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OrkestRova L.A. debuts Electric Ascension at REDCAT to mark 40th anniversary of John Coltrane's Ascension

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September 14, Los Angeles--The Rova Saxophone Quartet is augmented by guitar luminaries Nels Cline and Fred Frith for a new interpretation of John Coltrane's Ascension--the monumental 1965 piece that stands as one of the key watersheds of post-bop free jazz. In addition to Rova's four reeds--played by Bruce Ackley, Steve Adams, Larry Ochs and Jon Raskin--the 11-piece ensemble, known as OrkestRova L.A., features violins, electric guitars, percussion and an array of electronics, samplers and turntables performed by Jeff Gauthier, Earl Harvin, Ronit Kirchman, Tom Recchion and Mark Trayle. The two performances at REDCAT, September 30 and October 1 at 8:30 p.m., mark the 40th anniversary of Coltrane's contribution to the emergence of structured improvisation.

Linking his most creative periods, John Coltrane's Ascension (1965) is characterized by longer compositional forms, high energy solos and ensemble improvisations performed by Coltrane and 10 additional musicians. In 1995, Rova initiated the idea of a 30th anniversary concert of Ascension to celebrate John Coltrane's most profound work. For two successful performances in San Francisco and in Italy, Rova arranger Jon Raskin used the same instrumentation as Coltrane used in 1965: five saxophonists, two trumpeters, two bassists, drummer, and pianist. The music generally followed the form of the original performance, alternating full-group ensemble improvisations with sections featuring soloist plus rhythm section.

In the 2003 version of Ascension, mounted during Rova's 25th anniversary celebration, Rova arranger Larry Ochs proposed a new instrumental line-up and a modified form. That performance gathered together a group of improvisers whose own music is created with the same spirit of exploration and innovation. This performance was captured on the recently released CD, Electric Ascension (Atavistic ALP159CD).

Now, Rova has gathered local improvisers--Jeff Gauthier (violin, effects), Earl Harvin (percussion), Ronit Kirchman (violin and electronics), Tom Recchion (records, CDs, computer, electronics and things) and Mark Trayle (electronics) to perform Electric Ascension as OrkestRova L.A., with the original OrkestRova members Nels Cline, Fred Frith and the Rova Saxophone Quartet.

REDCAT, CalArts' downtown center for innovative visual, performing and media arts, is located at the corner of W. 2nd St. and S. Hope St., inside the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex. OrkestRova L.A. performs for two nights only: September 30 and October 1, Friday and Saturday, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets range from $24-$16. Student ticket discounts available. Seating is general admission. Tickets may be purchased at the REDCAT box office--located at the corner of 2nd and Hope Streets, by calling 213.237.2800, or by clicking here.

For further information on Rova and the new CD Electric Ascension (Atavistic, 2005), go to http://www.rova.org.

REDCAT benefits from an endowment created through the generosity of The Walt Disney Company; The Sharon D. Lund Foundation; Robert B. Egelston; Lee and Lawrence J. Ramer; and Dorothy R. Sherwood.

REDCAT's 2005-06 season programming is generously supported by The Herb Alpert Foundation; American Composers Forum of Los Angeles; The Annenberg Foundation; Anonymous; Argosy Foundation Contemporary Music Fund; California Community Foundation; The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation (Corporate matching gift); CEMAT (Centri Musicali Attrezzati,Rome); City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department; CONACULTA; Margit Sperling Cotsen and Lloyd Cotsen; Cultural Services of the French Embassy; e-flux; Étant Donnés, The French-American Fund for the Visual Arts, a program of the French American Cultural Exchange; The French-American Fund for Contemporary Music, a program of FACE; French Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Harriet and Richard Gold; Lenore S. and Bernard A. Greenberg; Elyse and Stanley Grinstein; Henson International Festival of Puppet Theater; IIC (Instituto Italiano di Cultura, Los Angeles); The Japan Foundation/Performing Arts JAPAN; La Colección Jumex; kurimanzutto; L.A. Louver Gallery, Inc.; The Sharon D. Lund Foundation; Steve Martin; National Dance Project; National Endowment for the Arts; E. Nakamichi Foundation; Phaedrus Foundation; Vicki Reynolds Pepper and Murray Pepper; The Puffin Foundation, Inc.; V. Joy Simmons; The Skirball Foundation; SONORA, in collaboration with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy; and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

As CalArts' downtown center for innovative visual, media and performing arts, REDCAT, the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, introduces diverse audiences, students and artists to the most influential developments in the arts from around the world, and gives artists in the Los Angeles region the creative support they need to achieve national and international stature. REDCAT is a center for experimentation, discovery and charged civic discourse.

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