Bklyn Sounds 7/30/2025—8/5/2025

This week's events include Susan Alcorn memorial concert / Nicole Mitchell's The Stone residency / globalFEST / MIRA MIRA + Johnny Zoloft / Sun Araw / Saint James Block Party / much more

Clockwise from upper left: BCUC, MIRA MIRA, the late Susan Alcorn, Nicole Mitchell

Two things first today:

First off, the past few days has seen a flurry of new Dada Strain followers via Steve Smith’s generous recommendation around Gabriel Kahane's piece about concerts listings in The Atl*nt*c. If you've just arrived, "Welcome!" A full-fledged update on what is going in the world of Dada Strain incoming before the school semester begins.

Second: the archive of the last Dada Strain on The Lot Radio show, a solo excursion from July 18th, is up. I am sharing YouTube rather than Soundcloud link, because, in a strange turn, according to The Lot producers, Soundcloud pulled my show down for a supposed copyright violation. I say “supposed” because the song they claim to have caused this violation doesn’t appear in my set (and isn’t sampled by any of the music in my set). Yet another piece of evidence for turning your back on ALL the platforms. Oi!

THIS WEEK’s SHOWS:

The Baltimore-based pedal-steel player Susan Alcorn was a constant presence in East Coast improvising circles for at least three decades, playing with a crazy amount of musicians and in an endless variety of sonic contexts. It was only after she suddenly passed away in January at the age of 72, that I got the sense how many folks she mentored and influenced. By sheer coincidence, Alcorn’s last concert took place in New York, at Zürcher Gallery. And it is where friends and loved ones will gather for a memorial show in her honor. The roll-call is all contemporary greats and Bklyn Sounds must-hears, Mary Halvorson, Nels Cline, Shahzad Ismaily, Ava Medoza, and Ryan Sawyer, among many. Highest Recommendation! (Wed 7/30, 8p @ Zürcher Gallery, Manhattan - FREE)

Longtime readers know I regard Nicole Mitchell—flutist, electronics programmer, composer, conceptualist, futurist, humanist, empath…order varies—as a music GOAT. And just about every set I’ve seen Mitchell involved in over the past decade (the last one, a trio with Luke Stewart and Tcheser Holmes at Long Play in May) rises to incredible levels. Most of Micthell’s The Stone residency is devoted to duo interactions with other greats, pianist Craig Taborn (Wed), guitarist Mary Halvorson (Thurs) and pianist Vijay Iyer (Sat). Friday, there’s also a chamber-like setting with a version of her Black Earth Strings (Teddy Rankin Parker, Mazz Swift, Melanie Dyer and Anna Abondolo). Highest Recommendation! (Wed 7/30—Sat 8/2, 8:30p @ The Stone, New School, Manhattan - $20)

Rena Anakwe’s improvising and ambient/new age/tranquility music practice, A Space for Sound, returns to the best private loft in Greenpoint for a deep listening Present Sounds session. Set and setting perfection. (Thurs 7/31, 7p @ Light & Sound Design, Greenpoint - RSVP & $20-$30)

Detroit jazz drummer and hip-hop producer Karriem Riggins continues his irregular residency at the Loisaida club, bringing along music-making partners who share his rhythm and improvisation DNA. The latest is Telemakus, a 25 year-old keyboardist-producer from the Bay, born of Indian and Mauritanian parentage, whose slew of productions for various indies continues the West Coast’s tradition of leftfield instrumental-funk in style. (Thurs 7/31, 10p @ Nublu, Manhattan - $20-$25)

To promote the September release of A Danger to Ourselves, Colombian experimental singer/composer Lucrecia Dalt comes to the best private loft in Greenpoint to select some records in what I’m imagining will be a Present Sounds-type program. Dalt is billed as bringing special guests, and if you note that the new album’s co-producer is David Sylvian and features work by Juana Molina, that element may be what makes this one different from the rest. (Fri 8/1, 7p @ Light & Sound Design, Greenpoint - RSVP & $20-$30)

A singers double-bill: Born in London, with family roots in New Zealand and Ghana, vocalist/keyboardist Leila Adu has navigated a variety of traditions where rhythm and improvisation were keys to a communal understanding of the moment. Now a music educator in NYC, Adu fronts a trio that veers towards jazz, but, thankfully, doesn’t fully commit. Iraq-born, New York-based Zahra Alzubaidi is a member of Brooklyn Maqam, and performs songs from throughout the Arabic songbook. (Fri 8/1, 8p @ The Owl, Prospect-Lefferts - $15suggested)

