Notes
Sept 5, 2023
This past Sunday I brought a trio to play the longstanding Jazz Vespers at Saint Peter’s Church in Manhattan. The video and sound quality is quite good, so I decided share below. Headphones recommended
Set list: Teo, Excerpt from Billie the Kid (Copland, arr. by me), Con Alma, Untitled original (van Voorst), What If (van Voorst)
Me - upright bass and compositions
Caroline Davis - alto saxophone
Eliza Salem - drums
April 6, 2023
Thanks to The Bass Shed for having me on for my first ever podcast interview. We talked about my musical beginnings in Maine, writing and listening to music, and even a little about practicing. Check it out at the link below.
https://www.thebassshed.com/podcast/ep-109-chris-von-voorst-von-beest
Sept 7, 2022
A few things of note happened over the summer:
In June, I went into the studio with the Danny Fox trio to record our 4th album - keep an eye/ear out for this release in the year to come.
In July, I was back in the studio to record music by guitarist/composer Jeff Miles with a cool band. Jeff wrote some seriously challenging music - keep an eye out for Jeff’s new music somewhere down the line.
It’s been fun teaching a few composition lessons over the summer. It’s a new thing for me and I like helping find ways through problem areas of others’ compositions. Of course, it’s much easier to look at someone else’s music more objectively than your own…
Later this fall, I’ll be hitting the road for a short tour through the Czech-Republic, Austria, and Italy, with Rudy Linka on guitar and Rudy Royston on drums. It’ll be my first time playing with the second Rudy and I’m looking forward as I’m a big fan.
August 15, 2022
Recent listening and study — Igor Stravinsky, Duo Concertant. Stravinsky really visited the baroque/ early classical periods and made it his own. Some of the Duo sounds like Bach while other parts sound like they have a more Italian influence, but always Stravinsky at heart. Link -> Eglogue II
Quintet for Winds
August 8, 2022
Recently, I revisited some past music of mine that I never felt quite satisfied with. A couple of months later and now I have a new piece derived from an older theme, and although the name is rather banal, I’m pleased to present Quintet for Winds. Check out my cool scrolling-score video.
January 6, 2022
It was lovely to hear the premier of my new piece Canyon for violin, piano and cello recently at Scholes Street studio by members of the Astoria Music Project. Full performance can be watched on my video page. In the meantime, here’s about 50 seconds to wet your appetite.
August 28, 2021
I was stoked to play solo bass with electronics and make weird sounds for the dance piece Nest, Act 2 by dancer/choreographer Kelly Ashton Todd. The live performances were about 45 minutes long and out on a rooftop deep in Greenpoint Brooklyn, but here is a trailer we shot inside on a rainy day.
October 20, 2020
August 30, 2019
Last night I jammed on the John Lennon tune “Just Give Me Some Truth” with Dave Navarro. I’ve heard him on recordings throughout the years, but it was great to be part of the music on stage. He brings a vibe and plays some solid guitar.
August 19, 2019
Thanks to David Wade for having me on his program Juke, Jive and Jazz on WMPG radio in Portland, Me. It was a pleasure to talk to him about some new chamber music I wrote. I rarely like the sound of my own voice on a recording but this one is listenable! You can hear the interview here — https://www.wmpg.org/show/wed1330
July 3, 2019
Summertime is officially here. It’s hot and humid today and I have a cold… Lately, while trying to rest, I’m giving the bass a break and spending time with this guy
This book is amazing! Couperin wrote for Harpsichord, but modern arrangements/orchestrations of his music exist and are beautiful too. Thomas Ades, for one:
Lately, I sort of randomly bought a score for Ernest Bloch’s Meditation and Processional and took out a score of Copland’s Short Symphony (for sextet) from the library. The latter came of interest after discovering that it was one of the Copland’s own favorite. I think the second movement is the real prize in this one.
I have some gigs coming up in August: Bar Lunatico, Rockwood Music Hall, The Press Room (Portsmouth, NH). Also, if you happen to be in Maine at the end of the month, I will be on David Wade’s great radio program Juke Jive n Jazz to talk about my chamber music/improvised response ensemble.
June 3, 2019
Over the last few weeks I’ve become more familiar with Debussy’s songs for piano and voice - a medium of his writing I’ve neglected until now and now I’m enraptured by the enchanting La Flute de Pan. Marked pianissimo throughout with the occasional rise to piano, check out Dawn Upshaw sing the presque sans voix 'almost speechless’ expression marking of the final vocal line.
