California Jazz Conservatory
2087 Addison Street Berkeley
Click for Venue page

Join Fay Victor for a rare performance on the West Coast with her Trio West featuring bassist Lisa Mezzacappa and guitarist John Finkbeiner + very special guest Steve Adams of the Rova Saxophone Quartet! Performing Original music, improvisations and cover material ranging from psychedelic rock to jazz standards.

Fay Victor hypnotizes audiences, whether singing a blues, sculpting a free improvised piece, reinventing a Herbie Nichols tune with her own lyrics, or effortlessly improvises over the harmonies of a jazz standard or her own material. Victor's original material speaks of universal themes in story-driven ways with an original mix of traditional song forms and free improvisation – or “FreeSong”, Victor's approach to improvised vocal music. Leading her own groups since the 90's, Victor's groups include her 10 year old flagship quartet (now trio) the Fay Victor Ensemble, which explores an expansive and cohesive mix of jazz, rock, blues, new music and free improvisation in the all original program, composed by Victor and bass guitarist/composer Jochem Van Dijk, releasing three albums to huge critical acclaim. The experimental blues project The Exposed Blues Duo, with FVE guitarist Anders Nillson delving deep into myriad blues forms with an expansive approach to the structures using material from WC Handy to Ornette Coleman in the mix and Herbie Nichols SUNG, incorporating Victor's lyrics to the unsung and brilliant prianist/composer Herbie Nichols' knotty and infectious compositions.

Victor's vocal approach has attracted esteemed and unique ensembles to have her sound in their midst such as Other Dimensions in Music (ODIM), the perennial free jazz outfit going on 40 years of existence joined forces with Victor for 2011's Kaiso Stories on Silkheart Records (Victor is the first vocalist to record for the legendary free jazz label) in 2011, lauded for its unique fusion of Calypso and free jazz as well as the original synthesis of Victor's vocal approach with ODIM's dynamic range of expression. The legendary and longstanding Dutch outfit , the Instant Composer's Pool Orkest aka ICP led by Misha Mengelberg/Han Bennink, ask Victor to tour with them in Europe and appear with them during their 3-day run in Philadelphia in while they toured the US as a special guest. Most recently playing with them in New ork City as a special guest on their 2015 US tour. In addition, Victor was one of the vocalists in critically acclaimed and legendary Anthony Braxton's Tr-Centric Orchestra, featured on Trillium E (New Braxton Records 2011), the performance of Trillium J during the four-day Braxtonian Festival held in October 2011 and given a presenting commission from the Tricentric Foundation in 2014 for Neighborhood Dynamics (co-composed with Jochem van Dijk) at Roulette in Brooklyn. Dutch reedist Ab Baars invited Victor as well as french horn hero Vincent Chancey to celebrate 20 years with his esteemed trio. It was the first time the reedist had written material for voice and specifically for Victor.

With her active groups or as a featured guest, Fay Victor performs extensively. Appearing at venues/ festivals such as BAMCafe Live, The Stone, Firehouse 12, The Bimhuis(Amsterdam), Cankarjev Dom (Slovenia), Koln Philharmonie(Germany), Nardis (Turkey), Rostov Philharmonic Hall (Russia) Roulette, The Apollo Theater, Cornelia Street Café, The 55 Bar, Vision Festival XV + XVIV, The ArtActs Festival (Austria) and the River to River Festivals. Victor has performed around the world in places such as the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Turkey, Germany, France, Sweden, Austria, Slovenia, Romania, Andorra, Mexico, India, Poland, Russia & Japan, collaborating with musicians such as Misha Mengelberg, Anthony Braxton, Han Bennink, William Parker, Lawrence “Butch” Morris, Gary Lucas, Dave Burrell, Andrew Cyrille, Sam Newsome, Anthony Coleman, Nicole Mitchell, Vincent Chancey, Steve Coleman, Roswell Rudd, Vijay Iyer, reedist Michael Moore, Connie Crothers, Tyshawn Sorey, Matana Roberts, John Hebert, Ab Baars, Elisabeth Harnik, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Henry Butler, Curtis Clark and the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Learn more about Fay Victor's performances, recordings, writings and teaching at www.fayvictor.com

Cost: $15

Audio samples in which musicians at this event play:

Videos featuring musicians playing at this event