Coo, Chirp, Flap, Flutter: Birds in Song

Join soprano Sarah Davis and friends for an intimate evening of art song and chamber music inspired by nature’s beautiful song makers – from the whimsical musings of the cuckoo to the chirp of the lark, the cooing of the turtledove and the wistful, melancholic song of the nightingale. The concert features works by Debussy, Mahler, Vaughan-Williams, John Cage, Copland, and Jake Heggie with texts by Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Paul Verlaine, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Ogden Nash.

Other performers include soprano Erica Row, pianists Carlin Ma, Brooks Tran and Serena Chin, and will feature Daniel Stein, flute, and Evangeline Liu, violin. Selected works by visual artist Mary Welch (resident artist at the Good Shepherd Center) and photographer Carlin Ma (poster photo above) will be displayed.

Joshua Medina & Paurl Walsh + guests

Hanged Man Recordings presents: Joshua Medina & Paurl Walsh tape release with Noonmoon, Sue Ann Harkey, and Karnak Temples

Joshua Medina (Overcasting) and Paurl Walsh (X-Ray Press, Degenerate Art Ensemble, St. Genet, Rainbows) explore the intersection between folk, traditional spirituals, drone, noise, glitch, and electroacoustic elements on their forthcoming self-titled tape release. Utilizing synthesizer, piano, guitar, found sound, and a slurry of electronic processing their music recalls the simplicity of American primitivism while embracing a contemporary paradigm of technological experimentation. Tonight we celebrate the release of their debut EP on Seattle’s own Hanged Man Recordings.

Tom Varner & friends

Gabrieli and the Holy Termites — Meditations and Improvisations for Brass Ensemble, Percussion, and Field Recordings

French hornist/composer Tom Varner is joined by percussionist Paul Kikuchi, field recordists Steve Barsotti and Steve Peters (both members of the Seattle Phonographers Union), and a group of top Seattle brass players who will be moving about the beautiful space of the Chapel, “Gabrieli style.” This evening promises to be a magical mix of “found sounds” and buzzing brass sonorities. The brass contingent will include Al Keith, Christian Pincock, Steve O’Brien, Haley Freedlund, Andrew Coulter, Greg Campbell, and other special guests.

(photo: Michelle Smith-Lewis)

Gwenk

Gwenk is a collaborative quartet that focuses on original, creative compositions. This music challenges assumptions about stereotypical beauty by engaging with the unexpected and absurd. Gwenk is made up of Troy Schiefelbein (bass), Matthew Singler (drums), Andrew Coulter (trombone) and Katie Levine (piano).

Jason E Anderson + RM Francis

music works IMPLICITLY so that IT DOESN’T risk presenting a concrete concept. it is “BEYOND” interpretation. translation DESTABILIZES THE feedback BETWEEN sound AND the listener. THE QUESTION OF how FUTURE AUDIENCES will interpret acoustic EVENTS PROVIDES THE artist WITH A FRAMEWORK TO TRACE. that said, visual elements must always be considered.

Jason E Anderson is a Seattle-based artist whose work includes performance, recorded works, video, installation, and music for dance. Emerging from the traditions of experimental music and sound art, his work employs conceptual and intuitive methods of investigating the interaction between time, memory, psychology, and perception. He creates sound using synthesis, acoustic recordings, programming and text. Anderson performs and records music under his own name and as Spare Death Icon. He works collaboratively in the performance art/music hybrid LIMITS with Corrie Befort, in the dance/visual theater company Salt Horse, with Matt Carlson, with RM Francis, and in the music duo Brother Raven with Jamie Potter. He has toured both coasts of the US and Japan, playing over 170 shows in the past ten years, while producing performance events in the Pacific Northwest and publishing the work of his contemporaries on his experimental record labels Gift Tapes and DRAFT, which include 63 releases to date. Anderson’s recorded work can be found on these labels, as well as Locust, Digitalis, Aguirre (Belgium), SicSic (Germany), Börft (Sweden) and many others.

RM Francis is the computer music project of Seattle musician Robert Francis. His work incorporates granular synthesis, spectral processing, algorithmic composition, graphical interfaces and image sonification. He has been performing solo since 2011. His most recent releases are Attributed Agency on DRAFT and Recycled Sleep on Agents of Chaos.

Lori Goldston

Cellist Lori Goldston, trombonist Stuart Dempster and Jessika Kenney perform new works and improvisations; meditations on air, texture, tidal motion, etc.

30th Seattle Improvised Music Festival

To celebrate its 30th festival, the beginning points of Seattle’s creative improvised music will be featured — a sample, to highlight the growth and expansion of creative music in Seattle: cellist Lori Goldston; clarinetist Paul Hoskin; guitarists Sue Ann Harkey and Dave Knott; harpists Carol Levin and Monica Schley; instrument builder/finder Susie Kozawa; percussionists Greg Campbell and Chris Icasiano; saxophonists Neil Welch and Wally Shoup; trombonists Stuart Dempster, Christian Pincock and Greg Powers; trumpeters Angelina Baldoz and Greg Kelley; violinist Alex Guy; vocalist Jessika Kenney.

