eighth blackbird

It’s classical music that’s not afraid to be weird and surprising, mostly because it’s contemporary — the oldest composition on eighth blackbird’s touring program is from 1982. The six-piece piano, string, wind and percussion ensemble may not make music that everyone will admittedly understand, but what they bring to the world is important, as their three Grammys prove. Sometimes the Chicago-based ensemble’s music is bright and plucky and could easily score a film, but some of it is just bizarre. Raising their cool points just a little more, they’ve has commissioned several high-end rock stars to compose pieces for them, including the National’s guitarist Bryce Dessner and Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry, both of which will be played at the two Inland Northwest shows next week.