Microplastique (photo by Lola Selby)

Julian Otis & Gabrielle Lochard

An evening of serious play at the Improvised Music Series: vocalists Gabrielle Lochard and Julian Otis present an in-progress experimental opera project synthesizing improvisation, jazz, folk, children's songs, and spirituals; Adam Shead’s microplastique celebrates the release of its second album “Many Roads,” turning multi-instrumentalism and everything including the kitchen sink into introspective presence and a whimsical embrace of the avant-garde.

8:30 pm -
Gabrielle Lochard - voice, piano
Julian Otis - voice, electronics

9:30 pm - Microplastique
Ben Zucker - brass, percussion, stylophone
Molly Jones - winds, percussion
Josh Harlow - keyboards, percussion
Adam Shead - drums, percussion, compositions

$15 / $10 w/ Student ID - Tickets Available at the Door

About the Artists

microplastique is a Chicago-based quartet featuring multi-instrumentalists Ben Zucker, Molly Jones, Josh Harlow, and Adam Shead. Formed in 2023 under Shead’s direction, the ensemble explores the intersections of composition, improvisation, and sonic texture with a fearless and dynamic approach. Their debut album, blare blow bloom! (Irritable Mystic Records, 2024), received wide acclaim—All About Jazz called it “a wild ride through the avant-garde jazz landscape … a cacophony of sound that somehow manages to be both chaotic and harmonious” (Glenn Astarita), while The Tone Arm praised Shead’s “unique fusion of contemporary classical rigor and free jazz volatility” (Lawrence Peryer). With energetic performances that balance structure and spontaneity, microplastique has quickly established itself as one of Chicago’s most forward-thinking ensembles. Their forthcoming second album, Many Roads—out January 22, 2026 via Irritable Mystic Records—extends the group’s bold commitment to collective exploration and the creation of vivid, unpredictable sound worlds.