The 33rd Seattle Improvised Music Festival took place Feb. 10-17, 2018. It was organized by Amy Denio, James Falzone, Haley Freedlund, Chris Icasiano, and Steve Peters. The dance/music performance was curated by Corrie Befort. The festival was produced by Nonsequitur, with assistance from Cornish College of the Arts and 4Culture. Tomeka Reid’s residency at Cornish was supported by Cornish Presents, with assistance from ArtsWA, WESTAG, and the NEA. This year the festival expanded to multiple venues across the city over eight days.
Participating artists:
Tom Baker, guitar/electronics; Corrie Befort, dance (Dance/Music); Allison Burke, dance (Dance/Music); Noelle Chun, dance (Dance/Music); Amelia Coulter, trombone; Clifford Dunn, flute; Ruby Dunphy, drums; James Falzone, clarinet, etc. (Dance/Music); Stephen Fandrich, piano; Evan Flory-Barnes, bass; Haley Freedlund, trombone; Mike Gebhart, percussion; Logan Hone, sax (Los Angeles); Greg Kelley, trumpet (Dance/Music); Monika Khot, guitar; Ha-Yang Kim, cello; Dave Knott, homemades; Katie Levine, piano; Evan Lipson, bass (Chattanooga); Nahshon Marden, dance (Dance/Music); Cristin Miller, voice/electronics (Los Angeles); Lisa Cay Miller, piano (Vancouver, BC); Eric Muhs, guitar etc.; Eveline Müller, percussion; Karen Nelson, dance (Dance/Music); John Niekrasz, drums (Portland); Steve Peters, field recordings (Dance/Music); Amelia Reeber, dance (Dance/Music); Tomeka Reid, cello (Chicago/NYC); Jane Rigler, flute (Colorado Springs); Carmen Rothwell, bass (NYC); Paul Rucker, cello; Melanie Sehman, percussion (Bellingham); Brandin Steffensen, dance (Dance/Music); Alia Swersky, dance (Dance/Music); Hendri Walujo, dance (Dance/Music); Bonnie Whiting, percussion; Davey Williams, guitar (Birmingham, AL); Jack Wright, saxophones (Philadelphia)
Saturday, February 10 (Gallery 1412)
Duo: Mike Gebhart, Melanie Sehman
Solo: Lisa Cay Miller
Solo: Bonnie Whiting
Duo: Lisa Cay Miller, Bonnie Whiting
Quartet: Mike Gebhart, Lisa Cay Miller, Melanie Sehman, Bonnie Whiting
Sunday, February 11 (Couth Buzzard Books)
Duo: Jack Wright, Evan Lipson
Jack Wright reads from his book, The Free Musics
Sunday, February 11 (Hollow Earth Radio)
Duo: Jack Wright, Evan Lipson
Racer Sessions; open session, improvisers at all levels of experience are invited to participate
(watch video)
Monday, February 12 (The Royal Room)
Groupings TBD: Tom Baker, Amelia Coulter, Evan Flory-Barnes, Katie Levine, Evan Lipson, John Neicrasz, Jack Wright
Tuesday, February 13 (Spite House)
Solo: Stephen Fandrich
Duo: Ha-Yang Kim, Eveline Müller
Duo: Clifford Dunn, Cristin Miller
Wednesday, February 14 (Vermillion)
Hosted by Table & Chairs Music
Groupings TBD: Logan Hone, Monika Khot, Eric Muhs, Eveline Müller, Carmen Rothwell
Thursday, February 15 (PONCHO Hall, Cornish)
Hosted by Cornish Presents
Groupings TBD: Amelia Coulter, Ruby Dunphy, Stephen Fandrich, Evan Flory-Barnes, Logan Hone, Ha-Yang Kim, Katie Levine, Carmen Rothwell, Tomeka Reid, Paul Rucker, Alia Swersky + Cornish student musicians and dancers (TBA).
Friday, February 16 (Good Shepherd Center Chapel)
Duo: Monika Khot, Tom Baker
Quartet: Clifford Dunn, Cristin Miller, Tomeka Reid, Jane Rigler
Solo + ?: Davey Williams
Saturday, February 17 (Good Shepherd Center Chapel)
Improvised music/dance performance curated by Corrie Befort. Dancers: Corrie Befort, Allison Burke, Noelle Chun, Nahshon Marden, Karen Nelson, Amelia Reeber, Brandin Steffensen, Alia Swersky, Hendri Walujo, Syniva Whitney. Musicians: Tom Baker, Ruby Dunphy, James Falzone, Haley Freedlund, Greg Kelley, Ha-Yang Kim, Dave Knott, Cristin Miller, Steve Peters
Community potluck dinner for musicians and audience
Duo: Eric Muhs, Davey Williams (watch video)
Trio: Ruby Dunphy, Stephen Fandrich, Paul Rucker
Solo + ?: Jane Rigler solo + brief duos with all others on the bill
Recordings by Steve Peters:
(25:56) Mike Gebhart, percussion / Melanie Sehman, percussion
(14:46) Lisa Cay Miller, piano
(14:00) Lisa Cay Miller, piano / Bonnie Whiting, percussion
(14:56) Mike Gebhart, percussion / Lisa Cay Miller, piano / Melanie Sehman, percussion / Bonnie Whiting, percussion
(20:46) Evan Lipson, bass / Jack Wright, sax – Afternoon concert, Pt. 1
(11:29) Evan Lipson, bass / Jack Wright, sax – Afternoon concert, Pt. 2
(24:17) Evan Lipson, bass / Jack Wright, sax – Evening concert
(22:54) Racer Session, Pt. 1
(14:22) Racer Session, Pt. 2
(20:07) Racer Session, Pt. 3
Seattle Improvised Music Festival 