Author: soundwavesnewmusic

SOUNDWAVES AND ANGEL CITY JAZZ FESTIVAL PRESENT TRIPLE DIP AND TINER/PINEDA DUO OCT. 20

LOS ANGELES – On Tuesday, October 20, at 7:30PM, the Soundwaves new music series, based at the Westside Music Conservatory, teams up with the Angel City Jazz Festival (now known as Jazz Refractions) to present two fascinating groups featuring brass and piano.

The first set is by trumpeter Kris Tiner and pianist Cathlene Pineda, both celebrated local composers, improvisers, performers, and educators. They will feature material from their LP Sung, released in May on Orenda Records.

The second is by Triple Dip: New York-based pianist Russ Lossing, drummer Billy Mintz – a former Angeleno making a rare visit, and a surprise guest from Europe on trombone.

Both ensembles often make sensitive and melodic improvised music; this show is especially recommended for fans of Paul Motian, Kenny Wheeler, Jimmy Giuffre, etc.

A $20 donation is suggested. Tickets are available at the door or at <https://angelcityjazz.com/artist/triple-dip/>. The Westside Music Conservatory is at 12424 Wilshire, at the southeast corner of the intersection with Centinela.

Jazz Refractions is presenting thirteen events around Los Angeles during October, continuing a 19-year tradition. Visit https://angelcityjazz.com/ for details.

This is the first concert of Soundwaves’ fall quarter, which also includes Brendan White, Jack Dettling, and Andrew McIntosh on Nov. 17 and the SeaSky University student/faculty concert with Alicia Byer, Bill Alves, and others on Dec. 15.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUNDWAVES CONCERTS IN JULY, AUGUST, & SEPTEMBER

LOS ANGELES – The Soundwaves new music series, based at the Westside Music Conservatory, has announced their next three events.

Soundwaves presents monthly shows, at 7:30PM on the third Tuesday, bringing LA’s diverse experimental music communities to the westside.

Each of these programs includes two acts.

July 21 features Local Occurrence: Henryk Golden (tuba), Corey Fogel (percussion), Myra Hinrichs (violin), and Michael Matsuno (flute), presenting original work and pieces by Ana Luisa Díaz de Cossío and Daniel Allas, followed by an autobiographical performance by violinist Lisa Yoshida. Golden has been pursuing a doctorate in composition at USC and Yoshida recently completed her PhD in Integrated Improvisation, Composition, and Technology at UC Irvine. Both have also participated in the prestigious Darmstadt summer course.

August 18 offers two drummer-led groups. Andrea Centazzo celebrates the 50th anniversary of Clangs, his duo record with Steve Lacy, by performing his and Lacy’s compositions with flutist Ellen Burr and bassist Jeff Schwartz, then Matt Crane improvises with alternative rock legends Joe Baiza (Saccharine Trust, Universal Congress Of) and Mike Watt (Minutemen, Stooges).

The ensembles appearing September 15 play freely improvised music, incorporate vocals, and share drummer Garth Powell. The Barnett/Wood Group includes Bonnie Barnett (voice), Richard Wood (reeds), Dan Clucas (cornet and violin), and Hal Onserud (bass), while Bobby Bradford and his CuZns includes Bradford (cornet and voice), William Roper (tuba and voice) and Brian Walsh (reeds). Expect drama, humor, and social commentary from these creative music veterans.

There is a suggested donation of $20. The Westside Music Conservatory is at 12424 Wilshire, at the southeast corner of the intersection with Centinela.

For more information, please visit soundwavesnewmusic.com

LOS ANGELES – The Soundwaves new music series announces the first three concerts at its new location: the Westside Music Conservatory, 12424 Wilshire (at Centinela). Based at the Santa Monica Public Library from 2016-2024, Soundwaves draws on LA’s history of innovation in classical, jazz, rock, and music beyond genre to develop creative and collaborative programs.

Concerts will be on one Tuesday night each month, from 7:30-10PM, usually with sets by two artists. A $20 donation is requested.

The Spring 2026 quarter includes three shows:

April 14 features House on Fire: the piano-centered multi-instrumental trio of Andrew Anderson, Wells Leng, and Richard An, and the Feedback Wave Riders: guitarist Michael Jon Fink‘s improvising group with guitarists Alan S. Tofighi and Primoz Sukic and saxophonists Ulrich Kreiger and Vinny Golia;

May 19 features pianist Vicki Ray‘s Rilke Project: a compilation of works by various composers inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry, and koven: multimedia artist Carole Kim‘s improvising group with saxophonist M. A. Tisenga, Kazoue Matsumoto on koto, and gamin on Korean reed instruments;

and on June 16 Soundwaves will host one night of the Dog Star Orchestra Festival of experimental composition.

Soundwaves shows will resume in April 2026 at the Westside Music Conservatory. Details coming soon!

Due to repairs at the library auditorium, April’s concert will be at the Edye, a black box theater connected to the Broad Stage, at 1310 11th St, at the regular time of 3:30PM. It’s at the corner of 11th St. and Santa Monica Blvd, four blocks east of the Main Library. There is a large free parking lot.

This show is a collaboration with the Venice-based Cold Blue Music record label and features pieces from their catalog. It begins with John Luther Adams’ “Darkness and Scattered Light,” for five basses. On record, the late Robert Black (of Bang on a Can) recorded all five parts. For this, the LA premiere, the players will be John Graves, Hakeem Holloway, James Bergman, Christopher Roberts, and Jeff Schwartz. Bergman, Roberts, and Schwartz will follow this with “Flying,” from Roberts’ “Trios for Deep Voices,” and the program concludes with the world premiere of Nicholas Chase’s “Tiny Thunder,” for piano-four hands, played by Brian Pezzone and Jennifer Logan.

