A Rich Sonic Swim w/ Michael Lytle & Nick Didkovsky
Fri Oct 1 – 8:30 PM
Clarinetist Michael Lytle (aka elewhale) teams up with guitarist, composer, and software programmer Nick Didkovsky for A Rich Sonic Swim. An early Electronic Music composer, Lytle invented the set of totally unique methods of clarinet family sonic modulation and performance, called the “most radical of his generation” by Joachim Berendt. Nick Didkovsky founded the rock octet Doctor Nerve. He presently resides in New York City, where he composes, creates music software, and teaches computer music composition at New York University and Columbia University.
Momenta Quartet: Up, down, and out of town
Sat Oct 2 – 8:30 PM
Described by Time Out New York as a “striking new-music quartet,” the Momenta Quartet opens its seventh season with music by composers who blur the boundaries between uptown and downtown aesthetics. Celebrated for its eclectic programming, this “striking new-music quartet” (Time Out, 2008) presents Huang Ruo’s Chinese-inflected “The Flag Project” (2009); avant-jazz composer/performer Gordon Beeferman’s intensely rhythmic and microtonal “String Quartet 2006″; Chinese-Canadian composer Melissa Hui’s evocative and semi-improvisational “Map of Reality” (2009); and Philip Glass‘ lyrical and dramatic “String Quartet no. 5″ (1991).
John Tchicai 6 Points: Ascension Unending
Tue Oct 5 – 8:30 PM
John Tchicai’s Six Points is a collaborative ensemble consisting of the following six sensible musical personalities: Saxofonist/singer Tchicai, the bass is “the base” bassist Dmitry Ishenko. Totally in tune with herself violinist/singer Rosie Hertlein, excuisite drummercompanion Ches Smith & with sounds ready for Victoriaville and elsewhere guitarist Garrison Fewell, and he who always knows when and where to place the next tone fabulous saxofonist Alex Weiss. The ensemble paints wonderful inner landscapes, plays compositions by the groups members and improvises solo’s duo’s trio’s etc. and continues the way of music communication initiated by John Coltrane on his momentous Ascension recordings.
EASY NOT EASY (ROULETTE BENEFIT FESTIVAL)
Thurs Fri Sat Oct 7, 8 & 9 – 8:30 PM
Shinkoyo founders Doron Sadja (MIRRORGATE, ParisLondonWestNile) and Matt Mehlan (the Skeletons) come to Roulette with a three day festival of new compositions by a long list of some of NYC’s most exciting young artists. Over the three evenings, ensembles of varying acoustic and electronic configurations will be given scores by young artists who don’t generally write for ensemble. Expect surprises. More info and full lineup TBA.
James Ilgenfritz: Trio Caveat and Anagram Quintet
Wed Oct 13 – 8:30 PM
James Ilgenfritz approaches the double bass as an archeologist, examining rarified aspects of the instrument’s sonic palette to confound the status quo. This evening presents two enembles: the improvising group Trio Caveat is an exploration of the intersection between free improvisation, spontaneous collage forms, and shifting harmonic vocabularies. Trio Caveat consists of bassist James Ilgenfritz, saxophonist Jonathan Moritz, and guitarist Chris Welcome. The group’s discreet dynamics and attention to unlikely sonorities facilitate the deepest possible listening experience. Featuring saxophonists Josh Sinton and Jonathan Moritz, guitarists Ryan Blotnick and Chris Welcome, and drummer Mike Pride, the Anagram Ensemble blends sonic experimentalism, traditional formal inquiries, rhythmic angularity, and extended improvisational forms into a multifaceted ensemble dynamic. The original compositions the group performs integrate elements of chamber music, jazz improvisation, and distinctive structural constructs for generating improvisational forms.
Secret Orchestra : Yuko Fujiyama, Clif Jackson, David Gould
Fri Oct 15 – 8:30 PM
The Secret Orchestra is Yuko Fujiyama – piano, Clif Jackson – bass, and David Gould – kit & percussion. Featuring spontaneous compositions and original compositions by Clif Jackson and Yuko Fujiyama, the Secret Orchestra came together sometime in 2007. The group enjoys a wide spectrum of musical space to play in and their varied backgrounds create a strong dynamic. They play original compositions as well as spontaneously improvised pieces. The overall musical aesthetic is grounded in a sense of direction and an exploration of colors, textures, silence, and rhythmic and melodic structures.
