2008 Woodie Awards
Concert Review: Musicians take on role of storytellers at MFA
Max Gelber
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: The Inside
Altering a film's original score in an attempt to change both the meaning and overall feeling of the film is not a new concept. Yet after The Valerie Project's performance Friday night at the Museum of Fine Arts, it's hard to say whether it's possible to execute such a task as effortlessly as the group's performance did.
The Valerie Project was created by three musicians of the Philadelphia psychedelic folk scene: Greg Weeks and Brooke Sietinsons from the group Espers and Margie Wienk of Fern Knight. The trio enlisted an ensemble of musicians including harpist Mary Lattimore, cellist Helena Espvall, vocalist Tara Burke, bassist/percussionist Jesse Sparhawk, flautist/keyboardist Jessica Weeks, electronic artisan Charles Cohen and percussionist Jim Ayre.
The goal of the Valerie Project was to create a dynamic new score for the Czech New Wave classic film, Jaromil Jires' "Valerie and Her Week Of Wonders." The film is an odd spectacle unto itself, befitting its cult classic status for a foreign film.
Nothing was left out of the plot. Vampires? You got it. Harsh commentary on the state of religion? You bet. Lesbians? That too. Oh, and in case you thought they had left something out, a bit of incest is sprinkled in to keep the viewers on their toes.
All together, the bizarre array of concepts fit well with the psychedelic folk provided by the ensemble.
The Valerie Project took the original concept of the film and attempted to expand on it with its own blistering and overwhelming wall of orchestration.
The ensemble began the evening with a pounding rhythm delivered by dueling cellos before adding layers of droning guitars and pounding percussion. Just when the sonic energy was growing, the cellos and guitar gave way to the angelic tones of harp and vocals.
This cycle of energy continued throughout the evening, with moments of bombastic heaviness and haunting vocals flowing into soft, gentle interludes of strings and delicate singing.
The Valerie Project was created by three musicians of the Philadelphia psychedelic folk scene: Greg Weeks and Brooke Sietinsons from the group Espers and Margie Wienk of Fern Knight. The trio enlisted an ensemble of musicians including harpist Mary Lattimore, cellist Helena Espvall, vocalist Tara Burke, bassist/percussionist Jesse Sparhawk, flautist/keyboardist Jessica Weeks, electronic artisan Charles Cohen and percussionist Jim Ayre.
The goal of the Valerie Project was to create a dynamic new score for the Czech New Wave classic film, Jaromil Jires' "Valerie and Her Week Of Wonders." The film is an odd spectacle unto itself, befitting its cult classic status for a foreign film.
Nothing was left out of the plot. Vampires? You got it. Harsh commentary on the state of religion? You bet. Lesbians? That too. Oh, and in case you thought they had left something out, a bit of incest is sprinkled in to keep the viewers on their toes.
All together, the bizarre array of concepts fit well with the psychedelic folk provided by the ensemble.
The Valerie Project took the original concept of the film and attempted to expand on it with its own blistering and overwhelming wall of orchestration.
The ensemble began the evening with a pounding rhythm delivered by dueling cellos before adding layers of droning guitars and pounding percussion. Just when the sonic energy was growing, the cellos and guitar gave way to the angelic tones of harp and vocals.
This cycle of energy continued throughout the evening, with moments of bombastic heaviness and haunting vocals flowing into soft, gentle interludes of strings and delicate singing.
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