1. The Head & the Load by William Kentridge and Philip Miller
(Park Avenue Armory, December 4–15)
2. Anthracite Fields by Julia Wolfe (December 1, Carnegie Hall)
3. IPSA DIXIT by Kate Soper
(October 27, Miller Theatre at Columbia University) A powerful exploration of the meaning of language and art, incredible voice and original sounds.
4. The Mile-Long Opera: a biography of 7 o’clock by David Lang
(October 3-8, High Line)
5. Only the Sound Remains by Kaaia Saariaho (Lincoln Center, September 28)
6. Daniel Kahn’s “Yiddish Shabes” (Yiddishland, August 17)
7. The Force of Things: Opera for Objects by Ashley Fure
(Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center, August 6-8). Audible and beyond audible, “the mounting hum of ecological anxiety around us,” exceptionally imaginative music and architecture of the frightening future.
8. Leonard Bernstein’s MASS (July 17-18, Lincoln Center)
9. Toy Piano Plus, Margaret Leng Tan (Spectrum, June 2)
10. Terry Riley’s Autodreamographical Tales & Science Fiction, performed by Bang on a Can All-Stars & Terry Riley, voice (NYU Skirball Center, May 13) A masterful sonification of dreams and mystery.
11. Music of Max Johnson w/ Mivos Quartet, Beck, Thomson & Gornstein (Spectrum, March 30)
12. Cellular Songs by Meredith Monk (BAM, March 14-18) Enchanting way of being present in the nature and voice.
13. Audrey Chen with Talibam! (Wonders of Nature, March 8)
14. The Stone Benefit with Laurie Anderson et al (The Stone at Ave C, February 22)
15. An Evening with Vincent Moon and Priscilla Telmon (MoMA, February 19)
16. LES Elegy 3: Oriental Shtetl — Shekhina Big Band with Frank London, Steve Dalachinsky et al (The Stone at Ave C, February 15) Beat Poetics and Sun Ra Ecstatics – liberating music entering Jewish chakras to tell us we are going to live soon.
17. Matthew Shipp and Roscoe Mitchell (Carnegie Hall, January 27)
18. Quintavant in New York (Spectrum, January 11)
Disclaimer: This is a list of the most memorable music events in New York that we have attended in 2018. After several unsuccessful attempts to arrange them in the order of significance/beauty/power/originality/meaningfulness/etc, and still being sure only about the top 3 (numbers 4, 7, and 12), we’ve decided to put them in the reverse chronological order. Also, two events listed here did not appear on ET NYC calendar, and are “technically” not so much “extended”, but were so memorable that we simply couldn’t omit them.
THURSDAY, January 3
8 PM Matt Shipp and Michael Bisio
VENUE: The Owl
ADMISSION:$10
THURSDAY, January 3
8:30 pm Herbie Nichols Sung
Fay Victor (voice, lyrics, conceptualization) Anthony Coleman (piano) Michael Attias (alto and baritone saxes) Ratzo Harris (double bass) Tom Rainey (drums)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
FRIDAY, January 4
7PM Altai Kai: Throat Singing Virtuosos
FRIDAY, January 4
8 PM Chasm
Tim Berne – Saxophone
Ryan Ferreira – Guitar
Dave King – Drums
VENUE: IBeam
ADMISSION: $15
WEDNESDAY, January 9
8 PM NYC Winter Jazzfest Presents: Medeski Martin & Wood
with Alarm Will Sound
VENUE: Brooklyn Steel (319 Frost Street, Brooklyn NY)
ADMISSION: $45- $55
WEDNESDAY, January 9
8:30 pm Tomeka Reid, Ches Smith and Craig Taborn
Tomeka Reid (cello) Ches Smith (drums) Craig Taborn (piano)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
WEDNESDAY, January 9
8pm Andrew Cyrille
Vision Festival Lifetime Achievement Salon
A Special Salon featuring a solo drum set performance by Vision Festival Lifetime Achievement Honoree Andrew Cyrille. https://www.artsforart.org/salon.html
VENUE: Zürcher Gallery
ADMISSION: $30 (includes food and wine)
FRIDAY, January 11
