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In 2004 Larry Porter was asked by his friend Stefan Jezierski from the Berlin Philharmonic to write a jazz-influenced piece for the 8 french horns of the orchestra. It was premiered on January 9, 2005 in the chamber music hall and was received with rousing applause by the audience. The piece was later played by horn professor Marie Luise Neunecker and her students. The third movement was released on the CD Wilde Klassik (BPH0501), a collection of chamber music played by various Berlin Philharmonic ensembles.

Larry Porter (geb. 1951)
KIND OF JAZZ SUITE
Auftragswerk der Berliner Philharmoniker
Uraufführung am 9. Januar, 2005, Kammermusiksaal

1. Ballad
2. Bossa
3. Blues

Hornisten der Berliner Philharmoniker

Radek Baborak
Stefan Dohr
Norbert Hauptmann
Stefan de Leval Jezierski
Fergus McWilliam
Georg Schreckenberger
Klaus Wallendorf
Sarah Willis

...from the original program notes:

Larry Porter ist der einzige Komponist im zweiten Teil des heutigen Konzerts, der nicht selbst hauptberuflich ins Horn stößt. Der in Berlin lebende Amerikaner nennt das Klavier und die orientalische Laute Rebab als seine Hauptinstrumente. Er ist in der afghanischen Folklore ebenso beheimatet wie im Jazz. Von den Hornisten der Berliner Philharmoniker hat er sich dazu inspirieren lassen, "ein Stück mit harmonischen und rhythmischen Elementen des Jazz zu schreiben und gleichzeitig die kammermusikalische Integrität des Ensembles zu wahern."
Kind Of Jazz Suite (eine Art Jazz Suite) besteht aus drei Sätzen, denen drei typische Formen der afro-amerikanischen Musik zu Grunde liegen: Ballade, Bossa Nova und Blues. Das Werk beginnt langsam und rhapsodisch, nimmt jedoch im Verlauf an rhythmischer Intensität und Dichte zu.
( Marcus Gammel)

Larry Porter is the only composer in the second half of today’s concert who is not himself a horn player. The American who resides in Berlin calls the piano and the oriental lute, rebab, his main instruments. He is just at home in Afghan folk music as he is in jazz. He was inspired by the Berlin Philharmonic Horns, “to write a piece with harmonic and rhythmic elements of jazz and at the same time preserve the integrity of a chamber music ensemble.”
Kind Of Jazz Suite consists of three movements based on typical forms in Afro-American music: ballad, bossa nova, and blues. The work is slow and rhapsodic at the beginning and gets increasingly more rhythmic and syncopated as it develops.

New CDs:

1. Larry Porter Trio - the circle Is unbroken (meta records 024)
read more, listen to samples, and order CD

2. Larry Porter – Songs featuring Barbara Mayr (organic music 9737)
read more, listen to samples, and order CD

3. Evgenia Kharitonova & Larry Porter

This recording with the talented Russian vocalist, Evgenia Kharitonova, was done on the Steinway D concert grand piano at Traumton Studios in Berlin. It features stunning interpretations of four Russian songs as well as two original songs by Larry Porter and three seldom-heard standards: “Where Flamingos Fly”, “Why Was I Born?”, and “Here’s What I’m Here For”. The release of this CD is still being prepared.

listen to a sample: A Naposledok Ya Skazhu (B. Akhmadullina, A. Petrov)

Larry spent some time in early 2005 in Chennai (Madras) in South India exploring Carnatic music and meeting many great artists. This ancient music tradition is being carried on today as strong as ever. The number of musicians, singers, and dancers mastering their art at the highest level is almost overwhelming. Here are a few photos:

Larry Porter is also currently working on music for rebab and piano. This is purely a studio project where he will play both instruments using overdub techniques. The aim is a new music with its own integrity combining evocative Eastern scales with modern Western harmony. This recording is nearing its completion at this time.