Colin Stetson has performed the solo saxophone music of New History Warfare in practically every type of venue that music inhabits, and although this music may seem challenging on it's surface, every audience in every room in every city has received it with a warm and energized embrace. From chanting and clapping crowds of rock fans while opening up for the Arcade Fire in a string of Get out the Vote rallies for the Obama Campaign last summer to a captivated and curious standing room only in rural Germany. The monks at the National Shrine of St. Francis Assissi were so thrilled with an easter sunday performance that they had him back for two more in the years to come. It is a spectacle of physical extremes(Lexy Benaim of the Harlem Shakes likened it to watching the Olympics, and Alex Green at Caught in the Carousel calls him "the Roger Federer of avant-garde instrumental music") and an intense and cathartic experience of sound and lyricism. Both sonically vast and melodically accessible. Allmusic.com's Sean Westergard had this to say: "Colin Stetson is an absolute master of the saxophone...New History Warfare, Vol. 1 is a truly impressive, fully formed, and highly individual musical statement... Stetson's compositions and ability to tell a musical story are what make this a great album. You haven't heard saxophone music quite like this".
This summer, Stetson will be bringing NHW to stages at both the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and Moers Jazz Festival in Germany as well as opening sets for bands such as the Harlem Shakes and Sway Machinery.
Aside from his work as a soloist, Stetson has brought his unique voice on winds and brass to stage and studio with dozens of artists, including Tom Waits, Arcade Fire, TV on the Radio, Jolie Holland, Sinead O'Connor, LCD Soundsystem, Angelique Kidjo, and Anthony Braxton. This spring Stetson will tour heavily with the Sway Machinery(NYC) and Bell Orchestre(Montreal), as both bands have new records scheduled for release in March on the labels JDub and Arts & Crafts, respectively.
so i know this is a few weeks overdue, but you were absolutely mindblowing at the electric factory on the 29th with the national. i just wanted you to know that, sir.
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