Racer Session #289 | Études at Eight | September 6, 2015

This Sunday's session begins with a series of free improv études written and performed by various musicians, including some of the people who help organize and run Racer Sessions. These pieces will address various compositional problems that come up frequently when playing free improv, such as making a groove and what to do with it or how to play clear harmonies.

These pieces will be available to try during the jam session to give participants the opportunity to tackle some of the same improvisational scenarios.

If you have an idea or suggestion for an improv challenge, please fill out the form below. See you at eight!

Describe Your Compositional Problem/Improv Challenge:

Would you like to perform in the opening set?

Yes, I have an idea for a piece that addresses this problem!

Nope—just making a suggestion!

Electronic-mail Address:

Name, Screenname, Handle, Secret Agent Number:

Members of Table & Chairs did a collective presentation for tonight's session:

Simon Henneman (guitar), Daniel Webbon (glockenspiel), Ivan Arteaga (alto sax), Dio Jean-Baptiste (drums), Aaron Otheim (keyboard)

1. Simon Henneman’s piece, addressing endings.

2. Aaron Otheim’s piece, addressing melody

3. Daniel Webbon’s piece, “Chorale”

4. Ivan Arteaga’s piece, practicing working with tension within an ensemble using monotony

5. Ivan Arteaga’s piece, create tension using space

—

Try one of the following: finding an ending sooner than normal, then continuing with the piece; using only a few melodic or motivic ideas throughout a piece; creating and resolving tension; playing in time, deliberately, as if improvising a chorale.

Improv 1 (tension using monotony): Evan Woodle (drums), Andrew Olmstead (keyboard)

Improv 2: Christian Pincock (trombone), Michelle Hutchinson (drums)

Improv 3: Luke Bergman (bass), Ivan Arteaga (alto sax), Thomas Campbell (drums)

Improv 4: Katie Jacobson (voice), Neil Welch (tenor sax)

Improv 5: Evan Woodle (drums), Brandon Herzberg (guitar), Aaron Otheim (keyboard), Janna Webbon (violin), Andy Clausen (trombone)

Improv 6: Christian Pincock (trombone), Simon Henneman (guitar), Cameron Sharif (keyboard)

Improv 7: Luke Bergman (guitar), Cliff Dunn (alto sax), Chris Icasiano (drums), Max Benoit (bass), Travis Fisher (keyboard)

Improv 8: Dio Jean-Baptiste (drums), Abbey Blackwell (bass), Brandon Herzberg (keyboard)

Improv 9: Daniel Webbon (drums), Andrew Olmstead (keyboard)

Improv 10: Geoff Traeger (bass), Thomas Campbell (drums)