Dates

2005
Fukuoka, Japan ~ Feb. 9 - April 3
Nagoya, Japan ~ April 20 - June 12
Osaka, Japan ~ June 26 - Sept. 25
Tokyo, Japan ~ Oct. 13 - Nov. 27

2006
London, England (Royal Albert Hall) ~ Jan. 5 -Feb. 12
Milan, Italy ~ Feb. 23 - April 16
Rome, Italy ~ April 27 - June 25
Amsterdam, Netherlands ~ July 14 - Aug. 20
Brussels, Belgium ~ Aug. 31 - Oct. 15
Madrid, Spain ~ Oct. 25 - Dec. 17

Philadelphia Daily News, Jonathan Takiff
Published: Tuesday, July 13, 2004

How many times have you walked out of a traditional circus humming the tunes, wishing you could buy the soundtrack album? Shall we say, never? Cirque du Soleil - back on South Broad Street with its "Alegria" extravaganza - is quite another story. Lush, original music is as integral to this upscale circus arts extravaganza as are the lavish (and often loony) costumes, the artfully evocative lighting and the tightly choreographed flow of one clever act into the next.
In fact, Cirque's music enhances all aspects of the stagecraft, creating an open-ended theatricality that whisks your senses away on a magic carpet ride. Anyone for around the world in, oh, 2 ½ hours? Just in the opening of "Alegria" (a Spanish word for "elation"), as the six-person band marches through the audience, your ears are lavished with a melange of sonic messages.
First an accordion (often the show's lead instrument) and clarinet lead a frisky romp evocative of 18th-century Italian circus or maybe Eastern European klezmer music. Then, as the cast appears on the shadowy stage, a dramatic anthem rises up, reminiscent of Italian art cinema scoring of the '60s. The band quickly sidesteps into a frisky tango and frothy French synth pop tune before resolving into a haunting ballad as the first spotlighted act goes into its synchronized trapeze routine.
The score by Rene Dupere tosses in everything from bubbly rock to dark German cabaret jazz, vibrant Tahitian tribal drumming, wispy Andean folk and graceful Asian pan flute and koto music - often shifting gears (and synthesizer "voicing" presets) faster than your average race car driver. To my mind, at least some of this musical disorientation is intentional, to keep the viewer's emotions on edge as acrobats bounce precariously between balance beams, a clown mimes an oddly poignant farewell and an amazing contortionist turns herself into a pretzel.
Album a big hit For the vast majority of spectators, Cirque du Soleil will be their first exposure to the concept of "planetary" music. Showgoers have taken to it well enough to push the soundtrack album for "Alegria" to the top of the world music record charts. Of course, the company's universal cultural embrace also is underscored by its globally acquired performance troupe.
Likewise driving home the show's global appeal is the monosyllabic, "invented language" oft employed by the singers. As the dominant verbal element in the show, these scatlike lyrics play equally well in Tokyo, Mexico City and Philadelphia.
"The composers come up with phonemes for us to sing that vaguely sound like syllables from different countries but don't really mean anything," shared Eve Montpetit, one of the two extremely talented female vocalists who trade off the lead "woman in white" and supporting "woman in black" singing parts in "Alegria."
"We are privately given an idea of what the music means by the show's creators, to help us understand the motivation of our characters, the emotion behind the songs. But we leave it up to the audience to develop their own ideas."
(Here's a clue to why Montpetit wears her hoop skirt inside out, with the wire substructure showing. She's a "peasant who has just found the gown of a princess," a wide-eyed and innocent creature who's delighting in the wonders of the world.)
On just a few numbers, Montpetit is required to sing in actual Italian or Spanish, "but I'm to pronounce it in a way that reminds you of all the music written in any Latin country."
Quebec-based composer Dupere is mastermind of the Cirque scores for "Saltimbanco" and "Mystere" as well as "Alegria" and a new show under construction at Las Vegas' MGM Grand.
He grew up in an environment of classical music but from an early age was also "fascinated by other cultures" that he discovered first in the pages of National Geographic magazine.
"I want to compose a music that is not identified with this time," Dupere has declared in interviews. "A crossbreed...cosmopolitan music, evocative, whose influences are numerous and hard to identify...When someone asked me what my musical influences are, I always reply Brahms and Pink Floyd. I think I'm a 19th-century romantic who expresses himself with the means of the 20th century, synthesizers, among others."

