8pm: Christine Richers & Laura Schwartz
9pm: Pet the Tiger Instrument Inventors Collective plays Harmonic Series Gamelan
David Samas, Director
Bart Hopkin, Peter Whitehead, Daniel Schmidt, Stephen Parris, Derek Drudge, Sally Davis

Laura Schwartz is a composer, horn player, conductor, and music theorist, interested in acoustic noise floors, Pauline Oliveros, verbal notation, and electric fans. She was artist in residence with the University of Pittsburgh Department of Physics and Astronomy (2016), culminating in System Cooling, an illustrated set of six miniatures for clarinet, baritone saxophone, violin, and double bass. Currently, she is commissioned by Durward Chamber ensemble to write a sextet to raise money for breast cancer research. Her collaborations with solo performers include Sarah Pyle (flute(s)) and Aaron Hydns (tuba). The Tuba piece she wrote for Hydns, entitled Left Out, is set for release in Summer 2017 on the album Colossus: Recordings of New Music for Tuba.

Christine Richers draws upon her background in classical composition and audio engineering to create pieces with cello, bass, and electronics.

Pet the Tiger is an SF Bay Area inventors collective led by David Samas that plays in a wide variety of idioms exploring new timbral dimensions through extended techniques, new instruments, xenharmonics and fringe acoustic phenomena. The Harmonic Series Gamelan is a collection of instruments tuned to the Schumann Resonance (sound of the atmosphere of earth) and its natural harmonic overtones. Performers include David Samas, Bart Hopkin, Peter Whitehead, Daniel Schmidt, Stephen Parris, Derek Drudge and Ian Saxton.



https://soundcloud.com/pet-the-tiger  More...

8pm: Ben Richter - accordion
9pm: Ives Band
Zachary Hazen, and Mia Bella D'Augelli, violins; Joshua Marshall, tenor saxophone; Andrew Jamieson, Brett Carson and Ben Zucker, keyboards; Aaron Oppenheim, latpop; Tim DeCillis, percussion

Ben Richter is a composer, accordionist, multi-instrumentalist, and founding director of New York’s Ghost Ensemble. His chamber music explores sound-worlds of constant transformation that combine subtly shifting timbres and sliding microtonal fluctuations to create music that critic George Grella has described as “seek[ing] an altered consciousness … the music sounds like something incomprehensibly massive is passing by, slowly.” As a solo accordionist, Ben Richter draws from experimental improvisation, traditional klezmer practices, and contemporary chamber music to create atmospheric music that explores a timeless, mystical space at the intersection of memory and imagination.

IVES BAND:
Two days after our independence day, we will contemplate the cacophony we experience living in the US. Celebrating US victory seems problematic in light of the growing injustice here. It also seems confusing, with so many conflicting perspectives on what being American even means. Thanks to the internet, we are constantly aware of an incredible number of voices, hoping to help me see our nation from their particular point of view. These voices seem to clash with one another, competing for our attention. Cacophony is even increasing in this moment in history, as prominent political and cultural figures grow ever "louder," without any sign that they are seeking common ground with those with unfamiliar perspectives.

Sometimes, cacophony requires us to drown out the voices of those aiming to dominate, control and manipulate. This way, we can focus on voices that affirm peace and the fullness of who we are. Often, the role of artists and musicians is to allow us to focus on the simple beauty of the world, rather than the unsettling cacophony. But too often, it is actually the most dangerous voices of the most powerful interests that drown out the others. And frequently, drowning voices out silences too many important truths. There has to be another way. Can we create synergy when distinct voices come together? Perhaps we can enjoy the dense textures, unusual sounds, and sometimes even harmony that emergency when we let them sound together.

That's why Andrew Jamieson created the Ives Band which innovates a new approach to familiar melodies. Named for Charles Ives, the band plays multiple melodies simultaneously, usually in contrasting keys and tempi, creating musical collages inspired by Ives, Luciano Berio and John Oswald. This way, we engage all the cacophony we experience living in the US. Melodies come from well-known folk tunes, pop songs, classical music, children's songs, etc.; anything that is familiar or cliche in contemporary American culture, and addresses the many ways of being American, or challenging American power. Melodies remain intentionally recognizable, while the experience of hearing melodies is radically reconstructed. Here's a sample from Christmas 2016:
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8pm: Konoko Nishi/Corey Fogel Duo
9pm: Nighttime (dreamy dark folk from Brooklyn - guitar/violin/voice/loops)

Nighttime is Eva Louise Goodman https://nighttimes.bandcamp.com/  More...

