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In an interview for our Fall Preview issue (on stands next week!), composer Steve Reich tells Time Out New York that Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood has recorded Reich's 1987 composition "Electric Counterpoint," for live and pre-recorded electric guitar parts. The composer says Greenwood's take on the piece will be released on a new album from Nonesuch records in September, along with the first recording of Reich's adaptation of Radiohead tunes, titled "Radio Rewrite." (That piece will be played by Alarm Will Sound at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Next Wave festival, in September, as well.)
Several recordings of "Electric Counterpoint" exist already, but the only composer-supervised release was performed by guitarist Pat Metheny, back in the late 1980's. Also released by Nonesuch, it's a strong benchmark recording of the work (though the sonics may be a little dated for some tastes). Greenwood—who has been working in the classical world as much as in the indie-rock one, of late—has played the Reich piece at several solo gigs in recent years. It'll be exciting to hear a proper studio recording of his interpretation. For more details on Reich's busy fall schedule, see next week's issue—and look for more about him on our website soon.
—By Seth Colter Walls