Innovative improvisers— percussionist Shakoor Hakeem and cornetist-composer Graham Haynes—come together to perform work they have been working on over the last two years. Performer Lucie Vítková will make a special appearance.
This performance will be presented virtually and available for free on a variety of streaming platforms. Roulette’s theater is currently closed for public performances as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the safety measures that Roulette has put in place to keep staff, artists, and the public safe.
Graham Haynes is a cornetist composer. His relationship playing at Roulette goes back 35 years. He tours annually in Europe, Asia, Brazil and Africa and has appeared several times on national tv. He is in high professional demand as a musical director and composer for film, theatre, dance, and multimedia .
Lucie Vítková is a composer, improviser and performer (accordion, hichiriki, synthesizer, voice and tap dance) from the Czech Republic, living in New York. During her studies of composition at Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno (CZ), she has been a visiting scholar at Royal Conservatory in The Hague (NL), California Institute of the Arts in Valencia (USA), Universität der Künste in Berlin (D), Columbia University in New York (USA) and at the New York University. Her compositions focus on soni cation (compositions based on abstract models derived from physical objects), while in her improvisation practice she explores characteristics of discrete spaces through the interaction between sound and movement. In her recent work, she is interested in the social- political aspects of music in relation to everyday life and in reusing trash to build sonic costumes. She has been nominated on 2017 Herb Alpert Awards in Arts in category of Music, was commissioned by the Roulette Intermedium in 2017 and has become a Roulette resident artist in 2018. She has put together two ensembles – NYC Constellation Ensemble (focused on music behavior) and OPERA Ensemble (for singing instrumentalists). During the 2017 Mentor/Protégé Residency in Tokyo (JP), she studied hichiriki with Hitomi Nakamura and has been a member of the Columbia University Gagaku Ensemble. As an accordion player, she collaborated with New York based TAK Ensemble, S.E.M. ensemble, String Noise, Du.0, Argento Ensemble, CU Raaga, Ghost Ensemble and Wet Ink.
Fearless sideman percussionist Shakoor Hakeem, prolific up-and-coming talent, has a gift; Making experimental, Afro-diasporan, rhythmic improvisational music immediately enjoyable. Hakeem’s unique old-soul has him adhering to the cultural traditions of mysticism and folklore, within which are contained the secrets of his elders. The mythical experience of his stage presence evokes feelings that you are witness to a ceremonial gathering, of an ancient rhythmic history. In building this, he has long supported many of the most forward-thinking legendary improvisors, including Antione Roney, Graham Haynes and the illustrious Wallace Roney. Performing live with these great artists, he refrains from over- playing and prefers minimalism, playing within the musical, compositional contexts of colours and texture, delivering limited solo’s, all the while occupying the eye of the hurricane.
