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February 2020

Saturday February 22 | 9:00 pm
$10

The Mai Sugimoto Trio, presented by Asian Improv aRts Midwest

Mai Sugimoto Trio with Avreeayl Ra and Tatsu Aoki
Sunday February 23 | 5:00 pm
$10

Angel Bat Dawid Mothership9 Youth Space Jam

Greetings Mystic Travelers, It's Mothership9 Time again, and we are having a Youth Space Jam!!!
Monday February 24 | 9:00 pm
$10

Darren Johnston’s Breathing Room & James Davis’ Beveled

Bay Area trumpeter Darren Johnston organizes a wind quartet of experienced improvisers, and James Davis presents his original compositions, lushly orchestrated in the mellower end of the spectrum of instrumental coloration.
Thursday February 27 | 9:00 pm
$10

Eli Namay Solo & Jackson/Strom/Ostvang

Recent Chicago ex-pat Eli Namay returns for his first visit since decamping to Pittsburgh for a rare solo performance, and an ongoing collaborative trio featuring a Chicago mainstay in partnership with his Norwegian counterparts makes its Elastic Arts debut.
Saturday February 29 | 8:30 pm
$10

Wooden Rings & Blow Wind Blow: Dual Record Release

Local singer-songwriter projects Wooden Rings and Blow Wind Blow will both release records this leap year, February 29th, at Elastic Arts. Doors open at 8:30 PM with sound healer Jay Taylor creating a sonic landscape throughout the audience, which dovetails into the first song of Blow Wind Blow's set at 9:00 PM. The show continues with sound healing, projection, and light play by light artist Rachel Winslow and filmmaker Brian Wilson. Heliocentric, the vinyl record self-released by Wooden Rings, was made possible with support from the 3Arts Foundation, support from listeners, and was pressed locally at Smashed Plastic.

March 2020

Monday March 2 | 9:00 pm
$10

Kyle Madsen Trio & Cosmograph

Saxophonists Kyle Madsen and Will Barnard present their original music in trio and sextet formats, respectively.
Tuesday March 3 | 9:00 pm
$10

Billie Howard/Rebecca Himmelstein, Shabrock: Johanna Brock/Sara Goodman, & Jen Hill

The Acorn Series, a new series devoted to the improvisatory arts, makes its debut featuring an evening of seasoned improvisers with longtime multimedia collaborative duos Billie Howard/Rebecca Himmelstein using the 16-channel CLEAT system and Shabrock (Johanna Brock/Sara Goodman) exploring sound with video art, along with a solo set by electronic artist Jen Hill.
Saturday March 7 | 9:00 pm
$10

Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few: Cosmic Transitions

Isaiah Collier and The Chosen Few is a group founded by saxophonist Isaiah Collier. Collier, who’s an alumnus of the Jazz Institute of Chicago and ChiArts has been playing around the Chicagoland area for the past 4 years.
Monday March 9 | 9:00 pm
$10

Steve Marquette Trio & Trapper Keaper

Guitarist Steve Marquette opens with a trio set, followed by New Orleans-based duo Trapper Keaper.
Thursday March 12 | 9:00 pm
$12 – $15

Wooley/Vandermark/Pytton & Kuzu
(record release party!!)

A fantastic double bill brings together a legendary British drummer and improviser "Laul Pytton" with two American journeymen: trumpeter Nate Wooley, and reedist Ken Vandermark. For the second set, the power trio Kuzu celebrates the release of their newest record "Purple Dark Opal" on Aerophonic Records!!!
Sunday March 15 | 8:00 pm
$10

Oops! Pow! Surprise!

This improvisational multi-sensory event, curated by dancer/choreographer Cristal Sabbagh, unites musicians, dancers, vocalists, technology and artistic documentation!
Monday March 16 | 9:00 pm
$10

Christau/Ali/Harris & Mazzarella/Hesse/Sommers/Raynor

French trumpeter Christau is joined by two of his American collaborators, and Chicago expat drummer Michael Raynor returns for an improvised quartet set.
Tuesday March 17 | 9:00 pm
$10

Ben Boye / MT Coast

This performance event will feature two sets of music, the occurrence and of convergence of which will emphasize the importance of time both geo and bio, and what it means to be friends linked by electricity and cats. Building bridges one game at a time. Striking a balance between the urge to care and the urge to resign. Being a feather in the wind.
Thursday March 19 | 9:00 pm
$10

