American composer, pianist, singer and dancer Julius Eastman (1940-1990) became known for innovative minimalism and political provocation. Eastman was one of the first to interweave compositional techniques of minimal music with pop elements. His vision of "organic music” and his creative openness gave new impulses to the minimal musical movement.
In 1973, avant-garde ensemble Creative Associates goes on a tour of Europe with Eastman’s brand new piece in their repertoire, and in short: “Stay on It” turns the coordinates of avant-garde music on its head. It is minimal, but unashamedly groovy; it is open to improvisation, grants performers all the freedom they could need, but it isn’t jazz and never slips into the non-committal. It is open to theatrical and performative elements, but also to the poetic and lyrical. It is strict and demands maximum concentration from its performers, but releases them into playfulness. Once the musicians have gotten used to the discipline, have adopted the groove that Eastman demands of them, a vast field of new connections opens up to them, leading to sublime sonic unions.
The premiere of Stay On It, performed by an all female eight-piece ensemble took place at Cologne’s Week-End Fest in October 2021. For their two day residency at Cafe OTO the ensemble will also be performing Eastman's piece Femenine.