Jennifer Stock – En Plein Air (DVD RELEASE PARTY)
Sat Oct 16 – 8:30 PM
Interested in the sights and sounds of everyday landscapes, composer and audiovisual artist Jennifer Stock integrates field recordings and videos with instrumental music via custom built software. En Plein Air, the first audiovisual release of Brooklyn-based video artist and composer Jennifer Stock, combines a series of abstracted landscapes with found sounds and instrumental music, creating an imaginary atlas of the imperfectly seen. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Music and English from Yale and is a Chancellor’s Fellow at the CUNY Graduate Center, where she is pursuing a doctorate in music composition.
BRIM: Eve Beglarian’s River Project Band
Tue Oct 19 – 8:30 PM
BRIM is a new performance project created to perform the music Eve Beglarian has been writing in response to her four-month trip down the Mississippi River by kayak and bicycle in 2009. You can visit the RiverBlog to learn more about the journey and the music inspired by it.
The current line-up of BRIM is Mary Rowell (one of Eve’s fellow-travelers on the River journey) on violin, vocals, and mandolin, Cristian Amigo on guitar and vocals, along with Eve doing vocals, keyboard, bass, and electronics.
Toby Driver w/ Tartar Lamb 2 – new premieres
Wed Oct 20 – 8:30 PM
Toby Driver is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and artist, best known for his work as the frontman of the experimental bands maudlin of the Well and Kayo Dot. Driver creates the majority of the album artwork associated with these bands, performs the majority of the lead vocals, and has written and arranged most of the music for both bands. Tonight at Roulette, Driver will premiere new works with his ensemble Tartar Lamb 2.
INTERPRETATIONS: Jerome Cooper / Min Xiao-Fen
Thu Oct 21 – 8:00 PM
Dynamic solo music from two of New York’s most unique instrumentalists. Min Xiao-Fen performs solo on pipa, Nanyin pipa, children’s pipa, sanxian, electronics, and vocals, incorporating her own calligraphy, paintings and other art. Jerome Cooper will perform his extended four-part work, “RING-PASS-NOT”, showcasing his multi-dimensional percussion concept.
Gary Lucas: I Cover the Waterfront
Fri Oct 22 – 8:30 PM
Guitarist extraordinaire/ Grammy-nominated songwriter and composer Gary Lucas has been called “The Thinking Man’s Guitar Hero” (The New Yorker) and “one of the best and most original guitarists in America”. On October 22, Gary Lucas presents “I Cover the Waterfront” – a solo acoustic guitar concert spanning his entire career and featuring originals, country blues, arrangements of everything from 30′s Chinese pop, Jewish music, Wagner, Dvorak, Leroy Shields, Henry Mancini and much more. Guest starring trombonist Jim Staley
Miya Masaoka w/ Akiko Sasaki
Sat Oct 23 – 8:30 PM
Experimental kotoist Miya Masaoka premieres a new work for two kotos with Akiko Sasaki, and Channeling Scelsi, an interpretation of his 1965 composition Ygghur originally written for cello and arranged for 25 string koto; new work for Laser Koto. Miya Masaoka, musician, composer, performance artist, has created works for koto, laser interfaces, laptop and video and written scores for ensembles, chamber orchestras and mixed choirs. In her performance pieces she has investigated the sound and movement of insects, as well as the physiological responses of plants, the human brain, and her own body. Within these varied contexts of sound, music and nature, her performance work emphasizes the interactive, live nature of improvisation, and reflects an individual, contemporary expression of Japanese gagaku aural gesturalism.
CHILDRENS CONCERT: Andrew Drury $5
Sat Oct 23 – 2:00 PM
Once a month, Roulette opens its doors specially for tots and tweens, giving pre-K to fifth-graders the chance to listen and interact with adventurous, professional composers and musicians of a variety of genres. Come play instruments, explore wacky fun houses, listen to exciting new music, and experience sounds in a way you’ve never before! This month features drummer/composer Andrew Drury. More info TBA.
Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York
Sun Oct 24 – 8:30 PM
“Unpredictable, wildly creative, and uncompromising…Fujii is an absolutely essential listen for anyone interested in the future of jazz.” — Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz
Critics and fans alike hail pianist and composer SATOKO FUJII as one of the most original voices in jazz today. She’s “a virtuoso piano improviser, an original composer and a band-leader who gets the best collaborators to deliver,” says John Fordham in The Guardian. In concert and on over 50 albums as a leader or co-leader, the Tokyo resident synthesizes jazz, contemporary classical, avant-rock and Japanese folk music into an innovative music instantly recognizable as hers alone. Since she burst onto the scene in 1996 after earning her graduate diploma from New England Conservatory, Fujii has led some of the most consistently creative ensembles in modern improvised music.
