Jazz Improv Trio Gets Radical at Barking Legs
Fresh off the release of their collaborative album What Is To Be Done, the distinguished ensemble of Nels Cline, Larry Ochs, and Gerald Cleaver are an unlikely trio of radical jazz improvisation.
Audiences never know what to expect with this trio, as their mid-performance experimentation and blaring soundscape reflect their collaborative work, while new sounds blend spontaneously during their sensational show.
While jazz is often a quiet art form, jazz improvisation isn’t. The sounds of mellow pianowork and soothing trumpets contrast with the loud, frantic hollering between the raving saxophone and booming drums that define the trio’s approach to jazz improvisation. Believe me when I say that their performance might be louder than some of the local punk shows found in the city.
To improvise mid-performance requires that a highly proficient musician have a firm grasp on both their instrument and how their bandmates are playing, knowing exactly what sounds will work in unison and which ones won’t.
When executed successfully, the improv work of Nels Cline, Larry Ochs, and Gerald Cleaver allows for an idiosyncratic experience that cannot be replicated after its conclusion, as what is improvised on stage one night is changed the next night, and then the next night, and then the next night.
Nels Cline, Larry Ochs, and Gerald Cleaver will be performing at Barking Legs Theater on Dodds Ave. this Monday at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit barkinglegs.org