Media — Madre Vaca

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While nearing the end of his life, Franz Schubert composed Winterreise (Winter Journey), a song cycle of 24 poems by Wilhelm Muller that told the story of a rejected man who left his beloved’s home to wander away in the middle of a winter night. While the pieces were originally designed for voice and piano, drummer-pianist Benjamin Shorstein took ten of the songs and rearranged them for the jazz collective Madre Vaca. Nearing the recording dates, the session almost fell apart. This is the story of how the Madre Vaca team pulled it off.

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The Elements (2021)

Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind - The Elements

Jazz collective Madre Vaca, for their fourth album, has transfigured the ancient and classic concept of the elements into a musical representation. Each player composed a long-form piece representing one of the elements. The result is four movements, each with varying structure and multiple solo sections. Each piece an open space for expression and improvisation, and each with character, mood, and temperament befitting the elements. Each piece stands on its own, but together they are a jazz symphony.

Fire (Benjamin Shorstein)
Water (Jarrett Carter)
Earth (Thomas Milovac)
Wind (Jonah Pierre)

Jarrett Carter - Guitar
Thomas Milovac - Bass
Jonah Pierre - Piano
Benjamin Shorstein - Drums

Recorded by JeanCarlo Mendez

Produced by JeanCarlo Mendez and Shorstein Productions, LLC

Winterreise (2020)

Almost 200 years ago, Franz Schubert was in the throes of a disease that would ultimately claim his life as he penned the gorgeous and haunting song cycle, Winterreise. Winterreise is a story of a young man who takes leave from the home of his beloved in the middle of the night, in the dead of winter, unlikely to ever see her again. Arranged for jazz octet, Madre Vaca's interpretation of Winterreise magnifies the timelessness and versatility of Schubert's music.

“Come over to Schober’s today and I will sing you a cycle of horrifying songs. I am anxious to know what you will say about them. They have cost me more effort than any of my other songs” -Franz Schubert

Juan Rollan – saxophone; Steve Strawley – trumpet; Lance Reed – trombone; Jonah Pierre - piano;

Jarrett Carter - guitar; Mike Perez – bass; Benjamin Shorstein – drums; Milan Algood – percussion

A Certain Kind of Darkness (2019)

A Certain Kind of Darkness is an album for voice and piano with original compositions by Benjamin Shorstein, Rebecca Shorstein, Jennifer Shorstein, Charlie Shuck, and Mary E. Frye.

Rebecca Shorstein - Voice

Benjamin Shorstein - Piano