EAR DUO with Robots, Garrison Fewell Trio NYC.

Friday April 1, 8:00 Somerville Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA
The EAR DUO with Robots and The Garrison Fewell trio with Steve Swell trombone and Andrew Raffo Dewar alto sax.

The EAR Duo and Robots!

Founded in 2005 by saxophonist Michael Straus and bassoonist Dana Jessen, the EAR (Electro Acoustic Reed) Duo is dedicated to the performance of new, improvised and experimental electroacoustic music. Recently praised by the Boston Music Intelligencer for performing "with conviction and authenticity," the duo can regularly be seen presenting a variety of works ranging from new commissions written specifically for them, to original arrangements of works by Terry Riley, Steve Reich and James Tenney. Attempting to stretch the limits of duo performance, their concerts include aspects of theater coupled with visual and electronic media. Aside from performing on their respective instruments, EAR Duo has teamed up with the brilliant trio of guys in EMMI (Expressive Machines Musical Instruments) and recently received funding through a Kickstarter campaign. Yes the Ear duo will be playing live with robots at the Vortex!! They have commissioned a series of musical robots to unleash on the U.S. and Europe.

Garrison Fewell Trio with Steve Swell trombone and Andrew Raffo Dewar soprano saxophonist.

Renowned for his mature, melodic sound and elegant, lyrical style of writing, guitarist Garrison Fewell has established himself as a distinctive voice throughout his 30-year career. Critics have called him "one of today’s most personal guitar players" (Boston Phoenix), "an assured stylist with a strong sense of tradition" (The New Yorker), "a player of virtuosity and swinging intensity" (UPI), and "refined, passionate, and inspiring" (Guitar Player).

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Steve Swell has been an active member of the NYC music community since 1975. He has toured and recorded with many artists from main-streamers such as Lionel Hampton and Buddy Rich to so called outsiders, Anthony Braxton, Bill Dixon, Cecil Taylor and William Parker. He has over 25 Cds as a leader or co-leader and is a featured artist on more than 90 other releases. He runs workshops around the world and is a teaching artist in the NYC public school system focusing on special needs children.

Andrew Raffo Dewar (b.1975 Rosario, Argentina) is a composer, improviser, woodwind instrumentalist and ethnomusicologist. Since 1995, he has been active in the music communities of Minneapolis, New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City, performing his work in North America, Southeast Asia and Europe. Dewar studied with saxophonist/composers Steve Lacy, Anthony Braxton and Phillip Greenlief, composer Alvin Lucier, trumpeter/composer Bill Dixon, and multi-instrumentalist improviser Milo Fine. He has also had a long involvement with Indonesian traditional and experimental music, particularly the Minangkabau music of West Sumatra and Central Javanese gamelan.

Birdsongs and Quantum Trio

The Vortex Series presents: March 18, 8:30 at Zumix, 260 Sumner st, East Boston, MA.

Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic began in 1980 as a side project by half of Boston's now legendary Mission Of Burma, Roger Miller and Martin Swope. Miller and Swope joined forces with Rick Scott and Erik Lindgren for what was originally conceived as a recording project only. In 1983, they released a self-titled EP, Birdsongs Of The Mesozoic.

With the demise of Mission Of Burma at about the same time as the EP's release, Birdongs Of The Mesozoic became a full-time band for all members. In 1984 they released another LP, Magnetic Flip, and began extensive touring to support its release. A year later they released another EP, Beat Of The Mesozoic, and again set out on tour.

In 1987, Roger Miller left the group to concentrate on solo projects and was replaced by saxophonist Ken Field. Birdsongs' new lineup recorded Faultline, released on Cuneiform (Rune 19). Their second Cuneiform release, Pyroclastics (Rune 35), appeared in 1992. Shortly afterwards, guitarist Michael Bierylo replaced Martin Swope, who moved to Hawaii. In 1993 a collection of previously unreleased material from 1980-1987 featuring the band's first lineup and accompanied by a written history, The Fossil Record (Rune 55) paid tribute to Birdsongs' early years.

