Composer and bandleader Darcy James Argue and his Secret Society ensemble have released “Last Waltz for Levon,” a new track from their upcoming album, Dynamic Maximum Tension, due September 8 on Nonesuch Records. You can hear it here:

The song is dedicated to drummer and vocalist Levon Helm of The Band. Argue’s treatment is also inspired by the horn arrangements written by legendary songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint for The Band’s classic live album Rock of Ages. “There’s this famous story about how the original charts Toussaint had written in New Orleans were lost by the airline, so he just dashed off entirely new ones when he joined The Band up in Woodstock. Levon Helm was a real musical omnivore, and the Midnight Rambles he hosted in his barn during his later years continued this tradition of creative cross-pollination. That’s the spirit I tried to capture in the music.” “Last Waltz for Levon” features solos by trombonist Mike Fahie and bassist Matt Clohesy.

Dynamic Maximum Tension pays homage to some of Argue’s key influences with original songs dedicated to R. Buckminster Fuller, Alan Turing, and Mae West, among others. A video for the album track “Dymaxion” was previously released and can be seen here:

Argue and Secret Society celebrate the release of Dynamic Maximum Tension with a four-night run at New York City’s Jazz Gallery, September 13–16, performing two sets each night. More information and tickets are available here.