Bklyn Sounds 1/29/2025—2/4/2025

This Week's Shows Include: Derrick Carter / Universal Space Jam + Trae Crudup & Chris Williams Duo + JADALAREIGN / Mali Obomsawin / Geologist & Sleepy Doug Shaw / Tó Ara / much more

Clockwise from upper left: Derrick Carter, Isaiah Barr & Griff Spex (Universal Space Jam), Mali Obomsawin, Doug Shaw & Geologist

I have updated the “For Los Angeles…” post with an additional reading about the destruction the fire have wrought to the city’s music community specifically, and have added to the running list of “"NYC Loves LA” benefit concerts. Again, if you know of people producing shows, or planning some, please email me at DadaStrainBklyn@gmail.com and I will add. Still foregoing personal aesthetic tastes for these listings to honor the community values of everyone’s endeavors, their supportiveness, generosity and action.

This Week’s Shows:

The Laundromat is a small open concept studio and performance space in Queens, and on this night it’s hosting a “Night of Solos” by three great young creative improvisers: Selendis Sebastian Alexander Johnson on solo organ, Alfredo Colon on solo EWI, and Zekkereya El-magharbel, visiting from Detroit where they now reside, on solo trombone. (Wed 1/29, 6:30p @ Brothers Wash & Dry, Maspeth - $15)

Free Dimensions is a new Arts For Art series taking place on Wednesdays at Nublu Classic, and if this excellent bill, curated by Dada friend Ariella Villefranche, is any indication, a crisp distillation of the Rhythm Improvisation Community ethos. Tonight: live duo sets by Universal Space Jam (rapper/producer Griff Spex and the tireless saxophonist/conceptualizer Isaiah Barr) and by the drums+trumpet/electronics team-up of Trae Crudup + Chris Williams Duo. Plus an evening of the incomparable JADALAREIGN DJing in a small bar environment. Highest Recommendation! (Wed 1/29, 8p @ Nublu Classic, Manhattan - $20)

Release show for A Shaw Deal, the first recorded collaboration between Animal Collective’s Geologist and “Sleepy” Doug Shaw, a long-serving Brit-expat-in-NYC who’s been hanging with similarly artsy psych-minded ensembles, accompanying electrifying Africans, songwriting and composing weirdos, and playing on his own as Highlife. The first two tracks that dropped are excellently high-minded absurdity. Also: experimental-pop, avant-noise duo Masaaki. (Wed 1/29, 7:30p @ Union Pool, W’burg -$25)

One of my Winter Jazzfest highlights was a sextet (I think…) led by Odanak First Nation bassist Mali Obomsawin, that also included her steady collaborator, electric guitarist Magdalena Abrego (they make excellent indie-noise as Deerlady), and trumpeter-for-all, Adam O’Farrill. At its best, this group made wondrously discordant music: a rising-and-falling, feedback-laden folk, filled with drones and vocal chants. I can see them playing more straight-ahead at this Lincoln Center gig—they showed ample embrace in this direction as well—yet something tells me the veering off-script is in Obomsawin and Abrego’s nature. Highest Recommendation! (Thurs 1/30, 7:30p @ David Rubenstein Atrium, Uptown - FREE)

Trumpeter Kenny Warren, who’s long been comfortable with electronics, has of late been playing with synth-/tape-based improviser BlankFor.ms (Tyler Gilmore), whose previous electroacoustic concoctions have ensnared Jason Moran. Tonight at The Owl they bring drummer Carlo Costa into the stew. Also on the bill is violinist Ludovica Burtone Quartet, with a serious band, pianist Martha Sanchez, bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Eliza Salem. (Thurs 1/30, 8p @ The Owl, Prospect-Lefferts - $15suggested)

A benefit “fundraver” for Sudan, Palestine and Lebanon features an incredible gathering artists at the intersection of underground hip-hop, various club musics, and Blackness. The “nightlife baddies” description of the group in the marketing write-up makes me laugh. But seriously: Battygyal, billy woods, dj blackpower, DJ Haram, H31R, kamẹra, Myyuh, and Via App. It’s almost too much star power for a Thursday night in Ridgewood. (Thurs 1/30, 9:30p @ Nowadays, Ridgewood - $25-$30)

Since making her debut in 2008 on the great Hyperdub label, the Sheffield-born DJ/producer Ikonika has been a leading light in bass music, wrapping her low-end experiments around a planet’s worth of electronic riddims. Here she’s appearing on a stacked bill, alongside the Atlanta-based producer Leonce, whose own hyperventilating, bounce- and R&B-tinged techno has been absolutely ripping me since I finally caught wind of it last year. Plus Groovy Groovy’s Akanbi, Sterling Juan Diaz and Loka. (Fri 1/31, 9:30p @ Paragon, Broadway & Myrtle - $5 before 11p/$20)

