Imani Winds - About

Since 1997, the Grammy nominated Imani Winds has been enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire with European, American, African and Latin American traditions. As their Swahili name Imani ("faith") denotes, the five unabashedly adventurous musicians have followed their mission closely, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with their dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, and inspirational outreach programs.

After an exciting summer that included a performance of their collaborative multi-media piece Josephine Baker: A Life of Le Jazz Hot at the legendary Apollo Theater on Baker's 101st birthday, Imani Winds began their 10th anniversary season in grand fashion with a Paris debut at the La cité de la musique in a performance with Wayne Shorter. Other 2007-08 highlights include an all Esa-Pekka Salonen program at Columbia University's Miller Theater, and concerts in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. They also have been invited to perform at some of the world's most esteemed jazz festivals including those of Montreal, Marciac (France), Veszprem (Hungary), and San Sebastian (Spain).

The group is celebrating their anniversary with an ambitious commissioning initiative aptly entitled the Legacy Commissioning Project, to extend over five years and to include 10 composers from different musical disciplines. The project kicks off in 2008 with world premieres by Alvin Singleton and Roberto Sierra commissioned by Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Chamber Music Northwest, and Stanford Lively Arts.

The wide range of programs offered by Imani Winds demonstrates their mission to expand the wind quintet repertoire and diversify sources of new music. From Mendelssohn, Jean Françaix, György Ligeti, and Luciano Berio, to Astor Piazzola, Elliott Carter and John Harbison; to the unexpected ranks of Paquito D'Rivera and Wayne Shorter, Imani Winds actively seek to engage new music and new voices into the modern classical idiom. Imani members Valerie Coleman and Jeff Scott both regularly contribute compositions and arrangements to the ensemble's expanding repertoire, bringing new sounds and textures to the traditional instrumentation.

Through commissions and performance the quintet regularly collaborates with other artists. Josephine Baker: A Life of Le Jazz Hot, a collaboration with chanteuse René Marie and choreographer Christopher Huggins, has been performed in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, among other cities, to great acclaim. Imani Winds performed the world premiere of Terra Incognita, the first-ever commission for classical artists by jazz composer, performer and legend Wayne Shorter, and have shared the stage with Yo-Yo Ma for a rousing performance of Jeff Scott's arrangement of Piazzolla's Libertango. In 2007 the ensemble collaborated with bassist/trombonist Chris Brubeck of the famed Brubeck family for a performance and recording of music written especially for wind quintet and jazz quartet (to be released by Koch in 2008). The group's Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center residency culminated in a recital in New York's Alice Tully Hall with renowned clarinetist/saxophonist/composer Paquito D'Rivera. The ensemble has also worked with luminaries such as bandoneonist Daniel Binelli, saxophonist Steve Coleman, clarinetist David Shifrin, and pianists Gilbert Kalish and Shai Wosner. Future collaborations include Stefon Harris and David Krakauer.

Imani Winds' extensive touring schedule has brought them to the Herbst Theater for San Francisco Performances, Seattle's Meany Hall, University of Illinois' Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Ensemble Music Society of Indianapolis, La Jolla Music Society, and the Virginia Arts Festival. Additionally, they have performed at Atlanta's National Black Arts Festival, Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, Chicago Symphony Musicians Residency Program, the Ravinia Festival, the Kennedy Center, and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.

Imani Winds enjoy frequent national exposure in all forms of media, including two features on NPR's All Things Considered, appearances on MPR's Saint Paul Sunday, NPR's Performance Today and News and Notes with Ed Gordon, the Bob Edwards Show on XM Satellite Radio, BBC The World, as well as frequent coverage in major music magazines and newspapers.

Their excellence and influences have been recognized with numerous awards including the 2007 ASCAP Award, 2002 CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, as well as the CMA/WQXR Award for their debut and self-released CD Umoja. At the 2001 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, Imani Winds was selected as the first-ever Educational Residency Ensemble, in recognition of their tremendous musical abilities and innovative programming.

Imani Winds have three releases on Koch International Classics, including their 2006 Grammy Award nominated recording entitled The Classical Underground.

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