Davóne Tines brings Julius Eastman's avant-garde masterpiece to life with a stirring concert at London's Barbican.
The American composer's innovative style defies categorization. Born in 1971, Eastman was a true Renaissance man - a pianist, performance artist, choreographer, and conductor who bridged the gap between New York's uptown arts scene and downtown's avant-garde underbelly. His music is characterized by its minimalist beats, often marked by dissonant waves that crash against consonant harmonies.
Tines' recent Barbican residency has provided a platform for Eastman's eclectic output to gain renewed attention. The concert, which featured an ensemble of musicians playing electric guitar, piano, and cello, offered a glimpse into the composer's provocative artistic vision.
The evening opened with Touch Him When, arranged for electric guitar and performed with high-energy intensity by Jiji, whose head-banging virtuosity added to the music's punk-infused ferocity. In contrast, Conor Hanick's authoritative playing of Piano 2 brought a sense of calm to this tripartite work, which evoked an early-20th-century feel.
The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc was another highlight, showcasing Eastman's ability to craft chugging rhythms that underscored soaring melodies. The originally improvised prelude, which featured Tines as the voice behind Joan's spirit guides, brought a sense of drama and urgency to the performance.
Other notable works included Gay Guerilla, arranged for three pianists at two pianos, cello, electric guitar, and voice with choreography by Kyle Marshall. As Tolling chords built in harmonic complexity, the music erupted into acerbic iterations of the Lutheran battle hymn Ein Feste Burg. The ensemble's performances were elevated by Khalid Dunton and José Lapaz-Rodriguez's sensual pas de deux, which blurred the lines between sleep and death, sex and combat.
Throughout the concert, Tines brought Eastman's music to life with his powerful voice and evocative storytelling style, drawing out the emotions and complexity of the composer's work. With this showstopping performance, Davóne Tines has cemented Julius Eastman's place as one of the most innovative and courageous musical voices of our time.
The American composer's innovative style defies categorization. Born in 1971, Eastman was a true Renaissance man - a pianist, performance artist, choreographer, and conductor who bridged the gap between New York's uptown arts scene and downtown's avant-garde underbelly. His music is characterized by its minimalist beats, often marked by dissonant waves that crash against consonant harmonies.
Tines' recent Barbican residency has provided a platform for Eastman's eclectic output to gain renewed attention. The concert, which featured an ensemble of musicians playing electric guitar, piano, and cello, offered a glimpse into the composer's provocative artistic vision.
The evening opened with Touch Him When, arranged for electric guitar and performed with high-energy intensity by Jiji, whose head-banging virtuosity added to the music's punk-infused ferocity. In contrast, Conor Hanick's authoritative playing of Piano 2 brought a sense of calm to this tripartite work, which evoked an early-20th-century feel.
The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc was another highlight, showcasing Eastman's ability to craft chugging rhythms that underscored soaring melodies. The originally improvised prelude, which featured Tines as the voice behind Joan's spirit guides, brought a sense of drama and urgency to the performance.
Other notable works included Gay Guerilla, arranged for three pianists at two pianos, cello, electric guitar, and voice with choreography by Kyle Marshall. As Tolling chords built in harmonic complexity, the music erupted into acerbic iterations of the Lutheran battle hymn Ein Feste Burg. The ensemble's performances were elevated by Khalid Dunton and José Lapaz-Rodriguez's sensual pas de deux, which blurred the lines between sleep and death, sex and combat.
Throughout the concert, Tines brought Eastman's music to life with his powerful voice and evocative storytelling style, drawing out the emotions and complexity of the composer's work. With this showstopping performance, Davóne Tines has cemented Julius Eastman's place as one of the most innovative and courageous musical voices of our time.
i'm all for pushing boundaries in music, but I need more info on what makes Eastman's style so unique. are there any interviews or videos of him talking about his process that I could check out? 
also, I've never heard of a composer being called a "renaissance man" before - is that just a fancy way of saying they're good at lots of things? 
This concert was literally mind-blowing - I loved how diverse the pieces were, from high-energy punk vibes to this super emotional piano piece that felt like a spiritual journey 
. The way Davóne Tines narrated the story behind "The Holy Presence of Joan d'Arc" was so captivating - it's amazing what can happen when music and performance come together in perfect harmony 
! I'm definitely checking out more of Eastman's work now... anyone else heard of him? 
! His voice is just so emotive and expressive, it really brings out the emotions in the music 
. I loved how he wove the narrative together, making you feel like you're experiencing the whole range of Eastman's genius firsthand 
. And can we talk about Khalid Dunton and José Lapaz-Rodriguez's pas de deux? It gave me CHILLS 
! I'm not even kidding, this concert has totally redefined my idea of what avant-garde music should sound like 
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the way the music just transported me to another world was insane! I loved how the energy shifted from high-intensity to calm and then back again, it was like a rollercoaster of emotions 
I need to listen to more Eastman's music ASAP 
it's like he's pushing boundaries and breaking rules in the best possible way 
chart: top 5 most streamed eastman tracks on spotify are all from the last year 
did you know? eastman was a pioneer for inclusive art spaces, creating pieces that blended performance art & classical music 
. And hey, who says you need a traditional structure to make something beautiful? The way those musicians improvised, it's like they were following their own heartbeat 
But what really got me was the storytelling aspect of Tines' performance - he brought such depth and nuance to Eastman's music, it felt like a wild ride through someone else's soul 
As for the choreography, I'm not usually into that sorta thing, but it added this whole new level of tension to the music. Overall, this concert was truly show-stopping - we're lucky to have talented folks like Tines and Eastman pushing boundaries in the arts! 