According to Dynoman, who helps produce the Rare Frequency Transmission nights, and is the organizer of this Tarka Benefit for Palestine, a “tarka” is a celebration of diaspora culture through artistic means. Tonight’s will feature a slew of live sets by electronic producers—the host and the mighty Geng PTP—but also by instrumentalists such as the tabla player Roshni Samlal, and the mighty Amirtha Kidambi & gabby fluke-mogul. Rare Frequency’s Zara Dekho will DJ, and a homemade veggie Biryani will be served. (Sat 2/1, 6p @ Light & Sound Design Studio, Greenpoint - RSVP+$25-$40)

It’s the First Saturdays mayhem at the museum, with the usual slew of live performances and mass-audience treats. Undoubtedly, the most magnetic of these is by bassoonist, electronics producer, composer/improviser and guide to the Future of Great Black Music, Joy Guidry. She’ll be playing in the 5th floor gallery - head straight there. (Sat 2/1, 6:30p @ Brooklyn Museum, Eastern Parkway - FREE)

One of the longest serving and most-beloved dons of Chicago house music’s global expansion, Derrick Carter, is on-decks alongside the ever-present doyenne of Bklyn dance music, JADALAREIGN, and young “soul & spirit showman” Roman Chappelle, for a potentially well-jacking Saturday night at the no-frills Bushwick hangar that is beginning to come into its own as a club. Free before 11:30p and after 3a, via the app. (Sat 2/1, 10p @ Silo, Bushwick - FREE-$20)

A full-fledged, great-tristate-DJs take over of the soon-departing Black Flamingo: Upstairs you’ll find twin pillars of Jersey City’s fledgling house community, man-of-the-hour Blvck Truffle and his excellent selecting partner Salinas. Downstairs are two of NYC’s finest, Bklyn’s Cosmo and uptown’s vinyl suprema, Sunny Cheeba. Guaranteed vibes! (Sat 2/1, 10:30p @ Black Flamingo, Williamsburg - $10-$15)

Another day, another Bklyn club trying to save itself from extinction. This time the victim is East Williamsburg’s decade-old community favorite, Our Wicked Lady, a garage-rock kinda spot that has at times been open to everything that Brooklyn has asked of it. (Especially in those first post-lockdown months.) Which is why something billed as a 'Save OWL' Epic Fundraiser Show! is actually a two-day affair. A bunch of locals and returnees are all getting involved, including The Thing, Miranda & The Beat and Sugar Pit. Here’s hoping the Our Wicked Lady rooftop fights to see another decade. (Sat 2/1 & Sun 2/2, 4p @ Our Wicked Lady, East W’burg - $20-$25)

Sunday features one of those daylong stretches of Nowadays’ trademark Nonstop party that on-paper feels effortlessly glorious, a union of friends and influences across generations and borders, living in a broad idea of “house.” It starts in the morning with Cassy, a Brit who’s brought warmth to two decades of Euro-minimalism, moves into Fred P’s nuanced deep excursions, returns to NYC currency via the mighty musclecars, and ends by bursting into jacking-out-of-time globalism with Lakuti & Tama Sumo. Highest Recommendation for the whole thing, but also just about any part of it. (Sun 2/2, 9a @ Nowadays, Ridgewood - $20-$25)

ARCHIVAL SCREENING & DISCUSSION: Musicker Jesse Rifkin, author of the crucial NYC communities book, This Must Be The Place, has put together an “underground films plus” program with the good folks at MOMENT NYC (Museum of Music & Entertainment in NYC). Residential Music Spaces will celebrate the city’s rich history of residential DIY venues. There will be a screening of Alan Lomax’s short film, Ballads, Bluegrass, and Blues, “which documents folk and blues musicians performing in Lomax’s Greenwich Village apartment in 1961,” plus unreleased footage and recordings from the mid-’70s jazz-loft Studio We. Then Rifkin will talk with Joe Ahearn about Silent Barn, the seminal ‘00s/’10s Ridgewood indie DIY venue he ran out of his home. NYC Musicking Highest Recommendation. (Sun 2/2, 2p @ Rubulad, Bushwick - $10-20suggested)

One of the city’s DIY music-programming gems returns. Abasement #75 will feature live performances by DIY-drummer-for-all Kid Millions with violinist Sarah Bernstein; the under-heraled minimalist composer Vito Ricci, continuing his collaboration with Lise Vachon; electronic musician/multi-media artist Zeljko McMullen playing with Camilla Padgitt-Coles, Clayton Harley, Juliet Rania and Nico Alonso; and Organs Obsolete, the solo bass and drones project of Richard Hoffman. Bang Bang Bridgette will DJ and Ed Bear will provide visuals all night long. As the acronym goes, IYKYK. (Mon 2/3, 7p @ Artists Space, Manhattan - FREE)

