INTERNATIONAL ANTHEM

The most interesting (out there) jazz label of recent years is without a doubt the Chicago-based International Anthem. Chicago Reader aptly captured the label’s essence: “International Anthem brings punk idealism to progressive jazz.” A comparison with groundbreaking 1960s label Impulse! is never far removed: top-notch productions, cutting-edge music and distinctive, classy graphic design. No coincidence then that inspiring artists from their stable have already appeared on stage at AB: folks like Tom Skinner, Angel Bat Dawid, Irreversible Entanglements, Jaimie Branch, Makaya McCraven, Anteloper, Alabaster DePlume, Jeff Parker and Ben LaMar Gay. So why not an exquisite triple-bill par excellence with their most recent arrivals!?

BEX BURCH

English Berlin-based percussionist Bex Burch (see too: her bands Vula Viel or Flock with Sarathy Korwar and Danalogue) is known for her unique fusion of jazz, postpunk and minimalism centred around the sound of her gyil or Ghanese xylophone. Fans? Both Iggy Pop and DJ & BBC 6 radio-icon Gilles Peterson adore her. Her latest album There is Only Love And Fear was crowned Contemporary Album of the Month by The Guardian. In a ****-review: “What she calls ‘messy minimalism’ shares some characteristics with the music of Steve Reich and John Adams, but this is minimalism that isn’t afraid to break into a sweat and get its hands dirty (quite literally, given that Burch actually builds her own instruments from scratch).”

RUTH GOLLER’S ‘SKYLLA’

Italian-born bassist Ruth Goller finds herself at “the punkier end of London’s jazz and improv scene”. She’s already played together with the likes of Melt Yourself Down, Sons of Kemet and Alabaster DePlume. With her solo project she creates a completely different sonic world. Her latest album Skyllumina was Contemporary Album of the Month in The Guardian and received a ****-review: “She taps out repeated, hypnotic patterns on a detuned bass to create haunting harmonics.”

IBELISSE GUARDIA FERRAGUTTI & FRANK ROSALY w/ SPECIAL GUEST BEN LAMAR GAY

Frank Rosaly and Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti share their musical and ancestral roots within the Latin-American diaspora of Bolivia, Brazil and Puerto Rico. On their debut MESTIZX they pay deep homage to their origins and honour their fascination for the infinite beauty of Latin rhythmic patterns and microtonal mountain flutes, with a wink to free jazz, electronica, Chicago post-rock, cumbia, ambient, noise, punk and folk. Also present live this evening: Ben LaMar Gay!

SOUNDTRACK BY: KING HIPPO (International Anthem/ Worldwide FM)

Alejandro Ayala is a Chicago event organizer, works at International Anthem and is a record collector who DJs as King Hippo. He runs the biweekly show QC on Lumpen Radio, and he’s hosted or cohosted a series for Worldwide FM that focuses on Chicago R&B, jazz, soul, … Extra extra read all about it: https://chicagoreader.com/music/alejandro-ayala-aka-king-hippo-dj-and-producer/