6PM Reich/Eastman: Manhattan Minimalists
REICH (1939-) || Music for 18 Musicians [1976]
EASTMAN (1940-1990) || Gay Guerrilla [1980] https://www.facebook.com/events/1827211467328559/
VENUE: Neidorff-Karpati Hall
ADMISSION: free
FRIDAY, January 11 Winter Jazz Fest Marathon
6:20pm Michael Formanek’s Very Practical Trio with Tim Berne and Mary Halvorson
VENUE: LPR
ADMISSION: $50- $60 Single Night Pass
FRIDAY, January 11 Winter Jazz Fest Marathon
6:40pm Jamie Saft Quartet
12:00am Susan Alcorn
VENUE: Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, Nyc)
ADMISSION: $50- $60 Single Night Pass
FRIDAY, January 11
8 pm Screening of Milford Graves Full Mantis, directed by Jake Meginsky (New Ear Festival 2019)
Susie Ibarra (drums), Brian Chase (drums) https://www.fridmangallery.com/new-ear-2019
VENUE: Fridman Gallery
ADMISSION: $20- $15
SATURDAY, January 12
Winter Jazz Fest Marathon
6:20pm Vijay Iyer & Craig Taborn
VENUE: LPR
ADMISSION: $50- $60 Single Night Pass
SATURDAY, January 12
Winter Jazz Fest Marathon
11 pm Jon Irabagon
VENUE: Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam Street, Nyc)
ADMISSION: $50- $60 Single Night Pass
SATURDAY, January 12
8:30 pm Farmers by Nature
William Parker (bass) Gerald Cleaver (drums) Craig Taborn (piano)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
FRIDAY, January 18
7:30PM Bop Kabbalah + Voices: New Radical Yiddish Liberation Songs
Judith Berkson / Ty Citerman / Sara Serpa https://www.facebook.com/events/221737358619513/
VENUE: Areté Venue and Gallery
ADMISSION: $15
FRIDAY, January 18
8:30 pm Capricorn Climber
Ingrid Laubrock (sax) Trevor Dunn (bass) Tom Rainey (drums) Mat Maneri (viola) Kris Davis (piano) Special Guest Jen Shyu (voice)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
SUNDAY, January 20
6pm Matana Roberts and Darius Jones – Alto Sax Duets – First Time Duet!
VENUE: DMG
ADMISSION: free
THURSDAY, January 24
8:30 pm Jen Shyu, Ikue Mori and Mat Maneri
Jen Shyu (vocals) Ikue Mori (electronics) Mat Maneri (viola)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
MONDAY, January 28
7.30pm + 9.30pm Anna Webber Sextet Clockwise Album Release Concert
Anna Webber – flute & tenor saxophone
Jeremy Viner – tenor saxophone & clarinet
Jacob Garchik – trombone
Chris Hoffman – cello
Matt Mitchell – piano
Chris Tordini – bass
Ches Smith – drums
VENUE: Jazz Gallery
ADMISSION: $15/free for members, reserved table seating: $20/$10 members
TUESDAY, January 29
6pm Either/Or, Music Of Richard Carrick
Performers: Either/Or
Repertoire:
Richard Carrick lanterne for solo bass flute (2018)
Richard Carrick Sarang Ga for bass clarinet with piano (2018)
Anthony Braxton Composition No. 101 (1981) and Composition No. 168 (1992)
Richard Carrick autour for ensemble (2019), world premiere https://www.millertheatre.com/events/either-or-2018
VENUE: Miller Theatre at Columbia University
ADMISSION: Free
THURSDAY, January 31
7.30pm + 9.30pm Ches Smith New Quartet
Ches Smith – drums
Mary Halvorson – guitar
Liberty Ellman – guitar
Nick Dunston – bass
VENUE: Jazz Gallery
ADMISSION: $15/free for members, reserved table seating: $20/$10 members
One day in August, Rimona shared with me a song – “that new café… .” A member of Grace Chorale Brooklyn, and a fellow New Yorker, she said she will sing it repeatedly while other choristers perform different lines, creating together The Mile-Long Opera: a biography of 7 o’clock. “Is David Lang by any chance the composer?” – I asked, as this description immediately reminded me of “the day,” performed at Bang On A Can festival last spring. Simple, repetitive, deeply human… This time also immersive, multi-sensory, site-specific.
