Imani Winds Wind Quintet

I discovered the Imani Winds Wind Quintet on NPR’s website and flipped. This is an intriguing group of musicians and as an ensemble they deserve every success.

Formed in 1997 by flutist/composer, Valerie Coleman (both Valerie and French Horn player, Jeff Scott, compose new music for the ensemble), their programming is adventurous, they are not afraid to experiment, and they have the chops to pull it off. Their most recent CD release, Josephine Baker—A Life of Le Jazz Hot, a work that musically depicts the life of the renowned dancer, is part of a multi-media presentation that includes music, film, and dance. Imani Winds is currently performing this work on tour.

Imani Winds is dedicated not only to creating and performing great music; these musicians are dedicated to reaching out in order to stimulate interest in classical music. To quote Valerie, “Classical music is an all inclusive thing.” A group like this just has to be supported. They have the potential to record a great body of work and inspire a lot of young and new ears along the way. They have three CD releases I am going to enjoy catching up on. I encourage you to check them out also.

— Dave Schwartz, 5/24/06