Simone Baron is a polyglot pianist, accordionist, improviser and composer whose work is “ego-less, genre agnostic and without expectations” (JazzTimes) and engages curiously and charismatically with a broad spectrum of idioms. Simone is a Victoria Artist and plays a Poeta XB Accordion. She leads a mostly hammock-filled nomadic existence these days, but does bounce between NY & DC a fair amount. 

Marina Albero is one of the true gems on the Seattle music scene. Since her arrival from Barcelona in 2014, her playing, magnificent when she arrived, has evolved exponentially. Her immersion in jazz, flamenco, Cuban and classical forms during her musical life are well represented in her sound. 

These two electrifying and innovative improvisers join forces to present an evening of fresh new music inspired by moss and somatic empathy. The evening will feature works-in-progress written and developed at the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, where Simone Baron is the composer in residence this month, as well as literary experiments, graphic scores and your run-of-the-mill stunningly lyrical heartbreak song. They will be joined by some friends, and there will also be a group improvised component at the end- feel free to bring an instrument.

Local experimental label Obscure & Terrible presents a selection of their roster, featuring Kole Galbraith, Medina/Walsh, Domenica Diavoleria and Empire State Observatories. With a focus on drone, noise, improv and electro-acoustic music, Obscure & Terrible has been bridging Northwest sound artists with national and international collaborators since 2020. 

Olympia-based musician Domenica Diavoleria recently released her album “Forever Your Salesgirl” on Obscure & Terrible, which Dave Segal describes as, “ambient music of great desolation and eeriness.” The album focuses on “hauntology” with clouds of synthesizers serving as Domenica’s pallette. 

Seattle guitarist/keyboardist Sean Curley has been generating music for the past decade under the alias Empire State Observatories. The project draws comparisons to Fripp & Eno’s ambient works and Loveless’ wall of sound guitar distortions. 

Seattle and Estonia-based artist Kole Galbraith creates both fast-frenetic harsh noise pieces and long-form drone abstractions, which are described by French artist Golem Mechanique as, “somewhere between Bernard Permegiani walking on fire and an unknown Stalker soundtrack. Brutal literature. Every sound is relevant.”

Duo Medina/Walsh is a collaboration between artists Josh Medina and Paurl Walsh, whose almost decade long collaboration has ranged from electro-acoustic americana music to minimal audio-visual installations. Ever changing and evolving, this rare performance follows the release of Walsh’s solo endeavor into abstract techno via his album “Pocket Worlds” (Debacle/Yield).

The Seattle Composers Alliance proudly presents Living Strings, the latest installment of its popular Live Sessions concert series. Original compositions for string quartet, written by members of the Seattle Composers Alliance, have been selected for public performance by Arcobaleno Strings. Featured composers: William Aleshire, Galina Belolipetski, Lawrence Brown, Mariza Cabral, Amy Denio, Jenny Davis, Freddy Fuego, Gretta Harley, Ramgopal Krishnaraju, Anne Merryfield, Richard Rodseth, Seven Sky, Jacob Stenzel, Oren Sternberg, Kai Strandskov, and William Zander. Compositions were chosen from a recent Call for Scores to be performed in the ongoing Live Sessions concert series, which is open to the public.

The Seattle Composers Alliance (SCA) was founded in the early 2000s by a small group of composers and audio professionals, and has since expanded to include 60+ music creators who compose for film, video games, dance, concert performances, and much more. Its mission of Connecting Seattle’s Music Creators to Community, Education, and Opportunity is powered by the generosity of donations from music lovers around the world, and is fiscally sponsored as a non-profit by Shunpike. The Seattle Composers Alliance Live Sessions Concert Series has become a post-pandemic success story in Seattle, featuring the original works of SCA members performed quarterly by renowned Seattle-area musicians. 

Arcobaleno Strings is a group of Seattle area musicians founded in 2008 by cellist Nicole Williams. The ensemble performs regularly throughout the Puget Sound area at both private and public events, and explores an expansive variety of genres including classical, rock, jazz. All of its musicians fit uniquely into the Seattle area music scene playing with many different ensembles, teaching in varied environments, and creatively exploring their own music projects. 

Oort Smog aims to continue the sax-drum duo tradition, inspired by early formations such as John Coltrane and Rashied Ali and continued through the years by Anthony Braxton & Andrew Cyrille, Sax Ruins & Dead Neanderthals. Mark Kimbrell and Patrick Shiroishi combine elements of brutal prog (both are members in Upsilon Acrux) and free improvisation in their long form composition Every Motherfucker is Your Brother.

Joining Oort Smog on stage will be Seattle-based saxophonist Neil Welch and drummer/composer Sheridan Riley‘s Big Plans.

Tari Nelson-Zagar was a special part of the Pacific Northwest music community, moving with ease between free improvisation, jazz, and new & old classical music. She was known for her musical skill, keen intellect, and generous and humorous personality. Tari “transitioned off-planet” (in her words) last October, after a tragically short battle with breast cancer. Join us for a concert of remembrances and music as we honor Tari through words, sound, and movement.

