CHRIS CHALFANT - EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, COMPOSER, ALTO (VOICE), PIANO
Love and Light was created as an extension of being true to oneself and being receptive to all universal forces around us. The musicans are all veteren jazz players with wide musical palettes for creative and world music - Joseph Jarman, Jessica Jones, Ken Filiano, Rob Garcia and Ken Yamazaki. The music on this recording includes Indian, West African, Japanese, Turkish, medieval, and others in-between the cracks to create a unique blend of sounds in the compositions. African Harp starts with a vocal intro, leading into a rhythmic weaving. Peach moon, a slow, lyrical vocal improvisation with bass clarinet and gong sets a contemplative mood and reverence. You're my Angel is a simple piano tune which opens up into freer improvisations. Love and Light, the corner-stone of the project is a journey of tuning into oneself and opening to the universe, beginning, first slowly, moving from Indian to medieval to classical sounds, then opening up into a Turkish-like, rhythmic song, then opening up into freer improvisation over the tune.
The musicians all are part of the Lifetime Visions Orchestra, which Chalfant founded in 2001. She has directed the American Women Composers Marathon (Boston), and the Festival of Women Improvisors - Boston. Her work in healing and music also includes naming and directing the Dojo Band and creating and implementing the Sonic Meditations Retreat. She has been composing award-winning music since age 16, including "Portraits" for the Louisville National Composers Competition (Merit Finalist). She has written extensively for many different instrumental and vocal combinations, as well as poetry, theatre, dance, live painting and multimedia. She created the form "Sound-movement poetry" in the 1980's. From 1986-1992 Chalfant was pianist and singer for the Longy Improvisational ensemble. Her work in the 80's was greatly influenced from the work of Meredith Monk and her workshop experience with Pauline Oliveros. In 1992, she had a residency at the Atlantic Center with Joan LaBarbara and Morton Subotnick.
Other recordings include The Lifetime Visions Orchestra-Live at the Vision Festival, Convergence and All in Good Time. She has performed at the New York Jazz Festival with Noah Howard, at the Vision Festival with the Joseph Jarman Ensemble, at the International Composers Conference in Leukerbad, Switzerland and the Darmstadt Festival.
Chalfant studied piano with Margaret Baxtresser and African Music and Dance with Halim el Dabh at Kent State (BA in Music 1983). She received her MM at New England Conservatory in 1988 where she studied with George Russell and William Thomas McKinley. She also studied Indian music and wrote for Jimmy Giuffree's Jazz composer concert series. She works now with Connie Crothers and studies Indian Raga with Michael Harrison.
Chalfant's meetings with Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Steve Lacy, Joseph Jarman, and Reggie Workman, mostly in 1990 were key to shaping her path in writing creative music. In 1991 Chalfant arranged "Mother Courage" with Reggie Workman and co-composed "Ballade" for bass and piano with him. Through her work and studies with Joseph Jarman in Aikido, Buddhism and healing and music projects, Chalfant has realized the beauty and power of universal energy through music and is committed to extending that through her creative work.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.chrischalfant.comTrack List:
1. African Harp
2. Peach Moon
3. You're my Angel
4. Love and Light-Breathing
5. Love and Light-Observing
6. Love asnd Light-listening
7. Love and Light-Awakening
8. Love and Light-rejoicing
Other Genres:
