New Orleans Mix

New Orleans Mix is an homage to the spirit, history, and sonic identity of the city. It is not an attempt to replicate or imitate the music of this extraordinary place, but rather a personal response—an act of admiration and reinterpretation from the perspective of an outsider deeply moved by its cultural and musical traditions. Written as a “sequel” to my 2007 work, Jerusalem Mix, which explored the layered spiritual and musical identity of that city, New Orleans Mix seeks a similar intersection of place and sound. The original Jerusalem Mix was structured in movements that reflected the diverse traditions coexisting there. In this new piece, I wanted to do the same with New Orleans: to explore the street processions, the rising energy of second-line parades, the violence and aftermath of storms, the depth of prayer and reflection, and the ecstatic release of gospel jubilation. It was a joy and a challenge to immerse myself in the recordings, the stories, and the sound worlds of this unique place. I was inspired by the music of Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and so many others who helped shape the foundation of jazz in the 20th century. Their music, while deeply rooted in a specific time and place, has a timeless vitality that continues to resonate around the world. The piece was commissioned by the Harvard Musical Association for Ensemble 4.1, an extraordinary group of musicians with whom I previously collaborated on Jerusalem Mix. Over many performances and a recording of that work, our shared language deepened, and this new commission became an opportunity for us to embark on a new adventure—to and a second city to “mix.” New Orleans Mix is the result of that journey. New Orleans Mix is both a tribute and a personal response. It celebrates a musical heritage that has shaped so much of what we hear today, while offering a contemporary and deeply felt reinterpretation of those traditions.