Roulette Members may reserve a limited number of tickets using their member benefits by emailing development@roulette.org. Member reservations must be made in advance by June 12.
Arts for Art will present a special showcase of improvisor and bassist Joëlle Léandre in celebration of her Lifetime Achievement Award, performing with two of her iconic trios, in a collaboration with iconic poet Fred Moten, and with a special tentet composed of legendary French andAmerican musicians. Léandre’s celebration includes artists Nicole Mitchell, Myra Melford, Craig Taborn, Mat Maneri, Ingrid Laubrock, and more.
A progenitor of European improvisation, bassist Joëlle Léandre’s ongoing career is an integral story in 20th and 21st century music. While studying in Paris, Léandre encountered “the new thing,” from musicians escaping America for fair compensation and proper recognition, including Roscoe Mitchell, Bill Dixon, Alan Silva, Art Ensemble of Chicago. The caliber of her talent attracted attention from early in her career as Léandre performed with notables including Leornard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Giacinto Scelsi, Merce Cunnigham and John Cage, the latter two composing “Ryoanji” for Léandre specifically. In the years since Léandre has amassed over 200 recordings including numerous collaborations with fellow improvisors such as Marilyn Crispell, Anthony Braxton, Myra Melford, William Parker, Irène Schweizer, Derek Bailey, and Nicole Mitchell, with over 40 composers dedicating pieces to her. Léandre has also been active organizing distinguished all-women’s bands including the European Women’s Improvising Group (EWIG); Les Diaboliques; and The Tiger Trio. These trailblazing groups have played a vital role in the growing recognition and acclaim for women’s essential contributions to contemporary improvised music.
Set 1, 7:00pm: Tiger Trio
Joëlle Léandre – bass / Myra Melford – piano / Nicole Mitchell – flute
Set 2, 8:00pm: Joëlle Léandre and Fred Moten
Joëlle Léandre – bass / Fred Moten – poetry
Set 3, 8:30pm: Judson Trio
Joëlle Léandre – bass / Craig Taborn – piano / Mat Maneri – viola
Set 4, 9:30pm: Joëlle Léandre Septet premieres “Creation Mondiale”
Joëlle Léandre Septet premiers “Creation Mondiale”: Joëlle Léandre – bass, composition / Ingrid Laubrock – saxophone / Steve Swell – trombone / Mat Maneri – viola / Jason Kao Hwang – violin / Fred Lonberg-Holm – cello / Joe Morris – guitar
Founded in 1996, Arts for Art (AFA) is a New York City based tax exempt organization dedicated to the promotion and advancement of Black Multicultural Improvised Creative Arts — an African American indigenous art form in which improvisation is principal. This art embodies music, dance, poetry and visual arts. It is recognized for its variety of highly developed and personalized improvisational languages. AFA works to preserve the legacy of FreeJazz, and to ensure a vital future through its re- imagination by new generations of artists. Spearheaded by the internationally renowned Vision Festival, AFA’s programming brings together multiple generations of vibrant, diverse and highly skilled artists. To further its goals of diversity and accessibility, AFA fosters education initiatives and produce events that build community amongst artists and audiences.
