Music Scene: Five Families Ensemble debut performance set at Palace Theater in Hamilton
Monk Rowe wants to introduce you to the Five Families.
Don’t worry, we’re not “going to the mattresses” and no one’s going to be “sleeping with the fishes.”
The five families he’s referring to aren’t organized crimes organizations, but rather the four families of musical instruments (five if you include vocalists.)
The latest project for the acclaimed composer, arranger, performer and educator is the Five Families Ensemble, which expands the concept of a traditional chamber ensemble by combining sounds from each of the four instrument groups (brass, woodwinds, percussion and strings) with a fifth contribution from the human voice.
Members of the Five Families are Tom McGrath (percussion); Nick Fields (trumpet, baritone horn, vocals); Monk Rowe (woodwinds, keyboards); Kristen Kopf (cello); and Liz Simchik (violin, vocals).
You can meet the families on Saturday, Oct. 23, when they debut at the Palace Theater, 19 Utica St. in Hamilton, for a 7 p.m. performance.
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If you’re not familiar with Monk’s career by now, shame on you: Monk (yes, Monk has become a single-name celebrity, like Cher or Madonna or Popeye) was a saxophone/music educator major at SUNY Fredonia, taught music at VVS for five years while playing in a succession of bands until he gave up the teaching to go full time with Mr. Edd, and has been the Director of the Fillius Jazz Archive at Hamilton College since its inception in 1995, all leading to his induction into the Syracuse Area Music Hall of Fame in 2018 and his designation as “Living Legend” by the Oneida County History Center the following year.
“The motivation for forming the ensemble was initially to satisfy the fact that musically, I am not happy unless I am arranging something for someone or some group,” notes Monk.
However, the problem becomes how to interest an established performing arts group in your vision. Rowe had an easy solution.
“I have learned that pitching your arrangements or original compositions to established groups is usually fruitless,” explains Rowe, “so if you want your work played, forming your own ensemble is a necessity.
“In this case a welcome one.”
The ensemble’s repertoire is arranged specifically for the group and ranges (as Monk describes it) “from Beethoven to Brubeck to the Blues,” as well as original compositions, (including a tango that is so new that it has yet to be named) and that eclecticism is precisely what excited Monk about the project, as well as what attracted him to this particular group of musicians.
“The vision for the ensemble was to perform an eclectic repertoire with a mixed instrumentation,” says Monk. “The members are extremely versatile and able to sound like an orchestra as well as a jazz band.”
Tickets are $15 and are available at https://artsatthepalace.org/events/monk-rowe-and-the-five-families-ensemble/. Colgate University students are free with student ID and children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
Mark Sisti is an experienced musician who writes about local music for the Observer-Dispatch. Email him at msist1@roadrunner.com.