No Circue du Cliche

A longtime music educator, jazz musician and part of the Cirque du Soleil troupe since its origins in street theater in the early '80s, Dupere has always rejected the cliches of traditional circus scoring. "When I compose music for a trapeze number, I don't compose a piece for an artist who is making dangerous movements and is in danger of falling at any moment. I could then be happy with drum rolls," he has said. "That's what traditional circus music does: It tries to underline in big ways, and in a redundant way, that what's going on there is dangerous."
With "Alegria," Dupere sought to evoke "the Fellini-esque side of our [street performer] origins. It is also a return to some musicians that I am particularly fond of: Rota, Morricone, Vivaldi, Mancini...the Italians."
Some of Cirque's music - especially those haunting ballads that stick to the brain like glue - are fully scored, band leader/bassist David Pelletier told us. But the more percussive and stylistically schizophrenic numbers that his six-piece band pumps out to accompany acts like the Fast Track acrobats or to keep the flow going while riggers set the high bar act are written in a "modular" fashion. Meaning that the music can be adjusted on the fly if something goes wrong.
"I'm in touch by headset with the rest of the band, the singers, plus stage directors and sound guys in the front and back of the house, and I'm also watching the action myself," explained the busy band leader. "If there's a problem, I tell everyone to keep vamping on a section. When I see it's corrected, I'll instantly give a '3-2-1' cue and it's on to the next part."
A change of act - say, replacement of the Strong Man - may require some minor rescoring. But no changes can be made on the road without approval from "the home office and the composer," said Montpetit. (Yeah, they're all perfectionists at Cirque du Soleil.)
In fact, a major overhaul of the band's synthesizers and instrumental sound samples will be done before the show moves to Japan for a fall tour. "The composer wants to update the sound," noted Pelletier. "The show is now 10 years old and the sound hasn't evolved that much."
To my ears, Cirque's techno-pop flavored synthesizer emulations (of strings, woodwinds, etc.) are part of its global charm. But the climate-control system needs an upgrade. The air conditioning sometimes blows so loud in the tent that fine points of the musical scoring are lost.
Montpetit noted that the humidity variables in the tent during warm weather - "maybe 20 percent humidity in the morning and 65 percent at night" - change the throw and reverberation of sound from performance to performance.
"You have to be highly flexible to perform in a tent," she said. "And to do this challenging music, you have to be at the very top of your game."

Jezebel magazine
March 2004
"Behind The Scenes"

Welcome to the magical world of Cirque du Soleil, an enchanted place where bodies move in ways you've never seen, and the costumes and makeup impeccably reflect the mood of the show.
The stage is set: Alegria is currently touring North America to celebrate its 100th anniversary, and will be in Atlanta beginning on March 25 at the Cumberland Galleria. The shows title is a Spanish word for elation, joy or jubilation, and you are sure to feel elated as you watch these performers. Alegria's international cast will awe you with contortion and fire-breathing acts, clowns, trapeze artists and more. The story's theme is centered on the juxtaposition of youth and maturity; flying is also a main them of Alegria. For example the Old Bird exudes the look and feel of the elderly, but keeps a glimmer of the inner child in us all.
The look of the performers is the most effective way to portray the emotions of the show, so Jezebel magazine sat down and spoke with the people behind the magic to get the inside scoop.
The sound: Georgia's own Charlie Dennard is Alegria's first of two keyboardists. Born in Macon and raised throughout the South, his parents and siblings now live in and around the Gainesville / Lake Lanier area. Dennard has been playing the piano since he was six and still loves it! He joined the Cirque tour in Mexico City 14 months ago. "The traveling is great; I mean my first city was the largest city in the world it just doesn't get better than that."
Alegrai's sound is amazing. The title song was on the World Music Chart for over a year, and the show has sold more CDs than all the other Cirque shows combined. For musicians, this is the most prestigious show to be a part of, Dennard said. "We're on stage the whole time, and are an active part of the show. It's great."
Simply put, Alegria is one-of-a-kind-it's performers, costumes, makeup and music are all custom made. Yet it's universal theme appeals to the masses, making this Cirque show a favorite of Cirque fans around the world.