The library auditorium should be back in service for the May 4 performance by Joe Baiza’s quartet. Thanks to James Bergman and Santa Monica College for hosting this special show. See you there!

Soundwaves co-founder Jeff Schwartz gave presentations on the series at the 2017 California Library Association conference (in Riverside) and the 2020 New Music Gathering (online). Note that the theme of the 2017 conference was “New Worlds Emerge” and the 2020 one “Local Action.”

The Santa Monica Public Library’s acclaimed Soundwaves new music series will present seven concerts in 2024, each on the first Saturday of the month at 3:30PM, all in the Main Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium at 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

The year begins with two shows of contemporary compositions for strings. On January 6, the Isaura String Quartet gives a program featuring the world premiere of a piece written for them by Sarah Hennies, and violinist/violist/vocalist Wendy Richman, best known as a member of the International Contemporary Ensemble, performs February 3, joined for part of her set by percussionist Tim Feeney.

On March 2 Chris Jonas, a saxophonist who has worked with Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton, presents Music from the Deserts, a video and set of compositions inspired by his home in Santa Fe. His band features Cory Wright (reeds), Lisa Mezzacappa (bass), and Jason Levis (drums), all from Oakland.

April 6 spotlights pieces from recent releases on the Venice-based postminimalist Cold Blue Music record label including John Luther Adams’ “Darkness and Scattered Light” for five basses.

On May 4, guitarist Joe Baiza, founder of SST Records bands Saccharine Trust and Universal Congress Of, brings a quartet with Jessika Kenney (vocals), David O. Jones (bass guitar), and Brian Christopherson (drums).

The final two shows are both by bassist-led groups that combine contemporary chamber music and improvisation. On June 1, six-string bass guitarist Steuart Liebig presents the latest edition of his band Minim, with Breana Gilcher (oboe), Maggie Parkins (cello), and Vicki Ray (piano), then the series concludes on July 6 with The Present Quartet, organized by Soundwaves co-founder Jeff Schwartz with Ellen Burr (flutes), Anne LeBaron (harp), and Charles Sharp (winds).

Soundwaves was created by librarian/musician Jeff Schwartz and composer Daniel Rothman in 2016 to present cutting-edge music at the Santa Monica Public Library. It has received grants from the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library and the Amphion Foundation, and programs have included collaborations with the Angel City Jazz Festival, Piano Spheres, Jacaranda Music, Microfest, Cold Blue Music, and the Dog Star Orchestra. A complete list of shows, with many videos, is at soundwavesnewmusic.com.

Over the course of almost 100 events, Soundwaves has demonstrated three ideas: that Los Angeles has been crucial to multiple experimental musical communities, from refugee Modernist composers to free jazz to punk rock and beyond, that very challenging work can be successfully presented to a general audience, and that libraries and other public spaces can partially substitute for grassroots venues and other arts resources lost to gentrification.

All Library programs are free and open to the public. Parking is available underneath the Main Library, several bus lines and the Metro E line stop nearby, and there are bike racks. The MLK Auditorium is wheelchair accessible. Please call (310) 458-8600 to request additional accommodations.

Soundwaves Concert Series Announces Fall Season

SANTA MONICA, Calif. –

The Santa Monica Public Library’s acclaimed Soundwaves new music series continues, with six events in September through December, all at the Main Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

All the musical performances are on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. September 2, at 3:30 p.m, rising star Patrick Shiroishi presents music for four saxophonists. On October 7 Anna Homler sings in invented languages and creates sound with found objects, joined by Jorge Martin on electronics and series coordinator Jeff Schwartz on string bass. November 4 composer Michael Jon Fink picks up his guitar for a set of music inspired by the experimental side of cool jazz, with clarinetist Brian Walsh and cellist Derek Stein. Bay Area clarinetist Ben Goldberg visits December 2 with an all-star trio including Grammy and Tony-winning bassist Todd Sickafoose and drummer Scott Amendola, and on December 9 Berlin-based oboist Cathy Milliken, a founding member of Ensemble Modern, performs with Jeff Schwartz and series co-founder Daniel Rothman (clarinet).

In addition, Soundwaves is teaming with the Angel City Jazz Festival to host a talk by composer/performer Nicole Mitchell, on her recent book The Mandorla Letters: For the Hopeful, on Thursday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m. Mitchell’s book is an original, powerful, and accessible blend of Afrofuturist fiction, memoir, ecofeminist manifesto, and notes on her music. A book sale and signing will follow her talk.

Since 2016 Soundwaves has regularly presented free concerts of cutting-edge music at the Santa Monica Public Library, supported by the Friends of SMPL and the Amphion Foundation, including collaborations with the Angel City Jazz Festival, Piano Spheres, Jacaranda Music, Microfest, Cold Blue Music, and the Dog Star Orchestra.

Soundwaves focuses on noncommercial music, drawing on Los Angeles’ large and complex history of experimentation in rock, jazz, classical, and uncategorizable creative music, bringing the underground back to the westside. Visit soundwavesnewmusic.com for more information, including videos of many past shows.

All Library programs are free and open to the public. Seating is limited and on a first arrival basis. For more information, call (310) 458-8600 or visit smpl.org. The Auditorium is wheelchair accessible. For other disabled services, call Library Administration at (310) 458-8600 one week ahead. The Main Library is directly served by Big Blue routes 1, R10 and 18. Other bus routes and the Blue Line stop nearby. Ride your bike. Bike racks are available.

Solo flute performance by Wilfrido Terrazas.

Miller Wrenn and Sean Sonderegger led an open participation community workshop on conducted improvisation, using the Conduction system codified by Lawrence “Butch” Morris, and their own ideas for organizing music while it is being made.

photos by Barbara Fleeman