Uneasy Listening: NU Grad Student Jazz Fans

Easy-to-get-to Unofficial Event

2007-10-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

WNUR presents:

2nd Annual Chicago Calling Arts Festival
October 24-27

WNUR is hosting 2 performances for the Chicago Calling fest this year. Come out for the very best in Chicago jazz and improvised music:

Wednesday, October 24 @ 7:30pm
The Lab (room 105 in Louis Hall)
1877 Campus Dr.
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL 60201
suggested donation: $5

Performers:
Asimina Chremos -- dance
Ed Roberson -- poetry
Mars Williams -- saxophone
Clifton Hyde -- guitar
Jerome Bryerton -- percussion
Lisa Hemminger -- poetry
Jon Godston -- soprano saxophone
Paul Hartsaw -- tenor saxophone
J. Otis Powell -- poetry
Joel Wanek -- upright bass
Bill MacKay -- guitar
Jayve Montgomery -- woodwinds and percussion
Dan Godston -- trumpet
other performers TBA

I am not terribly familiar with everyone on this list, but I can vouch (fer sher) for Ed Roberson (whose poetry events have been strangely under-publicized on campus). Not much excuse to miss this one.

Unofficial Event

2007-10-22T10:25:00.000-05:00

Thursday at Elastic -- Frank Rosaly (you saw him w/ the Rempis Perc. 4tet) & Fred Lonberg-Holm (currently of Vandermark 5 & about a million other things).

Solos and duets.

But if you go bring $7. I'm still working on the funding situation.

Rempis Percussion Quartet Profiled

2007-10-05T09:27:00.000-05:00

OK, we're not only about this quartet, but since we've seen them and they're a common point of reference, read this.

Review etc.

2007-10-03T10:54:00.000-05:00

Going through some bureaucratic issues here at ULHQ. I don't know at this time how the funding situation will pan out. Regardless I will continue to alert folks to shows I plan to attend.

In the meantime check out this review of the Rempis Percussion Quartet's most recent record.

Reactions

2007-09-21T12:03:00.000-05:00

Thanks again to those of you who made it out to Elastic last night. I hope you enjoyed the show.

While at this point I can really only hope, I'd like to set up a time and place (a non-concert environment) in which people who attended (and those who wish they had) can get together to discuss reactions to the show. Ideally we can get together some time next week, while the experience is still relatively fresh in our minds. I don't know what people's schedules are like, but I'm imagining that 5:00pm or a bit later would be a good time. As for a place, we could do a coffeeshop or pub in Evanston (Unicorn, Peet's, Nevin's, Celtic Knot, etc.), or in Andersonville (Hopleaf is a great place if you can get there early enough to get a table).

Leave a comment below and I will attempt to work out some common ground. Keep listening!

RSVP here for first concert

2007-09-18T11:33:00.001-05:00

I have posted some details about this show earlier (under the posting "FIRST EXCURSION"). Do check that out when you have a minute.

The Dave Rempis Percussion Quartet will be playing Elastic, at 2830 Milwaukee Ave., on Thursday, September 20th, at 10:00pm. They will be playing two sets, so the music will likely go until midnight or so (although you should feel free to leave at any time).

As I hope I explained at the orientation, you are responsible for getting yourself to the show. Elastic is without doubt the most difficult venue to get to of those we'll be visiting this year, so this show ought to weed out the weak souls. The easiest means of public transport involves taking the CTA's blue line to the Logan Sqaure stop, then proceeding northwest on Milwaukee Avenue for a few blocks until you see the Friendship Chinese restaurant on the left side of the street. I'll be milling around outside as innocuously as possible so you'll know when you've arrived. Not knowing where everyone lives, I will point you to the CTA's Trip Planner website, which occasionally will provide you with the best route to your destination. (I found the trip planner indispensable in my first year or two in Chicago, although I should say that at that time the CTA was much more efficient than it has been in the past year or two.)

Please RSVP only if you plan to attend. Don't feel any pressure to hit this show, as I don't anticipate a huge turnout this early in the year. As I mentioned to some of you, this concert is sort-of a test run for future engagements.

