Jake Hertzog

The natural experimental guitar heir to Michael Hedges is back with another set that seems to round off the rough edges and present him in more of friendly, accessible forum. Ready to leave the cult ranks behind, especially since racking up a load of awards and accolades and getting wider recognition, Hertzog is still very comfortable pushing the edge farther out in ways that would make Satch and Vai proud. He's well on his way to being the Coltrane of guitar and this latest set really blows the ears wide open. This is progressive jazz/rock for ears actively looking for new kicks that won't let them down. Well done. - Chris Spector, Midwest Records

Jake Hertzog, now with a handful of recordings under his belt, is one of the very few prolific young guitarists to convincingly embrace the potential of blending a jazz and rock style of performing. What stands out in Hertzog's playing, aside from a comprehensive knowledge of his instrument, is a willingness, regardless of style, to put it all on the line. Hertzog doesn't hold back on Evolution, his third release with Buckyball Records. The recording has moments of jazz-infused exploration ("Don't Bother") and all-out rock with hard-driving, distorted rhythms ("Renegade," "Solar Flare"). Hertzog utilizes a variety of effects to illuminate rhythmic chord clustering and blistering single-note runs. Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia," the disc's only cover, is given a plaintive acoustic rendering, bringing out the beauty of the tune's simplicity.

As with his previous trio releases, Hertzog wisely surrounds himself with veterans who can just as easily change course. Bassist Harvie S co-produces and contributes on both upright and electric bass. Drummer Victor Jones has an electrifying presence. - John Barron, The Jazz Word

Evolution is the third solo outing from guitarist Jake Hertzog, Guitar Player Magazine contributor and member of the rock band, The Young Presidents. Although the album appears weighted towards jazz fusion, it is the rock-inflected phrases woven into the music that saves it from running into all-too-familiar jazz guitar footprints. The generational sound of this recording is only slightly more youthful than Marc Ribot or Nels Cline, its title referring, perhaps, to the advancement of an unapologetic brand of jazz-rock guitar that does not look back.

Hertzog does, however, rely on the traditionally experienced to assist with his message: producer Harvie S plays both electric and acoustic bass, along with some keyboards; and legendary jazz drummer Victor Jones plays very comfortably in the mix without even the slightest hint of being out of place. Hertzog benefits from multi-track overdubbing, working piercing lead lines smoothly over his smartly crafted jazz rhythm chords.

Things kick off, on "Don't Bother," with scraping strings, crunchy chords, and metallic runs. There is a sense of fun on "Timeline," with power chords sandwiched into the respite spots of its pumping, stop/start funk. Hertzog takes a pastoral and reflective approach on Bruce Springsteen's "Philadelphia," his sense of lyricism shining through. "Gloria" features a jittery single-note attack pattern that respectfully evokes the sensibilities of guitarist Joe Morris, while Hertzog's challenging range is demonstrated on the aptly titled "Renegade."

With familiarity breeding enough contempt in the jazz guitar market, newer sounds are always welcome. Not being shy about rock and experimentation gives Hertzog an edge in his composition and execution. Expectations have now been set from this guitarist's fresh voice, with Evolution easily one of the best jazz-rock guitar CDs of 2011.

Track Listing: Don't Bother; Firefly; Timeline; Streets of Philadelphia; Gloria; Forms; Renegade; Common Ground; Sleep Close; Solar Flare.

Personnel: Jake Hertzog: guitar; Victor Jones: drums; Harvie S: acoustic and electric basses, piano, Fender Rhodes. - Mark Redlefsen, All About Jazz

ELLNORA INTERVAL: JAKE HERTZOG TRIO WITH HARVIE S AND VICTOR JONES

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2009, AT 1PM | STAGE 5

ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival | “Wow! factor.”
—Boston Globe

Homegrown right here in Champaign, Jake Hertzog has influences that pivot from Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz to Ted Greene and Lenny Breau, but his own voice has broken out clearly and strongly. This is a star on a rapid ascent. Soaring toward the lofty heights of the international jazz scene, he won the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition’s grand prize a year before he graduated from the Berklee School of Music.

