Modern/classical/cool: Saxophone stars in LCSC professor’s CD

The title piece for the new CD “Dragon” is a saxophone solo with electronics that has been described by composer Joseph Waters as “Charlie Parker meets George Gershwin, Super Mario Bros. II and Lady Gaga.”

Modern classical music for the saxophone is the focus of “Dragon,” a new CD by Lewis-Clark State College music professor Bill Perconti and the Alloy Saxophone Quartet.

Perconti is the arranger and saxophone soloist on the CD released this fall by Albany Records. He is assisted by musician and Whitman College faculty member Gary Gemberling on percussion. Besides Perconti, the quartet includes Sean Fredenburg of Portland State University, Duke Sullivan of Seattle and Erik Steighner of Tacoma/Pacific Lutheran University.

The quartet’s works are titled “Spots,” composed by Frederick Rzewski for unspecified instrumentation and arranged for saxophone quartet by Perconti. Influenced by commercial advertising “spots,” Rzewski’s segments function like TV commercials, and are therefore interspersed among other pieces on the CD.

Composers included on the CD are Allan Blank, Rzewski, Hilary Tann, Joan Tower and Joseph Waters.

The CD is $16.99 and is available online at Albany Records.

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