1995's Dancing On A'A (Rune 69) was the first Birdsongs release to feature the current lineup of the group, which has been performing ever since to widespread acclaim.

Birdsongs' instrumentation is as striking as its music: two keyboards, guitar, and saxophone blend with electronic and acoustic percussion (including a Mercury Cougar hubcap and a paint can) to produce sound "...as meditative as it is physical, as rooted in classical structure and jazz improvisation as it is in rock 'n roll." (The Boston Globe)

Since 1994, the members of Birdsongs have been Aritsts-In-Residence at Dartmouth College and Massachusetts College Of Art. Other recent notable performances have included the Knitting Factory in New York City, the Honolulu Academy Of Arts, the Monadnock Music Festival in New Hampshire, and Real Art Ways in Hartford, Connecticut.

Quantum Trio
Michael Shea- piano/electric keyboard
Hilary Noble-tenor saxophone/flute/congas/

percussion
Dennis Warren-drums/timbales/quica/percussion

Michael Shea studied at Karl Berger's Creative Music Studio in
Woodstock NY; he has performed with Raqib Hassan, FMRJE and a wide
swathe of jazz and creative improvisation communities throughout the USA.

Hilary Noble studied congas in Havana with Maximino Duquesne and
saxophone in the USA with Yusef Lateef. He was mentored by in Europe by
the great Afrocentric free jazz bandleader Clifford Thornton. He has played with Bo Diddley, Esperanza Spalding, Eric Crasno, Bobby Sanabria, Ray Vega and others.

Dennis Warren the self described quantum drummer, graduated from Bennington College where he studied with Black music theorists like the late trumpeter Bill Dixon and drummer Milford Graves, he was around to experience the tail end of the Free Jazz psychedelic epoch. Dennis has toured Europe and recorded with trumpeter Raphe Malik and saxophonist Glenn Spearman. He also leads and produces FMRJE.

Hear the Trio at these links:
http://www.fmrje.com/NSW1.mp3
http://www.fmrje.com/NSW2.mp3
http://www.fmrje.com/NSW3.mp3

March 4 Democracy Center

Tom Hall tenor sax, Kit Demos double bass, Ashley Addington flute, Rachel Arnold cello, Pam Marshall French horn, Todd Brunel clarinets.
Completing their three concert cycle, the duo of Rachel Arnold and Ashley Addington will once again grace our stage at the Democracy Center, bringing a program that will include newly commissioned works as well as 'Enchanted Preludes' by Elliot Carter.
The Vortex is also proud to present tenor saxophonist Tom Hall and bassist Kit Demos. Tom Hall has enjoyed a long and varied career as one of the most influential improvisers in the New England area. He has worked with such projects as club d'Elf, the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, Bruce Katz and is on the faculty of Brandeis University.
Bassist Kit Demos works frequently with such artists as drummer John McClellan, cellist Junko Simons, guitarist Jeff Platz and alto saxophonist Jim Hobbs. He is the director of the Avant jazz Series in Lewiston, ME and is a New England Foundation for the Arts Grant Recipient.
Joining the artist will be fellow Vortex regulars Pam Marshall on french horn and clarinetist Todd Brunel.

Our First Zumix show!

Friday February 25 at 8:30
Zumix, 260 sumner St
E. Boston, MA 02128
$10 suggested donation
Wheel Chair Accessible

Glenn Dickson, microtonal clarinet

The bandleader of Naftule's Dream and Shirim Klezmer Orchestra. Glenn has toured and recorded with Hypnotic Clambake, Joe Maneri, Taximi (Greek). Featured on the soundtracks of the feature films "A Stranger Among Us" (Sidney Lumet) and "Deconstructing Harry" (Woody Allen).

John McLellan, percussionist

John has toured and recorded with some of the most influential names in modern improvisation including: Pandelis Karyorgis, Blaise Siwula, Matt Maneri and has an extensive discography. A frequent feature with the Vortex Series, John mixes a blend of groove and poly-rhythm.

