$10 Cover At The Door
Nikita Manin is a clarinetist, improviser and composer originally from the San Francisco Bay and now based in New York City. His new record, in the middle of a park’s green soccer field we part, synthesizes composed form with his explorations of the clarinet, his experience on the Boston improvised music scene, and his interest in creating an abstract narrative space for the listener to occupy.
Erez Dessel is an improvising pianist and composer. After graduating from the New England Conservatory in Boston in 2020, Dessel moved to Savannah, GA, where he served as music director at the Savannah Music Festival Jazz Academy, Savannah’s first free after-school youth jazz program. He also kept up an active performing career in the southeast, including presenting an hour-long improvised work for piano, pastel, and paper at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center. He moved to Chicago in 2022, and has worked continuously both as a performer and organizer, recording in an array of contexts with many internationally renowned musicians (including Ken Vandermark, Tim Daisy, Dustin Laurenzi, Maria Elena Silva, and Seajun Kwon).
Aaron Kaufman-Levine is a Chicago based saxophonist, composer and improviser. Aaron is an active performer in the Chicago-area, and has led his group at the Chicago Jazz Festival, Constellation, Fulton Street Collective, and more. He has also played at Chicago Symphony Hall, Pritzker Pavilion, Andy’s Jazz Club, Chicago Jazz Showcase, Hungry Brain, The LilyPad, Distler Hall (Tufts), Killian Hall (MIT) and the historic Jordan Hall (NEC).
Caroline Jesalva’s artistic practice concentrates on sound, composition, installation art, experimental and poetic forms. They bring music to unconventional spaces and collaborating across disciplines and artistic mediums.
Garrett Frees is a saxophonist, composer, clarinetist, and flutist. He enjoys expressing his musicality in any situation, from various jazz, alternative, and hip hop genres to his personal creative projects. Born in Naperville, IL, Garrett grew up learning different genres on the piano, saxophone, clarinet, drums, and voice. Throughout high school, while studying with Rich Moore and Frank Caruso, Garrett won multiple awards and scholarships in jazz including the National Youngarts award. He participated in high school programs with the Jazz Institute of Chicago. The Jazz Showcase, Andy’s Jazz Club, and the Chicago Jazz Festival of 2020 are some of the places he has played. After graduating high school, Garrett decided to attend New England Conservatory of Music to study with Jerry Bergonzi, Miguel Zenon, Melissa Aldana, Frank Carlberg, and Donny McCaslin. Garrett was a part of the NEC Jazz Honors Ensemble during his third year at New England Conservatory. Garrett has performed and worked with many amazing artists, including Cecil McBee, Dave Holland, Ran Blake, Ric Wilson, Scott Burns, and Anna Webber, among others.
Tyler Wagner is a musician from Eden Prairie, Minnesota currently living in Chicago, Illinois. They are an improvisor, producer, songwriter, mix engineer, and teacher who plays the upright bass and bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, electronics, and I sing.