Iron Giant Free Association - Terry Riley's In C [LP]
Release Date: 7/25/2025
Label: Earth Libraries
Iron Giant is a contemporary music collective based in Birmingham, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Sam Herman, Brett Huffman, Seth Noble, and Justin Wallace. Established in 2011, the ensemble has performed alongside artists such as Sō Percussion, Glenn Kotche of Wilco, Norman Westberg of SWANS, and Third Coast Percussion, and has collaborated with many Alabama music & arts mainstays including Birmingham Art Music Alliance, Sanspointe Dance Company, John Scalici, and the UAB Percussion Ensemble. The recording & release of this album is the end result of the band’s decade-long relationship with Terry Riley’s 1964 masterwork, In C. When the group began, they played strictly through-composed percussion quartet music. As they grew as an ensemble, they became interested in collaboration, and In C seemed like a great way to get a group of musicians together for a large-scale multi-instrumentalist concert. It was big enough to fill a program, while loose enough to pull together with minimal rehearsal time. They hosted our first performance of the piece in 2013, with a group of 20 musicians. The piece quickly became a staple of their repertoire and over time, their interpretation took on a distinct character, something they felt confident was unique to them. The entire album was recorded in the group’s respective houses, on free weekends, between the summers of ‘22-’23. After 12+ years as a band, recording this album helped them solidify their vision, and has given them inspiration to continue performing this music, allowing it to evolve, for years to come. RIYL: Terry Riley, John Cage, Steve Reich
Tracklist
- Part one
- Part two
- Part three
- Part four
Description
Release Date: 7/25/2025
Label: Earth Libraries
Iron Giant is a contemporary music collective based in Birmingham, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Sam Herman, Brett Huffman, Seth Noble, and Justin Wallace. Established in 2011, the ensemble has performed alongside artists such as Sō Percussion, Glenn Kotche of Wilco, Norman Westberg of SWANS, and Third Coast Percussion, and has collaborated with many Alabama music & arts mainstays including Birmingham Art Music Alliance, Sanspointe Dance Company, John Scalici, and the UAB Percussion Ensemble. The recording & release of this album is the end result of the band’s decade-long relationship with Terry Riley’s 1964 masterwork, In C. When the group began, they played strictly through-composed percussion quartet music. As they grew as an ensemble, they became interested in collaboration, and In C seemed like a great way to get a group of musicians together for a large-scale multi-instrumentalist concert. It was big enough to fill a program, while loose enough to pull together with minimal rehearsal time. They hosted our first performance of the piece in 2013, with a group of 20 musicians. The piece quickly became a staple of their repertoire and over time, their interpretation took on a distinct character, something they felt confident was unique to them. The entire album was recorded in the group’s respective houses, on free weekends, between the summers of ‘22-’23. After 12+ years as a band, recording this album helped them solidify their vision, and has given them inspiration to continue performing this music, allowing it to evolve, for years to come. RIYL: Terry Riley, John Cage, Steve Reich
Tracklist
- Part one
- Part two
- Part three
- Part four