Umbrella Music Festival

2007-09-13T16:11:00.000-05:00

The lineup for this year's Umbrella Music Festival has just been released. Last year marked Umbrella's first attempt at a Festival, during which I was lucky enough to catch Evan Parker playing with Ned Rothenberg (and a number of Chicagoans). I'll reproduce the dates below; you can click on Umbrella's link at the side for further information.

We won't attend all of these concerts, but we will certainly attend at least one. At this point I'm leaning toward seeing famed NYC subway performers Sabir Mateen and Daniel Carter at the Hideout on November 3rd, but I'm open to suggestions. Perhaps our Treasurer has some ideas?

2007 UMBRELLA MUSIC FESTIVAL SCHEDULE AND LINEUPS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST @ ELASTIC

2830 N. Milwaukee Ave. 2nd Floor

$10 requested donation

www.elasticarts.org

773-772-3616

9 PM : PETER EVANS SOLO

Peter Evans trumpet

10 PM : COR FUHLER/JIM BAKER DUO

Cor Fuhler piano/electronics

Jim Baker piano/electronics

11 PM : FREQUENCY

Nicole Mitchell flutes

Ed Wilkerson reeds

Harrison Bankhead bass

Avreeayl Ra drums

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND @ THE VELVET LOUNGE

67 E. Cermak Rd.

$15 cover

www.velvetlounge.net

312-791-9050

9 PM : BOEREN/BOWDEN/KESSLER

Eric Boeren trumpet

Mwata Bowden reeds

Kent Kessler bass

10 PM : MAT MANERI/RANDY PETERSON DUO

Mat Maneri violin/viola

Randy Peterson drums

11 PM : LOOSE ASSEMBLY

Greg Ward saxophone

Tomeka Reid cello

Jason Adasiewicz vibes

Josh Abrams bass

Mike Reed drums

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD @ THE HIDEOUT

1354 W. Wabansia

$15 cover

www.hideoutchicago.com

773-227-4433

9 PM : MAHALL/BISHOP/MCBRIDE/JENNESSEN

Rudi Mahalll bass clarinet

Jeb Bishop trombone

Nate McBride bass

Uli Jennessen drums

10 PM : MATEEN/CARTER/ZERANG

Sabir Mateen reeds

Daniel Carter reeds

Michael Zerang percussion

11 PM : INGEBRIGT HÅKER-FLATEN QUINTET

Ola Kvernberg-violin

Dave Rempis-saxophones

Dave Miller-guitar

Ingebrigt Håker-Flaten-bass

Frank Rosaly-drums

12 AM : DANCE PARTY W/DJ’S JOSH ABRAMS AND JOHN

HERNDON

SUNDAY AFTERNOON, NOVEMBER 4TH

@ CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER

3 PM @ Preston-Bradley Hall

78 E. Washington St.

FREE!!

www.chicagoculturalcenter.org

312-744-6630

Ari Brown reeds

Gianluca Petrella trombone

Junius Paul bass

Paolino Dalla Porta bass

Tim Daisy drums

W/OPENING REMARKS BY JAZZ WRITER JOHN CORBETT

SUNDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 4TH

@ THE HUNGRY BRAIN

2319 W. Belmont

$10 suggested donation

www.emergingimprovisers.org

773-935-2118

9 PM : BERMAN/BEARZATTI/RODER/ACCARDI

Josh Berman cornet

Francesco Bearzatti reeds

Jan Roder - bass

Fabio Accardi - drums

10 PM : DÖRNER/DRUMM/LONBERG-HOLM

Axel Dörner trumpet

Kevin Drumm electronics

Fred Lonberg-Holm - cello

11 PM : KLANG

James Falzone clarinet

Jason Adasiewicz vibes

Jason Roebke bass

Tim Daisy drums

MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 5TH

@ THE CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER

“EUROPEAN JAZZ MEETS CHICAGO”

Produced in partnership with:

-The Austrian Consulate General

-The Consulate General of the Czech Republic

-The Goethe Institut Chicago

-The Italian Culture Institute of Chicago

-The Consulate General of The Netherlands

-The Swiss Consulate General

-The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs

78 E. Washington St.

www.chicagoculturalcenter.org

(312) 744-6630

ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC!!!

