Avant Music News

From NYTimes.com:

THEO BLECKMANN + KNEEBODY = CHARLES IVES (Sunday) The math is suspect, but the premise has precedent: Mr. Bleckmann, an ethereal vocalist, recently released “Twelve Songs by Charles Ives” (Winter & Winter), enlisting help from Kneebody, a quick-change electro-acoustic ensemble. The unclassifiable product of their efforts should come across as sharper and clearer in performance. At 7:30 p.m., Joe’s Pub, at the Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street, at Astor Place, East Village , (212) 967-7555, joespub.com; $15 and a two-drink minimum. (Chinen)20090618

A BODY WITHOUT ORGANS (Sunday) The drummer Mike Pride, who organizes this series every other Sunday, appears this week in a band called Evil Eye, with the saxophonist Jonathan Moritz, the bassist Ken Filiano and the trumpeter Kirk Knuffke. Also on the bill is Jason Kao Hwang’s Edge, a smartly abrasive band led by Mr. Hwang, a violinist. At 9 p.m., CoCo 66, 66 Greenpoint Avenue, Greenpoint, Brooklyn , (718) 389-7392, myspace.com/coco66; $6. (Chinen)20090618

AMIR ELSAFFAR AND HAFEZ MODIRZADEH (Friday) Amir ElSaffar, an Iraqi-American trumpeter, collaborates here with Hafez Modirzadeh, an Iranian-American saxophonist, playing an improvised music that incorporates traditional elements of Iraqi maqam and Persian dastgah. Their rhythm section is capably poised to respond to any shift in texture; it consists of the bassist Mark Dresser and the drummer-percussionist Alex Cline. At 9 p.m., Alwan for the Arts, 16 Beaver Street, between Broad Street and Broadway, fourth floor, Lower Manhattan , (646) 732-3261, alwanforthearts.org; $15. (Chinen)20090618

EVOLVING MUSIC (Monday) Experimentation is the hallmark of this series, which divides into two sets here. First, at 7:30 p.m., is the French Contraband Trio, with the bassist François Grillot, the trumpeter Roy Campbell and the drummer Dee Pop (and a guest: Steve Swell, the trombonist). Then at 9, the multireedist Avram Fefer draws from his robust new album, “Ritual” (Clean Feed), in a trio with Michael Bisio on bass and Warren Smith on drums. Local 269, 269 East Houston Street, at Suffolk Street, Lower East Side , (212) 254-5420, rucma.org; $10. (Chinen)20090618

VIJAY IYER TRIO (Friday) A pianist-composer given to restive energies and rhythmic conundrums, Mr. Iyer leads his responsively supple working trio, with Stephan Crump on bass and Marcus Gilmore on drums. At 8 p.m., Temple M, 555 West 141st Street, Hamilton Heights , (917) 693-9686, templem.org; suggested donation, $15. (Chinen)20090618

DONNY MCCASLIN GROUP (Friday and Saturday) On his recent albums Donny McCaslin has applied his assertive tenor saxophone style to Latin American-inspired fusions. He does that here with expert help: the guitarist Lage Lund, the bassist Hans Glawischnig and the drummer Adam Cruz. At 10:30 p.m. and midnight, Smalls, 183 West 10th Street, West Village , (212) 252-5091, smallsjazzclub.com; cover, $20. (Chinen)20090618

EIVIND OPSVIK OVERSEAS (Tuesday) Eivind Opsvik is a bassist with an experimental streak but also a deep connection to melody, as he demonstrates with this working band, which includes Tony Malaby on tenor saxophone, Jacob Sacks on keyboards and Kenny Wollesen on drums. At 10 p.m., Zebulon, 258 Wythe Avenue, near Metropolitan Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn , (718) 218-6934, zebuloncafeconcert.com; no cover. (Chinen)20090618

SKIRL PARTY VI (Tuesday) Skirl, an admirably focused Brooklyn label run by the multireedist Chris Speed, is ushering in a new release, “Smell the Difference,” featuring the rugged trio Tyft, with help from Mr. Speed and the trumpeter Peter Evans. All of those players resurface here, along with a working duo of the guitarist Mary Halvorson and the violist Jessica Pavone; and AlasNoAxis, a gleamingly dissonant band led by the drummer Black, with Mr. Speed, the bassist Skuli Sverrisson and the guitarist Hilmar Jensson. At 9 p.m., Public Assembly, 70 North Sixth Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn , (718) 384-4586, publicassemblynyc.com; $12. (Chinen)20090618

TELLURIC CURRENTS SERIES (Friday through Sunday) Organized by the clarinetist Jeremiah Cymerman, this series presents rugged improvisers in an industrial but companionable setting. Among this weekend’s highlights are a duo featuring the saxophonist Ellery Eskelin and the drummer Harris Eisenstadt (Friday at 10 p.m.) and a solo set by the intense young trumpeter Peter Evans (Saturday at 10). I-Beam, 168 Seventh Street, Gowanus, Brooklyn , myspace.com/tcurrents; $10 suggested donation. (Chinen)