The New Music Ensemble, Part 3 - NME II Liner Notes

In 1965, Larry Austin took a sabbatical semester from UC Davis. He travelled to Rome, where he participated in a very early version of Franco Evangelisti's Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza. During this time, the NME recorded a second album, without Austin. Robert Bloch is included here, playing mandolin and violin.

The liner notes are fairly brief, and some photos are also included.

Part one features the liner notes on the back of the first NME album.

Part two is the performer biographies, included as an insert with that record.

The fourth and final part of this series will be a comprehensive "gig-ography" of the NME: all known performances, along with some lectures and other related events. Complete with performer and program information (where known).

BONUS: here is an interview with composer Philip Krumm, several of whose works were performed by the NME.

L-R: Wayne Johnson, Jon Gibson, Arthur Woodbury,
Billie Alexander

New Music Ensemble, II

The New Music Ensemble of the University of California at Davis is a group of composer-performers which was founded in 1963 to explore free group improvisation and to perform contemporary chamber music. During the past two years, the group has met regularly to experiment with new instrumentation techniques and new approaches to free group improvisation. The New Music Ensemble has appeared in a great many public concerts and radio and television performances and has been invited to make a European tour in 1965-66.

Woodbury, Alexander, Swift (seated)

The New Music Ensemble does not use plans or charts for its improvisations. Rather, it depends upon the group feeling for composition developed during many playing sessions. Using contemporary musical vocabulary and innumerable conventional and unconventional instrumental techniques, the New Music Ensemble creates freely improvised compositions.

Lunetta, Johnson, Swift, Alexander, Woodbury, Gibson, Bloch

Members of the New Music Ensemble as pictured on the cover are: Standing: Robert Bloch, violin and mandolin; Wayne Johnson, clarinet and bass clarinet; Arthur Woodbury, flute, alto saxophone and bassoon; Billie Alexander, soprano; Jon Gibson, flute, clarinet, soprano saxophone. Seated: Stanley Lunetta, percussion; Richard Swift, piano.

This recording was made in the Little Theater of Sacramento State College, June 14-15, 1965.

Century Custom Recording Service 22764

Sacramento, CA