Racer Session #106 | Stratic | February 19, 2012

[Unfortunately, the recordings of this session are no longer available.]

Stratic is an improvising trio based in Oakland, CA. The group is made up of Aram Shelton (saxophone and processing), Michael Coleman (keyboards and electronics) and Alex Vittum (percussion). The trio’s approach to improvising combines elements of free jazz, post-rock and noise music. Through the combined use of acoustic instruments and electronics, the music treads the line between more traditional improvised music and some sort of futuristic soundscape. While the music is entirely improvised, the trio has been experimenting with different types of cues to explore new ways of making quick shifts and changing textures in an attempt to avoid the common pitfalls of free music. Using cues presents new challenges of staying present in the music while being ready at any point to make a shift or call for a change. In the end, the goal is to be as aware as possible and let the music guide the musicians.

The members of Stratic are all very active in the Bay Area music scene. Aram leads groups under his own name as well as the sextet Marches and quartet Cylinder. He has toured extensively in the US and Europe and maintains very strong ties to the music scene in Chicago. Michael leads his own groups Arts & Sciences and CavityFang as well as being part of the collective trio Beep. Alex has worked with numerous Bay Area luminaries in both the improvised music world and the experimental pop scene. He has released an album of solo percussion and electronics and continues to explore the processing percussion in his own compositions. 

Listen to a track from Stratic!