Bklyn Sounds 1/15/2025—1/21/2025

This Week's Shows Include: Ganavya plays Les Filles de Illighadad / Octave One + Tammy Lakkis / Ryan Sawyer Shaker Ensemble / Melissa Almaguer + Laura Cocks / much more

Clockwise from upper left Les Filles de Illighadad, Octave One, Ryan Sawyer, Melissa Almaguer

First of all, thank you to all the folks who came to Saturday’s Dada Strain Winter Jazzfest showcase. Thank you to all the artists for their wonderful sets. Kalia Vandever & Mike Haldeman created fantasias;. My HxH brothers, Chris Williams and Lester St. Louis, fired up the drone spaceship. Salami Rose Joe Louis and her incredible rhythm section brought the jazz-funk. Mike Reed’s incomparable Separatist Party, and especially Marvin Tate, delivered a modern soul sermon. Basic blazed in glory, with special kudos to stand-in bassist Sue Garner who rocked with a broken foot. And last but not least, the DJs Kalle Miller and Shara Lunon set the scene with great tunes all night long. Thank you Nicole Misha for working the door. Thank you Union Pool and all its peeps for being such a great community space. And thank you Winter Jazzfest for letting us do this again.

All that work was being done with a heavy heart due to what was unfolding—and continues to unfold—in Los Angeles. Each of the past six days, I’ve been slapped in the face with stories of friends, respected colleagues, or persons one dear degree of separation away, who have lost everything. The home and work spaces, the landmarks, the collections, the projects only one step away from completion, all lost in the fires. As with many tragedies taking place in the world at the moment, there are no appropriate words from afar. But there are incredible reports from the inside which tell numerous stories or horror and incredulity, as if Los Angeles is experiencing its own 9/11. I have reposted some of those missives inside Notes, and have nothing to add. But I am gathering lists and links on how to assist the affected. That’s incoming momentarily.

More soon…

This Week’s Shows:

MORE WJF: The last show of Winter Jazzfest 2025 is a collaboration with the great Take Two series where artists reimagine their favorite albums. It features the spiritually-minded singer/multi-instrumentalist Ganavya interpreting the trance-like Tuareg folk of Les Filles de Illighadad, an instant-classic 2016 self-titled album by the all-women’s group from Niger. “Dreamy ishumar acoustic guitar sessions, and the hypnotic polyphonic tende that inspires it.” (Wed 1/15, 7p @ Roulette, Downtown - $40)

Wonderful triple-bill of improvised composition and experimentation. Ryan Sawyer's Shaker Ensemble is exactly what the name suggests: one of Bklyn’s hardest-working drummers bringing together community folks to create a supple, complex, understated rhythm piece. There are also two exquisite duos performing: the singers/multi-instrumentalists Holland Andrews and yuniya edi kwon reach for the far-flung and fantastical, while ex-Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo and cellist Leila Bordreuil revel in the electric noise of things. Highest Recommendation. (Wed 1/15, 7:30p @ Union Pool, Williamsburg - $20)

Composer/guitarist Patrick Higgins’ 2024 album Versus had a couple of my favorite longform minimalist compositions of the year, including the title piece (above), a cool, slowly unfolding bit of ambient-techno-meets-free-improv. At Roulette, Higgins will perform “Versus,” and be on-hand for the new-music quartet Yarn/Wire’s New York premiere of his new work, “Three Lines of Flight.” (Thurs 1/16, 8p @ Roulette, Downtown Bklyn - $25/$30)

A veteran electric bassist, often pitched on the jazzier side of indie-rock or the plugged-in side of jazz, Devra Hoff is releasing a solo album, Solve, Coagula. She calls it a record “about transitions.” (Devra has herself recently transitioned.) The parts I’ve heard are meditative and gorgeous. This evening is an album release celebration. Also: River Ramirez. (Thurs 1/16, 7p @ Francis Kite Club, Loisaida - $10adv/$15)

Over the last two years, I’ve taken every opportunity to listen and see improvising tap-dancer and -percussionist Melissa Almaguer, continuously blown away by her inventiveness and stamina. Not sure if Melissa is doing a solo set here, or playing with extraordinary free flutist Laura Cocks (who is definitely playing her own set), but either way, she is one to embrace. Part of the essential Fire Over Heaven series. (Thurs 1/16, 8p @ Outpost Artists Resources, Ridgewood - $15)

The cornerstones of Friday’s dance-card at PR are two Detroit favorites, repping different generations of the city’s musical continuum. Playing live in the Sound Room, Octave One (brothers Lenny and Lawrence Burden) are responsible for some of the cornerstone sounds of techno’s second wave, including “BlackWater,” which is, on some days, my favorite record of all-time. Spinning in the Atrium is Tammy Lakkis, a DJ/producer from Hamtramck whose tracks hint at her Arabic heritage, and whose globally informed DJ selections go deep. Also: Julia Govor (Sound Room), Demuja (Atrium) and Osagie (Upstairs). (Fri 1/17, 11p @ Public Records, Gowanus - $20-$35)

Once one-half of Tav Falco’s Panther Burns and co-founder of the Hellcats, Lorette Velvette is a garage-punk legend in Memphis, and to all the folks with a fondness for that city’s great lo-fi electric roots music. She’s in town through the weekend, with a Saturday afternoon hootenanny alongside deerfrance and Lahna Deering (Sat 1/18, 4p @ Mama Tried, Sunset Park - $uggested), and a proper Tuesday night gig with Faith NYC. (Tues 1/21, 7p @ Heaven Can Wait, Bushwick - $12)

Massive DIY improv community house show triple-bill from our good friends at Please Y.S.: string player Jessica Pavone, the mighty noise folkie More Eaze, plus poet and liberatory futurist Yaz Lancaster. All performing in a Crown Heights living room amidst other musickers. Co-presented by Evan’s new thing. (Sat 1/18, 7:30p @ RSVP for location, Crown Heights - $15-$20)