Dennis Shafer and the Chagall Performance Arts Collaborative

Hailed by the Boston Globe as “Brilliant,” Dennis has collaborated with the New England String ensemble and is the artistic director of the Chagall Performance Arts Collaborative. He will be performing with his Boston Sound-painting Ensemble that features an extensive line up.

Rachel Arnold Cello and Ashley Addington Flute

A brilliant and highly virtuosic duo that actively commission new works for the flute and cello.
Giving a wide variety of concerts throughout the Us and abroad, the two performers continue to stun audiences with a remarkable command of the repertoire.

February 4, 8:00 Steven Jobe, Yael Bat Shimon

Steven Jobe

"Composer, instrument builder, avant-garde cabaret master and all-purpose madman..."

—Rick Massimo, The Providence Journal, June 8th, 2006

Steven Jobe began composing in 1987 when he was commissioned by the Community College of Rhode Island to compose the lyrics and music for an original musical, Walking on Air. A few years later he wrote the lyrics and music to an opera, Joan of Arc (then called Jeanne d’Arc), which premiered in Providence, Rhode Island in 1993. With the help of his friends and colleagues, a concert version of the work was performed at Bell St. Chapel with a twenty piece cha mber ensemble – including glass bells, hurdy gurdy, accordion and harmonic instruments in support of a cast of a dozen or more...

find out more about Steven Jobe at: http://www.stevenjobe.com/
Yael Bat-shimon
Yael Bat-Shimon, described by T he Boston Globe as an "adventurous contemporary violinist" whose improvisational work draws on her classical training as well as non-western musical traditions", has performed for audie nces from Paris, France to Cambridge, MA. Her music was featured in the fall 2008 edition of the arts and culture e-zine "Zingology", which called her improvisations, "Fiery interpretations of European and American folk traditions squarely anchored on her classical training. A Harvard graduate, she has also studied violin performance at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore and the New England Conservatory.
Find out more about Yael at:
http:// www.yaelbat-shimon.com/index.html



Cellist Rob Bethel has been working with Steve Jobe and Yael Bat-Shimon for years and enjoys a busy a career as a freelance cellis t. A regular feature at the Vortex series, Rob will be interacting with both artists and bringing his "listening as a creative act" approach to Friday nights intimate show. For more about Rob and his company, Yesterday Service, click:
http: //www.yesterdayservice.com/

Thank you Somerville Arts Council

The Vortex Series for New and Improvised Music has been awarded a 2011 grant from the Somerville Arts council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.


The first Vortex Show of the new year at the Democracy Center went very well and we had a great turn out. Much thanks to all the artist involved, especially our features, Rob Manthy, Ashley Addington, Rachel Arnold and Gary Fieldman.

First Democracy Center Show

January 7, 2011, 8:00
The Democracy Center
The duo of flutist Ashley Addington and cellist Rachel Arnold will be presenting Kaija Saariaho Mirrors, Elliott Carter Enchanted Preludes and
Michael Colquhoun Three for Two as One. For more information on Ashley and Rachel please visit: http://www.ashleyaddington.com/about/


We will also be presenting a special premiere by composer/ pianist Robert Manthy who is currently based in the Netherlands. In 2003 he received a Fulbright Scholarship from the US government to study composition with Louis Andriessen and Richard Ayres at the Royal
Conservatory of the Netherlands in the Hague, where he graduated in 2007. He has been active as a pianist, composer and conductor in
various new music concerts, theatrical performances, and other music in the Netherlands, the US, France, Italy,Puerto Rico, Kenya, and Tanzania amongst others. He will be collaborating that night with Esther Viola oboe, Eric Hoffbauer guitar, Rob Bethel cello, Michael Dobiel saxophone and electronics, Pam Marshall french horn, Todd Brunel clarinets, and Gary Fieldman drums. For more information on Robert Manthy click: http://robmanthey.net/

The Vortex will also be presenting a performance of 'Dog Ears' by Gary Fieldman. It is a solo percussion work that draws on Gary's masterful use of poly-rhythm on found objects. To check out a video of Gary performing his piece live, click the link:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3383044915501537674#