Funny, how the absence of references to minimalism and various developments in the history of opera changes everything…
Funny, how the absence of references to minimalism and various developments in the history of opera changes nothing…
It’s October 3rd, and I am standing in line to get into the line which will hopefully lead me to an entrance to the High Line, holding two tickets which Rimona handed to me this morning in one hand, and the hand of another fellow New Yorker in the other. I remember my first summer in the city, when the second section of High Line had just opened, and I fell in love with the concept of a “fellow New Yorker” and its actual representation at the same time. I haven’t started hearing the sounds of The Mile-Long Opera yet, but I already feel its spirit. It’s past 7 o’clock.
Funny, how the lack of references to various post-modern philosophies changes everything…
Funny, how the lack of references to various post-modern philosophers changes nothing…
One way to describe “what happened” “on stage” that night (for a more conventional account, read here) is to “define” a fellow New Yorker, or rather, to map several characteristics of this species, and then say – there were a thousand of them performing a specified script, and several thousand adding improvised elements. A fellow New Yorker is:
1) A person willing to stand in a long line that will lead them to an unforgettable intellectual, cultural, artistic or spiritual experience (remember mile-long lines to The Night of Philosophy, or The Stone benefits on Avenue C, lines to new shows at museums, or – which line is your favorite?).
2) Someone who constantly mourns the closure or relocation of favorite places.
3) Someone who can’t tell the difference between life and art, but loves to discuss it as if they had an advanced degree in philosophy, because they are constantly presented with objects that fit both categories. See those people wiping the windows? Are they a part of the script? You know they are, once the idea is repeated in each window, as you keep walking.
Funny, how the lack of references to John Cage and his ideas of art entering daily life changes everything…
Funny, how the lack of references to John Cage and his ideas of art entering daily life changes nothing…
Verse/Spot 16 (out of 26), “will you marry me.” I am standing on a metal structure above the singers, shivering with excitement, holding the hand of the FNY who made me shiver here before, who said almost the same words just around the corner, in that old café (is it still there?). Personal stories. Making art together. I look into your eyes, you look back, you say, I listen. Simple, repetitive, deeply human.
SATURDAY, December 1
9 PM Julia Wolfe: Anthracite Fields
Performers:
Bang on a Can All-Stars
Ashley Bathgate, Cello and Voice
Robert Black, Bass
Vicky Chow, Piano and Keyboard
David Cossin, Percussion
Mark Stewart, Guitar and Voice
Ken Thomson, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet
Andrew Cotton, Sound Engineer
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street
Julia Wolfe, Anthracite Fields: a cantata about American worker’s experience https://www.carnegiehall.org/calendar/2018/12/01/julia-wolfe-anthracite-fields-0900pm
VENUE: Zankel Hall (Carnegie Hall)
ADMISSION: $54 to $65
SUNDAY, December 2
3PM String Noise
Pauline Kim Harris and Conrad Harris
VENUE: Spectrum
ADMISSION: $15
SUNDAY, December 2
6PM Entertaining Science: Polyphonic Minds: Neuroscience And Cubist Jazz