MUSICKING ROUNDTABLE: Produced by Lauren Boo Lean and DJ Tara Duvivier, two experienced NYC-nightlife operators constantly working to change policies around the city’s social understanding of dance-music, Music In the Streets: How To Create Social Gatherings in Public Space is a seminar about throwing a big-ass party. Handing out best practices will be folks behind such Bklyn Sounds inspirations as Saint James Joy and Public Service, and Karlala Soundsystem. Also present will be reps from the city’s Street Activity Permit Office, Department of Transportation, NYC Parks Department and Office of Nightlife. Come by and learn how to be the change. (Tues 2/4, 6p @ 651 Arts at L10 Space, Downtown Bklyn - FREE w/RSVP or on ZOOM)

Mira Mira and mobéy lola irizarry, the trans multi-disciplinary artists behind the Caribbean electro x poetry x performative-art project Tó Ara, regularly collaborate in creative social-future scenarios, working together in the performance-art piece Dendarry Bakery, and the insurgent TranSalsa band Las Mariquitas. Tó Ara is said to be their sampler-heavy cabaret. Can’t wait! [h/t @ Yung Jake] (Tues 2/4, 7:30p @ Terraza 7, Queens - $20)

MORE RECOMMENDED SHOW:

• Amayo (Wed 1/29, 8p @ Brooklyn Bowl, W’burg - $35) - new album celebration for one of NYC original Afrobeat bandleaders.

• Zeena Parkins with Ishmael Houston-Jones & Craig Taborn (Thurs 1/30, 7:30p @ e-Flux, Clinton Hill - $15) - three massive improvisers—two instrumentalists and a dancer—rescheduled from December

• The Cookers (Wed 1/29 - Sun 2/2, 7p & 9p @ Smoke Jazz, Uptown - $35-$$$$) - a supergroup of players who “cooked” (sorry) from the ‘70s onward, playing a repertoire of music they originally recorded. If you like Strata-East…

• “Satellites: In the Spirit of Sun Ra” (h/t @ NYC-Noise) (Sat 2/1, 1p @ Recirculation/Word Up Community Bookshop, Uptown - $10suggested) - two stages of small-group performances by folks who’ve previously played in the Arkestra, or collaborate with its members.

• Caroline Davis “Portals” (Sat 2/1, 7:30 & 9:30p @ Jazz Gallery, Manhattan - $25-$35) - new version of the wonderful alto saxophonist/composer’s group, whose set at Public Records in December was wonderful.

• Todd Terry + Marshall Jefferson (Sat 2/1, 10p @ H010, Ridgewood - $40) - big ReSolute rave bill headlined by a pair of house music legends, with Terry billed to play an all-classics set.

• Ge-ology / Rick Wade + Two Thou + Shawn Dub / Millie McKee (Sat 2/1, 11p @ Public Records, Gowanus - $20-$30) - Ge-o, one of NYC’s finest selector-DJs for a decade running, returns to the Sound Room with an all-nighter; great talents in PR’s other spaces too.

• Kahil El’zabar's Ethnic Heritage Ensemble (Sun 2/2, 7p @ Nublu, Manhattan - $20-$25) - a mutating group led by a percussionist who’s among Chicago’s major spiritual-jazz figures of the past 40 years.

• Kaethe Hostetter: Impressions of Ethiopia (Sun 2/2, 8p @ Barbés, Park Slope - $15suggested) - looping violinist translates her experiences of living and studying in Addis Ababa into a solo set.

• Beyondo Band (Mon 2/3, 8p @ Lowlands Bar, Gowanus - $uggested) - trumpeter Eric Biondo’s large soul-jazz ensemble has a monthly residency at one of my favorite neighborhood bars.

• Frank Hurricane (Tues 2/4, 8p @ Union Pool, W’burg - FREE) - psyche-garage-pop guitarist and singer/songwriter who practices major PMA, and has won over the DIY circuit.

• The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis + Zwei Null Zwei (Tues 2/4, 7:30p @ TV Eye, Ridgewood - $22) - classic harDCore players in their new projects: one deep in electric jazzland, the other in krautrock riddims.

• FOURA: Elé Howell, Ravi Coltrane, Gadi Lehavi & Ryoma Takenaga (Tues 2/4, 9p & 10:15p @ Bar LunAtico, Bed-Stuy - $10suggested) - the tenor saxophone-playing scion of jazz’s greatest family, leads a rhythm section of young bad-asses.