The Bleeding Edge: 5/27/2019

After several weeks of “quiet time” (since all events of note had already been announced through other articles), this column is “back in business.” This will be a relatively quiet week, but only two of the five events to consider have already been accounted for by earlier articles. Those two events are the follows:

1. The recital by the Black Cedar Trio at the Center for New Music on May 30
2. The weekly LSG (Luggage Store Gallery) Creative Music Series concert, also on May 30

That leaves the following three events:

Monday, May 27, 8:30 p.m., Make Out Room: For some reason (for which I have no excuse), the Monday Make-Out held on the first Monday of every month managed to slip off of this site’s radar. However, this will again be a month offering a second Monday Make-Out, which will take place tonight. As usual, the evening will offer three sets of cutting-edge Bay Area jazz and improvisation. The first set will be a duo improvisation by Jonathan Kay on saxophone and Jordan Glenn on drums. This will be followed by a modern jazz set by the Ruthie Dineen Group. Personnel details have not yet been announced. The final set will merge modern jazz with rock as performed by Dave Slusser’s Lost Plant. Slusser leads from both winds and keyboards. Rhythm will be provided by guitarists Len Paterson and Steve Clarke and drummer Thomas Scandura.

The Make Out Room is located at 3225 22nd Street in the Mission, near the southwest corner of Mission Street. The Make Out Room is a bar. That means that tickets are not sold, nor is there a cover charge. Nevertheless, a metaphorical hat is passed between sets; and all donations are accepted, not to mention welcome! Doors will open at 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 30, 8:30 p.m., Fort Mason: The San Francisco International Arts Festival (SFIAF), which is currently being hosted by the Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, will present the latest performance by Edward Schocker’s Crossing Ensemble. The Crossing is an improvisation group that seeks to combine traditional Eastern sensibilities with modern American performance practices. Including Schocker, there are eight performers that assemble in different combinations. The piece to be presented for SFIAF is entitled Self_Less, and the combination for this particular event will consist of Schocker, Yun Kyong Jin, and Hwan-Yeong Park.

The performance will take place in Gallery 308, which is located in Building A. Ticket prices are listed as running between $25 and $28. Unfortunately, the TICKETS hyperlink on the event page connects to a list of shows which does not include Self_Less. (This is not the first time that I have encountered disorganization on the SFIAF Web site.) Those wishing to attend should be prepared to pay at the door.

Sunday, June 2, 7:30 p.m., Musicians Union Hall: The only (at least as of this writing) June concert in the Static Illusion Methodical Madness (SIMM) Series to be offered by Outsound Presents will follow the usual two-set format. On this particular occasion, however, both sets will feature bassist Bill Noertker. He will begin with the performance of three solo bass compositions. Then in the second set Noertker’s Moxie will perform selections from his latest large-scale work, Tricycle. He will be joined by Annelise Zamula alternating between alto saxophone and flute, Beth Schenck on alto saxophone, and Jason Levis on drums. The venue is the Musicians Union Hall, located at 116 9th Street, near the corner of Mission Street. Admission is on a sliding scale between $10 and $20.