Emily Dickinson

It is ironic, but also profoundly right, that the words which came silently out of the pen of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) nowadays are heard frequently in concert halls, and elsewhere too. In 1992, Carlton Lowenberg, in his book Musicians wrestle everywhere: Emily Dickinson and Music, listed no fewer than 1,615 compositions based on her texts, by 276 different composers, from 1896 onwards; according to the musicologist Enrico Maria Polimanti, by 2007 this number had almost doubled.

American original Jane Ira Bloom does it again. This time the 21st-century soprano saxophonist reimagines the poetry of 19th-century visionary Emily Dickinson in two different settings. Her new 2 Cd pack showcases her jazz quartet s interpretation of Dickinson s poetry and includes a second version for jazz quartet and spoken word featuring readings by popular stage & film actor Deborah Rush. After the success of her 2016 trio album release Early Americans, Bloom shifts gears with Wild Lines / Improvising Emily Dickinson (OTL143) showcasing her acclaimed quartet in dialogue with poetry in her seventeenth album and first foray into music and text.