The Chicago Luzern Exchange: Josh Berman, cornet; Keefe Jackson, tenor saxophone; Frank Rosaly, drums; Mark Unternahrer, tuba
In the best way imaginable, Chicago warrants having a “sound,” especially given the city’s rich history of improvised music. This quartet embodies just how much the likes of The Association for the Advancement of Creative Music (AACM) has become our cultural bricks and mortar in a general rather than a monumental way. With the exception of Swiss tuba player Unternahrer, the other three are secure staples on Chicago’s music scene having received Delmark’s imprimateur for their 2005 release Several Lights which was released to wide critical acclaim. The short improvised tracks run the gamut from a wandering, happenstance harmony to a spikey, guttural, but never abrasive cacophony. They shine, simmers, and slur but above all they are open and free. This concert will take place in the gallery.