8pm: Owen Stewart-Robertson - Guitar/Voice
9pm: Brad Henkel - Trumpet (Germany)

Owen Stewart-Robertson is, among other things, a native of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, a guitarist, composer, educator, performer, a mild claustrophobic, a participant in ensembles including VaVatican, Old Salt, This Sporting Life, Evelyn, Teenage Burnout, Make A Circus, Jason Ajemian’s HighLife and Folklords, Katherine Young’s Pretty Monsters, and an enthusiast of enthusiasm. https://weirdearrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ida

Brad Henkel (b. 1985) is trumpeter and composer based in Berlin, Germany. His work integrates composition and improvisation with new and innovative instrumental techniques and performance art.
Born in Ventura, California, he began studying jazz trumpet in Los Angeles with Bobby Shew and Clay Jenkins, as well as improvisation and composition with Jeff Kaiser and John Fumo. In 2007, he reclocated to New York to further his development with Jon Faddis and Jim Rotondi at SUNY Purchase College. During his time in university, he also studied improvisation with Tony Malaby, Ralph Alessi, and many other staples of the NY scene. After completing his degree, he settled in Brooklyn. There, he formed, played and toured with several collaborative, creative/improvised music projects. In 2011, he co-founded the artist-run record label, Prom Night Records.
In 2013, Brad relocated to Germany, where he quickly integrated himself into the improvised music scenes, performing with, among others, Carl Ludwig Hübsch, Paul Lytton, Evan Parker, Robert Landfermann, Audrey Chen, Jan Roder, Michael Griener, Nicola Hein, Matthias Müller, Philip Zoubek and Etienne Nillesen. In addition to continuing his work with USA-based Prom Night Records, he is a member of the IMPAKT collective for improvised music in Cologne and the KIM Collective in Berlin.  More...

8pm Theo Padouvas cornet, Cory Wright clarinet
9pm Gabriella Yi Wen (guqin & computer)
Nina Lavelle (cello)
J. Juliet Weight (violin)


Gabriella Yi Wen (1995 -) a.k.a 「istigkeit」is a multi-instrumental improviser/composer and multimedia artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She has been working with guqin (Chinese 7-string zither), bass, piano, synthesizer, computer, homemade electronics, and field recordings to create sounds. Originally from Shenzhen, China, she moved to the Bay Area at age of 14 and studied abroad in France during college, her artistic visions are shaped by a wide range of cultural perspectives. The Fluxus movement has been her greatest inspiration. Her musical influences include post-war musique concrète, free jazz, ancient Chinese music, Buddhist chants, Beijing and Cantonese Opera. She studied at Mills College under instructions of James Fei, Maggi Payne, Chris Brown and John Bischoff. She also studies guqin with the 13th generation successor of Guangling School of Guqin (廣陵派), experimental artist Shen Piji. Inspired by her spiritual guidance in Tibetan Buddhism, her works are usually created in a meditative state and are improvisation-based. She explores the body-mind connection with her instruments during performances, as well as the ways of sound manipulation using extended techniques, codes and hardwares.
https://www.gabriellawen.com/

Nina Lavelle began playing cello at age 12. She practiced solely classical music up until 2011, while she was studying at Cabrillo College. She began branching out to include improvisation and learning to feel comfortable playing with many instruments in many genres. In 2014, she began her studies at Mills as an English Major, later moving on to the Ethnic Studies department and finally landing on Music with an emphasis on electronic composition. Still passionate about all the aforementioned subjects and more, she hopes to use her voice through music to encompass and reflect all the things that inspire her.

