September 21, 2015 Help Eco-Music Big Band Make Their First CD!

On October 30th, 2015, Marie Incontrera and her Eco-Music Big Band will be in Philadelphia to perform their new program COLORS OF RESISTANCE at The Painted Bride Art Center. You do not want to miss their first appearance here. While you buy your tickets and mark your calendars for the big day, there is another way you can help. Fundraising is underway to make a CD of COLORS OF RESISTANCE, which will be an important part of the history of music that fights against oppression.

COLORS OF RESISTANCE: our first album!
The Eco-Music Big Band is a 15-piece, multigenerational and unique big band that that includes some of the nation's most acclaimed jazz musicians (such as bass trombonist David Taylor, drummer Zack O'Farrill, and trumpeter Adam O'Farrill). Founded by Fred Ho before his death in 2014, the Eco-Music Big Band is led by Marie Incontrera, his final composing-and-bandleading protege.

We are proud to announce the recording of our first studio album, COLORS OF RESISTANCE, this October, and we need you to help us in the final push to our goal. COLORS OF RESISTANCE features new works by up-and-coming composers Livio Almeida, Felix Del Tredici, Marie Incontrera, Albert Marques, Zack O'Farrill, and Stefan Zeniuk; celebrates the five-decade career of bass trombonist and composer David Taylor; and reimagines iconic works by the late Chinese-American composer and baritone saxophone virtuoso Fred Ho and late composer and activist Cal Massey.

COLORS OF RESISTANCE will be recorded on Halloween weekend at Peter Karl Studios in Brooklyn. We have an exciting season planned (an opera premiere at BAM Next Wave Festival; a feature on the American Composers Orchestra SONiC Festival for composers under 40; a collaboration with Hard Rubber Orchestra; and our very first Philadelphia show, among others!), and this is a necessary step in our work as an ensemble. And we need you to make it happen!

What We Need & What You Get
We are raising $5000 for our recording expenses. Funds go to:

Paying 16 musicians a fair wage for their time
Studio time (fourteen hours over two days!) and mastering time
Production and distribution costs for the album (record label costs, iTunes, Amazon)
The Impact
Our first priority is to compensate the musicians and engineers for their work on this album. We have been enjoying an exciting and vital performance schedule in New York City and throughout the Northeast, and our music aims to reach urban youth (through a dynamic collaboration with the Harlem Village Academy) and seasoned jazz lovers alike. This album, which tells a joyful story of music that comes from the tradition of resistance to oppression, provides an important outlet for important social justice causes as well as our work as professional musicians.

Risks & Challenges

The Eco-Music Big Band's biggest challenge is obtaining the funds necessary to pay for artist fees, studio time, and distribution costs.

With this crowdfunding campaign, we will secure the money needed to cover all costs for this album recording, and use our subsequent ticket proceeds and album sales to build an operating budget for future seasons and future recordings, with the additional help of foundation and government grants.

Marie Incontrera - Eco-Music Big Band is a sponsored artist with Performance Zone Inc (dba The Field), a not-for-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization serving the performing arts community. Contributions to The Field earmarked for Marie Incontrera - Eco-Music Big Band are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information about The Field contact: The Field, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 906 New York, NY 10038, phone: 212-691-6969 or fax: 212-255-2053or for our national charities registration, see details. A copy of our latest financial report may be obtained from The Field or from the Office of Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.