He’s jammed with locals Chip McNeill and Rocky Maffit, and Hertzog’s knack for original tunes led to appearances with The Naked Brothers Band on Good Morning America and NBC’s Today show. He’s “sure to blow your ears wide open” (Midwest Records), so don’t miss your chance to show your love to one of our most gifted native sons! - Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

Twenty-two year old guitarist Jake Hertzog, a native of Champaign, Illinois, delivers a truck-load of youthful energy for his power trio release, Chromatosphere. The Berklee College of Music Graduate is helped out on the self-produced, chops-heavy session by bassist Harvie S and drummer Victor Jones. Pianist Michael Wolff joins in on three tracks.
Hertzog's music moves through heavy jazz-fusion, instrumental progressive rock and straight-ahead bebop, all with an explosive, effects-driven edge. Tunes such as the opening "California Hills" and the smooth jazz sounding "Back," have clever, catchy melodies followed by demonstrative, wild guitar solos. The angular "Bonding," "Nectarine" and "Monkey Stuff" have a strong jazz sensibility with Monk-like phrases and open-ended solo sections. The latter features some of the discs more inspired playing from Hertzog, Harvie S and Jones.

Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" finds Herzog experimenting with adventurous chord- melody voicings. The easy swing groove gives the guitarist plenty of space to fill with his otherworldly clusters. Here, Harvie S is featured on an extended upright solo showcasing his technical mastery. The Rodgers and Hart standard "Falling in Love with Love" is a brief solo guitar rendition with satisfying results.

The disc closer, "Oberon" is an odd-metered mellow rocker, with Hertzog doubling acoustic guitar strumming and clean-toned lines. The tune, much like the entire recording, is an interesting mix of styles and grooves, heavy on improvisation without losing an accessible appeal. Hertzog is a tremendous guitar talent with a developing voice sure to garner widespread recognition.



Track listing: California Hills; Almost Like being in Love; Bonding; Back; Lullaby for a dreamer; In Your Own Sweet Way; Monkey Stuff; Nectarine; Falling in Love With Love; Oberon.

- John Barron, All About Jazz

"Excellent jazz and fusion album from guitarist Hertzog whose technique rivals that of Allan Holdsworth without in any sense being a Holdsworth clone. This is creativity set loose and reveled in! A young player who obviously brings influences to the sound of a jazz guitar trio other than the usual jazz players and fusion icons. There is something here that hasn't been heard before! Of course, it is grounded well enough in jazz tradition that listeners who wish to approach his work as "jazz" will be satisfied to have another CD from a fine player to add to their collections, whereas people looking for a new take on the jazz tradition will also find a lot to love on "Patterns". Hertzog plays confident, even blistering solos without loosing sight of the tune and structure while throwing in enough left turns to keep us surprised and smiling! A fine sophomore release from a new force in the world of jazz. Adding Hertzog's name to the list of jazz fusion innovators like Metheny, Holdsworth, McLaughlin and Ray Russell might be a little premature but if that is going out on a limb then I'd confidently sit on that branch to watch the sunrise! Certainly a must-buy for fans of great fusion and jazz guitar!" - Steve Roberts, ZNR Records

FOR A SMALL GUY IN HIS EARLY 20S, JAKE HERTZOG certainly lives large. Since earning a scholarship from Berklee and taking that institution by storm, he has been awarded the Grand Prize in the Montreux Jazz Festival’s 2006 Jazz Guitar Competition (performing there the following year), become the musical director for Nickelodeon ’tween sensations the Naked Brothers, toured internationally with Jordanian master musician and peace activist Zade Dirani, and landed a gig in legendary drummer Victor Jones’ acid-jazz ensemble Cultureversy.

The young guitarist’s latest album, Chromatosphere [That’s Out], boasts Jones on drums, and heavyweight bassist Harvie S, with contributions from veteran keyboardist Michael Wolff. The album features seven tasty originals and imaginative arrangements of three standards, including Brubeck’s “In Your Own Sweet Way.”

Hertzog keeps listeners constantly on their toes, zigging when you might expect him to zag, and blazing through unorthodox intervallic maneuvers with an ease that would likely give players twice his age pause. And that’s just when he’s playing jazz. The 22-year old wunderkind also has his sights set on pop songwriting, and possibly even rock godhood, intimating that he’s liable to get his Edge on when recording his next album.

You are holding a Tele on the cover of your CD, but that’s not what you played on the album is it?
The photo session we did for the album didn’t come out well, so I used photos from a session for another album I played on, and now everyone thinks I play a Tele, which is hilarious, because I don’t even own one. My main guitar is a custom semihollow built for me by Matt Artinger. It is lightweight, with a small body, and as a small person, the most important thing in a guitar for me is its physicality. All of the electric guitar sounds on the new album were made with the Artinger.

