Ken Vandermark and Not for Proper + Alvaro Rojas' Music for 22

Ken Vandermark and Not for Proper

Renowned American composer, improviser, and MacArthur Fellowship recipient Ken Vandermark has a “room-filling, spectrum-cramming, mountain-moving tonal presence” (NOW Magazine) on sax and clarinets. A modern master and ardent sound explorer, Vandermark has worked with Peter Brötzmann, Kris Davis, Terrie Ex, Paal Nilssen-Love, Ikue Mori, Hamid Drake, and scores of internationally renowned creative music giants. For this concert, the prolific Chicagoan joins local duo Not for Proper in artful, adventurous collaboration.

Pianist Lisa Cay Miller (NOW Orchestra) and drummer Kenton Loewen (Haram) have worked in a multitude of incarnations—both together and with local and international creative communities—dating back to when 1067 and The Sugar Refinery were keeping turn-of-the-century Granville Street weird and establishing Vancouver as a globally renowned improvised music hub. Cacophonous lifers, Not for Proper juxtaposes polyrhythmic free din, raw cracked tone, and wild open peace.

Alvaro Rojas’ Music for 22

Music for 22 began as a solo composition project for Alvaro Rojas in the early stages of the global pandemic. As the days wore on, the restlessly inventive Rojas dug deeper, arranging the pieces for string quartet alongside his adept guitar playing. With the guitar and string section sometimes working together, sometimes in opposition, Music for 22 ranges from contemplative beauty to turbulent rage alongside co-conspirators Meredith Bates violin, Josh Zubot violin, Parmela Attariwala viola, and Peggy Lee cello. This evening celebrates the group’s new self-titled album release, with cameos from American vocalist/producer Georgia Anne Muldrow and members of Vancouver’s vibrant music community.