Juliet Weight (1993-) is a student at Mills college, studying electronic music composition. Her instruments include Violin, Piano, Voice, and some electronics. She was classically trained from a young age, but has branched into contemporary and experimental music. She is an instrumental improviser, a composer, and sound technician. Juliet is focusing her studies on working with sound in recording studios as a mixer, and recording sound engineer. Outside of the recording studio, Juliet plays in small ensembles of classical and experimental music. Juliet has also worked with other art mediums such as video, installation, photography, and sound. Juliet takes inspiration from the world around her, pulling inspiration from every-day sounds. Her compositions often include common sounds mixed with instrumental sounds, creating cinematic soundscapes.  More...

8:00 pm Fistortion
Brian Pedersen-sax, Jay Korber-drums, Greg Gorlen-electronics, Paul Costuros-cello
9:00 pm Blood Oath - a noise-metal saxophone-drum duo from Los Angeles

Combining dark ambient, harsh noise, doom and death metal with free improvisation, Bloood Oath brings together different extreme sound approaches and techniques. In live shows they have been described as an extreme physical entity.
Ulrich Krieger is a saxophone player in the worlds of rock, noise, contemporary composition, and free improvised music, as well as a composer of chamber music and electronic music. He has been active in exploring the boundaries of saxophone playing in rock and noise collaborating
with Lou Reed (Metal Machine Trio, Lou Reed Band), Lee Ranaldo (Text of Light), Faust, and Merzbow. His distinct style of amplified saxophone playing exist in the abysses of rock culture, vacillating between noise, microsounds, and instrumental electronics. Krieger processes refined acoustic and quasi-electronic
sounds by elaborate instrumental amplification.
Joshua Michael carro (b. 1982-) is a sound, visual, and performing artist who is interested in simple materials, complex sound processing, and long duration. Based in Los Angeles, Carro has performed in countless recitals, concerts, and recordings across the U.S.A., Canada, and Europe with sound work performances and commissions by The Futurist Intoners in Cleveland Museum of Art and Singapore Art Science Center, NMCE, UC Berkeley Cellist Ensemble, Wild Rumpus, What’s Next? Ensemble, and Now Hear Ensemble, As a recording artist, carro has recorded his and others works at Capitol Records, T.V. Stand Studios and has
released over 20 electro-acoustic albums on labels including: XI Records, H.L.M. (France), Somehow Recordings (London), Vent (U.K.) Ephem-Aural (New York) with reviews by Silent Ballet, Kultur Industrialna
(Poland), Norman Records, and Linus Records (Japan)
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8:00 pm Tomo Jacobson - double bass
8:35 pm Rasmus Kjærgård Lund - tuba
9:15 pm PC Muñoz -electronics/drumset/poetry


San Francisco recording artist/producer/drummer PC Muñoz's genre-defying projects are stylistically broad and deep, revealing a sonic explorer equally at home with contemporary classical, funk, hip-hop, folk, world music, poetry, free-jazz, art installations, and modern dance productions. His partnership with composer/cellist/longtime Kronos Quartet member Joan Jeanrenaud has yielded three highly acclaimed projects: the GRAMMY-nominated Strange Toys, the iTunes-charting Pop-Pop, and the art-inspired Visual Music. A frequent collaborator, PC has also recorded and/or performed with rock legend Jackson Browne, dream-pop poet/chanteuse Ingrid Chavez, Prince and the Revolution synth wizard Dr. Fink, Kulintang master Danny Kalanduyan, sonic surrealists Broun Fellinis, woodwinds renegade Kyle Bruckmann, Oakland emcee/pianist phenom Kev Choice, vocalist Jennifer Kreisberg of the legendary Native American group Ulali, Emmy-winning composer/virtuoso Van-Anh Vanessa Vo ,jaw-dropping cellist Alex Kelly, and countless other musicians and recording artists.

TOMO SOLO is a double bass free improvisation. This project is about the connections between physicality, spirituality, and intuition. Physicality of playing the double bass, of being a part of the instrument, of creating music through the physical efforts. Spirituality with an intention to be expressed with every sound made. Intuition, trust and letting go to the fountain of music pouring out through self. This project is a meditation on the current. It is an effort to make the best out of the now in a specific context of the state in which the musician currently finds himself, the room and the environment he plays in, and the audience with their energy, passions and hopes. The musician, the environment, and the audience through tangled interconnectivity, create in result a beautiful interdependence.  More...