You’ve also got a nice Gibson Les Paul goldtop, don’t you?
Yes, and I use it in heavier rock situations. I think the heavier the band is, the heavier the guitar should be, so the goldtop usually wins out. Those guitars just sound unbelievable with distortion and effects. I’ve also got a Fender Strat that I use for playing, say, James Brown tunes.

Do you have a favorite amp?
I have a heavily modified Fender Deluxe Reverb that I believe was originally a limited edition reissue. A friend got it for me, and all I know is that it has a Jensen alnico speaker and a couple of fancy tubes, and that it sounds great.

Are there any effects that are essential to your sound?
I’ve got several Fulltone distortion pedals that I use a lot, and four c that I like to use together through multiple amps. One of the coolest pedals ever is the Boss PS-5 Super Shifter, which gives you whammy, detuning, and other effects in addition to harmonies and pitch shifting. I prefer using individual pedals, rather than multi-effects, because they allow me to more easily manipulate each type of effect.

How about picks and strings?
I use Dunlop Jazz III picks and standard GHS .010 sets. I wish I could use heavier strings for sonic reasons, but I wouldn’t have as much control because I have tiny hands.

How did you get the huge chorus sounds on your new album?
I was using my effects pedals when we began recording, but almost immediately we decided to just record clean guitar signals and use software plug-ins such as IK Multimedia AmpliTube to get different sounds and effects. In some cases, the engineer would copy the tracks and process each one differently, sometimes with one softer in the background. I liked that because that’s the way I would do it live with two or three amplifiers, just to get more depth.

Is that how you got the spacious lead tone on “Bonding”?
Yes. We layered a clean sound with a really present clean sound that had more sustain, and a sort of Eric Clapton-like distorted tone.

You play with an unusual right hand technique.
While in college I came to the realization that as a small person what I brought to the guitar wouldn’t be complex chord voicings, but rather two or three notes at a time used effectively in a different way, like a pianist with seven fingers chopped off might. That was impossible to do with a pick, or the traditional hybrid style combining three fingers and a pick, because my fourth finger was just too short to be useful. So I use a pick and the middle and ring fingers for a three-note approach, which leads to playing more open intervals, rather than the patterns that more linear playing is about.

To what extent is jazz improvisation intellectual?
I think you would get different answers depending on the age of the person you were asking. Players from a few generations ago might say that improvisation isn’t at all intellectual, because they likely grew up learning on the bandstand, and playing whatever they were feeling. In contrast, my colleagues and I have had the experience of breaking it down intellectually at an academic level, before going back to the bandstand and having to unlearn it. Practicing is an intellectual experience, but performing shouldn’t be. I’d rather listen to someone that doesn’t have all the theoretical knowledge, but can really play from an emotional place, and I hope that when I’m playing, it’s coming from an emotional rather than a theoretical perspective.

How do you keep that analytical part of your mind at bay when performing?
What you are working on intellectually at a given time is always going to be far ahead of what you are actually able to execute on your instrument, and when you step into a performance situation, you instinctively go back to a more emotional response. There is a process that has to take place between confronting a new concept intellectually and translating it into a physical representation on the instrument, and even once you have something under your fingers, it has to sink into your mind and heart before you can pull it out spontaneously. I always have things that I’m practicing that I can’t do live, and then maybe three months later I will be able to play them.

It’s like learning another language. You’ve got words that you can speak or understand on a vocabulary test, and you get a hundred percent on that test in the classroom. But then when you go out on the street and try to buy something, and the guy has a different accent, you think, “Oh crap, now I don’t remember that word.” But there are all these other words that you knew before taking that test, which had nothing to do with it, and you go from there.

Describe how you might approach re-harmonizing a jazz standard.
At this point, I’m into this interval thing using two of my fingers, as I mentioned when discussing my right-hand technique. Rather than harmonizing a melody in the traditional way using the changes, I look for different interval combinations that will flow on top of the bass line. For example, I’ll use sixths and sevenths and voices based on them as opposed to the usual thirds and fourths. Those wider intervals have a different sound that obscures the harmony slightly, which I think is more interesting than just playing Bbmaj7, Ebmaj7, D7#5, because people have already heard that kind of harmony many times before. I’ll also choose intervals based on how dissonant or consonant I want the harmony for particular notes to be. For example, minor seconds, minor sevenths, and minor ninths will produce more dissonance, whereas fourths and fifths will produce a more consonant sound without giving away the structure of the chord, which is going to be in the thirds most of the time. Chord melody arrangements are beautiful, but I’m more interested in counterpoint or single lines or weird interval combinations that are going to produce sounds that aren’t expected.

