“The concert commenced with Jessie Montgomery’s Voodoo Dolls, which vibrates with rhythmic energy and thematic folk influences. Inspired by her experiences in New Orleans, Voodoo Dolls was commissioned in 2008 and choreographed by JUMP Dance Company as a collaborative faculty-student work that consisted of a set of dances, each embodying the spirit of classic children’s dolls such as Matryoshka (Russian nesting dolls), marionettes, rag dolls, Barbie, and voodoo dolls (hence the music’s title). Drawing inspiration from West African rhythmic drumming, melodic chants, and elements of spontaneous improvisation, Montgomery’s music and its vibrant performance by PUBLIQuartet set the overall boundary-exploring tone for the evening.”