for flute, clarinet, vibraphone, piano, and double bass.
A mixture of chamber music and jazz improvisation, This three-movement work contains fully notated sections but also requires the players to interactively improvise.
14:00 – 17:00 minutes in length (depending upon Bass Solo)
Movement I – Open Bass solo introduction followed by each player improvising on a short given motive
Movement II – A slow, lyrical played by the piano and bass start the movement. A vibe solo follows an continues over the return of the melody to end this section
Movement III – Energetic, rhythmically quirky melody featuring solo opportunities for all players.
REVIEW (Washington Post)
Anthony Villa’s “Monk Mode” is pure fun, a mix of improvisation and written-out material for flute, clarinet, double bass, percussion and piano. The chords have a dissonant richness but function in traditional fashion. The melodic material is whimsical and openhearted, and the prevailing sentiments range from cool to mellow. Once again Barry Dove [vibraphone] was a marvel, and so, too, Victor Dvoskin, on bass.
Philip Kennicott The Washington Post Company