Join us on Zoom for Parlor Broadcasts with The
Westerlies, the acclaimed New York-based brass quartet known for
"folk-like and composerly, lovely and intellectually rigorous” music (NPR
Music).
In lieu of their originally scheduled BAC Salon concerts in
the John Cage & Merce Cunningham Studio, the members of The
Westerlies—childhood friends Riley Mulherkar (trumpet), Chloe Rowlands
(trumpet), Andy Clausen (trombone), and Willem de Koch (trombone)—will
broadcast live two evenings of conversation.
On May 1, the musicians will talk about the group’s origins
and share songs from the newly released album "Wherein Lies the
Good,” which incorporates folk music, gospel music, hymns, and original songs.
On May 8, the members will discuss their influences, and share tracks
showcasing the ensemble’s unique approach to adapting and arranging music from
various sources, such as solo piano, voice and cello, and a cappella.
About the Artists
The Westerlies are a New York-based brass quartet comprised
of childhood friends from Seattle: Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands on
trumpet, and Andy Clausen and Willem de Koch on trombone.
Formed in 2011, the self-described “accidental brass
quartet” takes its name from the prevailing winds that travel from the West to
the East. The Westerlies explore jazz, roots, and chamber music influences to
create the rarest of hybrids: music that is both "folk-like and
composerly, lovely and intellectually rigorous” (NPR Music). Equally at home in
concert halls and living rooms, The Westerlies navigate a wide array of venues
and projects with the precision of a string quartet, the audacity of a rock
band, and the charm of a family sing-along.
The ensemble has produced two
critically acclaimed albums: its 2014 debut, Wish the Children Would
Come On Home: The Music of Wayne Horvitz (Songlines), and a 2016
double-CD of primarily original compositions, The
Westerlies (Songlines). Sought-after collaborators, The Westerlies are
also featured on recordings by Fleet Foxes (Nonesuch), Vieux Farka Touré (Six
Degrees Records), Common (Lakeshore), and Dave Douglas (Greenleaf).
The
Westerlies’ 2019-20 season includes engagements at Dumbarton Concerts,
Soundings: New Music at the Nasher, Noe Valley Chamber Music, Earshot Jazz
Festival, Mayo Performing Arts Center, and Choate Rosemary Hall. In addition,
the ensemble is producing the second annual Westerlies Fest, February 3-9, 2020
in Seattle. Recent performances include the Norton Center for the Arts, the
Moore Theatre, Shenandoah University, Purdue Convocations, the Oxford
Performing Arts Center, Luther College, the Schubert Club, St. John’s
University, and the University of Washington.
The ensemble was featured with
Fleet Foxes at Coachella, the Hollywood Bowl, the Greek Theatre Berkeley, Red
Rocks, the Newport Folk Festival, Merriweather Post Pavilion, the Santa Fe
Opera, Outside Lands in San Francisco, Panorama New York City, and the
Pitchfork Music Festival.
