Joel Palmer & Scott Ezell: Electroacoustic Daydreams

Seattle guitarist Joel David Palmer pursues dreamy, swirly realms of richly harmonic and melodic electric guitar improvisations. Lush washes of sound are punctuated with stabs and eruptions of sonic crystals, the whole melting into a breath-like ebb and flow of atmospheric electronica. Scott Ezell is an artist, poet, and musician based in Seattle. He has lived and traveled for a dozen years in China, Japan, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, and other countries, where among other things he worked as a recording artist, record producer, and composer of film sound tracks. Tonight he plays a solo set for ambient/world guitar and flute.

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John Luther Adams

Nonsequitur presents the first Seattle concert devoted entirely to the music of Alaskan composer John Luther Adams. The program opens with two solo piano pieces performed by Seattle pianist Cristina Valdes, Nunataks (originally commissioned by Music Northwest) and Among Red Mountains, and concludes with The Mathematics of Resonant Bodies, a monumental recent work for solo percussion and electronics performed by renowned percussionist Steven Schick.

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Rendez-vous à Paris: Franck, Enescu, Szymanowski, Shostakovich

Violinists Victoria Parker, Arthur Zadinsky (first violinist with the Seattle Symphony) and pianist Oana Rusu Tomai have chosen this program after reflecting on how expatriate composers bring to their host country colorful characteristics of their native culture. Fun, light miniature pieces by Karol Szymanowski and Dmitri Shostakovich round off the evening.

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Bad Luck: CD Release Concert

Co-led by drummer Chris Icasiano and saxophonist Neil Welch, Bad Luck is about sound art, slowly developed loops and pedals used to propel the music into new aural fields. Tight-knit original compositions meet sonic mosaics in a musical relationship cultivated by years on the bandstand. Also, Operation I.D. is a Seattle collective performing modern, original compositions and fierce improvisations.

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Lori Goldston / Dylan Carlson / KnotPineBox

Solo sets by three strong, quirky, and carefully realized voices that travel freely across stylistic borders: Dylan Carlson, electric guitar; Lori Goldston, amplified cello; KnotPineBox (Karen Hancock), electric guitar and voice.

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bst.cr: Bennett/Jewell/Shook

Presented by the Gallery 1412 collective with funding from 4Culture and the King County Lodging Tax.

This heretofore unnamed vessel (pronounced Bee Ess Tee See Arrrrgh) comprises a core trio of Ben Bennett (drumheads), Ryan Jewell (snare drum), and Wilson Shook (alto saxophone). With guests Paul Hoskin (reeds), Mara Sedlins (viola), Tyler Wilcox (reeds, synthesizer), Mark Collins (bass) and, from Portland, Kelvin Pittman (tenor saxophone).

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Earshot: Hans Koch + Paul Kikuchi's Portable Sanctuary

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival.

Swiss reedman Hans Koch, one of the most fearless improvisers in music, performs solo on bass clarinet. Koch left his career as a classical clarinetist and has worked since with Fred Frith, Cecil Taylor, and Andrew Cyrille. Seattle-based percussionist and composer Paul Kikuchi follows with his quartet – trombone maestro Stuart Dempster and fellow percussionist-instrument makers Alexander Vittum and Jesse Olsen.

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Seattle Composers' Salon

The Seattle Composers’ Salon fosters the development, performance and appreciation of new music by regional composers and performers. At bi-monthly, informal presentations, the Salon features finished works, previews, and works in progress. Composers, performers, and audience members gather in a casual setting that allows for experimentation and discussion. This month's composers: Keith Eisenbrey, Emily Doolittle, Cole Bratcher, Tom Baker

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Nu:BC Collective

Presented by WA Composers Forum as part of their Transport Series.

The Nu:BC Collective, ensemble-in-residence at the University of British Columbia, presents a program of works by Canadian, French and American composers, written for chamber ensemble and tape: Christopher Sivak: A Perfect Focus (2008); Dorothy Chang: Miniatures (1998); Kamran Ince: MKG Variations for solo cello (1998) Chris Paul Harman: Doubling (2007); Jacob TerVeldhuis: The Body of Your Dreams (2004) Phillipe Leroux: ppp (1993); Marc Mellits: Fruity Pebbles (1997)

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Earshot: Kaufmann/Gratkowski/de Joode

Presented by Earshot Jazz Festival & Polestar.

The astounding trio of Achim Kaufmann (piano), Frank Gratkowski (alto saxophone & clarinets), and Wilbert de Joode (bass) incorporates aspects of contemporary classical music, free improvisation, and the jazz tradition with enormous sympathy, dexterity, and power. The ensemble can create sparse, tense music from the bristling details of quiet interaction, while later firing through heated group improvisations as fast as the ear can follow.

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