It sounds like dissonance is a big part of your harmonic concept.
Dissonance is my entire harmonic concept! At least in the sense that instead of always approaching harmony in a chord/scale or linear way—which I also love and continue to practice—I prefer to think in terms of consonant and dissonant moments. So, if there is a Gmin7b5 chord, instead of thinking about the scales that’ll work with it, or non-harmonic triads or whatever, I think about which notes, intervals, and combinations are going to be dissonant and which are going to be consonant. And when I have that as a reference point, I can say that within the context of a particular moment in the music, I want the harmony to be more on one side or the other. And that concept can also be applied to melody, for motif development or repetition of phrases, because I think they too have dissonances or consonances relative to whatever else is going on. Using dissonance as a basis for the conception of a solo or an entire piece is where I’m at right now.

What is the first thing you need to know when approaching jazz improvisation?
The first thing is to be able to identify parts of the song—form and changes and rhythmic ideas—from an overall perspective, so you have a mental picture of the framework you are going to be improvising within. Joe Lovano said something great to me once, which was, “If the song was different you would still have played the same solo.” That was a good lesson for me, because you have to be true to the song, especially if you are playing jazz. A lot of musicians ask how a song can service their improvisation, but the question should be how their improvisation can service the song. Know the song as if you wrote it. Everything after that point is style and language.

How do you feel about smooth jazz?
Just like with any kind of music, sometimes it is really great and sometimes it can be done badly. What I do like about it is that it allows people to sing along with jazz in a way that they probably haven’t been able to do since Cole Porter or George Gershwin, and I wish there were more jazz musicians who were writing tunes that people could dance to or sing along with or understand in an emotional way so that they weren’t required to have a music degree in order to enjoy them. So, for whatever else smooth jazz musicians sacrifice to get there, they at least bring that back.

What was the most important thing you brought away from your master class with Pat Martino?
I don’t know what he wanted me to get from it, but what I brought away was his absolutely commanding voice on his instrument. Every note he played and every way that he played the notes was a living expression of that voice, and that was really astounding to me, because I had seldom seen that intensity before. That was really deep for me, and what I would consider to be the ultimate level of artistic expression. It left me hoping that I could be like that in spirit some day.

What does it mean to be a jazz guitarist in 2009?
Jazz is all about searching for new musical concepts that haven’t been explored yet. That’s what the creators of the style were all about in their time, and I feel that, in our time, we should carry forward the same spirit without playing the same notes. So, while I started by learning what had already been done, it was more important for me to push for something new than to study with the intention of sounding like somebody else or a player from some other era. Of course, traditionalists and innovators support each other, because the traditional forms provide the context for the newer forms. It’s just like with classical music, Mozart was great, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play Bach anymore. - Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player Magazine

It's almost safe to say that this sounds like nothing you've heard before. To say that Hertzog is a shredder that can't be stopped is just to get the conversation started. Playing somewhere between jazz and rock, this is what "Metal Machine Music" might have sounded like if Lou Reed had intended it to be something more than a pile of shit to get him out of his contract. Wanna hear young Al DiMeola on speed? What else can I say? This is the guitar record you play when you absolutely, positively need to have you mind melted. Yngwie Malmsteen and Charlie Christian rolled into one, all this kid has to do is not run so fast that he trips over himself and the world will be his oyster. Hot stuff for shredder ears. - Chris Spector, Midwest Records

Hey Jazz Guy,
Can you explain the difference between a “jazz blues” and a regular blues? How can I make my blues playing more jazzy?
—Blue and Bored in Birmingham

Dear Blue and Bored,
This is a great question! There are many variations on the jazz blues, but this one is middle of the road and comes straight from bebop. Lets take a look at the chord changes. The first thing to notice about [Ex. 1] is that we’re still using a 12-bar form with the familiar harmonic shape. However here’s what we’ve substituted: In the 4th bar, we add a IIm-V to get to the IV chord. The 6th bar contains a #IV diminished as a passing chord up to the I. In the 8th bar, instead of I we go to VI which is really the V/II. Now the tricky part comes in the turnaround. Instead of VIV- I as B.B. King might play it, Wes Montgomery might play it like this; IIm-V7- I followed by a VI-II-V and back to the top.