A cross-generational meeting of two stereotypically broadminded NYC DJs: Amelia Holt produces the roving Honey Trap party and plays a radio show on The Lot; her rhythm-mindedness is imbued with surprises from around the world and across musical eras and styles. Justin Strauss is among Downtown DJing paterfamilias, full of skills, vision, taste and in-the-moment verve. The two going all night, should be full of twists and turns. Also: please go to support Earthly Delights, a great soundsystem club room trying to keep its head above water. (Fri 8/1, 10p @ Earthly Delights, Ridgewood - $15)

[EDIT for wrong date] A Good Room Friday night banger: DJ Holographic is yet another excellent next-generation selector from Detroit, whose continuity of the city’s storied techno (and adjacent) traditions is finding a global audience. Bridget Beewack is a years-long member of NYC’s underground dancefloor community, currently on the rise and slaying. As is Very J, an alum of the A1 record store and constant presence in the city’s booths, who’ll be in The Bad Room all night. (Fri 8/1, 10p @ Good Room, Greenpoint - $22-$28

UPSTATE: While a fire has shut down Glen Falls House, and Shaker Mountain has (seemingly) come to an end, the Dope Jams Open Air Festival remains a great non-messy art-adult rave in the Catskills. Among good people, produced by good people. Paul has built out Locust Grove into a magnificent compound for a weekender dance with friends, and there still seem to be non-camping tix available. The DJs? Trust…or click-through. (Fri 8/1—Sun 8/3 @ Locust Grove, Oak Hill, NY - $$$)

I’d call Saint James Joy “Bklyn’s most important community party” of the past five years, a life-saver and spirit-raiser. (Forever thank you Gail, Jo and Chad!) But the Saint James Joy Block Party is what started it all — or made the rest OK. Increasingly, a summer tradition in its own right. Saturday afternoon, the special guests joining DJ Chill Chad and DJ Jo Vill will be the Bklyn’s inimitable hip-hop/house legend Tony Touch, as well Bklyn Dictator and DJ Burnin Ernie D. Karlala on soundsystem duties. (Sat 8/2, 1p @ St James & Greene, Clinton Hill - FREE)

22 years and still running, the twice-a-year, one-day-only globalFEST remains one of New York’s great multi-cultural music presentations. Yes, it’s always a bit of an exoticized hodge-podge, repping a Western view of the world’s contemporary soundscapes. Yet the quality of the music and the curation is un-dismissable (full disclosure: I’ve known the founders/curators for a quarter-century), with each edition featuring at least one known must-see and the inevitability of new discoveries. Saturday, must-sees are BCUC, the incredible drums/electric bass/voices rhythm ensemble from Soweto, and the Turkish psychedelic folk-soul singer Gaye Su Akyol. But there’s a half-dozen more acts from around the world, spread throughout the LC campus. (Sat 8/2, 4:30p @ Lincoln Center, Uptown - FREE)

A meeting of the sonic minds whose aural whiplash is guaranteed to raise the neckhairs at some point or another, Detroit’s improvising noise terrorists Wolf Eyes are on a mini-tour with Peru-born turntablist and sound artist Maria Chávez. I sadly couldn’t find recordings of the pairing - if anyone has some… Earplug requirement, deep psychedelia alert. (Sat 8/2, 7p @ Public Records, Gowanus - $26))

Union Pool’s free Sunday Summer Thunder series continues with one of DC’s finest, Ted Leo, whose political electric-folk (occasionally indie-pop) songwriting mixes with his harDCore roots. He’s also a helluva guitar player and song stylist, who’s just gotten off the road from playing in the Gang of Four’s farewell line-up, so expect stories (and maybe those songs). Also: aitis band. (Sun 8/3, 2p @ Union Pool, W’burg - FREE)

Nick Boyd’s Sorry Records has been throwing its Bossa monthly almost as long as I’ve been doing this newsletter, but a Sunday night Gowanus-to-Bushwick trek has often proved a commitment-too-far. This one’s special though. It reunites the Pittsburgh-to-NYC transplant MIRA MIRA (Samir Mendoza, whom I’ve gotten to know as a solo performer and a member of Las Mariquitas and To Ara) and the Pittsburgh producer/DJ Johnny Zoloft who may be making their Bklyn debut. MIRA and Johnny were involved in founding Pitt’s UHAUL Disco, and in making some fantastic music with Kiernan Laveaux and Gladstone Deluxe. I expect the ride to include wonderfully weird Midwest techno mind-fuckery. (Sun 8/3, 10p @ Bossa Nova Civic Club, Bushwick - $TK)

For about two decades, Sun Araw has been a cornerstone of LA’s DIY sprawl, constantly making music reliant on dub and psychedelia and lo-fi experimental machine textures. Never punk, but never philosophically far from it. I’ve flitted in-out of Araw’s slipstream, overwhelmed by the volume direction, but always energized when partaking in his too-rare NYC appearances. Seems like the mighty Downtown trombonist Peter Zummo will be a perfect foil. Also: lo-fi beatmaker Bug Bus Piano and pastoral sonic archeologist Post Geography. (Sun 8/3, 8p @ Union Pool, W’burg - $20-$25) The Sun Araw Trio also perform a rare Monday set at the best private loft in Greenpoint, with KG playing records. (Mon 8/4, 7p @ Light & Sound Design, Greenpoint - RSVP & $20-$30)

