Paul Winter Consort Brings The Universal Magic of Solstice to Troy Music Hall 12/27/24

December 30, 2024

2–3 minutes

Winter Solstice has been recognized by all ancient cultures with rituals and celebration. Paul Winter Consort presented their contemporary celebration in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine NYC for 40 years until the Covid pandemic. This year they are taking this celebration on a 10 city tour of the Northeast including Troy Music Hall.

The Consort brings music of the world and the wonder of nature together in all its performance. The band represents Brazilian, jazz, classical and Eastern European influences. A truly “New Age “ensemble, the music included recordings of animals that accompanied or preceded many of the musical pieces. Paul noted the close relation of man’s musical compositions with the sounds of nature. The two sets represented the Consort’s output from its early output from 1967 to his unreleased “Horn of Plenty”. The playbill included contact info for many northeastern environmental organizations.

The morning song of a woodthrush was noted to be in the same key and tempo of a Bach composition with his own musings in “The Well Tempered Wood Thrush. The dulced tones of Paul’s soprano saxophone, with the accompaniment of Eugene Friesen’s cello was interlaced with melody from Henrique Eisenmann’s piano and commentary from the rest of the instruments.

Eugene Friesen also performed solo over the recordings of Humpback Whales over a soothing duet. Friesen has been a longstanding band member. Paul had never really considered a cello in a non orchestral days when he was more of a pure jazz performer.

Pianist Henrique Eisenmann presented his Brazilian heritage and interaction with nature with his aural interpretation of women doing laundry in a river with “Lavadeiras”. The memories of a soccer match between Brazil and Uruguay during the Flu Pandemic were paralleled with the recent Covid Pandemic. His prodigious mastery of the piano and synthesizer made for a full sound during both sets.

Originally from Bulgaria and trained as a classical musician, Peter Slavov is a well known bassist and educator in the jazz world, he displayed his virtuosity on the instrument throughout.

Rogerio Boccato-hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil . Well known in the jazz and Brazilian music world. He added rhythm to the sometimes chamber music like music.

Theresa Thomason brings the influence of gospel music to the band. Her powerful yet sensitive vocals gives the Consort a unique touch. Her category defying performances were noted in two old Consort classics, “The Silence Of A Candle” and “Icarus”.

The complimentary lighting and the sonics of the hall aided by the engineering of the Consort’s crew and the house staff was perfection.

After this performance, one felt a closer connection to earth, nature and our ancestral roots. Everyone left the hall with a feeling of peace and hope. Much needed in these troubled times.