Jazz fans may have heard of musician Makanda Ken McIntyre. But for those that haven’t, the Makanda Project—an ensemble dedicated to performing his unrecorded music—is here to remind you. CNY native John Jordalewski is the founder, pianist and arranger for the Makanda Project.
“It sounds like we’re this repertory ensemble playing the music of this unknown composer, but we’re a band. Makanda’s music has become sort of a vehicle for us to develop our own shape, identity and sound as a band.”
Kordalewski said the 13-member band has some of the conventional sound and structure of a big band, but also the energy and looseness of a smaller group. They formed in 2005, four years after Makanda died at age 69. Kordalewski said half of the members have never left.
“There aren’t’ that many groups of this size that have stayed together for this long and been able to work regularly throughout the whole time.”
They’ve mainly performed in Boston, but Kordalewski jokes this recent tour takes them west of the Hudson to South Bend, Indiana, Cleveland and Auburn. He said ironically, the band is playing more of Makanda’s music than he probably did.
“I’ve got a pile of about 375 tunes! I’ve arranged about 60 of them by now. Every year, I try to add a few, but we’ve got so many, and then we revisit them.”
He said it always feels like there’s a new angle or approach they can take with a certain piece. The Makanda Project will be at the Auburn Public Theater Friday at 8 p.m.