Cincinnati, OH- – The Contemporary Arts Center (CAC)-one of the nation’s oldest and most celebrated contemporary art institutions-is proud to present the world premier of Jace Clayton’s highly anticipated Julius Eastman Memorial Dinner.
Julius Eastman Memorial Dinner focuses on the life and music of Julius Eastman (1940-1990), a gay African-American composer, pianist and vocalist. Eastman was an experimental pioneer, among the first musicians to combine minimalist processes with elements of pop music. He also was a provocateur, giving his pieces titles such as “Evil Nigger” and “Gay Guerilla”. Inspired by Eastman’s fascinating life story, Jace Clayton – the Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist better known as DJ /rupture – created this performance piece that restages three Eastman compositions in new arrangements for pianos, chamber ensemble and real-time electronic processing. Reflecting the untraditional nature of Eastman himself, Clayton fragments the music during the performance, interspersing it with video and short theatrical vignettes that use empathy and humor to reveal details about Eastman’s exceptional life. “I interpret the open-ended, irreverent nature of Eastman’s legacy as a call to conversation,” explains Clayton.
The debut of Julius Eastman Memorial Dinner at the CAC coincides with the release of Clayton’s critically acclaimed album The Julius Eastman Memory Depot (New Amsterdam) this week:
Wall Street Journal For Next Act DJ Covers New Territory: Piano
NPR’s Weekend Edition Jace Clayton Revives A Forgotten Voice From New York’s Vanguard
The Guardian DJ /rupture: how to sing like a sufi
Pitchfork Jace Clayton: The Julius Eastman Memory Depot
WXQR / Q2 Music Album of the Week Jace Clayton (a.k.a. DJ /rupture) Reimagines a New York Original
Following the two-night engagement at the CAC, Julius Eastman Memorial Dinner travels to MoMA PS1, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. In addition to Clayton, the performance also features David Friend, Emily Manzo and Arooj Aftab.
Julius Eastman Memorial Dinner at the CAC is funded by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation.
The Contemporary Arts Center is located in the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art
44 East 6th Street, Cincinnati, Ohio / 513.345.8400 / www.contemporaryartscenter.org