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TranceFormation: Crothers/Filiano/Wolper

TranceFormation subverts expectation on several counts. From the first moment, this seemingly traditional piano-bass-vocal formation leaves tradition behind: there are no assumed or assigned roles; no singer "in front," no instruments "in back," no leader, no sideplayers. Instead, three musical "voices" join to make music cooperatively as they weave in, out, and among one another, extending, bending, and experimenting with the sonic capabilities of their respective instruments. The group welcomes the inherent mystery of the music making process: the altered, trance- like state that is the source of free and uninhibited expression; deep listening; curiosity; the depth of trust��"in the self, in one another, in the music��"that allows them to be in the musical moment with ears and hearts wide open.

With every concert, Connie, Ken, and Andrea celebrate more than ten years of musical collaboration, inspiration, and abiding friendship. In mid-1998, Andrea and Ken began playing together, with Ken soon becoming the resident bassist in Andrea’s jazz trio. Later the same year, Andrea met Connie and became her student for several years. A few years down the road, Ken joined Connie’s quartet. In 2006, the circle was completed, when the three formed TranceFormation, and played their first concert at the International Society For Improvised Music Inaugural Conference at the University of Michigan. Since then, they have appeared as a trio at venues including Brecht Forum and The Stone.

Connie Crothers: "...a lioness on the keyboard." “a stunning pianist. . . one of the most interesting pianists in jazz.”

Ken Filiano: a "creative virtuoso," a "master of technique" . . . "a paradigm of that type of artist. . . who can play anything in any context and make it work, simply because he puts the music first and leaves peripheral considerations behind."

Andrea Wolper: “a highly original performer” “She fills torch songs with sensual longing, then makes abstract vocal improvisations feel intimate as meaningful conversation.”

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Album Review

Tran(ce)formation Quartet: Nautilus

Read "Nautilus" reviewed by Alberto Bazzurro


Costituitosi nel 2006 attorno a Giorgia Santoro e Adolfo La Volpe, il Tran(ce)formation Quartet ha già prodotto nel 2011 un CD per la Leo, Entrance, di cui questo Nautilus, inciso nel febbraio 2013, rappresenta il naturale sviluppo, confermando l'angolo visuale proprio del quartetto pugliese, di scheletro jazzistico, però con una sensibilità ben più ampia che abbraccia anche un marcato senso di song, certi tracciati della musica contemporanea, e soprattutto un folklore eterodiretto che l'uso di strumenti provenienti da diversi ambiti ...

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2

Recording

"Tranceformation In Concert”: October 9 Release By Connie Crothers / Ken Filiano / Andrea Wolper

"Tranceformation In Concert”: October 9 Release By Connie Crothers / Ken Filiano / Andrea Wolper

Source: Michael Bloom Media Relations

TranceFormation, the improvising trio of Connie Crothers (piano), Ken Filiano (bass), and Andrea Wolper (voice), subverts expectation on several counts. From the first moment, this seemingly traditional bass-vocal-piano formation leaves tradition behind: there are no assumed or assigned roles, no leader, no side players. Instead, three strongly individual “voices" join to make music cooperatively as they weave in, out, and among one another, extending, bending, and experimenting with the sonic capabilities of their respective instruments. The music and words are ...

Knowing Ken and Connie (and by reputation, Andrea) as I do, the night’s second set could have con- sisted of practically anything. Although they’re adept at every aspect of jazz performance ��" “From Rag- time to No Time” (to quote the title of an album by the late Beaver Harris) ��" when left to their own devices they tend not to compartmentalize, but rather treat jazz as a seamless continuum wherein anything is possi- ble. This night, they dwelt mostly on the outer fringe, a place where convention is politely asked to sit down and shut the hell up. Like Liebowitz before them, the trio improvised freely, although they divided their performance into fewer and longer episodes

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Nautilus

Workin' Label
2014

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