Practice the example below to get used to hearing the added harmony. The voice leading is important because your lines will have to include those notes. This will get you started, and next month we will solo hard on these chords.

[Example on URL]

Hey Jazz Guy Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roLubSkhDQg - Jake Hertzog, Guitar Player Magazine

I reviewed a fantastic CD from Jake in issue # 93... this one is even better (& that's hard to believe, because the first one was miles above all the other jazz guitarists)... the opener, "Mcjazz", is killer! Pumping & full of life-giving energy, it will propel you through the outer edges of the galaxy at near light-speed... Jake's guitar leads the exploration, of course! You'll fall in love with "Joining Hands" from the opening bar... mighty mellow strings here, with solid bass lines and a pattern that will stick in your ears (& your head) for years to come. It was track #5, though, "Not Blues", that gets my pick as favorite... particularly poignant snatches of what it's "not" slide in & around your ears, but the jazz influence is heavy & totally original! His pace here & throughout the album, is totally gentle, yet filled with groove! I'm once again highly impressed - and knowing I have an album my ears will listen to over & over & over again, as will yours (unless you're totally a traditionalist, with no sense of adventure in your ears). I give this one a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, as well as my "PICK" of the issue for "best guitar jazz". "EQ" (energy quotient) rating is a smashing 4.98. - Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation

Up-and-coming jazz guitarist Jake Hertzog is touring the Midwest in support of his new CD “Patterns.” He’ll play at 7 and 8:30 on Sun., May 30, at Nighttown in Cleveland Heights, accompanied by legendary rhythm section Harvie S on bass and Victor Jones on drums.

At age 20 in 2006, Hertzog, who is Jewish, became the youngest musician to ever win the Grand Prize at the Montreux Jazz Guitar Competition in Switzerland. He is probably best known to the non-jazz world as musical director and lead guitarist for Nickelodeon’s The Naked Brothers Band stars Nat and Alex Wolff. With the Wolffs, he has played two national tours and performed on national television shows including “Good Morning America,” “The View,” “Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards” and the “Today” Show.

Hertzog’s 2009 debut album “Chromatosphere” brought him critical acclaim for his unique technique and approach to modern jazz guitar. “Patterns” has been named Guitar Player magazine’s Editor’s Pick. Hertzog also writes for Guitar Player as a monthly contributor to its “Lessons” section under the alias Hey Jazz Guy. - Cleveland Jewish News

Hey Jazz Guy,
Can you explain the basic concept of a IIm-V progression and why it’s so important? —Chordless in Cleveland

Dear Chordless,
A IIm-V (two-five) is a basic progression that is taken from the cycle of 5ths. Root motion in 4ths or 5ths is motion around the circle and it is what we call the “tonic/dominant” relationship. When you listen to older music, such as baroque and classical, you hear this relationship very clearly. In jazz, it is often obscured a bit by more modern harmony, but the idea is the same. It’s the combination of root motion and the guide tone motion of these chords that makes the IIm-V work. The 7th of the IIm chord (C) becomes the 3rd of the V chord (B). The 3rd of the IIm (F) chord stays the same, but when the root note changes, the F functions as the 7th of the V chord. Notice how the same concept applies when the V chord moves to the I chord. For the chords in Ex. 1 (Dm7, G7, and Cmaj7), we only use the guide tones. Keep in mind you can invert them as well [Ex. 2]. To really hear the harmony, add the bass notes in Ex. 3 to get the full effect.

[Examples]

When you practice these, play them in all keys, with the proper voice leading. Then when you’re playing lines over this progression, like the one in Ex. 4, make sure your line reflects that voice leading and highlights the guide tone motion and you will be on your way to a much richer harmonic vocabulary. - JAKE HERTZOG

Jake Hertzog is the jazz ambassador to the non-jazz world. Send your questions to guitplyr@musicplayer.com. Jake’s latest release is Patterns [Buckyball].

Hey Jazz Guy Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vhlueUWGW8&feature=related - Jake Hertzog, Guitar Player Magazine

[Tag of Jake at The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland]
Caption: Uni grad Jake Hertzog, shown here at Montreux in 2007, will perform at the Ellnora Guitar Festival this weekend.

