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Snap Shots: 11 works for Solo Alto composed or arranged by Jon Raskin, Steve Lacy, John Coltrane, Elmo Hope, Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Eric DolphyJon Raskin plays Baritone in the San Fransisco based Saxophone Quartet ROVA, a group that has been active for nearly 50 years. For his first time playing in Reykjavik, he will perform a solo Alto set followed by a an ensemble the following evening.
Jon’s early career includes his participation in new music ensembles directed by John Adams (San Francisco Conservatory of Music) and Dr. Barney Childs (University of Redlands). Before ROVA, Raskin served as music director of the Tumbleweed Dance Company (1974-77), and was a founding member of the Blue Dolphin Alternative Music Space. He participated in the creation of “The Farm”- an art project that included a city farm, community garden, Ecology Center, Dance and Theater companies, and resulted in the creation of a city park. Highlights as a member of ROVA include composing a collaborative work for SF Taiko Dojo/Rova, working with Howard Martin on the installation work “Occupancy”, composing music for Mr. Bungle/ Rova, organizing the 30 year Anniversary Concert of John Coltrane's Ascension, performing the music of Miles Davis at the Fillmore with Yo Miles!, the Glass Head Project with Inkboat and the ongoing Electric Ascension Project.
Raskin has received numerous grants and commissions to work on a variety of creative projects: NEA composer grant for Poison Hotel, a theater production by Soon 3 (1988); Reader's Digest/Meet the Composer (1992 & 2000); Berkeley Symphony commission (1995) and Headland Center for the Arts Residency 2009.
Besides over 40 recordings with ROVA, Raskin's recording experience include Anthony Braxton, Eight (+3) Tristano Compositions 1989 For Warne Marsh (1989) and The Bass & the Bird Pond with Tim Berne (1996), Wavelength Infinity- A Sun Ra Tribute, Between Spaces with Phillip Gelb, Dana Reason & Pauline Oliveros, Terry Riley's In C 25th Anniversary, and solo work on the Art Ship Series.
His current albums include Let's Go Juke Box Suite (Not Two) with the Rova Saxophone Quartet, JR Quartet (Rastascan) with Liz Allbee, George Cremaschi and Gino Robair, Music + One (Rastascan) a Improvisation compendium for improvisers to play along with and Kaolithic Music, Jaw Harp Music recorded in a 587 Gallon Vase (Evander Music) “Open Box” on the Tzadik label, Music and reading performances by: Liz Albee, Carla Harryman, Aurora Josephson, Ava Mendoza, Jon Raskin, Gino Robair, Roham Shikhaini, and John Shiurba. FPR trio with Frank Gratkowski, Phillip Greenlief and Jon Raskin.
In addition to all this, he has composed scores for local filmmaker Lee Lynch over the last 25 years. Lynch’s first film that featured his score is the Bee Hive, 2000, which premiered at Rotterdam film festival. This was followed by the soundtrack for his second feature, The Murder of Hi Good, (Lost Lanes Publishing), with his most recent score being for the Edda nominated short Konni, (co-directed by Thorbjorg Jonsdottir).
photo by Peter Gannushkin (downtownmusic.net)
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Event Venue
Óðinsgata 2, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland, Óðinsgata 2, 101 Reykjavíkurborg, Ísland, Reykjavík, Iceland
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