Tea With Warriors

In my last post I mentioned seeing the group "Victoire" back in August here in Pittsburgh. At the show, I passed on picking up the new CD "Cathedral City" because I was in money-saving mode, but I did put the release date on my calendar, and ordered it the day it came out. well, I got it in the mail, and must say I'm really taken with it. It's been on my iPod for the last couple weeks, and I haven't gotten sick of it yet. Unlike a lot of music, it really holds up to repeated listenings. I'm not sure why I like it so much. It does touch on a few things I like- "organic" sounding composition (by which I mean sounds kind of improvised, even though it isn't), a nice combination of real chamber instruments with well-chosen electronic sounds (not unlike my own music, if I may be immodest for a moment), and a moderately strong Philip Glass influence (I think the bassist is a member of the P.G. Ensemble as well). Actually, listing those things makes me see, duh, of course I like it, since I like all those things.

Victoire and composer/leader Missy Mazzoli have been getting a lot of good press, and it's not just hype. You should check them out.