After nine eventful months, the first season of ARCHIPELAGO: A Chamber Music Series officially came to a close last Friday night at Galapagos Art Space, with a stirring concert of pop/art songs courtesy of singers Corey Dargel and Craig Wedren. Helping Corey celebrate the release of his new double LP Someone Will Take Care of Me were ICE, David T. Little, and Kathleen Supové (who unfortunately lost some fake fingertips to the highly chlorinated water bordering Galapagos’ stage). Backing Mr. Wedren were the able hands of ACME, bringing to life a wonderful new set of songs by Jefferson Friedman that grew out of the On in Love series.
All in all, it was a remarkable year. From Nadia Sirota’s intimate, integrated opening night featuring Our Lady J, Line C3, and Nico Muhly, to the astounding a capella styling of Roomful of Teethand the enveloping grandeur of Due East and John Supko, to the intricacy and whimsy of Victoire and Arturo en Barco, the fall season spoke of the breadth present in the New Amsterdam community.
Winter kicked off with packed-to-the-brim triple bill featuring NewAm stalwarts NOW Ensemble, vocalist/feedback-manipulator Lesley Flanigan, and artist extraordinaire Tristan Perich performing on his very own harpsichord. January saw the celebration of Sam Sadigursky’s third NewAm release – a sublime concert featuring some of New York’s most talented young jazz artists bringing to life music from Sam’s entire oeuvre. Rounding out the winter season on a snow-battered Friday night in February were janus previewing their upcoming NewAm release and QQQ premiering a new extended work by founding fiddler Dan Trueman.
In addition to the afore mentioned May show, spring featured the long-awaited record release show for Matt Marks’s totally insane (in a good way) The Little Death: Vol. 1. Openers Build provided some instrumental contrast, previewing propulsive new work from their upcoming NewAm sophmore effort. April featured a surprise headliner: Son Lux (otherwise known as composer Ryan Lott), backed by the incomparable yMusic.
A big thanks to all those who made it out to the shows!
