Projects
A collection of creative projects and ensembles, past and present, that I’ve had the joy of working in.
Present —
ESTAR COHEN PROJECT
Estar Cohen has led her collective since 2011. The band performs original music that reflects Cohen’s exploration in poetry, composition, and deep curiosity for the stories that define us. Since its’ formation, the ensemble has cultivated a rich, unique sound rooted in thoughtful songwriting and spirited improvisation. Cohen has released two albums as a bandleader — Waiting For Dawn (2014) and Live at Willis Sound (2017). The group has performed at festivals, recital halls, concert houses, & clubs throughout the Midwest and East Coast. Featured musicians have included Dan Palmer, Galen Bundy, Josh Silver, Kameryn Ogden, Jonathan Taylor, Patrick Booth, Fabian Almazan, Joe Fee, Ben Rolston, Rob Clearfield, Aidan Cafferty, Michael Malis, Peter Formanek, and David Alvarez III.
KINDRED LINES
Formed in 2022, Kindred Lines is the duo project of pianist Joshua Catania and vocalist Estar Cohen. Both accomplished musicians, Joshua and Estar explore a shared momentum in creative, freely improvised music and lyrics. Their music spans improvisations, original compositions, and repertoire paying homage to artists in which they have both taken influence; Paul Bley, Ran Blake, Jeanne Lee, Billy Strayhorn, Herbie Nichols, and Brad Mehldau to name a few.
Heavy Color's surreal and cinematic compositions explore spiritual jazz, traditional music, electronic and avant-psychedelia, spawning the description Post-World Music. Their first album Arise Ye Spiritual Machine (2014) re-contextualized archival music in a modern beat-tape format. River Passage (2018), a collaboration with musicians in Eastern Congo that combines elements of Afrobeat, minimalist Electronica, and futurist Hip Hop, spans physical environments, cultures and languages. In 2020 Heavy Color composed an original score for the film Invisible Hand, a documentary about the Rights of Nature Movement produced by Actor Mark Ruffalo. The resulting album, which blurred the line between minimalist chamber music and ambient electronic worlds was released by the experimental label, Curious Music.
In 2021 Heavy Color will release Soft Light, a recombination of 60’s spiritual jazz, meditations in pattern-based music, instrumental hip hop, and psychedelic pop. In addition to Soft Light, Heavy Color will release a suite of music composed and performed in the moments before, during and just after Sunrise and Sunset.
In performance, they are often accompanied by a live ensemble which has featured such musicians as Mike Savina, Patrick Booth, Estar Cohen, Jeffrey Neimeier, Galen Bundy, Joe Fee, Peter Formanek, Yusuf Lateef and Lucas Madrazo. Heavy Color is Ben Cohen and Sam Woldenberg.
Past —
TALKING EAR
Talking Ear is a five-piece ensemble based out of the Michigan and Ohio, committed to providing a unique experience for listeners through composition, collaboration, and improvisation. The band consists of vocalist Estar Cohen, guitarist Daniel Palmer, pianist Benjamin Maloney, bassist Aidan Cafferty, and drummer Travis Aukerman. Each musician has a distinct voice as an accomplished composer and performer, contributing to an exciting and versatile, yet particularly cohesive sound. The ensemble has played in recital halls, concert houses, and clubs throughout the Midwest and East Coast. The band has also put on clinics in performance and composition at both high schools and colleges throughout the region.
WHAT WE (CAN'T) KNOW ABOUT FOREVER
"What We (Can't) Know About Forever" features the Estar Cohen Project with string quartet for a concept performance of original composition, improvisation, and spoken word. The ensemble debuted in October of 2016 at the Toledo Museum of Art.
TAD WEED’S FREEDOM ENSEMBLE
Estar had the utmost honor of performing with Tad Weed's "Freedom Ensemble" from 2014-2018. The ensemble featured renowned improvisers including Ken Filiano, Vinny Golia, Pete Siers and Andrew Bishop. In collaboration with Weed, Cohen lyricized select compositions by the late pianist, Herbie Nichols. Perhaps best known for his writing of the standard, "Lady Sings the Blues," Nichols' work has been deemed widely ahead of his time. The ensemble brought those rare and brilliant pieces to life in a captivating new light.