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http://www.myspace.com/petridishband
Music is magic. When the right combination of musicians is assembled, anything is possible. I believe I have found one of those magical combinations.
In the past, I composed the music I heard in my head for small groups… Quartets, Quintets and Sextets were my pallets. I wrote the things that came to mind for specific players or instrumentations. I always felt spontaneous in my conception, sometimes conceiving the entire piece, arrangement included, almost instantly. I knew exactly the sounds I intended to be heard and was very clear on what the resulting effects might be on the recipients of my music. I felt my writing was the most accurate expression of my feelings, emotions, moods, etc. I was satisfied with the bands and music I created over the years and would be happy to have continued in that direction. That was until I formed PETRI DISH.
This group has changed my concept of what is possible, broadened the scope of my imagination and rekindled all of the things I had thought about in the beginning of my relationship with music. Those things include a sense of sheer joy in the act of making spontaneous music, respect for the interaction of individuals coming together with total abandon of their selves in order to achieve the greater goals of the music and surprise and wonder at the infinite range of sounds created when a group of musicians with the purist intentions come together at one space in time to make music. This gives everyone involved, player and audience alike, a feeling of satisfaction and freedom.
With this freedom, however, comes responsibility. Freedom without restraint leads to chaos, entropy, and a big mess. Simply jamming with no direction or regard for the inherent laws of music can be uninteresting and leaves out the most important ingredient in my music… COMMUNICATION . I think of this as my highest goal for PETRI DISH. No matter where the music takes the band, we take the listeners with us. The journey is never dull, but doesn't exclude people who know little of jazz. In fact, just the opposite is true.
The music of PETRI DISH is, more than anything else, fun ! With such a large ensemble, the combinations of sound and varied personalities of each musician make for endless possibilities. I can choose to group them together according to category of instrument…string trio, sax trio, drummers, etc. or use any mix I could ever dream of. Sometimes the music is seriously dark and beautiful, sometimes light and happy, almost dancing. It can be bursting with excitement or peaceful and meditative. Many of the band's tunes are completely written in parts with little or no room for improvisation. Other times, there are complete sections open to be shaped and formed by the musicians' own creative impulses.
One thing has become evident at PETRI DISH performances; audiences are drawn into the experience and feel the vibration that occurs when music is made in this manner. They can't help but be aware of the exhilaration of the band. That has been one of the greatest rewards for me…seeing the looks of surprise, happiness and love on the faces of the band then looking to audience only to see the same things reflected back towards us. For me, it's the experience of lifetime.
~Bill Gerhardt, pianist/composer
Petri Dish
Petri Dish, inspired and created by composer and pianist Bill Gerhardt, is a unique venture into a jazz world dominated by trios, quartets and quintets. Loosely described as a “Triple Trio” by Mr. Gerhardt, Petri Dish is composed of 9 musicians orchestrated into three groupings: 3 Wind (tenor, alto and soprano saxophones and flute), 3 String (violin and 2 bassists) and 3 Rhythm (piano, drums and percussion). This “endless combination of instruments” and a generous mixture of original composition and improvisation always yield a performance that is highly satisfying to musician and audience alike. In Mr. Gerhardt’s own words: “One thing has become evident at PETRI DISH performances; audiences are drawn into the experience. That has been one of the greatest rewards for me…seeing the looks of surprise, happiness and love on the faces of the band and then looking to the audience only to see the same things reflected back towards us”. The band will perform a myriad of compositions including a four part suite entitled “Test Tube Suite”, a Tarantella highlighting the violin and an African based performance featuring the marimba.
~Bill Gilbert