Music Professor Releases New Genre-bending Album

Music Professor Bradford Blackburn describes the compositions on his new album as “a kind of journey into the wilderness in search of the unknown.” The album — Figmentary Logic: Abstractions of Style, Genre, and Form — releases today through Big Round Records and can be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube.

“These journeys traverse some familiar realms such as classical music, jazz and electronic music,” said Blackburn. “But I have sought to find new meaning within these styles, create unexpected connections through their juxtaposition, and chart a few detours that bypass styles altogether.”

The record features collaborations with world-renowned ensembles, including the London Symphony Orchestra, the Galan Trio (from Athens, Greece) and the Ben Rosenblum Nebula Project (from New York City). The latter two groups recorded their pieces on campus when they performed in the area during their tours. Blackburn has frequently collaborated with Ben Rosenblum and has written original music for him to play at previous performances at the University.

Blackburn also worked with music technology student Hannah Phillips ’27 on the album. As the principal cellist in the UTampa Symphony Orchestra, Phillips tested out the cello bowings for the track “Tetrachoric Variations.” Phillips was the first one to hear a complete playthrough of the album once it was completed, as Blackburn valued her observations as an objective listener and experienced musician.

Phillips is releasing her own album today — Half Alive Avenue — with her band, Secondhand Silver Lining.

Both Blackburn’s and Phillips’ albums were recorded in the recording studio in the Ferman Center for the Arts. “The studio’s multiple live rooms, immersive monitoring systems, comprehensive audio routing capabilities, and deep collection of professional gear place it in the top tier of recording studios at academic institutions,” said Blackburn.

Blackburn’s goal with Figmentary Logic was to create an album that could be appreciated both through its individual tracks or as a complete listening experience. Big Round Records describes it on their website as a multifaceted album that follows a palindromic arch, warranting repeated listens.