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Tuesday, June 19, 2018

NJ COMPOSER UNVEILS NEW MAJOR WORK AT FREE JUNE CONCERT

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PURPLE DUSK AT THE MARGINS—AN UNCOMMON ORDINARY
by EDWARD ALSTROM
A Cantata for Choir and Jazz Band based on the Mass

WHEN: World Premiere on Sunday, June 24, 2018 @ 6:30 PM 
WHERE: CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 46 Park St. (corner of Claremont), Montclair
ADMISSION: FREE (free-will offering)

Versatile NJ Musician/Composer/Multi-instrumentalist Ed Alstrom has written and is directing and accompanying an exciting and inspiring piece of music for Choir and Jazz Band. Diane Moser (piano), Mike Richmond (bass), Don Guinta (drums), Dave Arndt (trumpet), and others will join him in the band.

Concurrent with this event are the announcement of a joint venture with The Continuo Arts Foundation of Summit, and the release of Alstrom's first-ever published anthem for Shawnee Press and Hal Leonard Publishing.

The work is a 7-movement cantata based on the Mass form, with texts by Fanny Crosby, Laurel Chamberland, the eccentric Victorian poet Digby Dolben, and Alstrom himself. Much of the original music within is jazz-flavored and inspired by 1970's icons such as McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock. The core of the choir is Alstrom's unit at Central Presbyterian (where he is Music Director); many friends and colleagues are also singing.

Alstrom, a Westminster Choir College graduate, has played keyboards with Herbie Hancock, Chuck Berry, Bette Midler, Dion, Leonard Bernstein, Odetta, Stanley Jordan, Chubby Checker, John Lloyd Young, Rick Derringer, Al Kooper, Ronnie Spector, Uncle Floyd, Steely Dan, Phoebe Snow, Eddie Brigati,  Darlene Love, Paul Shaffer, Buster Poindexter, Levon Helm, Zubin Mehta, Bettye Lavette, and many others. He has played many shows on and off-Broadway, has hosted radio shows on WFDU in NJ, and was a Back Stage Bistro Award Winner for Outstanding Excellence in Cabaret in NYC. He is also in his 15th year as Weekend Organist at the organist at Yankee Stadium.