Thursday 12/01/2011 by multibeast

HELP KICKSTART THE FIRST EVERYONE ORCHESTRA CD

For the last ten years, The Everyone Orchestra and its ever-rotating cast of characters has pushed the envelope of improvised music across the world. Musicians from many of the greatest bands of our time have entered Matt Butler's world of conducted improvisation and the results are always entertaining. Jon Fishman of Phish has been part of the EO experience many times, and was enlisted by Matt for the first-ever EO studio project, The Brooklyn Sessions.

Matt assembled a masterful collection of musicians in a Brooklyn recording studio in January 2011 for two days of conducted improvised jams. In addition to Fishman, the stellar group includes many players associated with Phish side-projects. Along with Matt as Conductor, the lineup is: Jon Fishman (Phish), Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band), Al Schnier (moe.), Reed Mathis (Tea Leaf Green) Steve Kimock, Marco Benevento, Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band), Jamie Masefield (Jazz Mandolin Project) and Jans Ingber (The Motet).

I asked Matt how the studio experience differed from being in front of a live audience. "While we didn't have the audience energy to feed off of, the environment was relaxed and intimate which brought out really interesting performances from all the players. I let solos run even longer than usual and let jams go on a little longer too. I focused on letting these master musicians interact and have a really fun time while we created the music. I also pushed the envelope musically and we tried pulling off some really difficult concepts. Some worked better than others, but as a group process, since we weren't 'performing' it was all valid efforts in our time in the 'creative sandbox'."

The completely self-funded project is near completion, but needs additional financial support to reach the finished product. Here is Matt's introductory video for the Kickstarter project, which includes some nice jam segments:

If you donate to the project, you get at minimum a free digital download of the CD when it is released. Higher donation amounts come with even more goodies. For more information, additional behind-the-scenes video and to donate to the project, click here.

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Comments

, comment by GhostofGuyForget
GhostofGuyForget This sounds really incredible, is there any idea of when the CD will be released?
, comment by phisherman
phisherman eh, i love good music, and have seen them several times with many different great musicians, but it seems like butler often times gets in the way of some great improvisation with his overbearing banter. it would be better if he left the stage from time to time and let the musicians do there thing. it becomes contrived, in my opinion. but it is definitely a good experience and would say to everyone that it is worth a look, god knows i am far from the authority. either way, i hope the album does well.
, comment by PerryHuh
PerryHuh I really love kickstarter funds, they've gone a log way for a ton of local and up and coming bands. But that's the thing, I feel like they are more valuable to get a young local band a van to tour with or some money to release an album with. I think this is a cool idea for a project and I don't mean to knock it, but I feel like between all of those nationally touring musicians, they could scrap up some money to record this thing. Just my 2 cents.
, comment by zappafrank1
zappafrank1 " think this is a cool idea for a project and I don't mean to knock it, but I feel like between all of those nationally touring musicians, they could scrap up some money to record this thing. Just my 2 cents."

This is pretty much what I was gonna post.
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