Seyler/Heinemann Duo & Berman/Damon Duo

Two bright lights in the next generation of Chicago artists - Saxophonist Brian Seyler and bassist Jakob Heinemann - debut their duo pairing on the Elastic Arts stage. They're followed by another new duo pairing - Chicago journeyman Josh Berman and whirlwind percussionist Tyler Damon.
Monday March 23 | 9:00 pm
$10

The Unknown New & Leslie Beukelman Quartet

Multi-instrumentalist Paul Mutzabaugh's sextet returns to Elastic, and vocalist Leslie Beukelman leads a quartet.
Thursday March 26 | 9:00 pm
$10

Exposure Series 2020 : Night One

The fifth annual Exposure Series at Elastic Arts kicks off with one of three featured artists for 2020, vocalist Fay Victor. For tonight's performance, Fay is joined by her working band "Barn Songs" featuring Marika Hughes on cello and Darius Jones on alto saxophone. The band is wrapping up a Midwestern tour with this performance, and should be in top form! For the later part of the evening, vocalist and Elastic Arts regular Julian Otis will moderate a discussion with Fay, Marika, and Darius concerning the new record, their tour, and the state of improvised music in their hometown of New York.
Friday March 27 | 9:00 pm
$10

Exposure Series 2020 : Night Two

Night Two of the 2020 Exposure Series pairs our visiting artists Fay Victor, "Maya Madas", and Nate McBride in groupings with several of their Chicago counterparts. Fay Victor revisits a collaboration with drummer Mike Reed that began in 2019, and "Maya Madas" launches a new quartet featuring our third Exposure artist for 2020, bassist Nate McBride.
Saturday March 28 | 9:00 pm
$10

Exposure Series 2020 : Night Three

Night Three of the Exposure Series showcases each of our visiting artists in a unique setting, including a solo set from bassist Nate McBride, and brand new collaborations pairing "Maya Madas" and Fay Victor up with more of their Chicago contemporaries. "Mayas" works with like-minded experimentalist Olivia Block for the first time, and Victor assembles a quintet grouping.
Sunday March 29 | 2:00 pm
FREE!!

Exposure Series 2020 : Day Four (May Chapel)

This afternoon's Exposure Series concert takes us to the gorgeous May Chapel, where afternoon sunlight filters through the warm colored stained glass, pouring over the dark wood and tile, to create a strangely mystical listening environment. For this concert, "Maya Madas" convenes a new string trio, and Nate McBride revisits his longstanding trio Wheelhouse featuring Chicago stalwarts Jason Adasiewicz on vibes and Dave Rempis on saxophones. Although the trio was active for eight years from 2005-2013, this will be their first performance since McBride decamped for Boston in 2013.
Sunday March 29 | 9:00 pm
$10

Exposure Series 2020 : Night Four (Hungry Brain)

Night Four of 2020's Exposure Series features all three of our visiting artists in a collaborative trio grouping, followed by a new quintet performing original compositions by bassist Nate McBride. This grouping features a cross section of the current Chicago improvised music scene, with journeyman trumpeter Russ Johnson alongside some of the newer generation's finest improvisers including Molly Jones on saxophones, Andrew Clinkman on guitar, and Emerson Hunton on drums.
Monday March 30 | 7:30 pm
$10

Exposure Series 2020 : Night Five (ESS)

For the fifth and final night of Exposure Series 2020, "Maya Madas" performs a solo concert, and discusses her artistic practice with Experimental Sound Studio curator, percussionist, and composer Tim Daisy..
Monday March 30 | 9:00 pm
$10

Sun Speak & Clark Sommers’ Ba(SH)

Guitar/drums duo Sun Speak performs a set of original electric chamber music, and Clark Sommers' trio Ba(SH) presents compositions from its new album Peninsula.

