JGO with Terry Riley (right) and David Tanenbaum (6th from right, standing)

The recording sessions for the CD "Y Bolanzero" took place during four days in June 2001 at Zisterzienserkloster Bronnbach in presence and with the active participation of the composer and pianist Terry Riley. The building's atmosphere of relaxation and concentration - no wonder, that in the middleages cloisters had been the most important places of cultural, scientific and musical activities - was part of the successful work as were the well prepared and highly motivated players of the Jugendgitarrenorchester Baden - Württemberg which obviously impressed the soloists and Terry Riley.

How had been achieved such an unusual collaboration?

Already twice, the JGO had accompanied the American guitarist David Tanenbaum during the recent years - and it was his and his manager's (CCNimbler) idea to also document this cooperation. When discussing the repertoire, they determined, a longer piece, that went with the other contributions stylistically, was missing. So Tanenbaum proposed whether Terry Riley wouldn't write a piece for big guitar-ensemble. Riley accepted and the big surprise with was that he and his son Gyan, who had studied with Tanenbaum in San Francisco, took part in the recordings even actively. Another soloist for the piece "Spain " of Chick Corea German jazz - guitarist Michael Sagmeister could be contracted..The city of Wertheim and the Main - Taunus - Kreis provided the wonderfully suitable cloister for the recordings and for a final live - concert (program) with the world-premiere of " Y Bolanzero ".

Excerpt from a press - comment: (Main Echo, Olaf Przybilla)

Unbelievable:
A world - premiere of Terry Riley
at Kloster Bronnbach:

"Terry Riley stars a subtle piano-improvisation, to which after a short time join thirty guitars, among them these of David Tanenbaum and Gyan Riley, with a grooving rhythm, firstly restrained, then continuously more and more dynamically. Riley's composition is based on a steadily repeated 11/4 - meter, only at the end this changes to a stretta - like 7/4. All materials, the melodies as well as the harmony and chords are derived from one single scale which is related to an Indian Raga. Riley is almost celebrating his musical ideas: polyphonically woven motifs, rhythmical superimpositions, repetetive patterns, vivid virtuoso - passages, syncopated melodies and passages of free improvisation are formally structured by a significant theme which occurs rondo - like several times in the piece. The instrumentation with electric bassguitars, steelstring - guitars and the accompanying rhythmic patterns introduce strong elements of Rockmusic to the piece."

press comment (complete, German language)

from left to right: David Tanenbaum, Gyan Riley, Helmut Oesterreich, Roland Boehm, Terry Riley

David Tanenbaum &

Gyan Riley