orchestra21

Coexist

That’s what blues, jazz, hip hop and orchestral music do this weekend in Iowa.

Interview with Hollis Monroe – mp3
Iowa Public Radio, February 4, 2010

Meet Miguel

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson is a multi-talented instrumentalist and composer from Los Angeles and the man responsible for Suite for Ma Dukes, the orchestral arrangements of J Dilla’s music we’ll be performing this weekend at the WCFSO. Did I mention he tears it up on the viola, too?

This is Miguel’s own arrangement for the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble of Rene Costy’s Scrabble, a tune that was sampled by Dilla. The video is by Mochilla, about whom I’ve posted here before. B+ and Coleman of Mochilla will be in Iowa this weekend to document our performances of Miguel’s Dilla arrangements; more on that soon.

Here is my earlier post about Suite for Ma Dukes, with links to information about the studio recordings and a history of the project along with my own mix of Nag Champa.

Dillarrangements

J Dilla [James Yancey, 1974-2006] was and remains one of the most important voices in independent hip hop. Earlier this month, just days before the third anniversary of his death from a rare blood disease, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Carlos Nino released four orchestral arrangements of his music under the title Suite for Ma Dukes. Read more about the project at Stones Throw. [Image by Grace Oh]

I hope to have a chance to perform Dilla’s music sometime soon. In the meantime here’s my own mix of Nag Champa, bringing together Atwood-Ferguson’s studio orchestra version and the chorus from the original track.

J Dilla – Nag Champa Orchestral Mix – Download
from Miguel Atwood-Ferguson & Carlos Nino – Suite for Ma Dukes & Common – Like Water For Chocolate

More at my tumblr and here.

Update: Made it happen – Dilla with symphony orchestra!