STRANGE ARTS is the debut album from trumpeter/composer Ian Carey's ensemble WOOD METAL PLASTIC, and his seventh album as a leader. The 7-piece group, which features stellar musicians from across the San Francisco Bay Area's creative music spectrum, tackles a challenging array of Carey's intricate compositions, which bridge the worlds of chamber music, straightahead jazz, and free improvisation, ranging from lush harmonies and counterpoint to spiky modernism. The title refers to Carey's exploration of the aesthetic connections between his music and the eclectic creations of his father, the visual artist Philip Carey, who passed away in 2022, and their shared fascination with density of detail and the areas where the organic world meets the artificial. With Ian Carey, trumpet; Kasey Knudsen, alto saxophone; Alisa Rose & Mia Bella d’Augelli, violins; Jessica Ivry, cello; Lisa Mezzacappa, bass; and Jon Arkin, drums.