Review Oberlin Artist Recital Series: Imani Winds with Gilbert Kalish
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Review Oberlin Artist Recital Series: Imani Winds with Gilbert Kalish (February 9) by Daniel Hathaway Downsizing seems to be one of the buzz concepts of our era, but the ever-game-for-a-challenge Imani Winds took the idea to a new level of miniaturization on Sun- day afternoon in Oberlin's Finney Chapel, when that ex- cellent woodwind quintet, performing on the Artist Recital Series, impressed the sox off a good-sized audi- ence with their ear-boggling performance of Stravin- sky's The Rite of Spring in an arrangement by Jonathan Russell. Well, OK, not the whole piece, but Russell gives the quintet a good twenty-minutes worth of Stravinsky's 2".1$1$#$/+.8$#%.1?43$ -#/("".+..!.$"+ 1(-$3 horn and bassoon, and it worked. In her introduction, oboist Toyin Spellman-Diaz noted that the audience would be able to hear inner details that had heretofore been "covered up by loud percussion and obnoxious brass — you know who you are!" she joked to the bal- conies where some of those blushing conservatory of- fenders were sure to be found. The Rite 6 2 %.1,(# !+$$-#41 -"$3$23%.1>5$6(-#/+ 8$12!436' 3(,/1$22$#,.1$ 3' -3'$2'$$123 ,(- .%?43(23 +$1($ .+, -.!.(23/$++, -( 9"+ 1(-$3(23 Mariam Adam, hornist Jeff Scott and bassoonist Monica Ellis was the vast range of col- ors and the many subtle effects the players were able to bring to the score. Scott and Ellis ".-31(!43$#/ 13("4+ 1+8 , 9(-&2.+.,.,$-32 $18+(33+$.%3'$$22$-"$.%3'$/($"$ went missing. 31 5(-2*8" ,$>%3'.-, -(2/1.&1 ,.%2(7/($"$26'("'!$& -6(3'$%%".332 Startin' Sumthin, an energetic overture that raised the curtain with jumpy motives and ".+.1%4+"'.1#2 -#& 5$, -((32>123.//.134-(383.(,/1$22!.3'6(3'3'$(-#(5(#4 + prowess of its members and its collective ensemble and blend. After noting that two of the group — Spellman-Diaz and Ellis — were Oberlin alumnae enjoying a homecoming to the Conservatory that afternoon, Imani continued with MacArthur fellow and jazz pianist Jason Moran's Cane, a suite of pieces chronicling the - 11 3(5$2.%2+ 5$2+ 3$1%1$$#+(*$ 1($':1;2$:3.8$16'.2$+(5$2' #3 *$-3'$, 3'1.4&'3'$ -$(5$1 1$ .%.4(2( - '$1 3'$1#(%%42$>123,.5$,$-3+$#.-3. three more whose musical direction became increasingly focused and coherent, though all four mini-tone poems were lyrical and pleasant to listen to. $3$1 -/( -(23(+!$13 +(2').(-$#, -(%.136.6(-# -#/( -."+ 22("2.4+$-"2 Sextet and Mozart's Quintet. 1 2' -#2 228 33'$!$&(--(-&3'$.4+$-">-#23'$".,- /.2$16(3''(23'4,!>1,+8/+ -3$#-$73'(2-.2$ 2'$3 4-323'$ 1(2( -,42(" +$23 !- lishment with his bad boy antics. Later, he turns cabaret-maudlin then festive with a side- 31(/3'1.4&'.-3, 131$>- ++8$-#(-& 2.4+$-"2..%3$-#.$26(3' +81(" + -#2$,( contrite denouement. Imani and Kalish played it with relish and panache. '$.9 131$/+ "$# 31(.".,/.2$#!8 +$1($ .+$, - -#& 5$, -(3'$.//.134- -(383."$-3$13'$,2$+5$2(- 6$++!$' 5$#($--$2$"+ 22(" +/($"$!$36$$-.4+$-" -# 31 5(-2*8 '$%.416(-#23'$?43$2 33'(2.-$.43/+ 8$#(36(3'+$ -!1(&'33.-$ -# +(2' #.1-$#(36(3'"1823 ++(-$14-2 '$/($"$,(&'3' 5$/1.>3$#%1., -.3'$11$- hearsal to more sharply hone its details. '$".-"$13$-#$# 22., -8#.3'$2$# 826(3'( 99.++ 3'$-4$5.3 -&., 23$12 Libertango, in a spiffy arrangement by Jeff Scott that gave several musicians important solo licks during a slow section and sent a happy audience out among the snowbanks probably wanting more but wary of putting Imani's seemingly indefatigable chops through an encore, Published on ClevelandClassical.com February 11, 2014.