John Tchicai

Friday May 20, 2011 at Zumix, 260 Sumner St, E. Boston, MA. 8:30, $10 Suggested donation.

The Vortex Series is proud to present John Tchicai as a feature performer at its next concert, to be held May 20 at the beautifully renovated Zumix Firehouse in East Boston. Approaching jazz from a wide scope, Afro-Danish American John Tchicai is a composer & saxophonist whose music is internationally known for its compelling sense of rhythm, drama and humor, its freedom, spirituality, healing qualities and ultimate freshness. He recorded with both John Coltrane (“Ascension”) and John Lennon (“Life with Lions”), founded ensembles like “New York Art Quartet”, “Cadentia Nova Danica” and “John Tchicai & the Archetypes”, he has composed for jazz & classical ensembles and he records, tours and teaches continuously. Based today in Davis, CA and Claira, France, John Tchicai is also the first recipient of a lifetime grant for Jazz performance from the State of Danmark.

He will be working with his New York based project, Six Points which also features bassist Dmitry Ishenko, violinist/singer Rosie Hertlein, drummer Ches Smith and saxophonist Alex Weiss.

The concert will start at 8:30 pm at the Zumix Firehouse, 260 Sumner Street, East Boston, located just around the corner from the Blue Line Maverick T-stop. As a proud recipient of a 2011 Somerville Arts Council Grant, The Vortex Series is also an affiliate of Art Without Borders, based in Harvard Square.

Sunshine Soldier, Saxophone in Machines, Peter Cassino

Friday April 15, 8:30 at Zumix, 260 Sumner St, E. Boston, MA 02128

Saxophone in Machines:

is Michael Dobiel and Kelly Roberge. Their axes of choice are saxophones and laptops. The duo seeks to tame these machines to create a fully integrated improvised music. Mike and Kelly have been playing together since May 2010. This day was characterized by everything from malfunctioning computers, to microphones being beaten against the ground. It was all done against the backdrop of a video of moon landings. They have not looked back
since.

Sunshine Soldier:

It is rare that a new improvising band can walk right pastconvention and into a sonic territory all their own. Sunshine Soldier is doing just that. Whether its the delicious sonic hideousness of Brad Henkel playing a balloon through his mouthpiece, the soft-spoken
melodies on Stardrum's melodica or the crunchy, percussive blasts from Carlson's baritone guitar, these guys are executing their sonic landscapes fearlessly.

Peter Cassino piano:

In 1961 at the young age of 21, Peter was one of a growing number of American jazz players who relocated to Europe. During that time, Peter had the opportunity to play with a number of prominent players who were also living in Europe. Among them were trumpeter Benny Baily, alto saxophonist Leo Wright, and drummer Joe Harris. His life as a full-time jazz musician really started in West Berlin during this time. In 1969 Peter returned to the United States and completed his formal music studies. As an undergraduate piano major at the School for the Arts at Boston University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music, he had the good fortune to study piano with Leon Tumarkin and Anthony di Bonaventura. He received a Master of Music in jazz piano from the New England Conservatory where he studied piano with Jaki Byard and composition with George Russell.

Mr Cassino is head of the Modern American Music Department at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA.