Bowerbird is excited to present the Philadelphia record release celebration of Bombogenic, a new album by Sonic Liberation 8 with the The Classical Revolution Trio & Oliver Lake. The album celebrates the 15 year anniversary of Sonic Liberation 8 with a new collection of compositions and arrangements showcasing a unique confluence of loft jazz, Afro Cuban Yoruba music, and new chamber music. Joining SL8 in this milestone is special guest artist Oliver Lake (World Saxophone Quartet) and the Classical Revolution String Trio. In addition to five new compositions, Kevin Diehl, the octet’s leader, arranged the Erik Satie composition, Gnossienne, recasting it as a platform for creative interaction rooted in these genres. Additionally Oliver Lake composed 2 compositions for specifically for SL8’s Afro-Cuban-Yoruba jazz format. Diehl arranged bata drums parts for these 2 pieces along with another of Mr. Lakes compositions called Love Like Sisters. Love Like Sisters originally appeared on a World Saxophone Quartet album called Metamorphosis.

THE PERFORMERS

Special Guest
Oliver Lake – Alto Saxophone, Composition

Sonic Liberation 8
Kevin Diehl – Drumkit, Bata Iya, Composer
Matt Engle – Bass, Composer
Elliot Levin – Woodwinds
Veronica Jurkiewicz – Viola, String Section Leader
Mike Watson – Bass Clarinet
Nichola Rivera – Bata Itotele & Iya, Conga, Composer
Tom Lowery – Drumkit, Afro Brazilian Percussion
Ron Howerton – Bata Okonkolo, Conga, Percussion

The Classical Revolution Trio
Russel Kotcher – Violin
Peter Oswald – Cello
Yoni Draiblate – Cello

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

The artistic scope of renowned saxophonist, composer, painter, and poet Oliver Lake’s half-century-long career is unparalleled. An extensive resume of his collaborations includes work with the Brooklyn Philharmonic, Flux String Quartet, Bjork, Lou Reed, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Me’shell Ndegeocello, Anthony Braxton, James Blood Ulmer, William Parker, Vijay Iyer, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille and a veritable who’s who of the jazz vanguard. Oliver’s efforts extend far beyond the music, with his creation of the non-profit Passin’ Thru organization, becoming a mainstay at Pittsburgh’s City of Asylum, publishing two books of poetry and frequently producing visual artwork for exhibitions across the country. Lake’s breadth of disciplines can be traced back to his formative years with the Black Artists Group, the innovative St. Louis collective of musicians, poets, dancers and painters he helped architect over 35 years ago. As a co-founder of the internationally acclaimed World Saxophone Quartet (with fellow luminaries David Murray, Julius Hemphill and Hamiet Bluiett), Oliver firmly established himself in the “Loft” jazz scene of the 1970’s in New York City, and has since produced a body of work that is both expansive and versatile enough to avoid falling solely into the trappings of the “avant-garde” and “free” labels. The fact that his work can stand on compositional merit alone, all while he has etched a place for himself as one of the elite saxophone players and improvisers of recent times, is a testament to Oliver Lake’s stature as an artist. Lake’s output as an exacting and unequivocally original composer has long been celebrated, highlighted by commissions awarded from the Library of Congress, the Rockefeller Foundation ASCAP, the International Association for Jazz Education, Composers Forum and the McKim Foundation. He has been the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship and was also presented with the Mellon Jazz Living Legacy Award at the Kennedy Center in 2006. In 2014, Oliver was honored with what is arguably the greatest recognition of his artistry and vision to date, becoming one of only nineteen grantees appointed for the prestigious Doris Duke Artist Award, a multi-year grant awarded to American artists in the fields of jazz, theater and dance. A trailblazer through and through, Oliver Lake continues to produce in the vociferous, uncompromising way he only knows how to, currently immersed in the work of such adventurous ensembles as the Oliver Lake Organ Quartet, Oliver Lake Big Band and Trio 3.

Sonic Liberation 8 is deeply rooted in the traditions of Afro Cuban music and has spent years fusing that grand tradition with new sounds including composed jazz, modern chamber composition, and the powerful Orisha spirit. Sonic Liberation 8 melds together sounds and time periods in a manner like no other band around today. As Sonic Liberation Front, this ensemble has consistently won international critical acclaim and have been named #1 or Top 10 by the Village Voice, All About Jazz, Jazziz, and more. The band has recorded five internationally-distributed albums. The eight-member ensemble has played extensively in the Philadelphia and New York area, and at festivals and cultural institutions throughout the Midwest U.S. and Canada. The core octet is scalable, often collaborating with guest artists and expanded ensembles.