Friday December 13 * 7pm * $10-25 * TICKETS
Jair-Rohm Parker Wells - 21st Century Eclectic Bass
Jair-Rohm Parker Wells is an American electric bassist, sound sculptor, and experimental music artist. He is a pioneering figure in the world of free jazz and improvised music, with a career spanning over four decades. In the 1970s, Wells played with the seminal German band Embryo, solidifying his presence in the avant-garde music scene. Over the years he has collaborated with prominent experimental musicians like Bob Belden, Jaron Lanier, Tony Scott, and Karl Berger, and was a founding member of the improvising band Machine Gun. Wells also founded the Meeting Interdisciplinary Arts Festival in Stockholm, Sweden.
Born on October 13, 1958 in Tacoma, Washington USA and raised in southern Germany. He moved to New York in 1978, where he attended Tulane University in New Orleans, performing with local jazz and rhythm and blues musicians. He also studied with Richard Payne and discovered the music of Harry Partch. In 1980, he returned to New York and began work-study with saxophonist Ken Simon, meeting Anthony Braxton and studying his music.
Drawing inspiration from artists such as Lockwood, Feldman, Braxton, Wilson, and Cage, Jair-Rohm is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of musical expression. His artistic pursuits encompass various paths, including the Chapman Stick, computer aided composition and ambisonic mixing. Notably, he was in residence at EMS in Stockholm in 2017, where he embarked on composing his avant-garde music opera, #blacbuc, using the Buchla and Serge modular systems.
Wells' impact extends to prestigious global venues like Vahdat Hall in Tehran, Iran, Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou, China, and Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York. His "Liberation Cycle" compositions have been featured in "res·o·nant", the light and sound installation by artist Mischa Kuball at the Jewish Museum Berlin. As a committed vegan and eco-conscious artist, Jair-Rohm's artistry resonates with an ethos of sustainability and creativity.
With an enduring commitment to innovation, Jair-Rohm Parker Wells continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of music. His collaborations, diverse projects, and unwavering dedication inspire new generations of musicians and music enthusiasts alike, shaping the trajectory of experimental music.
Tara Toms - Explorations in sound, word, and movement
Tara Toms is an improviser, songwriter, poet, mover, and vocalist. She performs and tours widely as a solo artist and member of the Open Music ensemble. She performed the lead voice role in Open Music’s recent staging of Robert Ashley’s opera “Perfect Lives” at Rhizome DC.
Themes of her work include solitude, nonduality, dissonance, and devotion.
Tara has been generating music, poetry, drawings, eld recordings, performance art, movement, interactive sound installations, and extensive improvisation in the Mid-Atlantic region for 18 years. She has also held leadership roles in several arts festivals, concert series, mentorship programs, and improvisation workshops. She has presented compositional and large-scale installation works for MITdesignX, Xfest, Susquehanna Art Museum, 717 Arts, and numerous other arts organizations.
As an experimental and process-based composer, Tara has focused primarily on graphic scoring and long form text-based works for small groups of voices. As a folk singer, she recently released a set of recordings called “LTWEA”. She cites Robert Ashley, Gillian Welch, and the psychic-anchor tree across the street from her house as three meaningful influences.