Backwoodz Studioz is one of my two favorite sounds in current NYC hip-hop, ELUCID is one of its two loudest and most original voices, and his Revelator one of the two best rap albums of 2024. ELUCID’s unannounced appearance at Shara Lunon’s Heavy Florals in December was a glorious experience of focused rhyme savvy. Tonight, flanked by his Armand Hammer partner Billy Woods, and the mighty DJ Haram, is a more official coming-out party. (Sat 1/18, 8p @ Baby’s All Right, Williamsburg - $25)

A massive veteran trio that to my mind should be too big to play at this wonderful jazz-bar, but it’s the listeners’ gain, I guess. Bassist Stephan Crump and alto saxophonist Darius Jones are not just immense players, they’re also two of the city’s great creative music composers, pushing it into wondrous, unexpected but also inviting spaces. Drummer Eric McPherson cut his teeth with the great Jackie McLean, and plays with Crump and Kris Davis in the Borderlands Trio. Get there early. Highest Recommendation! (Sat 1/18, 8p & 9:30p @ Bar Bayeux, Prospect-Lefferts - $uggested + one drink minimum)

Folks I trust have raved about Oyasound and DJ Sabine Blaizin’s nights of house and percussion, especially amidst the general elevation of DJ events with live drums and Black Atlantic/ Afro-tech vibes. At Rekòlte: A Night of Haitian Roots & House, Blaizin will be joined by drummer Okai Musik, and DJ Pizzi, a regular at the Descendants Afrohouse parties. (Sat 1/18, 9p @ About Last Night, Bushwick - $10 with RSVP)

MLK Sunday Dance Vibes 1: An epic afternoon-into-late-night bill of New York vets who are fluent in all manners of Black American club-music classics, well-versed in soul futures, who also understand the moment we’re entering. Trust DJ Tara, Soul Summit and Timmy Regisford to lead us towards the communal spirit, if you need that sort of thing. (Which, I am pretty sure we all do…) (Sun 1/19, 3p @ Nowadays, Ridgewood - $25)

MLK Sunday Dance Vibes 2: Atop the bill of a new party called Surprise! Surprise! is Rahaan, one of those Chicago house music cats who’s been DJing since the ‘80s but whose legend remains privy mostly to the community. The man smokes on the decks, and his disco edits slay. Tonight, Rahaan is surrounded by some of Bklyn’s finest: Miss Alicia, That Matt, Mo Yasin and Zephyr Ann. (Sun 1/19, 9p @ Good Room, Greenpoint - $10-20)

POETRY: Need a defiant energy for Inauguration Day? Here’s an Anti-Inaugural Event: "Exorcising 'The Tyrant'," a mass reading of Alice Notley’s epic poem “The Descent Of Alette”’ (in which a woman confronts and defeats “The Tyrant”) with music/dance interludes. Participants will include Laurie Anderson, Anne Waldman, William Parker, Patricia Nicholson, Bob Holman, Joan Jonas, Shahzad Ismailly, Marc Ribot, and other poets, writers, artists, etc. (Mon 1/20, noon @ St. Marks Church In-The-Bowery, Manhattan - FREE)

A pair of exceptional Baltimore trumpet players, Brandon Woody and Theljon Allen, are the front-line of Lineage Quartet, supported by an exceptional rhythm section of drummer Savannah Harris and bassist Barry Stephenson. Likely to be as hot-shit straight-ahead jazz music as you will ever see Dada Strain recommend. (Mon 1/20, 9p & 10:15p @ Bar LunAtico, Bed-Stuy - $10suggested)

The cornet player Graham Haynes is back in New York to lead a 15-piece ensemble made up of notable NYC improvisers through “Conduction #18,” a large-scale improvised piece based on the conduction principles developed by the late great Butch Morris. Haynes studied under Morris; and Morris practiced and staged his conductions at the original Nublu (under the auspices of the Nublu Orchestra); so this is an all-in-the-family situation of classic New York sound-making stratagems. (Tues 1/21, 7:30p @ Nublu, Loisaida Manhattan - Free w/RSVP)

Saxophonist David Leon keeps on stretching, introducing an incredible new quartet—with guitarist Brandon Seabrook, bassist Henry Fraser and drummer Kayvon Gordon— and new music, at the great no-frills, old-school jazz bar on Third Ave. (Tues 1/21, 8p & 9:30p @ Lowlands, Gowanus - $uggested)

MORE RECOMMENDED SHOWS:

• 79.5 + JKriv (DJ) (Sat 1/18, 7p @ Elsewhere, Bushwick - $15) - Bklyn’s finest live disco song band + the DJ who releases their music

• Blaque Dynamite (Sat 1/18, 8p @ Dada Bar, Ridgewood - $TK) - massive drummer who also works with DJs

• Bebop Poru presents DJ Spinna + Mickey Perez (Sat 1/18, 10p @ Earthly Delights, Ridgewood - $15) - Mickey’s great party with a very special gues

• Radio Slave (Sat 1/18, 11p @ Paragon, Broadway & Myrtle - FREE with RSVP before 11p/$20) - one of the great British DJ/producers of minimalist house/techno

• Ethan Iverson Trio (Sun 1/19, 9p & 10:15p @ Bar LunAtico, Bed-Stuy - $uggested) - excellent piano trio

• Niyah West B2B Doula All Night (Sun 1/19, 10p @ Bossa Nova Civic Club, Bushwick - $TK) - two great local DJs

• ARTIFACT presents C Lavender (Tues 1/21, 7p @ Sleepwalk, Bushwick - $13/$15) - ambient composer at experimental music series