Eric Hofbauer Quintet Presents ‘Prehistoric Jazz: The Rite & 100 Years of Revolution’ at

Boston, MA (May, 2013) - On May 29th, 100 years to the day of the premiere of Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’, the Eric Hofbauer Quintet will perform a 21st century rendering of the work entitled ‘Prehistoric Jazz: The Rite & 100 Years of Revolution’. The performance will take place at the Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Sq. Cambridge, MA at 9pm.

Inspired by video footage of Leonard Bernstein rehearsing the ‘Rite of Spring’ in 1987 where he instructs the timpanist to play his part like ‘prehistoric jazz’, Hofbauer’s quintet arrangement synthesizes the most memorable melodic and rhythmic elements from the original score with jazz improvisation. ...

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Boston, MA (May, 2013) - On May 29th, 100 years to the day of the premiere of Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’, the Eric Hofbauer Quintet will perform a 21st century rendering of the work entitled ‘Prehistoric Jazz: The Rite & 100 Years of Revolution’. The performance will take place at the Lily Pad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Sq. Cambridge, MA at 9pm.

Inspired by video footage of Leonard Bernstein rehearsing the ‘Rite of Spring’ in 1987 where he instructs the timpanist to play his part like ‘prehistoric jazz’, Hofbauer’s quintet arrangement synthesizes the most memorable melodic and rhythmic elements from the original score with jazz improvisation.

Stravinsky revolutionized the music world in 1913 with his use of extreme dissonance and shocking rhythmic energy. Around the same time Jazz started to introduce itself and its own shocking rhythmic language to American audiences. Hofbauer’s arrangement takes the masterwork off of its 20th century pedestal and deconstructs it as a vehicle for ensemble dialogue and personal expression. This method of reinterpretation has been a part of the jazz tradition from its inception through the work of Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and even Gunther Schuller’s ‘Third Stream’ movement to today.

It has been said, separately, that both the ‘Rite of Spring’ and Jazz are music of the Earth; primal, raw, powerfully emotional music that challenges the mind while striking the listener deep at the core of some collective instinctual soul. On May 29th, 2013, 100 year later, those Earth musics will collide; proving that the revolution begun in 1913 is still alive and well if one just puts their ear to the ground to listen.

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