Polo Club Lounge - Catch the Spirits
From, WindsorCourtHotel.com

Renovated in 2003, the cigar-friendly Polo Club Lounge evokes an 18th century "gentlemen's withdrawing room" with soft, intimate lighting to enhance the rich tobacco color scheme and embracing, overstuffed chairs and sofas. Open from morning until late at night, the bar serves a light menu, hors d'oeuvres and, of course, your chosen potable. It is best known for an extensive martini menu and a selection of wines, ports and cognacs unequaled in the city. Humidors filled with a wide variety of cigars are also available for your choice.

Prominently displayed behind the bar is the renowned George V Cup awarded by the King of England to the winner of the 1910 Ascot Races. This excellent example of silver-smithery, created by Garrard Royal Jewelers in 1910, contains 25 pounds of silver. Photographs of the Prince of Wales and local polo players in action, as well as equestrian bronzes and oil paintings decorate the lounge, along with a grand piano played nightly by favorite local pianists. A jazz trio also entertains on Fridays and Saturdays.

While the Polo Club staff often welcomes the rich and famous, pianist Charlie Dennard was especially thrilled recently to accompany Paul McCartney as he sang an impromptu love song to his bride-to-be. No wonder Zagat Guide named the Polo Club Lounge "Top Spot" in New Orleans for a drink.

The Oregonian
October 19, 2003
"At Play In A Musical Circus"

Fifteen tumblers race across the stage, leap off trampolines and somersault twice, three times, four times in the air. The slap of a drum accompanies the thud of feet on mats. Applause breaks out and the drum tattoo speeds up, urging the tumblers to run faster and spin higher.
Only then do you realize why the music has to be live: The musicians are timing their downbeats to the split-second landings. And, you realize, they're very good at it.
Charles Dennard waited two years to join the circus. Today, he plays 10 shows a week and travels the world as a keyboard player in the Cirque du Soleil band. He and seven other musicians accompany the tumblers, clowns, and flex-bodied performers with Rene Dupere's driving pop score drenched in haunting, East European melancholy.
The musicians, who include two singers, range in age from 28 to 51 and are the first to enter and the last to leave. They play keyboards, accordion, saxophone, drums, bass, and percussion for two hours in the dim rear of the stage, timing their phrases to the launches, landings, spins and tumbles of the 56 performers. Only snippets of the music, a few seconds here and there, are recorded. Dennard, the band's only non-Canadian, joined Alegria last November in Mexico City and has another year in his contract. After Portland, the troupe heads to San Francisco, then resumes after Christmas in Miami before moving up the East Coast. Later next year, they're off to Japan for 14 months.
Dennard, 33, is a one-man orchestra, playing two electronic keyboards to create the impression of strings, trumpets, flutes, oboes, and more, all while staring at a TV monitor showing the stage. Earplugs worn under a high-teased wig and mock-Victorian satins connect him to four people who cue him in French. Thickets of wires plug him into electronic gear the size of a refrigerator.
Alegria, Cirque's most popular soundtrack, has sold 800,000 copies, 300,000 more than the troupe's next most-popular soundtrack, Saltimbanco. Before his daily sound check one recent evening, Dennard took a few minutes to talk about his part in the show.

Q: At the top of the show, the musicians enter through the audience, while latecomers are still finding their seats. Do they ever get in your way?
A: It's funny, I fell last week. I was trying to play and walk upstairs. People get around us and we have fun with it, make fun of them. Sometimes, they're scared. "Don?t play with me." The parade can really go either way.

Q: You play 10 acts in the show. Which one is the hardest?
A: The trampoline tumblers (fast track). I'm playing a pizzicato part with my left hand and legato strings with my right hand and my feet are controlling the volume and I'm following the tumblers on the downbeat. I'm also triggering loops and samples and cueing the next loop. But all the numbers are demanding and take different types of precision.

Q: How much variation is there from performance to performance?
A: They set list really changes each show. The number of jumps changes or they take a little more time moving a mat. And they might trip and we have to fill in. If someone falls, they start over a section. The transitions are the hardest part. They can be short, medium, or long versions within each act. It's like sensory overload sometimes between my in-ear monitors, following the performers, and playing the right parts on the keyboard. I've done the show a few hundred times, but if I'm not careful, I can get distracted. Sometimes, it's a little too much.

Q: How often does someone fall?
A: We had a couple of falls last night. They do it again (successfully) and the crowd loves it even more.

Q: Does the music evolve over time?
A: There are subtle changes. It's more a timing issue. We're updating some sounds with new instruments but playing basically the same music while always trying to stay true to the original score.

Q: What's your schedule?
A: We play one show on Tuesday and Wednesday, but two shows Thursday through Sunday.

Q: How do you hold up playing the same music 10 times a week?
A: It's difficult, that's for sure. This gig kicks my butt every night. You have to maintain a high level of concentration. It's impossible to get bored but I still have fun!

Q: Do you have to stay in shape?
A: Yes, most definitely. Our physiotherapists are excellent as well. They help me maintain a good exercise program and I go see a massage therapist about once a week too.

Q: What's your musical training?
A: I studied classical piano as a kid but then switched to jazz in college at Auburn University. I have a B.M. from the University of Miami in Music Media and Industry and a M.M. from the University of New Orleans in Jazz Studies. I studied piano all the way through my masters.

Q: How did you join Cirque?
A: Alegria was in Biloxi and I was living in New Orleans and met one of the singers in a bar. I must have seen the show about 12 times in Biloxi and I always wanted to play in it. It was like, I wish I was up there. I'm going to be up there one day. I found their job listings on-line and sent them my resume. It took two years. Every year I would send them more stuff. I went to Las Vegas to audition and one year later I got the job.

Q: Do you get outside the big top?
A: As much as possible. I go to bookstores, ride my bike around and explore. I went to the Produce Row Café the other night for a jam session and it was great fun.

Q: Do you socialize with other Cirque performers?
A: We're very, very close. We go out as a group, do birthdays, meet for drinks. If there's a death in someone's family, we're all affected.

Q: Is there life after Cirque?
A: I want to go to Japan, but my goal is to get to Europe after that. I'm going to stay there for a while, study there, and maybe do a doctorate in ethnomusicology. That's the thing I'm most interested in.

Calgary Herald June 21, 2003
“The Music Behind The Magic”

The band waddles into the Big Top like a pack of musical albino penguins armed with shiny junior-sized instruments. Their outrageous fellini-esque look, complete with faux-Cyrano de Bergerac noses and high-punk-rock pony tails, accentuates the circus oom-pah-pah as they break into the opening number.
The sound is so clear and precise many people assume the music is canned until the band marches past the in the ailse. “The best part is improvising with the audience,” says the band’s conductor David Pelltier. “You never know what can happen.”
The show’s musical score, written by Rene Dupere to “evoke a sense of passion,” uses acoustic and percussion instruments including accordion, saxophone, keyboard, and guitar to guide the audience on a fantastical two-hour tour of Alegria.
“I find something each time we play those songs,” says Pelltier, who delicately alters the music each night to stay in perfect sync with the acrobats. “If they go a little late or early we have to follow, skip something or repeat a part to keep up with the performers. It can get crazy.”
While some beats may change or get dropped, Pelltier says he works hard to stay true to the original score, which is the most successful in Cirque du Soleil’s history. The soundtrack has gone platinum twice in Canada and sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide. It was on billboard Magazine’s hit parade for 65 weeks in the world music category and the title song “Alegria” was nominated for a Grammy in 1995.
“You cannot go on cruise control to do this show,” says Pelltier, whose favorite act is loaded with random, lightning-fast cues on the Fast Track. “Every one of us must stay engaged, follow the action.”
After meeting several Cirque musicians in a New Orleans bar, Charles Dennard (keyboardist) began a self-imposed mission to play in the band of Alegria. The 33-year-old who is still considered the new guy after a year and a half on tour, finally fulfilled his dream after several auditions and a lucky break.. Dennard says Alegria’s international allure of travel and work with various cultures, as well as the eclectic mix of world music, electronica and Eastern European beats give him the daily motivation he needs to stay true to his art form.
“It’s like a classical gig because it’s very precise but it’s also got a lot of improvisation. I still get goose bumps during the finale.” On touring: “traveling the world is a highlight, but my love life has suffered. As soon as I joined the circus, my girlfriend left!”

SET BREAK by Scott Jordan
From, BestofNewOrleans.com

One got a call from the Doctor, and the other got a call from the circus. Guitarist John Fohl and keyboardist Charlie Dennard, two of the hardest-working musicians in New Orleans, each just got hired for their dream jobs. Fohl is the new guitarist in Dr. John's band, while Dennard is leaving New Orleans for the next two years to be the touring keyboardist for Cirque du Soleil's Alegria show. Both instances are instructive examples of good things coming to artists who've tackled the challenging -- and often economically perilous -- New Orleans music scene with creative spirit and dogged determination.
Fohl started from scratch in New Orleans in 1996, after moving from Oregon and leaving the platinum-selling band Cherry Poppin' Daddies for broader creative challenges. He quickly became one of the most in-demand sidemen in town, while working in a dizzying array of settings: solo at venues like Margaritaville Cafe; festivals and convention gigs as lead guitarist for Amy and the Hank Sinatras; recording sessions and shows with the Joe Krown Organ Combo; as co-leader of blues trio Sansone, Krown, and Fohl; and most recently, hotel and nightclub gigs with chanteuse Ingrid Lucia.
"I've been working 300 gigs a year for the last 15 years," says Fohl. "I think people have different expectations about the music business. If you get locked into just playing with your band, it can be tough. But a lot of guys here are versatile, and play solo gigs and with three of four different bands. Part of the trick with doing something like this is doing your best at every opportunity."
Two such opportunities were Joe Krown's 2000 CD, Buckle Up, and Andy J. Forest's 2001 CD, Sunday Rhumba, where Fohl played with drummer Herman Ernest -- Dr. John's drummer and bandleader. When guitarist Renard Poche told Ernest he was leaving Dr. John's band, Ernest called Fohl to gauge his interest. "After I hung up the phone I jumped around for a little bit," Fohl says with a laugh. Fohl made his trial run with the band for a recent string of Northeast shows. "I thought I would be real nervous about it, but the band is so good that they made it so easy, and it felt calm and nice," says Fohl. He officially landed the job, and makes his local debut with Dr. John on Oct. 27 at the Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits 30th Anniversary Festival.
His new job won't change his work habits. "I'm going to keep playing with Ingrid and Joe, and keep working 300 gigs a year, except maybe 100 of them are with Dr. John," says Fohl.
Charlie Dennard's tireless gigging and career path rivals Fohl's. Dennard moved to New Orleans from Birmingham seven years ago, to study with Ellis Marsalis at UNO. Dennard made his biggest mark on the local scene with contemporary jazz outfit Quintology, and often seemed to be in two places at once. He played solo piano gigs at Windsor Court and Le Meridien; was a member of now-defunct world-fusion band New World Funk Ensemble; played with drummer Stanton Moore in Moore and More; had his own organ trio, 5 O'Clock Charlie; and most recently, spearheaded the electronic music free-for-all show Electravibe at 735 Club on Bourbon Street.
"Ever since the days of New World Funk Ensemble, I'm really influenced by world music and these fusions of genres coming together," says Dennard. "Cirque du Soleil is a dream gig because it's an international group of people, and the music is eclectic. There's singing in two or three languages, and it's like classical music meets gypsy music meets electronic music, with multi-media and theater."
Dennard is proof that every gig and musical experience -- no matter how small or experimental -- can count toward new horizons. "The Electravibe gig was a big help, because for the MIDI technology for Cirque du Soleil, I have to do a month of training just on the technical aspect alone, and learn to set up and maintain the keyboard rig. And all my schooling at UNO and solo piano gigs ... thank God I can read music now, because I just got the material to learn for Cirque du Soleil, and it's like a telephone book of music that I have to memorize for the show."
He earned the gig after auditioning in Biloxi two years ago, and while he didn't get the job then, he stayed in touch with the show's performers and producers. Dennard's persistence and professionalism, like Fohl's, have earned him a larger stage and new opportunities. "This is a whole other level, that's for sure," says Dennard. "There are Olympic athletes on this tour, with their own doctors and chefs, and it's a first class organization. I've wanted to record some of my own stuff and different projects, but didn't have the money. I've been living at the poverty level for so long, that if I can keep living the way I've been accustomed to, now maybe I can save some money to do some things I've always wanted to do."

