Monday, August 12, 2019

The Bleeding Edge: 8/12/2019

This promises to be a very busy week, even if “the action” does not get under way until Wednesday. To begin with, we have half a dozen “usual suspects” events that have already been taken into account:
  • The Center for New Music (C4NM) will be hosting concerts on August 16, 17, and 18.
  • Old First Concerts will have a “bleeding edge” concert in its Friday slot on August 16, as well as a “special event,” which will begin at 10 p.m. on August 17.
  • The first of the three concerts taking place this month at The Lab will be on August 16.
In addition, this will be another “double header” week for Outsound Presents with concerts in both the LSG (Luggage Store Gallery) Creative Music Series and the Static Illusion Methodical Madness (SIMM) Series as follows:

Thursday, August 15, 8:15 p.m., LSG: This program will follow the usual format of two sets of free improvisation. The first set will be taken by the Manala Chamber Ensemble, presenting the latest installment of the Manala research project being conducted by Rent Romus and Heikki Koskinen. This involves interpreting both Finno-Ugric folklore and the mythic prose, poetry, and songs of cultural liberation and identity found in the rune poems of the Kalevala through the elements of jazz, traditional folk, and free improvisation. Romus will play flutes and alto saxophone, and Koskinen will play e-trumpet and tenor recorder. Other “winds” will be provided by Tom Weeks on alto and baritone saxophones and vocalist David Samas. Rhythm will be provided by Safa Shokrai on bass. The second set will be taken by Free Sax, featuring saxophonists Aaron Saul on alto and Andrew Ferren on tenor. They are joined by percussionist Brian Rodvien. LSG is located at 1007 Market Street, across from the corner of Golden Gate Avenue and Taylor Street; and admission is on a sliding scale between $8 and $15.

Sunday, August 18, 7:30 p.m., Musicians Union Hall: The SIMM Series concert will also follow the usual two-set format. The first set will be taken by Kim Nucci, whose instruments include saxophone, modular synthesizer, and other electronic sources. The set will include “friends,” who have not yet been identified. The second set will see the return of Noertker’s Moxie, led by Bill Noertker on bass. This installment will be a quartet performance with Annelise Zamula on alto saxophone and flute, Joshua Marshall on tenor saxophone, and Jordan Glenn on drums. The Musicians Union Hall, is located at 116 9th Street, near the corner of Mission Street. Admission is on a sliding scale between $10 and $20.

That leaves the following three additional events:

Wednesday, August 14, 8 p.m., Noisebridge: Judging from the poster design:


it would appear that the monthly series of experimental performances, which had been hosted by the Peacock Lounge, has moved over to the Noisebridge hackerspace. Certainly, the spirit of adventure seems to be as lively as ever. BDaSMr is the duo of Sharkiface and bran(…)pos; and they describe their genre as “whisper disco.” Suki O’Kane is a prodigious percussionist, who can be particularly adept at (in the words of Buckminster Fuller) “making more and more with less and less.” Anastasia Clarke will play a set using instruments of her own invention and performing systems that incorporate interactive props, immersive environments, analog circuitry, and live embodied electronic music performance. Finally, there will be a set taken by Ruby Guides, which will bring Mitchell Brown (who sometimes performs as Professor Cantaloupe) together with Jon Leidecker (also known as Wobbly). Noisebridge is located at 2169 Mission Street, two blocks south of the BART station at 16th Street. Admission will be $5.

Thursday, August 15, 7 p.m., Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM): Kyle Bruckmann is a virtuoso of most (I hesitate to say all) instruments in the double reed family. He is also a highly imaginative improviser whose inventions frequently explore the fundamental qualities of unconventional sonorities. He will present a program entitled Experiments in Sonic Potential, which was developed in partnership with C4NM. He will perform a series of improvisations conceived as conversations with the ceramic sculptures currently on exhibit at the museum. The event is expected to last for one hour.

CJM is located at 736 Mission Street, opposite Yerba Buena Gardens and along Yerba Buena Lane, which connects Mission Street to Market Street. The performance will be free for those admitted to the Museum. The admission charge is $12 for adults, seniors, and students with identification. Children aged eighteen and younger and CJM members will be admitted without charge.

Thursday, August 15, 7:30 p.m., Balboa Theatre: Once again, the Balboa will present an evening which brings the performance of live music together with cinema. Microcosmic Cinema is a benefit performance for Canyon Cinema. The first half of the program will be devoted to innovative films by Sophie Michael, Stacey Steers, Jodie Mack, and Barbara Hammer. The second half will then be devoted to the “projection performances” of Kerry Laitala. Laitala explores new dimensions of what may be called a “hands-on” approach, extending the usual editing techniques to the physical manipulation of the underlying media objects. She will present four works from her City Luminous Series, “Electric Salome,” “Spectacle of Light,” “Chromatic Wheels,” and “Figment in Film Number One.” These screenings will be given live sound accompaniment by the Voicehandler duo of Jacob Felix Heule and Danishta Rivero.

The Balboa Theatre is located in the Outer Richmond District at 3630 Balboa Street, which is between 37th Avenue and 38th Avenue. It can be reached easily by the Muni 38 line. The entire program (both halves) is expected to run for two hours. Admission will be $15, and the Balboa Theatre has created an event page for advance purchase of tickets online.

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