Composer Kenji Bunch writes:

Cookbook for clarinet and piano was written in 2004 for clarinetist José Franch-Ballester. José and I share an appreciation for a variety of popular musical idioms, and it was his wish that this work somehow infuse those elements. The notion of blending together seemingly disparate ingredients recalled another of my creative passions, cooking. This work explores the parallels between cooking and musical composition, and on a more universal level, the parallels between the sensory experiences of the audible and the edible. Cookbook was commissioned by Young Concert Artists, Inc., and lasts about 16 minutes.

The four movements of the work are:

I. Smokehouse - I love the mysterious, soulful, and rich flavors a few hours in the smokehouse can elicit. I relate this image musically to a smoky nightclub where unknown figures murmur, laugh, and prowl about in the dark haze, and at times, dare to dance the tango.

II. Bubbles - Always a hopeful sign of imminent activity in a pot or pan. I wanted to capture the fleeting, fun energy of bubbles with this percolating perpetual motion. Here I refer to the bubbly rapid fire of bebop jazz, with a sudden switch to the world of opera buffa and the bubbles in a champagne glass.

III. Heirloom - The idea of new tomatoes from old seeds is a wonderful metaphor for passing on authentic traditions and memories from one generation to the next. This movement offers a nostalgic Old World waltz wrapped up in a more contemporary, plaintive ode. I mark the waltz "Tempo di Kreisler," in honor of one of the violin heroes of my youth, the great Fritz Kreisler.

IV. La ultima noche en la casa del Flamenco - Translated as "The last night at the House of Flamenco", this movement commemorates an unforgettable experience I had enjoying a delicious Spanish meal and watching a live Flamenco ensemble at a tiny restaurant near my Brooklyn home. I went back to the House of Flamenco a month later only to find the owners had lost their lease after thirty some years and were forced to close down. This is my humble tribute to that evening, which remains one of the most riveting live performances I've ever witnessed.

Program Notes are by Kyle Blaha, a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at The Juilliard School and faculty member in the Juilliard Pre-College and Evening Division.