The Adler Suite
“Inspired by the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, tenor saxophonist Sam Pilnick has composed a nine-part suite designed to evoke a trip to space and back. The Adler Suite - some tracks swinging mightily, some modern-classic, one a kind of round succeeds in its mission...This music isn’t psychedelic, but it is a trip.”
It all started when…
I went on a trip to the Adler Planetarium.
Two years and a pandemic later, the album is finally here.
Saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist and music educator Sam Pilnick presents The Adler Suite - his debut recording with his steadfast ensemble, Sam Pilnick’s Nonet Project. lOn this ardent introductory statement, the Chicago-based bandleader takes his listeners on a trip to outer space with a nine-movement suite inspired by the Windy City’s scenic Adler Planetarium.
This stunning display of compositional acuity from Sam Pilnick was sparked by the artist’s 2017 trip to the Adler Planetarium as a chaperone for a school trip. A recent transplant to Chicago, Pilnick was struck by the sight of the Adler’s rounded dome of marble sitting on its perch at the end of the museum campus, overlooking views of the city, and of Lake Michigan and the sky above.
“As we entered The Adler, I was immediately inspired to write music, as I saw the original space craft that brought home the astronauts from the Gemini II mission and various other exhibits. Reading the explanations of our planet, solar system and galaxy filled my mind with musical thoughts. Over the next two years, I would venture back to the Adler to find inspiration for what would now be known as The Adler Suite.”
Personnel
Sam Pilnick - Tenor Sax and Compositions
Max Besessen - Alto Saxophone
Ted Hogarth - Bari Saxophone and Bass Clarinet
Emily Kuhn - Trumpet
Euan Edmonds - Trombone
Ben Cruz - Guitar
Meghan Stagl - Piano and Fender Rhodes
Ben Dillinger - Upright and Electric Bass
Matt Smalligan - Drums
All songs and compositions by Sam Pilnick (BMI)
Produced by Sam Pilnick
Assisted by Akshat Jain
Recorded at Electrical Audio, Chicago, IL February 2020
Recorded and Mixed by Scott Steinman, Studio Media Recording Co, Evanston, IL
Mastered by: Dave Darlington, Bass Hit Studio, NYC, New York
This album was made possible in part through an individual artist grant from the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural and Special Events.
Design by Sara Kay. Cover inspired by "Milky Way" by Frederick J. Brown on display at the Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL.