Yup, that's right...the legendary FLOWER TRAVELLIN' BAND will be making only their 3rd US appearance ever, at the Velvet Lounge, on either Tuesday, March 17 or Wednesday, March 18. More details coming soon!
Wednesday 2/18
Twins Jazz
1344 U St NW, Washington DC
http://www.twinsjazz.com202-234-0072
$10, all ages, show at 8pm (seriously, this means 8!)
Chromatic Mysteries is a new Philly-based ensemble -- or perhaps a conduit for extraterrestrial audio manipulation -- comprised of members from such sonic explorers as Sun Ra Arkestra, Bardo Pond, Kohoutek, and New Ghost. Horns collide with guitars that melt with percussion to create alien emissions that communicate with man's primordial urges.
As a young musician,
Marshall Allen (b. 1924 in Louisville, Kentucky) performed with pianist Art Simmons, Don Byas and James Moody before enrolling in the Paris Conservatory of Music. After relocating to Chicago, Allen became a pupil of Sun Ra, subsequently joining the Arkestra in 1958 and leading Sun Ra's formidable reed section for the next 40 years. Marshall, along with John Gilmore, June Tyson and James Jacson, lived, rehearsed, toured and recorded with Sun Ra almost exclusively for much of Sun Ra's musical career. As a member of the Arkestra, Allen pioneered the Free Jazz movement of the early '60s, having remarkable influence on leading voices in the avant-garde. He is featured on over 200 Sun Ra recordings in addition to collaborations with Phish, Sonic Youth, Digable Planets, and Medeski, Martin & Wood. Allen assumed the position of maestro in 1995, following the ascension of Sun Ra in 1993 and John Gilmore in 1995. Allen continues to be committed to the study, research, and
development of Sun Ra's musical precepts.
Have you seen this man walking the streets of Philly? His signature
single dread emits musical spores over sidewalks, music halls and
coffeehouses.
Elliott Levin is the ubiquitous Philadelphia musician. He has played with everyone...reading his poetry into his flute, literally, improvising with Charles Cohen, Rick Iannacone and New Ghost, the list is long. Elliott studied music and creative writing at the University of Oregon. He also studied extensively with Michael Guera (former saxophonist with the Philadelphia Orchestra), Cecil Taylor (pianist/composer/improviser), and Claire Polin (flutist/composer). Born in 1953, Levin is a Philadelphia-born-and-based jazz musician and poet. For 10 years he toured the world with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, as saxophonist in The Sound of Philadelphia band. He regularly performs jazz and poetry with Cecil Taylor's groups Phthongas and Unit Core Ensemble, Odean Pope's Sax Choir, New Ghost, Interplay, Talking Free Be-Bop, Gloria Tropp, and Miguel Algarin. His original music and poetry was recorded for broadcast throughout the USA as part of the New American Radio Series. He is also currently a member of drummer (Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer, Lounge Lizards) G. Calvin Weston's Big Tree; Animus (world/fusion music); The Philadelphia Phenomenon (w/ Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Rick Iannacone, Calvin Weston); and the West Philadelphia Orchestra.
Born in 1878 to a Madagascar whaler and a Nepalese snake charmer,
Outer Philadelphia's
Michael Gibbons has been tantalizing intoxicated audiences for well over a century. In 1989, after decades roving the southern seas as a pirate, inventing cures and pharmaceuticals as a mad scientist, and designing top-secret UFOs as an astrophysicist during the Cold War, Gibbons, at the age of 111, along with his brother and one-time cellmate John, formed the well-regarded and mightily feared pop combo The Bardo Pond. Armed with electrified guitars and almost as many pedals an hair follicles, The Brothers Gibbons kidnapped Swedish debutante Isobel Sollenberger, Japanese samurai dishwasher Clint Takeda, and some shlub named Joe, licked a few toads and conquered the Psychedelphia scene. However, not content with utter global domination and thousands of passionate caresses from women the world over, Gibbons decided to unleash his solo machinations upon the unsuspecting public, in the form of "kosmische raga folk" (according to one victim, Ed Hardy), as 500mg. Gibbons continues to emit fuzzed-out washes of meditative drone, squealing feedback, and chemically-influenced riffs in such socially unacceptable configurations as Alasehir, Vapour Theories, Alumbrados, Baikal, Third Troll, and Curanderos, and can be found at the offices of Matador, Siltbreeze, ATP, and Important begging for royalty checks.
Drummer/percussionist
Scott Verrastro utilizes a plethora of sticks, brushes, bells, shakers, cymbals and gongs, metal, contact mics, and household items -- in addition to a traditional drum kit -- to coax a wide palette of sounds. Verrastro received a degree in music literature from Northeastern University in Boston and continues to examine many forms of music, including all styles of improvisation and traditional folk. His main percussion influences are Milford Graves, Rashied and Muhammed Ali, Sunny Murray, Han Bennink, Jaki Liebezeit, Bill Bruford and Jamie Muir from King Crimson's Larks' Tongues in Aspic, and yes, even John Bonham, Bill Ward, Keith Moon, and Nick Mason. His improv psych band Kohoutek explores all of this territory, veering from drony Krautrock-inspired psych to abstract noise freak-outs and everything in between. Verrastro also plays in a duo with guitarist Chris Grier (To Live and Shave in L.A.) called Thee Ultimate VAG, a trio with guitarists Anthony Pirog and Ed Ricart called PRV Trio, often accompanies guitarist Jeff Barsky in Insect Factory and multi-instrumentalist John Stanton in Kuschty Rye Ergot, and has collaborated with saxophonists Marshall Allen (of Sun Ra Arkestra), Elliott Levin, Paul Flaherty, Dan Scofield, and John Dikeman. He has also performed with Damo Suzuki (of Can), Richard Pinhas (of Heldon), numerous Bardo Pond projects, and multi-instrumentalists Mike Tamburo and Little Holwin' Wolf.
Born in Ancon, Panama,
Edward J. Ricart began his studies in Prague with Tony Ackerman, a student of the great trumpeter Bill Dixon. He's opened the book to his very own chapter of 'avant' guitaring, combining the ferocity of no wave and vintage hardcore with the endless spiritual possibilities afforded by free jazz and improvisation. In the process, he's unleashed a fire music fit to score the technological developments and social unrest of this modern age. He currently performs as a member of DC's avant-rock PRV TRIO. He can occasionally be seen onstage with DC space-rock stalwarts KOHOUTEK, and noise troupe SONIC SUICIDE SQUAD, who will be touring in support of Acid Mothers Temple this coming April. In the past year, his ensembles have supported Sabir Mateen, Eugene Chadbourne, Elliott Sharp, The Convocation, Toshi Makihara, Uri Caine, Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone. Equally likely to perform everything from math rock to modern classical, you can catch him on tour this February as a member of CHROMATIC MYSTERIES with Marshall Allen, Elliott Levin, Scott Verrastro, and Michael Gibbons.