New Orleans Magazine, July 1999
People to Watch

Quintology was almost called Four Screws and a Nut but the original progressive modern jazz quintet, made up of Mark Rapp (trumpet), Mark DiFlorio (drums), Brady Kish (bass), Charlie Dennard (piano) and Brent Rose (saxophone), decided against that name in favor of Quintology. Formed from the University of New Orleans Europe Combo, the group recently released its self-titled debut CD.
Featured locally at musical meccas such as Snug Harbor, Tipitina’s, Dragon’s Den, and Mermaid Lounge, Quintology’s next move is to branch out beyond the city, with a tour planned for the East Coast and Canada. Plus, they each perform in outside bands, including the New World Funk Ensemble, Galactic, and Iris May Tango, among others.
Quintology has won the Jazz Kings Competition held on Lundi Gras at Spanish Plaza both years it was held. The studio time included among the prizes offered the group the chance to record it’s CD, which was produced by Brian Seeger and included liner notes by Nicholas Payton.
In addition to performances, Quintology has started bringing its music into schools and teaching workshops locally. And on that note, let’s just say that they’re music to our ears.

OffBeat, July 1999
Straight No Chaser

One local jazz education success story is Quintology, a hot young group that has emerged from U.N.O.’s Jazz Studies program to take the scene by storm. In a city teeming with young jazz talent, what makes Quintology special is that they embrace an ensemble aesthetic rather than the leader-sideman formula, perhaps taking a cue from local super-group Astral Project. The members, Brent Rose (tenor), Mark DiFlorio (drums), Mark Rapp (trumpet), Charlie Dennard (keys) and Brady Kish (bass) are all involved with numerous projects, but with Quintology, they pool their energy into a coherent, inventive voice. The band’s recent self-titled, independent debut is an audacious achievement, relying entirely upon original compositions contributed by each of the members. The record swings with freshness and intensity, sincere emotion and tight interplay, making it remarkably accessible despite the complex charts. Besides impressing Grammy-winning trumpeter Nicholas Payton enough for him to want to do the liner notes, the record has won rave reviews (including one in the December ’98 OffBeat).
Quintology has also distinguished itself as a live act, having won the “Jazz Kings Competition” sponsored by Le Meridean Hotel during Mardi Gras for two years running. In July, the band plays Snug Harbor on the 25th, a show that will also be broadcast live via community radio station WWOZ 90.7 FM (www.wwoz.org). They also appear at the Dragon’s Den on July 1st and Le Meridean Hotel on July 31st.

OffBeat Magazine, July 1999
Straight no Chaser

Another important young group is New World Funk Ensemble, which contains three Quintology members (Rose, Rapp and Dennard). In relatively little time, this nine-piece band has developed into one of the leading experimental acid-jazz bands in town. These aren't funk/r&b guys getting a little jazzy, but rather guys with serious jazz chops jamming on complex original charts that emphasize heavy grooves and exotic influences.
Their new live CD, released as part of the Mermaid Lounge’s in-house, ultra-indie “Little Live Record” series, is sure to be among the top indie-jazz records put out this year. The Mermaid has become the bands home base venue, where they cook until the wee hours, and this record captures them at their finest, stretching to the limit and sweating through their t-shirts.
The record’s format, with only five long songs, seems perfectly suited to a band that specializes in extended, high-energy improvisational journeys through wildly imaginative charts. “Kalimba Jam” starts out as a mesmerizing taste of acoustic East-African folk music and explodes into fully amped, Afro-pop flavored funk-jazz. Moments on “Firedance” evoke a rain forest alive at night with strange, dangerous animals. “Fela’s Famous” is further evidence of the strong African influence, owing much to Todd Duke, the band’s guitarist, kalimba player and primary songwriter, who has studied and traveled in Africa. But there are many other ingredients swirling in the pot. “Lava Lamp,” for example, combines free-form, group improvisation, psychedelic distortion, and wah-wah effects with a techno-dance keyboard groove and somehow makes it all sound integrating and rocking. Overall, the record represents a quantum leap forward, not only for this band but for the entire electrified fusion-jazz scene of New Orleans. You can catch New World Funk Ensemble at the Mermaid Lounge on Friday, July 30th.