Dave Soldier, host
Peter Pesic, author; Denman Maroney, piano;
Ratzo Harris, bass; Bob Meyer, drums;
Lisa Karrer, vocalist; Wally Glickman, poet
VENUE: Cornelia Street Cafe
ADMISSION: $10.00 cover plus $10.00 minimum
MONDAY, December 3
6:30pm Elliott Sharp – Reading and Book Signing
Elliott Sharp will read from his new book: ‘IrRational Music’
There will be copies available for purchase and signing. http://www.dtmgallery.com/shows.php
VENUE: Downtown Music Gallery
ADMISSION: free
MONDAY, December 3
8PM Sylvie Courvoisier Trio // Nate Wooley: Battle Pieces IV
Sylvie Courvoisier Trio
Sylvie Courvoisier – Piano
Drew Gress – Bass
Kenny Wollesen – Drums
Battle Pieces IV
Nate Wooley – Trumpet
Sylvie Courvoisier – Piano
Ingrid Laubrock – Saxophones
Matt Moran – Vibraphone https://www.facebook.com/events/325749411544896/
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: $18-$25
December 4–15
The Head & the Load
Concept and Director: William Kentridge
Composer: Philip Miller
Co-composer / Music Director: Thuthuka Sibisi
Featured Vocalists & Performers: Joanna Dudley, Nhlanhla Mahlangu, Ann Masina, Bham Ntabeni, Sipho Seroto, N`Faly Kouyate (kora), Mario Gotoh (viola, The Knights), Tlale Makhene (percussion) and Vincenzo Pasquariello (piano) http://armoryonpark.org/programs_events/detail/the_head_and_the_load
VENUE: Park Avenue Armory
ADMISSION: from $40
FRIDAY, December 7
7PM Spectral Fridays
Axis (Jon Irabagon/John Hegre/Nils Dronen)
Gabriel Zucker’s Weighting
Gabriel Zucker – piano
Jon Irabagon – saxophone
Eric Trudel – saxophone
Mariel Roberts, cello
SATURDAY, December 8
8pm In Order to Survive
William Parker – bass
Cooper-Moore – keyboard
Rob Brown – alto sax
w/ guest Gerald Cleaver – drums
VENUE: Weeksville Heritage Center (158 Buffalo Ave, Brooklyn)
ADMISSION: $15
SATURDAY, December 8
8:30 pm Thurston Moore, John Zorn, William Winant and Tom Surgal
Thurston Moore (guitar) John Zorn (sax) William Winant (percussion) Tom Surgal (percussion)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
SUNDAY, December 9
6pm Fackpamp: Anders Nilsson / Hampus Ohman-Frolund Sarah Bernstein – Guitar / Drums / Violin //
7pm Axis: Jon Irabagon / John Hegre / Nils Dronen – Saxes
VENUE: DMG
ADMISSION: free
Ritual: Percussion/Poetry/Dance
w/ Warren Smith, Juma Sultan, Andre Martinez, Jackson Krall, Fred Moten, Edwin Torres, Tracie Morris
Visionary Youth Orchestra lead by Karen Borca
Cooper-Moore
Jemeel Moondoc’s Muntu
w/ Mark Hennen, Charles Downs, Larry Roland
Dianne McIntyre
Steve Dalachinsky
Bobby Zankel / Jackson Krall / Elliott Levin
Jaimie Branch / Patricia Nicholson / Luke Stewart
Oliver Lake / DD Jackson / Pheeroan akLaff
Craig Harris / Kelvyn Bell / Adam Klipple
Dave Burrell / Darius Jones / William Parker / Juma Sultan
Andrew Cyrille
Vijay Iyer
Henry Grimes
Albey Balgochian / Jane Grenier
Blue Lime Light: a tribute by William Parker
Cecil Taylor Sound Vision Orchestra
with Karen Borca, John Bruschini, Scott Currie, Joe Daley, Stephen Haynes, Mark Hennen, Rosie Hertlein, Taylor Ho Bynum, Richard Keene, Jackson Krall, Andrew Lamb, Elliott Levin, Bill Lowe, JD Parran, Dave Sewelson, Warren Smith, Lisa Sokolov, Steve Swell
VENUE: Roulette
ADMISSION: free w/RSVP
TUESDAY, December 11
8:30 pm Ikue Mori, Nate Wooley and Mary Halvorson
Ikue Mori (electronics) Nate Wooley (trumpet) Mary Halvorson (guitar)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
WEDNESDAY, December 12
8:30 pm Highsmith Duo
