What is Pat Metheny's Orchestrion?

Pat Metheny has already worked with most of the world’s most talented musicians, so his newest collaboration project had to branch out a little – he’s making sweet music with robots. The famous jazz guitarist has assembled a remarkable robotic orchestra composed of a room full of solenoid and pneumatically driven instruments. Dubbed The Orchestrion Project, the robot ensemble represents a unique attempt to expand musicality into both automated and directed machines. Each instrument follows input from Metheny, allowing him to improvise with his own unique musical style. Metheny has already produced a record using his robot orchestra and is launching a world tour this month. Check out the delightful press video for The Orchestrion Project by clicking on this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsYEOUKS4Yk

The Orchestrion Project gets its name, and its creative origins, from the mechanically automated orchestras created since the late 1700s. Those early orchestrions expanded on the concept of a player piano allowing for the automated playing of music across multiple instruments. Metheny was inspired by these mechanical ensembles and by the advancing promise of technology. This is a musician who regularly refers to the concepts of Ray Kurzweil to help explain his own work. The creation of mechanical acoustic devices has continued right into the present, but Metheny has taken the idea into a different direction. Rather than simply arrange a musical composition to be played across multiple instruments, he organically builds the voice of each instrument using his improvisational riffs on the guitar. In a sense he’s created a live version of an elaborate over-dubbing studio session wherein he is playing and responding to his improvisation as it is expressed in other instruments. Looks complicated, sounds amazing:
As Metheny describes in related videos on his website, it took a large team of inventors to provide all of the automated instruments in his Orchestrion Project. There’s a Yamaha Disklavier, a bottle ensemble created by the Peterson Company, an electric bass by Ken Caulkins, and many more. Each instrument is acoustic or acoustic-electric, providing for a rich and full sound that synthesizers would be unable to fully mimic in a concert environment.

See it in action at the ASC Friday, October 1 at 8 PM. Tickets are available at the box office. http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=100

Orchestrion is HERE at the ASC!

World renowned guitarist/composer Pat Metheny has won an extraordinary 17 Grammy Awards and has been nominated 33 times in 12 different categories, more than any other performer in Grammy history. On his new tour, which begins in Birmingham, Pat moves from brilliant solo guitar improvisations to the introduction of a totally new technology for the presentation of an acoustically driven "solo ensemble" music he is dubbing Orchestrionics.

Pat's crew has been here at the ASC since the early morning hours today putting this monstrous instrument together and the finished product is indeed impressive. This is truly a show you don't want to miss as Pat singlehandedly controls the Orchestrion without a band. It is a project that is far and away more innovative than anything he has tackled onstage in previous tours, but the results are awe inspiring!

Tickets are still available at the ASC box office. The show starts at 8 PM Friday, October 1. Don't forget the FREE Q&A session with Pat on Thursday, September 30 at noon in the Jemison Theater here at the ASC! http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=100

Not Your Typical Dumpster Diving

Are you familiar with dumpster diving? You hear about people sifting through dumpsters for valuables and unfound treasures, but what about dumpster diving for your next meal?

The award-winning film DIVE! looks further into this rising trend. This movie, part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, seeks to explain the phenomenon of grocery stores throwing away perfectly edible food. The apparent contradiction asks the question of why good food is being thrown away when countless people are hungry.

Filmmaker Jeremy Seifert goes on a dumpster diving adventure to discover why food is being trashed versus being given away. This film is sure to involve politics, humorous moments, and a revolutionary approach to an age old problem.

Come out and learn how food waste impacts communities. You may even get motivated enough to make your own film and question common wasteful tactics. And, the filmmaker will be at the film for a Q&A session.

When? Tonight at 7 PM in Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. Tickets are $12.

By SHERMIKA DUNNER

Pat Metheny brings his Orchestrion to the ASC Oct. 1.

After a week of non-stop events here at the ASC, you would think we would be ready for a break. But the music continues as we go from one of the biggest icons in the entertainment industry to one of the biggest names in jazz music today!

Pat Metheny brings his latest project, Orchestrion, to the Jemison Hall this Friday, October 1 at 8 PM. Everyone is asking, "What is Orchestrion?". Well if you know Pat, you can rest assured it is innovative, exciting and musically stunning. He always delivers on these points. However, with Orchestrion, he is experimenting with something totally different and the results are amazing! Check out this video link to see him in action with the Orchestrion and hear him explain how it all works! http://www.patmetheny.com/orchestrioninfo/

To quote one reveiwer of the show: "If you’re reading this and Metheny is coming your way, just go. Gasp when the curtain rises and the Orchestrion is revealed in all its wacky glory. Step into the rollercoaster car, lower the bar, hold on and enjoy."

The ASC welcomes MASS ENSEMBLE and LIZA MINNELLI!

We have had an incredible week here at the ASC with exciting performances everyday by MASS ENSEMBLE with a grand finale on Friday night inside the building, by the entire group, for a huge theatrical rock opera you won't soon forget!

On Saturday LIZA COMES TO BIRMINGHAM!! We couldn't be more excited about having this entertainment legend grace our stage here in the Jemison Hall for, what we hope will be, a sellout show. At this writing, there are still a few seats left but they will go quickly so get yours today.

LIZA has been on a media blitz this week with the release of a brand new recording, 'Confessions', and an appearance on the OPRAH WINFREY SHOW leading up to her performance here at 7 PM. The Alys Stephens Center is the perfect intimate venue for this upcoming show which will feature some of the greatest songs of all time performed by Liza and accompanied by Billy Stritch and her quartet. It is a rare opportunity to see an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner up close and personal right here in Birmingham!

A full week of events at the ASC!

We have a very busy week ahead here at the ASC! Here's a condensed rundown of everything going on. For a complete calendar, click on the event link: http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/


Things actually got started on Sunday with a great show by CHOO CHOO SOUL and another one today for young students at 10 pm. Coming up later today, MASS ENSEMBLE begins its week long residency with a 5:30 PM Yoga Class outdoors at the site of the Giant Earth Harp. Bring your own mat and plenty of WATER for this one!


Then on Tuesday through Thursday, get ready for daily performances on the Earth Harp at noon, 2 PM and 6 PM culminating with a MASS Happy Hour (complete with Cash Bar) on Thursday from 5:30 - 6:30 PM. Have a cocktail and experience the final outdoor performance!


On Friday, Sept. 24, experience the MASS ENSEMBLE onstage in the Jemison Concert Hall. This MASSIVE show combines the creative forces of artists, musicians, composers, and choreographers to produce an unforgettable theatrical experience that's unique to where it's being performed. Listen, watch, and feel as live music, sculpture, dance, video projection, narration, lighting, and rigging come together to create a multi-sensory experience you won't soon forget. http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=69


The grand finale for our opening week is a rare Birmingham appearance by one of the true icons of the entertainment world; Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner, LIZA MINNELLI!
http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=68


This intimate show will feature some of the greatest songs of all time performed by Liza with the accompaniment of Billy Stritch and her quartet. Without question, a powerful ending to an exciting week!

Pat Metheny and Rickey Smiley are on deck for October...stay tuned!

Rickey Smiley comes home to the Alys Stephens Center!

The Crown Jewel Event for Magic City Classic Weekend! RICKEY SMILEY brings the down home southern humor that has made him a favorite in the nation's top comedy venues to the beautiful Alys Stephens Center! Aside from releasing five comedy CDs and hosting BET's "ComicView" and "The Way We Do It", Smiley has also made his mark appearing in films such as "Friday After Next" and hosting "The Rickey Smiley Morning Show" on radio stations across the country and locally on WENN 101.9. http://alysstephens.uab.edu/events/?id=80