The festival continues to bring musicians from afar to join in the music. This year’s invited visiting artists include trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj (Beirut, Lebanon), electric guitarist Bill Nace (Northampton, MA), and live electronics master Matthew Ostrowski (Brooklyn, NY).

Tonight’s groupings are as follows:

Neil Welch (saxophone), Monica Schley (harp), Carol Levin (harp)

Lori Goldston (cello), Sue Ann Harkey (electric guitar), Greg Campbell (drums)

Mazen Kerbaj (trumpet), Bill Nace (electric guitar), Matthew Ostrowski (electronics) + special guests

See also performer line-ups for Thursday 2/5 and Friday 2/6.

Presented by Nonsequitur

30th Seattle Improvised Music Festival

To celebrate its 30th festival, the beginning points of Seattle’s creative improvised music will be featured — a sample, to highlight the growth and expansion of creative music in Seattle: cellist Lori Goldston; clarinetist Paul Hoskin; guitarists Sue Ann Harkey and Dave Knott; harpists Carol Levin and Monica Schley; instrument builder/finder Susie Kozawa; percussionists Greg Campbell and Chris Icasiano; saxophonists Neil Welch and Wally Shoup; trombonists Stuart Dempster, Christian Pincock and Greg Powers; trumpeters Angelina Baldoz and Greg Kelley; violinist Alex Guy; vocalist Jessika Kenney.

The festival continues to bring musicians from afar to join in the music. This year’s invited visiting artists include trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj (Beirut, Lebanon), electric guitarist Bill Nace (Northampton, MA), and live electronics master Matthew Ostrowski (Brooklyn, NY).

Tonight’s groupings are as follows:

Mazen Kerbaj (trumpet), Christian Pincock (trombone), Chris Icasiano (drums)

Bill Nace (electric guitar), Wally Shoup (alto saxophone), Greg Kelley (trumpet)

Matthew Ostrowski (electronics), Susie Kozawa (found objects), Jessika Kenney (voice)

See also the performer line-ups for Thursday 2/5 and Saturday 2/7.

Presented by Nonsequitur

30th Seattle Improvised Music Festival

To celebrate its 30th festival, the beginning points of Seattle’s creative improvised music will be featured — a sample, to highlight the growth and expansion of creative music in Seattle: cellist Lori Goldston; clarinetist Paul Hoskin; guitarists Sue Ann Harkey and Dave Knott; harpists Carol Levin and Monica Schley; instrument builder/finder Susie Kozawa; percussionists Greg Campbell and Chris Icasiano; saxophonists Neil Welch and Wally Shoup; trombonists Stuart Dempster, Christian Pincock and Greg Powers; trumpeters Angelina Baldoz and Greg Kelley; violinist Alex Guy; vocalist Jessika Kenney.

The festival continues to bring musicians from afar to join in the music. This year’s invited visiting artists include trumpeter Mazen Kerbaj (Beirut, Lebanon), electric guitarist Bill Nace (Northampton, MA), and live electronics master Matthew Ostrowski (Brooklyn, NY).

Tonight’s groupings are as follows:

Matthew Ostrowski (electronics), Paul Hoskin (contrabass clarinet)

Mazen Kerbaj (trumpet), Angelina Baldoz (trumpet), Greg Powers (trombone), Stuart Dempster (trombone)

Bill Nace (electric guitar), Dave Knott (guitar), Alex Guy (viola, violin)

See also the performer line-ups for Friday 2/6 and Saturday 2/7.

Presented by Nonsequitur

Ivan Arteaga’s Neijing Ensemble

Neijing Ensemble began as an opportunity for saxophonist Ivan Arteaga to create gestural and improvisational pieces for saxophone quartet. The inspiration came in large part from the idea of improvising with Neil Welch, Greg Sinibaldi and Levi Gillis in particular; he quickly started using the group to play and arrange other music that he enjoys and they have since accumulated a small body of varied music which they’ll share on this concert. He’ll also present two new compositions for the Quartet with the addition of three acoustic basses, inspired by and based on many improvisation sessions with Carmen Rothwell. This music contains rich and dynamic soundscape development where haunting improvisations abound. Program:

Arrangements of American Folk songs by Ivan Arteaga, Levi Gillis, and Luciano Berio.
An Arrangement of of an Alban Berg String Quartet
Two Original compositions by Ivan Arteaga

Neijing Ensemble is:
Ivan Arteaga – Alto Sax
Levi Gillis – Tenor Sax
Neil Welch – Tenor Sax
Greg Sinibaldi – Baritone Sax
Carmen Rothwell – Acoustic Bass
Abbey Blackwell – Acoustic Bass
John Teske – Acoustic Bass
Katie Jacobson – Voice