Cooper-Moore |
Boston is bursting at its very seams with strange and unusual sounds this week. The sonic overload begins with two nights of experimental music and dance in Cambridge. The annual "4 x 4" concert at the Dance Complex pairs four composers with four choreographers. This year's edition has everything from toy pianos to robots, Haitian dance to butoh; the four pairings are JANE WANG with DANNY SWAIN, DARREN BEAUDET with DARYA MUSARA PINTON, JULIET CASE with JOY MADDEN, and MAX LORD with ELLEN GODENA.
The banjo is an under-represented instrument in avant circles. One of the finest (also one of the few) experimental banjo players I know of is PAUL METZGER, who's in town this Tuesday: he'll be picking serpentine ragas and extended improv jams at P.A.'s as part of a Weirdo Records showcase.
That same night, the ferocious Boston free-jazz/noise ensemble the LAURENCE COOK DISASTER UNIT reunite in celebration of their 10th anniversary. They're legendary for their searing shows (which have been known to include a little Sawzall-on-sheet-metal action — complete with showers of sparks); the Middle East line-up will comprise drummer Laurence Cook, cellist and cracked electronics maestro VIC RAWLINGS, trumpeter GREG KELLEY, and reel-to-reel tape specialist JASON LESCALLEET. (And please note the ace supporting act.)
Finally, on Wednesday, jazz musician, composer, and instrument builder COOPER-MOORE will perform at Longy. Expect a wonderfully strange conglomeration of instruments and a near bottomless reserve of irreverent anecdotes and stories.
"4 X 4" | Dance Complex, 536 Mass Ave, Cambridge | November 14-15 at 8 pm | $20 | 617.547.9363 orwww.dancecomplex.com | PAUL METZGER + TIM KAISER + THE EPICUREANS + SWAS NIGS | P.A.'s Lounge, 345 Somerville Ave, Somerville | November 18 at 9 pm | $7-$10 |www.paslounge.com | LAURENCE COOK DISASTER UNIT + THURSTON MOORE/BILL NACE/PAUL FLAHERTY TRIO + PAPER SUMMER + WORK/DEATH | Middle East upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge | November 18 at 9 pm | $8 | 617.864.EAST orwww.mideastclub.com | COOPER-MOORE + FORBES GRAHAM/LUTHER GRAY DUO | Longy School of Music, N-1 Recital Hall, 33 Garden St, Cambridge | November 19 at 7 pm | $12 advance/$15 doors |www.blaqlghtn.com
