Eastman and his work, “Buddha” from an egg-shaped score that can be interpreted both horizontally and vertically along with a section of his work, "Gay Guerilla", as remixed by Jace Clayton (aka DJ Rupture).

Also, listen to more music for multi-tracked cellos from the adventurous new music champion, cellist Ashley Bathgate, who performed and toured with the Bang on a Can All-Stars for 10 years. Hear music from Bathgate’s 2023 record, 8-Track and her recording of American Minimalist composer Steve Reich’s “Cello Counterpoint”, an octet for eight cellos. Plus, hear a work by Icelandic-Canadian composer Fjóla Evans, “Augun”, with more layers of expressive cello riffs and textures, also from 8-Track. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4934, Works by Julius Eastman and Works for Multiple Cellos (First aired 10/9/2024)

ARTIST: Wild Up, feat. Seth Parker Woods
WORK: Julius Eastman: The Holy Presence of Jean d'arc [11:33]
RECORDING: Julius Eastman Vol. 4: The Holy Presence
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: https://wildup.bandcamp.com/album/julius-eastman-vol-4-the-holy-presence

ARTIST: Emily Manzo, David Friend
WORK: Julius Eastman: Gay Guerrilla  pt 5, arr. Jace Clayton [6:13]
RECORDING: Julius Eastman Memory Depot
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: https://jaceclayton.bandcamp.com/album/the-julius-eastman-memory-depot

ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate
WORK: Steve Reich: Cello Counterpoint [11:04]
RECORDING: 8-Track
SOURCE: New Focus Recordings
INFO: https://www.newfocusrecordings.com/catalogue/ashley-bathgate-8-track

ARTIST: Wild Up
WORK: Julius Eastman: Buddha (Field) [9:43]
RECORDING: Julius Eastman Vol. 2: Joy Boy
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: https://wildup.bandcamp.com/album/julius-eastman-vol-2-joy-boy

ARTIST: Wild Up
WORK: Julius Eastman: Buddha (Path) [3:39]
RECORDING: Julius Eastman Vol. 2: Joy Boy
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: https://wildup.bandcamp.com/album/julius-eastman-vol-2-joy-boy

ARTIST: Ashley Bathgate
WORK: Fjola Evans: Augun [6:02]
RECORDING: 8-Track
SOURCE: New Focus Recordings
INFO: https://www.newfocusrecordings.com/catalogue/ashley-bathgate-8-track