A scaled-back version of saxophonist Michael Blake's Chroma Nova ensemble returns to Nublu a couple of years after their excellent strings-meets-Brazil-meets-rolling-jazz-funk album, Dance of the Mystic Bliss. Too much to hope for new music? (Mon 8/4, 7p @ Nublu, Manhattan - $20-$25)

MORE RECOMMENDED EVENTS:

• CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso (Wed 7/30, 8p @ Brooklyn Paramount, Downtown Bklyn - $$$) - ignored this Buenos Aires duo’s kitchen-sink beats and Spanish raps until becoming slightly obsessed with their Tiny Desk. Damn you Bobby Carter!

• Arturo O’Farrill (Thurs 7/31, 12:30p @ St. Peter’s Church, Manhattan - FREE) - free lunchtime concert from one of the city’s great Latin jazz pianists.

• Chicha Libre (Thurs 7/31, 5p @ Dumbo Archway, DUMBO - FREE) - an excellent, long-dormant Bklyn-based psychedelic cumbia troupe seems to be back.

• Summer Dayes 2025: The Yussef Dayes Experience + FKJ + Venna + Salin (Thurs 7/31, 5p @ Central Park Summerstage, 5p - $$$) - the drummer Dayes, one of London jazz’s contemporary greats, keeps riding the wave set off by 2023’s Black Classical Music, flanked by global compadres.

• Lady Blackbird (Thurs 7/31, 7p @ Nelson Rockefeller Park, Manhattan - FREE) - a veteran jazz and soul singer, Marley Munroe’s career got a huge second wind with 2021’s excellent Black Acid Soul.

• Bathe (Thurs 7/31, 7p @ Cafe Erzulie, Broadway & Myrtle - $28) - Bklyn daydream R&B duo returns to the spot for the second half of their mini-residency.

• More Eaze & Zachary Paul (Fri 8/1, 7:30p @ Cassette, Ridgewood - $15adv/$20) - since the seemingly inexhaustible Mari Maurice is playing next to ambient violinist Paul, I am hoping this will be one of those sweeping More Eaze sets

• Avenue F (Fri 8/1, 8p @ Jupiter Disco, Bushwick $10-$15) - still haven’t figured out the difference between Simon’s two DJ alter egos (he’s also For Future’s Sake), I should ask him. Either way, he’s got records.

• Kokoroko (Fri 8/1, 8p @ Brooklyn Steel, East W’burg - $45) - London’s great Afrobeat-meets-quiet-storm ensemble, moving up in rooms.

• Little Brother (Fri 8/1, 8p @ Brooklyn Bowl, W’burg - $$$) - though I still hear Phonte’s music somewhat regular, it’s admittedly been a minute since I engaged his music with Big Pooh (and 9th Wonder). This is, apparently, the farewell tour of a group that pushed a Native Tongues agenda one decade past its supposed sell-by.

• Julion De’Angelo + Hidden Spheres + Ge-ology + Cosmo (Sat 8/2, 11p @ Public Records, Gowanus - $22-$32) - magnificent Saturday-night PR takeover, with another of Detroit’s next-gen finest trading beats with a Manchester jazz-house fave, plus an NYC don rinsing the second room, and one of its young queens playing records upstairs.

• Jessica Pavone + unannounced (Sun 8/3, 6p @ Property Is Theft, W’burg - $20) - exquisite Bklyn violist and prime-time musicker playing a bill whose poster hides her accomplices (one on cello, another on guitar) at the W’burg’s finest anarchist bookstore.

• Beyondo Band (Mon 8/4, 8p @ Lowlands Bar, Gowanus - $uggested) - Afro-funk-jazz-exprimental trumpeter Eric Biondo’s bands occasional Monday sessions (often with guests) at the Gowanus bar is one of Bklyn’s great music secrets.

• Phony PPL (Mon 8/4—Tues 8/5, 7:30p @ Cafe Erzulie, Broadway & Myrtle - $36) - one of Bklyn’s rock-soul staples returns to Erzulie for the second half of its short residency. (You may sense a pattern. So do I, and I love it. Been saying for more than a decade that more local artists should do residencies, and more venues should encourage them.)

• Tim Berne (Tues 8/5, 8p @ Lowlands Bar, Gowanus - $uggested) - speaking of which: here’s the greatest low-key, post-lockdown free-jazz-bar residency of them all, back with an all-star variant on his community crew: Gregg Belisl-Chi, Tom Rainey, Ingrid Laubrock, and John Hébert.