The Tishman Auditorium at the New School buzzed with the sounds of a 10-singer ensemble and a 20-piece jazz orchestra, rehearsing for the American premiere of Escalator Over the Hill by Carla Bley. This groundbreaking work, originally released in 1971 and described ambiguously as a jazz opera, features complex vocal techniques and orchestral arrangements. Bleyâs unique vision, highlighted in her writings, emphasizes the experimental nature of the piece which has since become a cult classic. The performance promises to be a significant revival of a pioneering work in the genre of experimental music.
The ensemble, made up of students and faculty members, was rehearsing Escalator Over the Hill by Carla Bley with lyrics by Paul Haines for a performance on Friday.
In an essay, Bley, who died last year, wrote that the work was conceived as a jazz opera, though the term opera was used loosely from the start.
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