Participants include Jesse Canterbury, Eric Rynes, Gust Burns, Paul Rucker, Sheri Cohen, Daisy Zajonc, Michael Zachary, Greg Campbell, Christian Asplund, Andrew Drury, Stuart Dempster, Tom Baker, Lori Goldston, and Jim Knodle.  

In lieu of a traditional admission fee, we will accept voluntary donations on Tari’s behalf to Community Passageways.

A showcase of deep-listening music from local fringers. Experimental ambient, noise, and sonic landscapes constructed from diverse textures and tones.

Aaron Michael Butler is a percussionist, composer, weirdo, and educator based in Seattle. He strives to create Sonic spaces for contemplation, disassociation, and/or spacing out. Sometimes it’s pretty, sometimes it’s soft noise, sometimes it’s loud, dense, and cathartic.

Balcony View is the project of James Chancellor “Chance” Bridges, formerly of Birmingham, AL. It explores soundscapes in varying styles, from soft ambient to noise to drone/doom, using any instruments and noise makers he can get his hands on. Performances vary wildly and rely heavily on improvisation.

Corpse Pose is the ambient guitar drone project of Stephan Blount. Songs begin with simple structure and memorable melodies while slowly moving into an ambient exploration on a theme. Taking its name from the final meditation in yoga, the sounds are meant to inspire renewal, routines, perspectives and reflections.

Meadowgoat is a project exploring the sounds of natural cycles and structures with live-processed synthesizer soundscapes. Improvised sets travel from bedrock to flower with a captivating mixture of dungeon synth melodies, raw noise, nature ambient, and textured drone.

SMO will return to the Chapel Performance Space for its second concert, featuring exclusively small chamber and solo works. The program includes Ash Fure’s piano trio therefore i was, world premieres by Jérémy Jolley for piano and electronics and cello and percussion from his contro-)clessidra series, and a remembrance of Canadian composer, R. Murray Schafer, with the performance of his virtuosic work for solo harp,The Crown of Ariadne. 

Performers: 

Sarah Pyle, flute
Rachel Yoder, clarinet
Ha-Yang Kim, cello 
Bonnie Whiting, percussion
Cristina Valdes, piano 
Sophie Baird-Daniel, harp

The ninth chapter of Joyce’s last novel, performed from memory, and with acute attention to musical detail, by Neal Kosaly-Meyer. The midpoint of an epic 17-year project, the performance is presented in the serendipitously apt Chapel space, with liturgical/theatrical atmosphere, including carefully conceived set and sound design.

For the safety of all present, masks are encouraged.

Nonsequitur presents composer and clarinetist Angelique Poteat, the 2022-23 Seattle Symphony Artist in Residence, in an evening of her compositions inspired by the Pacific Northwest. Praised by the New York Times as “engaging, relevant,” Angelique’s music is rhythmically charged and colorfully picturesque. Works on the program include The Goose Egg, composed to narration of the children’s book by Liz Wong, as well as her clarinet quintet Six Seasons, which will be featured at the 2023 International Clarinet Festival.

Angelique is joined by an all-star cast of performers: Laura DeLuca (clarinet and narration), Mikhail Shmidt (violin), Natasha Bazhanov (violin), Olivia Chew (viola), Sarah Rommel (cello), Joe Kaufman (double bass), Matt Kocmierosky (percussion), Dawn Posey (violin), Camille Ripple (viola), Hsing-Hui Hsu (clarinet), and Elliot Isaacson (viola).

The music of Angelique Poteat has been described as “engaging, restless” (The New York Times) and “serious and nicely crafted” (American Record Guide) and has been recorded and performed on four continents by ensembles including the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Emerald City Music, and arx Percussion Duo. Her genre-crossing music has been programmed alongside both classical and popular music legends, including Mike McCready, Chris Cornell, and members of Mad Season. Poteat is currently a 2022-23 Seattle Arts & Culture CityArtist, the Seattle Symphony Artist in Residence, and the Director of the Seattle Symphony Merriman-Ross Family Young Composers Workshop. 

Guitarist Dennis Rea presents a rare solo set of original pieces, interpretations of Asian and other world music, improvisation, and select covers.

Active since the mid-1970s, Rea has led or been a key contributor to musical innovators Moraine, Iron Kim Style, LAND, Savant, Flame Tree, and Earthstar, and has worked with such trailblazing musicians as Hector Zazou, Stuart Dempster, Cui Jian, Albert Kuvezin, Klaus Schulze, Steve Fisk, Han Bennink, Hawkwind members Nik Turner and Michael Moorcock, and members of King Crimson, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Santana, Ministry, Yat Kha, and the Sun Ra Arkestra. He has performed widely in the U.S., Asia, and Europe and has appeared on roughly 50 recordings to date. Rea’s work has increasingly focused on bridging musical traditions from around the planet in personalized ways.

Carol J Levin opens with a singular solo set that will include free harp and percussion elements and improvised explorations of musical favorites, with special guest(s).

Carol has established a unique niche as Seattle’s improvising harpist. Returning to the harp after classical training in her youth, she has been embraced by jazz and free improvisation communities for her creative voice and for extending the capabilities of the harp beyond its expected style. Carol’s music is full of surprises with styles varying from beautiful melodic lines to challenging and experimental tangents with electronic effects and loops, often incorporating percussion and stringed instruments from other cultures.