Julius Eastman, Vol. 2: Joy Boy

Chronique

The chamber ensemble Wild Up has devoted itself to the music of composer Julius Eastman, who tragically died almost completely neglected in 1990. This is all to the good since even the general revival of music by African American composers has largely bypassed this fascinating figure. This 2023 release is the second in what will eventually be a seven-volume complete cycle of Eastman's music. It may make a good starting point for those wanting to hear one album, for it exemplifies several Eastman traits. Based on his use of repeating figures that slightly shift, Eastman is sometimes classed with the minimalists, but the feel of his music generally, with its high level of intensity, is quite different from that of minimalism. The opening Joy Boy, which combines voices and music in a unique way, and the concluding Stay On It, where voices chant the title, give an idea of the excitement his music can produce as it builds over the course of a piece. Another typical Eastman issue is skillfully addressed here, namely that his experiments with notation, given his untimely death, make his works difficult to realize. Two works here, Buddha and Touch Him When, appear in two different versions, and this, too, offers the listeners a way into Eastman's aesthetic. The performances have a fine edge, with the precision necessary to make this music tick. There are other aspects to Eastman's music that surely will be addressed in future releases, but performers and programmers looking to add more music by African American composers to their concerts should hear this one without delay.

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