Baton Rouge Gambit Weekly, July 1, 1999
99 Degrees

How many times have you heard the term “hot jazz” or “warm jazz sounds”? It’s almost never just “jazz” – but if you’ve ever seen or heard the contemporary stylings of Quintology, you know why. Based in Louisiana’s cradle of jazz, these five young lions keep busy performing their original modern compositions at venues across the state and Southeast. The band, whose versatile members also devote a fraction of their time to side projects such as New World Funk Ensemble and the New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars, wowed audiences at Bonne Fete and played to a packed house M’s in April. Bassist Brady Kish confirms that Quintology will play the Capital City about once a month, performing songs off it’s eponymous debut CD and new works that may make it onto a second disc by year’s end. The quintet- whose collective good looks and hip sound easily could make it jazz’s answer to N’Sync, the Backstreet Boys and 98 Degrees – revisits M’s this Saturday, just three weeks before it will be featured on a live radio and internet broadcast from New Orleans’ prestigious Snug Harbor. The guys have also been working on a website that should be up and running by summer’s end. But why wait – check them out this week at M’s to get the jump on the hordes of screaming little girls.

Gambit Weekly, March 30, 1999
CD Review

On this self-titled, self-produced CD, the music illustrates the ambitious nature of Quintology’s young New Orleans-based members: trumpeter Mark Rapp, saxophonist Brent Rose, pianist Charlie Dennard, bassist Brady Kish, and drummer Mark DiFlorio. From the opening bars of Rose’s “Kirotedo”, it is clear this jazz band isn’t going to take the safe path to acceptance, but instead pursue it’s collective and individual imaginative goals.
Quintology does so in a spirit of cooperation, keeping the ensemble work tight while allowing the music and musicians freedom of expression. It is an attitude that continues throughout this collection of all-original material. This selflessness is found not only in the music but in the compositions; it is bassist Kish who introduces trumpeter Rapp’s swinging “In the Moment”. That spirit continues with some thoughtful soloing by keyboardist Dennard. On another Rose piece, the quirky "“Almost 4"” the drums of DiFlorio, not the saxophonist, first take center stage. Some quieter moments round out the disc, including the lovely ballad “For a Smile,” which is softened by Rose’s breathy sax.
Quintology is definitely a group effort, and a hard-hitting one at that. It’s a debut that often takes a walk on the wild side as the players flex their chops, resulting in a stroll that’s exciting while comfortable.

OffBeat, December 1998
CD Review

Look out! The young lions are coming out of the den. Emerging from the U.N.O. Jazz Studies program, Quintology is the kind of group that could make even top-notch veterans want to go woodshed a few days.
From the first notes of “Kirotedo,” an ingenious original composition by tenorman Brent Rose, we know this is much more than young guys “proving themselves” on the predictable standards and classics. The tune begins with a droning, meditative storm from Rose’s tenor, like Pharaoh Sanders with a punk edge, and then opens up into a fast paced, pulsating bass groove. Mark DiFlorio’s drums radiate with melodic splashes, syncopated accents, and dashes of street soul. (The influence of Johnny Vidacovich is pronounced, as with most young New Orleans drummers.)
There is a surprising level of polished adventure on this independent debut, superbly produced by guitarist Brian Seeger. All eleven tunes are originals, contributed by different band members. All five musicians are establishing themselves individually on the local scene, in various groups and styles, so each brings a unique perspective to the table, but they have clearly devoted the energy and time necessary to play as a cohesive unit. These complex originals could have sounded forced and stale; instead, they sound natural and easy. You can tell they’re having fun interpreting each others music. Other highlights include trumpeter Mark Rapps tune, “Committee,” with good solo work from Rapp and pianist Charlie Dennard. Dennard can get funky as hell, but shows restraint and poise here, hinting at a Latin dance melody without giving into it fully. Rose’s other songs are interesting, such as the super-catchy “Ohbobabebop,” “Green Cigarettes On a Red Hot Day,” and the more introspective ballad, “For a Smile.” Bassist Brady Kish’s tune “A Night in February” shows the bands willingness to go “out there,” as a tight, stop-and-start melody gives way free-form group improvisation.
In New Orleans, we’re almost accustomed to dazzling young jazz players coming out of the woodwork, but rarely do they emerge with so much originality and cohesiveness.