Wild Beast Concert Series Features 21st Century Jazz

The Wild Beast Concert Series features Alumni Big Bands this weekend. | Image: CalArts

On Saturday, Oct. 14, CalArts launches the 2017-18 season of its Wild Beast Concert Series with a performance by two large jazz bands fronted by CalArts alums: The Daniel Rosenboom Octet and theBABAOrchestra.

Taking place during CalArts Weekend, the Institute’s annual homecoming celebration, the concert also coincides with the inauguration festivities of CalArts’ fourth president, Ravi S. Rajan, who will be formally installed on Friday, Oct. 13.

Opening the concert, theBABAOrchestra is a 17-piece big band performing original instrumental compositions by composer, conductor and bandleader Lauren Elizabeth Baba (Music BFA 02). Featuring nine CalArts alumni, including Baba, the band has been called “a whirlwind of texture and rhythm” by LA Weekly. Taking inspiration from jazz, rock, folk, experimental and new music, the band is slated to release its debut record later this fall.

‘t.i.m.e [the immediate measure (of) energy]’ performed by theBABAOrchestra at bluewhale

Then, trumpeter, composer and producer Daniel Rosenboom (Music MFA 07) leads his dynamic electroacoustic octet—featuring four CalArts alumni, including Rosenboom—through original music drawing from avant-garde jazz, minimalism, electronic music and experimental rock. Hailed as a “phenomenon” by the Los Angeles Times, Rosenboom has performed on stages around the world, from Madison Square Garden to the Hollywood Bowl.

‘Astral Transference’ performed by Daniel Rosenboom live at bluewhale

The Wild Beast Concert Series—held at CalArts’ acoustically optimized indoor/outdoor performance venue, The Wild Beast and The S. Mark Taper Foundation Courtyard—has been offering free afternoon and evening concerts to the community since 2010, spotlighting a variety of genres from students, faculty and guest artists of The Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts.

Designed by Hodgetts + Fung and accommodating more than 750 guests, The Wild Beast was named in honor of former CalArts Composer-in-Residence Morton Feldman, who likened the ineffable creative energy in art to a wild beast.

For more information about the 2017-2018 Wild Beast Concert Series season, visit calarts.edu/wild-beast.

– Katie Dunham