BY WILL FERNANDEZ
PUBLISHED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 - 8:52PM
TAGS: A&E CONCERTS ELLNORA GUITAR FESTIVAL JAKE HERTZOG KRANNERT CENTER MUSIC VIDEO
URBANA — One of the biggest and most ambitious music fests in the Champaign-Urbana community will begin on Thursday: Ellnora | The Guitar Festival, which will last through Saturday at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Ellnora, previously known as the Wall to Wall Guitar Festival, has been an every-other-year extravaganza with performances from some of the most diverse and talented guitarists in the world.

Showcasing virtually every genre of music that involves this amazing instrument, from classical and rock to folk, jazz, and blues, the festival has highlighted virtuosos such as Kaki King (whose music was the inspiration for the movie "August Rush"), Los Lobos, and the legendary bluesman Buddy Guy.

This year the Krannert Center will bring to town another slate of celebrated artists, even shining a light on Jake Hertzog, a Uni High alum from the Class of 2003.

Hertzog, who just finished a national tour with The Naked Brothers, a Nickelodeon hit group, is returning to C-U with all of his guitar brilliance for Ellnora. The Jake Hertzog Trio will perform with Harvie S and Victor Jones at 1 p.m. Saturday on Krannert's Stage 5; the show is free.

Upon graduating from Uni, Hertzog received a scholarship to study jazz guitar at the esteemed Berklee School of Music in Boston. Ever since then Hertzog has been on the fast track to success, releasing his first major album, "Chromatosphere," this year to critical acclaim.

“It’s amazing to have the guitar festival in my home town,” Hertzog said in an interview with the Gargoyle. “Taking all the guitarists that I love and appreciate and bringing them back to my hometown, that’s awesome!

“I’ve always wanted to bring my New York trio back home, and this is definitely the best way to showcase it. We are so lucky to have a place like the Krannert Center; it just goes to show you the appreciation for the arts in our small town.”

This time around the Krannert Center has brought together a mesh of artists spanning numerous genres, from blues sensation Keb’ Mo' to the alternative band The National. Other well-known musicians on the schedule include slide guitarist Derek Trucks and folk legend Ani DiFranco.

“The amount of talent we have this year is amazing,” said Krannert Director Mike Ross. “I just can’t wait to see all the sets and performances. These artists bring such a passion to their work that it’s impossible to say who is better than the other.”

Trucks, named one of the next "Guitar Gods" in a 2007 issue of Rolling Stone magazine, is known for his unique style of slide guitar. Ever since age 9 this prodigy has worked with the cream of the crop in the guitar business and is now one of the very best himself. The Derek Trucks Band will play in the Krannert lobby at 9 p.m. Thursday as part of the opening night party.

Keb' Mo', a talented blues guitarist and winner of three Grammys for best contemporary blues album, will bring his rich soulful music to Krannert's Tryon Festival Theatre for a 10 p.m. Friday show. Always a charismatic entertainer, Keb' Mo' is one artist who should not be missed for lovers of the blues.

DiFranco has been one of the most prolific women in folk music over the past two decades, releasing more than 20 albums and earning four Grammy nominations. Her combination of creative guitar techniques and sophisticated lyrics are sure to draw a large crowd to her 7 p.m. Saturday show at Krannert's Colwell Playhouse.

The National, a Brooklyn-based indie rock band, has been a critically acclaimed group whose latest album, "Boxer," was named the No. 1 album of the year in 2007 by Paste Magazine. On the strings of brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner, The National is sure to please. The band will perform 10 p.m. Saturday at the Tryon.

But don't think all the action happens at night. Saturday morning rings in Ellnora's Bachfest featuring Nigel North, Paul Galbraith, and the Brazilian Guitar Quartet — all giving props to Johann Sebastian Bach. The program begins 10 a.m. at the Foellinger Great Hall.

Along with the regular concerts in different settings around the Krannert Center, this year's festival sees the addition of the “Not So Silent Film” series — instrumental acts supplemented by slideshows and films that are sure to be a delight to the ears and eyes. On top of this, while waiting for the next concert to begin, you can stop into the Krannert coffeehouse and enjoy one of the free concerts from a number of artists.

Ellnora Krannert, the festival's new namesake, was one of the Krannert Center's founders and a thoughtful benefactor of the arts.

“Ellnora’s gift and philosophy runs through our institution's DNA,” says Ross. “Her generosity and interest in the arts is in the backbone of what the Krannert Center is today. She wanted a place where people of all different walks of life and interests could come to see something and then interact with others with a true sense of community.”
- The Online Gargoyle