April 2020

Thursday April 2 | 9:00 pm
$10

Hatcher/Maunu/Kirshner Trio & Christopher Dammann’s Restroy

The Chicago-based improvising trio Hatcher/Maunu/Kirshner, Gerrit Hatcher (tenor saxophone), Peter Maunu (guitar, violin, mandolin), and Julian Kirshner (drums, percussion), is a union of some of its members' most meaningful longstanding collaborations. Julian Kirshner and Peter Maunu play together twice monthly as hosts of the Splice Series at Chicago’s Beat Kitchen, and Hatcher and Kirshner have a running duo project of their own, including their 2017 release, "Five Percent Tint". The three have all participated in music together besides such discretely-defined projects, all contributing to make this a group with a deep personal rapport, but also one with an omnivorous taste in improvisation, as evidenced on their 2018 album "The Raven and the Dove". Through touring and extended playing the trio has further opened up their comfortability with high-volume and high-density improvisations, no show being quite like the one that proceeded it. Christopher Dammann's Restroy goes second, making an all-too-rare Chicago appearance.
Monday April 6 | 9:00 pm
$10

Jarod Bufe Trio & Brad Fritcher’s Moods

Jarod Bufe's improvising trio returns to Elastic, and Pittsburgh-based trumpeter Brad Fritcher's quartet Moods visits as part of a Midwest tour.
Thursday April 9 | 9:00 pm
$10

Freedom From Freedom To

After the 1st and 2nd editions of this improvisational cross-medium collaboration took off as a resounding success in fall 2019, dancer/choreographer, artist, educator, activist, and Elastic Arts Board Member Cristal Sabbagh returns with the third incarnation of this dance and sound-fueled mashup between ten musicians and ten dancers.
Friday April 10 | 9:00 pm
$10

The Eternals w/ special guest Nick Mazzarella + Snake Union + Peter Redgrave

Chicago's own superheroes, The Eternals bring forth an unknown magic in a quartet form as they headline a night with friends. Snake Union will present their unique dueling psychedelic electronics from Brooklyn and Peter Redgrave will unfold solo mysterious moves culled from Baltimore and beyond. A night of wonderment and exploration not to be missed!
Thursday April 23 | 9:00 pm
$10

Michael Foster / Claire Rousay Duo

Brooklyn-based reedist Michael Foster and San Antonio-based percussionist Claire Rousay have a history dating back several years, with their duo focus being a prime area of focus for their remarkably original and non-idiomatic improvisations.
Friday April 24 | 9:00 pm
$10

Elastro/CLEAT 16-channel Spring #4: Earful, Naylor, Beanblossom

Please join us at Elastic Arts for our April event in our "16 Channel Spring" season of programming. Our Spring season continues and build on the mission of Elastro by working together with CLEAT to showcase new work by musicians, sound designers, and theater artists from across Chicago, across disciplines, and across artistic communities.
Thursday April 30 | 9:00 pm
$10

The Bridge : Christine Wodrascka Solo & Les Sangliers

This ongoing transatlantic collaboration between groups of French and American musicians continues with a set of Chicago and midwestern dates by the group Les Sangliers (Wild Boars). This firebreathing band made its debut with a three-week tour of France in February 2018, developing an incredibly cohesive group sound based on texture and energy. This powerful lineup includes the double-saxophone pairing of Chicagoans Keefe Jackson and Dave Rempis, the double-drum pairing of Frech percussionists Didier Laserre and Peter Orins, with pianist Christine Wodrascka at the center of the storm holding things together. For the opening set, stellar pianist Christine Wodrascka makes her solo debut in Chicago.

May 2020

Thursday May 7 | 9:00 pm
$10

Derek Wothington’s Lossy Codecs

Detroit-based composer, trumpet player, and electronic musician Derek Worthington brings his “Lossy Codecs” improvisation system to Chicago. The system involves mapping various musical parameters over time, and is utilized both in pre-written and real-time compositions. To direct the ensemble, Worthington uses an interface he has programmed that serves as a dynamic graphic score, mirroring his laptop to television screens for the performers to see. This performance will feature many of Chicago's most creative improvising musicians.
Thursday May 14 | 9:00 pm
$10

Moore/Sowa Duo & Stein/Shead Duo

Two reed/percussion duos compare notes on the form tonight!! Featuring a cross-section of Chicago's current improvised music scene, including some up-and-coming younger musicians.
Thursday May 28 | 9:00 pm
$10

Gidic/Nield Duo & Rempis/Maunu/Heinemann/Harris

A European free-improvising saxophone/drums duo makes its Elastic Arts debut, followed by a free-improvised quartet consisting of a cross-generational grouping of some of Chicago's finest.
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