Bobby Zankel/Rudresh Mahanthappa

Bobby Zankel and Warriors of the Wonderful Sound featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa, Sat., May 8, 8 p.m., $25, Science Center Theater, Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, 215-641-6518, mc3.edu.

by Shaun Brady

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Published: May 5, 2010

jazz

Bobby Zankel's avant-big band, Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, have been wrestling their way through the dense foliage of the saxophonist's compositions for almost a decade now, overspilling the tiny stage at Tritone once a month. During that time, the ensemble has become a proving ground for virtually every young musician on the local jazz scene. As cohesive a unit as they've become, Zankel never lets them coast; every performance seems like an open rehearsal, watching the band wrestle with the intricacies of his music. For the first time, Zankel is handing the reins over to another composer — and in Rudresh Mahanthappa (pictured), may have found someone who will make the Warriors sweat even more than he does. The Indian-American altoist has embraced the band's combination of dexterity and rawness to create a suite titled "Dasha." At a recent rehearsal, Mahanthappa guided the Warriors through his contortionist melodies and Vishnu-armed rhythms, looking for a combination of Sun Ra and M-Base, calling in one section for the feel of the face-melting climax from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

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