Center for New Music: August, 2023

According to my records, this past April was the last month to have an article devoted entirely to planned concerts at the Center for New Music (C4NM). Subsequent monthly schedules were then folded into either a “Choices” article or a “Bleeding Edge.” Indeed, when this week’s “Bleeding Edge” article was written on Monday, the visit to C4NM by composer Nat Evans was sited as the only event to take place this month.

However, as is so often the case, things change. Yesterday morning C4NM released a schedule of four events. For those that do not yet know, C4NM is located at 55 Taylor Street, half a block north of the Golden Gate Theater, which is where Golden Gate Avenue meets Market Street. The remaining events of the month will be as follows with Eventbrite hyperlinks attached to the date and time of each the performances:

• Saturday, August 19, 8 p.m.: The Simple Excesses Quartet will present a program of improvised music entitled Free Expressions. The quartet is led by Motoko Honda on piano, joined by Cory Wright on multiple woodwinds, Matt Small on bass, and drummer Jordan Glenn. This will be the first in a series of four concerts. Each player will participate in solo, duo, and trio formats.
• Sunday, August 20, 7:30 p.m.: Two different improvising groups will each create and discover intriguing sound-worlds constructed and generated through accident, intention, and the unknown. The first of these will be the Evidence Trio, whose members are Kersti Abrams (alto saxophone, flute, and mbira), Thomas Harrison (bass), and Andrew Joron (theremin). The second is the Faults quartet of Jorge Bachmann, Kevin Corcoran, Jaroba, and Gabby Wen. This group works collectively with electronics, percussion, and reeds.
• Saturday, August 26, 12:00 p.m.: Once again, C4NM will host G|O|D|W|A|F|F|L|E|N|O|I|S|E|P|A|N|C|A|K|E|S. As usual, vegan pancakes will be included with the price of admission. Furthermore, as was the case last month, five sets will be presented with an emphasis on electronic noise to honor the title of the event. Those sets will be taken by Audre (the duo of Bachmann and Michael Gendreau), Headboggle Sine Waiver, Fletcher Pratt, Mas Coad (based in Southern California), and Birdspeaker.