Regarding The Classical Underground, Imani Winds' 2005 album on Koch, some listeners may be a little mystified by the title, which suggests either conservatory musicians busking for spare change in the subway, or perhaps a conspiracy of agents provocateurs plotting to subvert concert conventions. In reality, this CD is presented by a thoroughly professional wind quintet that is quite far from hitting the skids, and not really launching a countercultural movement. If anything, this ensemble wends its way safely through the ...
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Regarding The Classical Underground, Imani Winds' 2005 album on Koch, some listeners may be a little mystified by the title, which suggests either conservatory musicians busking for spare change in the subway, or perhaps a conspiracy of agents provocateurs plotting to subvert concert conventions. In reality, this CD is presented by a thoroughly professional wind quintet that is quite far from hitting the skids, and not really launching a countercultural movement. If anything, this ensemble wends its way safely through the cluttered byways of crossover music -- hardly an underground phenomenon -- to offer polished arrangements that will appeal to both fans of contemporary classical and followers of jazz and international music. Anyone with even a passing awareness of marketing trends in classical music since the 1990s will find the blending of influences here uncontroversial and unremarkable. Since so many labels have invested heavily in crossover packages, and many classical artists have...
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