Uptown Nights: Immanuel Wilkins "The 7th Hand" Album Release
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Philadelphia area-born alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Immanuel Wilkins is on a mission—to create music that has a profound spiritual and emotional impact. From a young age, he was immersed in the music of his church and took up training opportunities at the Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts and Jazz House Kids, ultimately studying at The Juilliard School. Wilkins has performed with artists including Jason Moran, Gerald Clayton, Lalah Hathaway, Solange Knowles, Bob Dylan, and Wynton Marsalis. Wilkins formed his quartet, The Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, with longtime musical peers: pianist Micah Thomas, bassist Tyrone Allen, and drummer Kweku Sumbry. His debut recording, Omega, released on Blue Note, presented a "poignant audio portrait of the Black experience in America at a pivotal moment in time" (NPR). Join us at Harlem Stage for an evening of soulful connections celebrating the release of his second Blue Note release, The 7th Hand.
2022 First Commission
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Interim for trio and electronics (2022)
New Thread Quartet
Jonathan Hulting-Cohen, soprano saxophone
Erin Rogers, alto saxophone & mentor
Zach Herchen, baritone saxophone
The recipient of the 2022 Composers Now First Commission Award is Ebun Oguntola. Ebun is a 16-year-old contemporary classical composer, violinist, pianist and saxophonist living in upstate New York. Her music was brought to the attention of Composers Now by the founders of Luna Composition Lab, Missy Mazzoli and Ellen Reid. With mentorship from composer/saxophonist Erin Rogers, Ebun will create a chamber work for the New Thread Quartet that received its world premiere as part of the Opening Event of the 2022 Composers Now Festival.
