LISA MEZZACAPPA, ACOUSTIC BASS
JASON LEVIS, DRUM SET

In this new release, the San Francisco Bay Area drums-and-bass ensemble duo B. presents a suite of improvised←→composed music inspired by the drawings and sculptures of Sol LeWitt. In his series of Incomplete Open Cubes (1974/1982), the artist explored the 122 ways of "not making a cube, all the ways of the cube not being complete." Transfixed by the obsessive, iterative quality of the work, and by the vast array of quirky symbols that LeWitt’s serial process generated, the duo embarked on a period of research, composition and iteration to create a sonic parallel to Lewitt’s intriguing visual vocabulary. In the hands of Mezzacappa and Levis, the cube drawings give rise to a system of musical notation, each (im)perfect cube/creature imbued with its own personality, its own kin, its own lexicon and history.

The music, honed over several years, spans asymmetrical “tunes” that groove in unexpected ways; textural soundscapes of bowed bass and expanded/prepared drum set; lyrical melodies and combative exchanges; and affectionate nods to the profound influence of Anthony Braxton, Wadada Leo Smith, Cecil Taylor and Henry Threadgill. Modular structures are connected and layered like puzzle pieces to create new situations for improvisational exchange. Levis and Mezzacappa have been refining their musical relationship over nearly 25 years, and this recording is the latest manifestation of their commitment to exploring and expanding the expressive possibilities of the drums-and-bass duo format.

Incomplete, Open is the 11th release in a series of 12 recordings featuring Bay Area creative composers and musicians, released monthly from February 2025 through February 2026 by bassist Lisa Mezzacappa’s micro label Queen Bee Records.

Lisa Mezzacappa & Jason Levis
Berkeley, CA January 2026

www.duobmusic.com
www.queenbeerecords.com

releases January 30, 2026