The first-time duo encounter between long-term collaborators and two of the most respected musicans working today, in any field. Total improvisation at its best.
The duo plays at 9:30PM on Wednesday, November 28 at the Hideout.
This quartet version of the Scandinavian group (Mats Gustafsson, Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love, Ken Vandermark) has only played in the U.S. once before, at the Immediate Sound Series' first anniversary weekend in April. That concert was recorded and was so burning that it is now being released on the Norwegian label smalltownsuperjazz. This is the cd release show for that album and motivation is high.
The Thing + Ken Vandermark play at 9:30PM on Wednesday, November 28 at the Hideout.
This gig celebrates the 30th anniversary of Brötzmann and McPhee's first encounter, in Paris during October of 1977—Peter with Han Bennink and Joe played solo. Their encore statement during the Tentet's Victoriaville gig in 2004 was stunning; here is a chance to hear them for a full set.
The duo plays at 10:00PM on Thursday, November 29 at Elastic.
One of the best rhythm sections in contemporary music meets one of the great artistic forces of our time—nothing else needs to be said.
The trio plays at 10:00PM on Thursday, November 29 at Elastic.
Peter Brötzmann, Johannes Bauer, Jeb Bishop, Mats Gustafsson, Per-Åke Holmlander, Kent Kessler, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Joe McPhee, Paal Nilssen-Love, Ken Vandermark, Michael Zerang: after a decade, this ensemble continues to challenge each other, listeners, and the boundaries of creative music. Their only performance in North America this year brings them back to the city where it all began.
The tentet plays at 9:00PM on Saturday, December 1 at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Johannes Bauer, Jeb Bishop, Per-Åke Holmlander, Joe McPhee: a first-time encounter inspired by the extraordinary moments when this instrumentation came together during European performances over the last year. Beautiful sparks will fly.
The Trombone Choir plays at 10:00PM on Sunday, December 2 at the Hungry Brain.
A repeat performance by a lineup which, by all accounts, was mindblowing. Not to be missed.
The sextet plays at 10:00PM on Sunday, December 2 at the Hungry Brain.
Ever since Paal Nilssen-Love replaced drummer Hamid Drake in the Brötzmann Tentet, Zerang and Nilssen-Love have been developing a unique vocabulary together in that context. Central figures from the scenes in Oslo and Chicago collide in another first-time performance for the anniversary series.
The duo plays at 10PM on Tuesday, December 4 at Elastic.
The second new constellation of the evening, strings and brass in full-tilt improvisational mode.
The quartet plays at 10PM on Tuesday, December 4 at Elastic.
Peter Brötzmann, Mats Gustafsson, Ken Vandermark: for their first performance after a short tour in Europe, this reed trio should be in high gear, continuing to redefine the parameters of their instruments and improvised structure.
Sonore plays at 9:30PM on Wednesday, December 5 at the Hideout.
The trio of Joe McPhee, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Michael Zerang has been perfoming together for the past three years under the name Survival Unit III. They have done two European tours and performed a few times in the USA. They have recently released a live concert recording from Florence, Italy from 2006 called Don't Postpone Joy on the Italian RAITRADE label. This year's performance marks their first Chicago appearance— a rare chance to see the musicians work together as a trio in the United States. In a word, extraordinary.
Survival Unit III plays at 9:30PM on Wednesday, December 5 at The Hideout.
Michael Zerang first played with Peter Brötzmann in Chicago in 1995 in a trio along with master percussionist Hamid Drake. Ever since then, Zerang has been a member of the Tentet, a Quartet with McPhee and Kessler, and various small one-off projects with Brötzmann. In July 2005, Zerang was invited to perform in Beirut, Lebanon and asked Brötzmann to join him. The resulting duo performance was released on the Lebanese label Al Maslehk and called Brötzmann/Zerang Live in Beirut - 2005.
The duo plays at 10PM on Thursday, December 6 at Elastic.
There is a lot of history here—work by bands like School Days and the Territory Band quickly come to mind—but this is the only time these four musicians have worked together as a quartet. It is time again for something special.
The quartet plays at 10:00PM on Thursday, December 6 2007 at Elastic.
They have a record that is soon to be released, but here is a chance to see the lineup live. Ferocious beauty.
The trio plays at 9:30PM on Friday, December 7 at The Hideout.
There is no better way to close out the 10th anniversary celebration of the Chicago Tentet than by presenting one of the best quartets working today. This quartet has been active since 2005 after the release of Tales out of Time on the HatART label—an exploration of the ballad form with original compositions by Brötzmann, McPhee and Zerang.
In many ways, the standards of creativity presented by the Tentet are defined by this combo. Here is a unique chance to experience that intensity up close and personal.
The quartet plays at 9:30PM on Friday, December 7 at The Hideout.