San Fermin (band)

San Fermin took shape after Ludwig-Leone's graduation from Yale University, where he studied composition.[1] While still in college, he assisted composer Nico Muhly, known for his work with Antony and the Johnsons, Sufjan Stevens, and Grizzly Bear, on several film scores and operas.[1] Despite being in several bands in high school and even some during college, Ludwig-Leone did not decide to focus on making pop music until the end of his college career: "I put on a concert with some new pieces I had written for female singers, and then we ended the night with some pop tunes from the band, for which I made these totally over-the-top arrangements. It was then I realized that I could bring these things together."[2]

After his graduation from Yale in 2011, Ludwig-Leone retreated to Canada's secluded Banff Centre, where he wrote what would eventually become San Fermin.[1] He wrote most of the record between October and December 2011.[3] He returned to New York and began recording the album, completing the recording sessions during July 2012.[4] It features performances by 22 musicians, including vocals from Ludwig-Leone's longtime collaborator Allen Tate, as well as Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius.[2]

Initially, Ludwig-Leone intended San Fermin to be a one-off composition project. However, after debuting the record live in December, Ludwig-Leone received a record deal offer from Downtown Records that made him reconsider the scope of the San Fermin project.[5][6]

San Fermin released their lead single "Sonsick" on December 4, 2012, premiering it on the music blog Beats Per Minute.[7] Pitchfork gave the single a positive review, declaring the song "deliriously infectious."[8] The full record was intended to be self-released in February 2013, but, after signing to Downtown Records, the release was pushed back first to June then to the September of that year.

San Fermin released their self-titled debut on September 17, 2013 to positive reviews. NPR called the record "one of the year's most surprising, ambitious, evocative and moving records," praising Ludwig-Leone for his ability to write a collection of songs "as easy to love as they are to admire."[9] Pitchfork also gave the album a positive review. [10] The album reached #18 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers album chart.[11]

The first live performance of San Fermin was on December 19, 2012, at Piano's in New York City; the performance featured sixteen musicians including Ludwig-Leone.[3] In the months following, the line-up and size of the band shifted; by Fall 2013, the collective settled as an eight-member touring group made up of both musicians who helped record San Fermin, including Tate, trumpeter John Brandon, and saxophonist Stephen Chen, as well as newly recruited members, namely vocalist Rae Cassidy, guitarist Tyler McDiarmid, percussionist Michael Hanf, and violinist Rebekah Durham.[12] Eliza Bagg also toured as a violinist for the group during 2013.

While Cassidy's voice and style was a departure from those of the women of Lucius on the record, her interpretations of the songs have been praised by numerous critics, including Paul Krugman of The New York Times.[13] The New Yorker recognized the musicianship of the entire eight-piece live ensemble, noting their ability to "deliver epic and emotion-laden rock, with glorious and operatic vocals, electronic break beats, horns, strings, and other flourishes."[14]

On November 13, 2013, the eight-piece released a live EP Live At The Advent Lutheran Church NYC as a stripped-back companion to their debut album.

In April 2014, Cassidy left the band to focus on her solo career and was replaced by Charlene Kaye.[15]

Ludwig-Leone began writing his follow-up record in January and February of 2013, prior to the release of the San Fermin debut record.[16]

On December 7, 2014, the band teased their new single "Parasites" via Instagram.[17] The next day, NPR premiered the track and announced the release of the band's second album. [18] Jackrabbit was released on April 21, 2015, via Downtown Records and debuted at #8 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, [19] and was met with critical praise from NPR, [20] Rolling Stone,[21] and more. San Fermin made their national television debut on CBS This Morning on May 2, 2015, [22] and made their late night debut on Last Call With Carson Daly on June 2, 2015. and more.[23]

Throughout the fall of 2016, they posted pictures and short videos of them recording a third album—simply hashtagged LP3—on their Instagram.[24] On December 8, 2016, the band posted on social media that they had finished recording and mixing LP3.[25][26] On January 5, 2017, San Fermin uploaded a single called Open to their YouTube-channel.[27] NPR reported that their new album would be called Belong.[28] A week later TIME announced a second single "Bride" and an April 7 release date for their album Belong.[29]

In January 2017, musician Claire Wellin joined the band, replacing Rebekah Durham as violinist and vocalist.[30]

On April 12, 2019, it was announced via San Fermin's Instagram page that vocalist Charlene Kaye was leaving the band later that month to pursue other musical opportunities.[31] Two weeks later, the band released their live album Live at the Fillmore, promoting the record with a special concert event which included the premiere of their "life on the road" documentary film No Promises.[32] The record was released as a part of 2019's Record Store Day.[33]

San Fermin's next studio project is The Cormorant. The Cormorant consists of two full-length releases which meditate on the themes of childhood, growing up, and the loss of innocence.[34] This project, and its respective singles, are the first works of the group to be released through Ludwig-Leone's Sony Masterworks imprint Better Company.[35]

On June 26, 2019, San Fermin released the single "The Hunger" featuring vocalist Samia and announced a North American tour for Fall 2019 to support a then untitled fourth LP.[36] The band also indicated the addition of both new band member vocalist Karlie Bruce and guitarist and longtime touring member Aki Ishiguro to the band's official line-up.[37]

On August 14, the band announced that their fourth studio album would be called The Cormorant I. Ludwig-Leone wrote most of the record in Iceland.[38] Especially reminiscent of their first album, the record weaves a story between a male and female character. As on records before, vocalist Allen Tate takes on the male role, while a rotating cast of women including San Fermin's Claire Wellin and Karlie Bruce, as well as Samia and Sarah Pedinotti of Lip Talk, take on the female role. The record also features harpist Lavinia Meijer and the Attacca Quartet.[39] With the announcement, the group also released the second of three singles, "The Living".

The group released the album on October 4, 2019. Their third single, "Saints," and its accompanying music video were released the same day.[40]

San Fermin released the first single for the record The Cormorant II on February 27, 2020. Titled "Little Star," the single was accompanied by the announcement that the new record would be available to stream on March 27, 2020 as part of the sixteen-trackThe Cormorant I & II.[41][42]

Both Ludwig-Leone and the greater ensemble are active in the wider alternative and alt-classical music scenes. Ludwig-Leone has written music for many ensembles including ACME, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Decoda, Fifth House Ensemble, Hotel Elefant, JACK Quartet, Metropolis Ensemble, and NOW Ensemble, and was the Composer-in-Residence for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in their 2015 season.[30] In addition, he has written ballets with choreographer Troy Schumacher for the New York City Ballet[43] and BalletCollective.[44]

As a band, San Fermin has performed original works by composer Mark Dancigers in collaboration with NOW Ensemble.[45]

Other Contributors

On their records, San Fermin has utilized the talents of some of the most prominent contemporary classical musicians in the country. These include, but are not limited to, cellist Clarice Jensen, violinist Rob Moose, and violist Nadia Sirota, all notably members of the ensemble yMusic, Roomful of Teeth members vocalist Estelí Gomez and violinist/vocalist/composer Caroline Shaw, vocalist Eliza Bagg, classical flutist Isabel Gleicher, trombonist Alan Ferber, and harpist Lavinia Meijer.[46][47][48]