Virgil Moorefield - Things You Must Do to Get to Heaven (2007)

Virgil Moorefield tends to give his pieces eccentric titles -- The temperature in hell is over three thousand degrees, The History of Medicine, Distractions on the way to the king's party -- and his 2007 release, Things you must do to get to heaven, is no exception. Moorefield has a background both in classical composition and progressive jazz, and as a percussionist and drummer, and it's easy to hear a wealth of diverse elements in his music, which is often rhythmically driven, hovering just outside the limits of tonal harmony, full of inventive, repeating gestures and unorthodox timbral juxtapositions, with unconventional orchestrations, and a generous use of extended instrumental techniques. Sixteen Sesterces, one of the most successful pieces on the album, begins with the direction "...a slightly deranged machine," an apt description of the effect of the piece. The works range in scope from a solo percussion "comprovisation" by the composer to an ensemble of bass clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello, and electric guitar. The performers play with snappy high energy, emphasizing the music's perky whimsy. The CD should interest fans of classical/jazz crossover and of quirky new music that doesn't take itself too seriously.