Ratchet Spotlights Local Composers With New Series

By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on May 7, 2012 8:30PM

Pfiffner. Photo by Bryan Thompson.

The Ratchet music series is always introducing us to new music, but tonight they’ll kick off a brand new bi-annual Composer Series with a month long residency by Cameron Pfiffner. The weekly Monday night series at Skylark has been an outlet for jazz and improvising musicians since 2007, and this new addition is an opportunity to further spotlight local composers.

Pfiffner is probably best known by most Chicagoans for leading the band Sabertooth with fellow saxophonist Pat Mallinger. You’ve seen them if you’ve ever been at The Green Mill late on a Saturday night--a residency they’ve held down for the past twenty years. Over his admirable quarter century career in Chicago, Pfiffner has performed with groups like Alan Gresik’s Swing Shift Orchestra, and was the musical director and resident composer for dance ensemble The 58 group. These days Pfiffner leads an 11-piece ensemble called Marco Polo and a tribute project called Adolphe’S Ax, in honor of sax inventor, Adolphe Sax, both of which will perform during this month’s residency. Schedule below.

Monday, May 7:
Cameron Pfiffner Quartet (Cameron Pfiffner, Steve Doyle, Joshua Ramos, Makaya McCraven)

Monday, May 14:
Marco Polo (Cameron Pfiffner, Marquis Hill, Terry Connell, Steve Horne, Nick Mazzarella, Juli Wood, Alejandro Urzagaste, Tom Vaitsas, Daniel Thatcher, Tim Daisy, Tim Mulvenna)

Monday, May 21:
Adolphe'S Ax (Cameron Pfiffner, Anthony Bruno, Nick Mazzarella, Caroline Davis, Nate LePine, Juli Wood)

Monday, May 28:
Marco Polo (Cameron Pfiffner, Marquis Hill, Terry Connell, Steve Horne, Nick Mazzarella, Juli Wood, Alejandro Urzagaste, Tom Vaitsas, Daniel Thatcher, Tim Daisy, Tim Mulvenna)