Ikue Mori (electronics) Craig Taborn (piano)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
THURSDAY, December 13
8:30 pm Mahobin Quartet
Lotte Anker (sax) Satoko Fujii (piano) Kappamaki (trumpet) Ikue Mori (electronics)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
FRIDAY, December 14
8:30 pm Mephista
Ikue Mori (electronics) Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) Susie Ibarra (drums)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
SATURDAY, December 15
8:30 pm Ikue Mori, Jim Staley, Brian Marsella and John Zorn
Ikue Mori (electronics) John Zorn (sax) Jim Staley (trombone) Brian Marsella (keyboards)
VENUE: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
SUNDAY, December 16
3 pm – 9 pm SolstICE Celebration
program highlights include: pieces from Du Yun’s Dinosaur Scar, Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Sequences, and selections from Nathan Davis’ Hagoromo
Featuring ICE members:
Rebekah Heller, bassoon
Claire Chase, flute
Ross Karre, percussion
Nathan Davis, percussion
Levy Lorenzo, percussion & electronics
Josh Modney, violin
Jacob Greenberg, harmonium
Joshua Rubin, clarinet
Isabel Gleicher, flute
Dan Lippel, guitar
Ryan Muncy, saxophone
… and more!
VENUE: Areté Gallery
ADMISSION: $20 suggested donation
TUESDAY, December 18
Nate Wooley / Josh Sinton / William Lang
7 pm – Nate Wooley
8 pm – Josh Sinton
9 pm – loadbang solo portrait: William Lang
VENUE: Areté Gallery
ADMISSION: each $10 at the door or $20 for all three sets
WEDNESDAY, December 19
8 pm S.E.M. Ensemble Presents
Looking Back & Onward: 1986 & Now
Works by Petr Kotik, Miya Masaoka (premiere),
Ben Neill, Michael J. Schumacher
Program:
Petr Kotik: Wilsie Bridge (1986-87)
Ben Neill: Money Talk (1986)
Michael J. SchumacherVariations (2017-18)
Intermission
Miya Masaoka: States of Being and Becoming (2018)
Ben Neill: Horizonal (2015)
Petr Kotik: Now Distance (2014-18) http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3910665
Paula Cooper Gallery
524 West 26th Street, NYC
Tickets: $10 – $20
WEDNESDAY, December 19
8pm Lotte Anker, Craig Taborn, Gerald Cleaver
VENUE: 244 Rehearsal Studios
ADMISSION: check with the venue
A selection of Eastman’s piano works performed by Chessa and Adam Tendler that include the premiere of his “Touch Him When” for piano four-hands in a new transcription by Sumanth Gopinath and Luciano Chessa.
LOCATION: The New School, The Auditorium, Alvin Johnson/J.M. Kaplan Hall
ADMISSION: Free/RSVP
SATURDAY, November 3
8:30 pm Twice Told Tales
Tony Malaby (soprano and tenor saxes) Louie Belogenis (soprano and tenor saxes) Eivind Opsvik (bass) Billy Mintz (drums)
LOCATION: The Stone
ADMISSION: $20
SUNDAY, November 4
8pm UnCaged: Sonatas and (New) Interludes
Angélica Negron, Eleonor Sandresky, Justin Hines, and Danny Felsenfeld
7pm Max Johnson, Double Bass; Matt Nelson (tUnE-yArDs, Battle Trance) on Tenor Saxophone, and Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Drums & Drones) on drumset.
The program is expected to finish at approximately 9pm, at which point audience members are invited to stay to watch election returns from the Congressional midterms.
LOCATION:Spectrum
ADMISSION: $20
WEDNESDAY, November 7
7pm Mivos String Quartet
Stefano Gervasoni: Clamour (NY premiere)
Simone Movio: Zahir Ia (NY premiere, written for Mivos)
Zosha Di Castri: String Quartet no. 1
Ivan Fedele: “…qui transitis per viam” (NY premiere)
[Transcription of the motet “O vos omnes” by Gesualdo]
extended techniques 