Preview: Lisa Mezzacappa (6/17/12)

On Sunday June 17th from 5-7 pm the Actual Jazz Series will present a FREE evening of music curated by local bassist Lisa Mezzacappa.

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The program will be as follows:

Small Groupings of Big Personalities

Noah Phillips (acoustic guitar) + Lisa Mezzacappa (bass) DUO

Tom Djll  SOLO

1+1: Phillip Greenlief (reeds) + Jon Raskin (reeds)  DUO

In a bit of an homage to the “2+2″ series Phillip Greenlief and Jon Raskin curated for many years at 21 Grand and other local spaces, guest curator Lisa Mezzacappa assembles a program of like-instrument duos (two strings; two reeds), with a creamy Tom Djll mystery center. Tom, an exquisite improviser on trumpet and electronics, threatens to play a solo keyboard set for this show, and this is something we are excited about.

Greenlief and Raskin need no introduction; their duo music together is one or the things that makes the Bay Area great. They play some of the most compelling improvised music around, anywhere. Phillips and Mezzacappa are a newer duo, they have been finding the acoustic strings format new and unusual, in a really good way.

Listen to some of these folks here:

Raskin + Greenlief:
http://www.jonraskin.com/audio/MusicPlusOne_AnImprovisationCompendium/PhillipGreenlief-TenorSaxophone.mp3

Djll’s Grosse Abfahrt:
http://djll.bandcamp.com/track/grosse-abfahrt-6-excerpt-march-2012-mix

Mezzacappa-Phillips:
http://mezzacappa-phillips-duo.bandcamp.com/

 

Preview: Jason Hoopes (5/20/12)

On Sunday May 20th from 5-7 pm the Actual Jazz Series will present a FREE evening of music curated by local bassist Jason Hoopes.

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The program will be as follows:

1st set: Marshall + Pascucci Duo
Joshua Marshall (sax) and Crystal Pascucci (cello) have been performing together since meeting at Mills College in August 2011. The duo performs regularly with percussionist Robert Lopez as Opera Wolf. Crystal Pascucci’s work has been featured on The Uncertainty Music Series of New Haven, CT, the New Music Cabaret, and the Hartford Phase Shift Music Series of Hartford, CT, and she has performed with the Anthony Braxton Ensemble in Middletown, CT. In addition to performing solo saxophone sets, Joshua Marshall has played with Ikue Mori, Poles of Interest, the Andrew Weathers Ensemble, Modest Machine, and MDK. His playing has been featured in festivals and conferences nationwide, including Providence Pixilerations events and the 2010 International Computer Music Conference. Listen here.

2nd set: Hoopes/Jude/Phillips trio
Bassist Jason Hoopes (Satya Sena, Jack O’ The Clock) returns to Actual Jazz Series as curator. Jason is heavily active in the Bay Area’s eclectic rock scene. As improviser, Jason shares stages with Fred Frith, Ellen Fullman, Jordan Glenn, Gino Robair, Phillip Greenlief, and Aram Shelton among several others. He works with contemporary dancers Molissa Fenley, Peiling Kao, and Alyce Finwall. He brings with him to Actual Jazz Series koto player Gretchen Jude and guitarist Noah Phillips. Gretchen has been playing electronics with duo Glou-glou, singing with Molly Holm’s Impermanent Ensemble, and accompanying Bay Area choreographers in various media. She has also appeared in recitals with virtuoso koto players Kazue Sawai, Shoko Hikage, Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, and Brian Mitsuhiro Wong. Noah Phillips performs regularly with rock band Efft and with improvisers Lisa Mezzacappa, Karl Evangelista, and Chuck Johnson among others.   Listen here and here and here.

Preview: Sam Ospovat (4/15/12)

On Sunday April 15th from 5-7 pm the Actual Jazz Series will present a FREE evening of music curated by local drummer Sam Ospovat.

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The program will be as follows:

1st set: Eric Nakanishi Quintet
Eric Nakanishi (alto sax), Edward Evans (trumpet), James Harrington (bass), Matt Wong (piano) and Lev Facher (drums)
Eric Nakanishi, a 15-year-old high school freshman, is passionate about jazz music and is serious beyond his years in studying and performing music at a high level.  He’s in his sixth year playing alto sax and has added soprano and baritone sax and flute along the way.  He’s studied with jazz sax professionals over the years including Marcus Goodlow Alex Murzyn, Mary Fettig, and Dann Zinn.  He has earned kudos and awards for his playing, and this school year alone has earned spots in district, county, and Bay Area honor jazz bands.  Currently he plays in the Northgate High School Jazz Band and in an ensemble at the Berkeley Jazzschool.

2nd set: Anteater
Jacob Zimmerman (alto sax), Kim Cass (bass), Sam Ospovat (drums)
Over the past 2 years Anteater has developed a unique, cold-blooded and loose approach to a diverse repertoire of rhythmically complex original music. On April 7th they will release their debut album, which is scheduled to be included as part of NASA’s KEO space time-capsule project.  Listen here.

Preview: Aram Shelton (3/18/12)

On Sunday March 18th from 5-7 pm the Actual Jazz Series will present a FREE evening of music curated by local saxophonist Aram Shelton.

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Here’s what Aram has to say:

I’ve chosen to perform music from Bobby Hutcherson’s album Dialogue, his first as a leader, which was recorded a year after Eric Dolphy’s landmark album Out to Lunch!

After Dolphy’s passing in 1964, Hutcherson assembled this group with Freddie Hubbard and Richard Davis (also on OTL) and added Sam Rivers, Andrew Hill and Joe Chambers.  The music on Dialogue carries on the adventurous course set by its predecessor, and the track Les Noir Marchant has the unmistakable feel heard in Hat and Beard.

For this concert I’ll be joined by Darren Johnston on trumpet, Mark Clifford on vibraphone, Atemu Aton on bass, and Sam Ospovat on drums.  The first set will feature freely improvised duos & dialogues.  The second set we hope to recapture the feel from Dialogue, which will soon celebrate it’s 52nd(!) anniversary.

Preview: Jesse Rimler (2/19/12)

On Sunday February 19th from 5-7 pm the Actual Jazz Series will present a FREE evening of music curated by local singer Jesse Rimler.

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The program will be as follows:

A Tribute to Songwriter Harold Arlen

1st set: Harry Bolles Solo (guitar, voice)
Local troubadour extraordinaire Harry Bolles is widely regarded for his intimate and entertaining solo performances.  Drawing from a wide repertoire of blues and folk material, Harry will also include a few renditions of his favorite Arlen compositions.

2nd set: Jacob Zimmerman/Kim Cass Duo with guest Jesse Rimler
Zimmerman (alto sax) and Cass (bass) will perform a jazz set comprised entirely of Arlen songs.  They will be joined for a few numbers by Jesse Rimler (voice).  In addition Jesse will briefly share some of his knowledge of the life of Harold Arlen and his music.