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CUSP PRESENTS: KEN VANDERMARK & TIM DAISY // DANA JESSEN

  • Convivium 33 gallery 1433 East 33rd Street Cleveland, OH, 44114 United States (map)

Ken Vandermark - reeds

Tim Daisy - drums and percussion

Chicago based improvisers, Tim Daisy (percussion) and  Ken Vandermark (reeds)  reconvene their longstanding duo project which began back in 2007 with the ltd edition self - release "August Music " followed by the double vinyl recording "Light on the Wall" (Lawrence Family), The Conversation (Multikulti) and Consequent Duos: Series 2A (Audiographic)

Ken Vandermark and Tim Daisy have been performing, recording, and touring together in a number of critically acclaimed groups since 2001; these ensembles include the Vandermark 5, the Frame Quartet, Sound In Action Trio, Bridge 61, the Resonance Project, and Made To Break

Performing in the unique format of a reed/drum duo, they concentrate on investigating free improvisation from the standpoint of rhythmic melodicism; following an international tradition that's been developed by artists such as Don Cherry/Ed Blackwell, Anthony Braxton/Max Roach, Evan Parker/Paul Lytton, and Peter Brotzmann/Han Bennink.

In this band Tim and Ken draw on a number of musical influences, including many sources outside the Jazz lexicon, for example: percussion music from Africa and South America, New Music ideas of composers like Morton Feldman and John Cage, popular music forms such as Funk and Rock. Together they combine their creative energies to further explore and assemble sound in an open, completely improvised context.

Through regular performances in their home city, the duo developed a special level of communication and invention. The excitement of the group warranted documentation and a desire to bring the music to audiences outside of Chicago.

Tonight's concert, the first time the duo has performed in Cleveland since 2011, will showcase a new book of material composed by each member of the group, with a recording and cd release planned for 2023 on Tim’s Relay Recordings imprint.

Dana Jessen's (un) Wired is a solo electroacoustic and improvisatory work that incorporates sonic environments and live processing through Ted Moore's DJII interface. This performance will showcase Jessen's unique musical language interacting with digital processes and sound worlds that one might associate with a science fiction soundtrack.

Hailed as a “bassoon virtuoso” (Chicago Reader), Dana Jessen tirelessly seeks to expand the boundaries of her instrument through original compositions, improvisations, and collaborative work with innovative artists. Over the past decade, she has presented dozens of world premiere performances throughout North America and Europe while maintaining equal footing in the creative music community as an improviser. Her solo performances are almost entirely grounded in electroacoustic composition that highlight her distinct musical language. As a chamber musician, Dana is the co-founder of the contemporary reed quintet Splinter Reeds, and has performed with Alarm Will Sound, Amsterdam’s DOEK Collective, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, and the Tri-Centric Ensemble, among many others. A dedicated educator, Dana teaches at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and has presented masterclasses and workshops to a range of students from across the globe. More at: www.danajessen.com