-6:00 PM : WOLFGANG SELIGO TRIO (AUSTRIA)

Preston-Bradley Hall

Wolfgang Seligo piano

Anton Hatwich bass

Andre Beasley - drums

-6:30 PM : ERIC BOEREN QUARTET (THE NETHERLANDS)

Claudia Cassidy Theater

Eric Boeren-trumpet

Cor Fuhler-piano

Nate McBride-bass

Mike Reed-drums

- 7:15 PM : IVA BITTOVA SOLO (THE CZECH REPUBLIC)

Preston-Bradley Hall

Iva Bittova solo violin/vocals

-8:00 PM : GIANLUCA PETRELLA QUARTET (ITALY)

Claudia Cassidy Theater

Gianluca Petrella-trombone

Francesco Bearzatti-reeds

Paolino Dalla Porta-bass

Fabio Accardi-drums

-8:45 PM : IRENE SCHWEITZER SOLO (SWIITZERLAND)

Preston-Bradley Hall

Irene Schweitzer solo piano

-9:45 PM : DIE ENTTÄUSCHUNG (GERMANY)

Randolph St. Cafe

Axel Dörner-trumpet

Rudi Mahall-bass clarinet

Jan Roder-bass

Uli Jennessen-drums

FIRST EXCURSION

2007-09-06T08:57:00.000-05:00

Uneasy Listening proudly presents our first community-building outing of the year: the Dave Rempis Percussion Quartet at Elastic on September 20th at 10:00pm.

Despite this ensemble's name, the Rempis Percussion Quartet is hardly a drum circle. The group consists of saxophonist Rempis (playing alto, tenor, and baritone -- not all at once), bassist Anton Hatwich, and drummers Tim Daisy and Frank Rosaly. The name alludes to the ensemble's emphasis on rhythm, Rempis being the only musician to take up melodic duties on a regular basis. Grooves will be set up, attacked, reversed, pummeled, left for dead, and exhumed for what they can yield. Much of the quartet's music is wholly improvised. The energy generated can be intense; those looking for cocktail-hour jazz may not be interested in this particular outing.

The location, Elastic Arts, deserves comment in itself. Located above the Friendship Chinese Restaurant just north of Logan Square on Milwaukee Ave., Elastic operates as a multi-functional space, generally exhibiting visual art as well as hosting musical performances. The space is small, with a host of folding chairs that generally accommodate an audience of about fifty at the absolute most. Elastic does not serve anything (although bottles of water are usually available for $1). Those interested in drinks are advised that there is a liquor store across the street, purchases from which may be consumed within Elastic (the arrangement generally known as BYO).

Unfortunately the set-up at Elastic does not allow for much in the way of conversation during performances. I plan to wait outside to meet with attendees from Northwestern just to identify myself (and arrange to pay your admission, of course). After the show we will be able to share our reactions here, and if we can tolerate each other in person perhaps at a non-musical outing at the Celtic Knot (or somewheres).

If you have plans to attend this performance please leave a comment below. As noted above, the space at Elastic is not large and I'd like to have an idea how many people we plan to bring so as to avoid any "scenes" at the venue. As always, email me at b-mix@northwestern.edu with any comments or questions.

Welcome!

2007-09-05T13:45:00.000-05:00

Welcome to "Uneasy Listening," an online extension of The Northwestern University Graduate School's Community-Building project. Here you will find information relating to planned listening excursions, including sample mp3s to preview prior to the show. Please also use this space to comment on planned as well as past events.

The purpose of our Uneasy Listening group is to attend concerts of Jazz and Improvised music by Chicago musicians in clubs and concert spaces around the city. (Sorry, Evanston!) Many of these musicians are associated with the Umbrella Music organization (www.umbrellamusic.org). Sites of interest (both brick-&-mortar and internet) will be listed here: feel free to browse through these and suggest outings of interest to you.

On Monday, September 17, I (Brent Mix) will be manning a table at TGS's Resource Fair at Norris from 1 to 3:30pm. Feel free to drop by with questions and suggestions. If I am able I will attempt to secure an additional meeting time and place prior to our first excursion.

Speaking of our first excursion: if all works as planned, we will attend the performance of the Dave Rempis Percussion Quartet at Elastic on the night of Thursday, September 20th. Details will follow once this event becomes definite. We plan to attend three concerts per quarter, so if this one falls through worry not.

Thanks for your interest! Feel free to email me at b-mix@northwestern.edu with any comments or questions.