"Pleonid" from "Pleonid" by Stuart Popejoy

"Although you should recognize the names of all five members of this quintet from varied projects, this is a unique blend of Downtown’s rich cultural tapestry ... I was able to appreciate the thoughtful playing and arrangements of this elegant gem." -- Bruce Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery

"Pleonid" is Stuart Popejoy's composition for quintet, also released on Leo Records as LR-783. A single 60-minute piece presents ever-changing textures and moods, as five expert musicians interpret and explore shifting musical structures, contrapuntal motifs and trancelike chordal grooves. The piece was performed live in 2012 at the Firehouse Space in Brooklyn NY, with Sarah Bernstein on violin, Avram Fefer on alto saxophone, Steve Swell on trombone, Stuart Popejoy on electric bass, and Kenny Wollesen on vibraphone and drumset.

Pleonid is a major work by composer Stuart Popejoy, who uses braid theory from advanced mathematics to create the distinctive form of counterpoint featured in the piece. Improvisation, either through the interpretation of written motifs, or in free soloing over composed chordal backgrounds, showcases the distinctive sounds of the musicians, punctuated by short through-composed vignettes. Using his own software to compose and arrange the work, Pleonid represents Popejoy's focus on algorithmic methods, as heard in his compositions Void (2008) for vibraphone and electric bass, Single Payer (2012) for solo snare drum, and Cyclops (2013) for rock trio.

Stuart Popejoy is a bassist, keyboardist, composer and software developer. He leads the prog-metal trio Bassoon with Sean Moran and John Mettam, and performs in the avant-jazz Sarah Bernstein Quartet on bass, improv-cabaret project Sugarlife on keyboards, and electric improvisation trio Iron Dog with Sarah Bernstein and Andrew Drury. A native of Albuquerque New Mexico, Stuart lives in Brooklyn NY.

popejoy.org