Music

Concerts

by Christopher DeLaurenti

THURSDAY MARCH 10



SEATTLE SYMPHONY

An all-Russian program featuring Rachmaninoff's macabre tone poem Isle of the Dead and two piano concertos, the Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave and Union St, 215-4747, 7:30 pm, $15-$75.

CONCORD JAZZ FESTIVAL

Festivals should last longer than a night, but I'm glad that Concord Records has lined up four fine vocalists for this tour: Diane Schuur, Oleta Adams, feisty newcomer Sara Gazarek, and my personal favorite of the bunch, Karrin Allyson, whose tomboyish voice reminds me of elegantly dry, but nonetheless prickly, white wine. Paramount Theatre, Ninth Ave and Pine St, 292-2787, 7:30 pm, $25-$45.

FRIDAY MARCH 11



FLORENCIA IN THE AMAZONS

Florencia bristles with all the elements of a good opera, including imaginative instrumentation (I loved the glimmers of steel drums), memorable visuals (lush lighting gradients, the lumbering rotation of the steamship, and flickering red butterflies) a resounding antiphonal choral section, some nice duets, and plenty of good singing. What would make it great? One memorable, show-stopping number and committed production design that transforms the symbolic elements of the plot (a diva traveling incognito aboard a riverboat searching for lost love) into an over-the-top hallucinogenic frenzy. Also Sat Mar 12. McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St, 389-7676, 7:30 pm, $40-$123.

BILL HORIST

Two sides of this restless avant guitarist: solo acoustic originals followed by a set of trademark prepared guitar in which cymbals, rods, utensils, and toys get shoved through, above, and below the strings and wrassled into sampled loops of crackling, whooping, sizzling textures. Gallery 1412, 1412 18th Ave at E Union St, 322-1533, 8 pm, $5-$15 sliding scale donation.

SATURDAY MARCH 12



DEGENERATE ART ENSEMBLE

The DAE meld punk, big band, and the avant with butoh-inspired dance and kinetic theatrics. This stripped-down aggregation present several new works, along with a piece slated for their upcoming orchestra concert at the Moore on March 19. Sharing the bill is cellist Lori Goldston whose plaintive cello helped make last year's Wreck of the St. Nicolai a delight. She's joined by Elizabeth Falconer (koto), Frances Woods (viola), and Angelina Baldoz (prepared trumpet). Gallery 1412, 1412 18th Ave at E Union St, 322-1533, 8 pm, $5-$15 sliding scale donation.

SUNDAY MARCH 13



ALFRED BRENDEL

Revered for his landmark recordings of Beethoven's sonatas, this legendary pianist plays a program of Mozart, Schumann, Schubert, and Haydn. My only beef is that this gig is in Benaroya's big hall, which to my ears sounds a tad too cavernous for a solo piano gig. Despite the added reverberation, Brendel is not to be missed. Benaroya Hall, Third Ave and Union St, 215-4747, 4 pm, $20-$71.

MONDAY MARCH 14



MATT JORGENSEN + 451

This sleek quartet is propelled by Seattle drummer Matt Jorgensen and Ryan Burns on Fender Rhodes electric piano. Burns' concoction of mysterioso fizzing and burbling adds menace to many of the group's tunes, especially their now-signature cover of Led Zeppelin's "No Quarter." Triple Door, 216 Union St, 838-4333, 9 pm, free.

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