March 22, 2019
A bit of live recording
A little music was recorded by old friend Adam Chilenski at the Grand Hall of the Brooklyn Conservatory and features Jeremy Viner on clarinet, Zach Lapidus on piano, Tara Hanish on cello, Kyle Wilson on saxophone, Allan Mednard on drums, and me slappin’ da basso (forgive me).
Here is Stalagmites: a short, fast piece for piano, cello, and clarinet, followed by an improvised response by bass, drums, and saxophone. Check out the Music or Video page for more listening.
Feb 16, 2019
Some things coming up in March:
recording with songwriter John William Watkins
returning to the Swiss Alps in May to play bass/piano duets and float around in the salt baths for two weeks at Hotel 7132 Spa
playing gigs at Bar Lunatico and The Owl
Double Up
May 29, 2018
On Sunday, July 8th, I'll once again put on a concert at The Owl Music Parlor, one of my favorite places to make music in Brooklyn. This will be my 3rd time presenting chamber and improvised music in the same concert, and at this point I feel a few words could help to clarify some things.
I lead a bit of a double life as a musician. I am a bassist who plays mostly improvised music - usually jazz. I also write music, most of which might be called modern classical or new chamber music.. at least I think. In any case, it's for instruments more commonly found in orchestral music and almost all through composed. To put it simply, I often feel like two musicians in one body, constantly pulled by strong currents in either direction. I struggle with dividing my time between practicing music that I don't write and writing music that I don't play. I love both worlds but I've felt a growing need to find more of a connection.
This brings me to the upcoming concert in July. As I've done before, I'll have chamber music and improvised music, but instead of two sets, I'll have one set with two trios. A chamber trio of piano, clarinet, and cello will play a number of short original works, each followed with an improvised response by a different trio of bass, drums, and saxophone. It's sort of an experiment and not fully fleshed out, but I hope it helps make a more cohesive statement. At the very least, I think it could be a really interesting night.
April 20, 2018
Jan 10, 2018
Happy New Year!
Some things coming up in 2018. January 22nd is the CD release show with the DFT at Mezzrow, featuring all the music from the upcoming CD and more. There is a new stop-motion video of a song from the record. The concert precedes a February tour of California. (Check performance schedule for dates)
In other news, I've started a new group called the Flamingo Trio with old friends Kyle Wilson (ts) and Hayden Hawkins (d). We had our first concert on Jan 8th as part of the Jazz for a Cause series and all proceeds went to a fund for the homeless.
November 28, 2017
Faithful friends,
friday, Dec 8th at 9pm at The Owl Music Parlor! the premier of a brand new chamber piece of mine called The Heartland, a trio in three movements for clarinet, cello, and piano. followed by quartet with drums, playing the music of Thelonius Monk.
join us, i’d be delighted to have you. and come early, Kim Anderson and her band play at 8pm.
w/ jeremy viner, tara hanish, zach lapidus, vinnie sperazza
October 28, 2017
I just got back from Vals, Switzerland, where I played a duo gig in the Alps. Life is quite simple out there.
The sheep may safely graze
June 23, 2017
Photo by Jan Pieter van Voorst van Beest
Jan 5, 2017
This Tuesday, Jan 10th, I'm happy to announce a night of my own music at The Rosemont, a cocktail bar/performance venue in Williamsburg. The 1st set will feature chamber music for small ensembles and I'm especially looking forward to the premier of my new trio for piano, cello and clarinet. The 2nd set adds bass and drums for a quartet. I'm pleased to be joined by some very fine musicians.See the rather dark promo photo below for further info. Please join us!
Photo by JanPieter van Voorst van Beest
The Danny Fox trio in the studio in July
Ring of Bone
Anne Dearth is an excellent flutist. She asked if I would write a piece for solo flute, voice, and extended technique. I'd never done anything like this but I said what the h@#%.
Like some Steve Lacy music written for the same poem, my piece is called Ring of Bone.
The Danny Fox Trio
The DFT is jazz piano trio led by pianist Danny Fox, with Max Goldman on drums and me on bass. Danny's original music is really fun, and over time I've sprinkled in a lot of ideas, endings, melodies, etc..
Here’s a stop-motion music video of Sterling, one of the songs from the Fox trio cd Wide Eyed, featuring an oscar-worthy big ball of yarn.
Sleep no More
For several years now I've played a steady gig as one of the house bassists for Sleep No More, an immersive theater production based on Shakespeare's Macbeth and Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, as well as other creepy plays and movies. I've met many talented dancers, actors and musicians through this association.