Even considering the embarrassment of riches confronting this season’s Red Room goer, this show is a true gem! Two superb instrumentalists from down under, cellist Judith Hamann (who you may remember from their performance at RR in March 2016) and guitarist JR (who was recommended to your host by Judith at the said show, to my betterment) are joined by Baltimore’s inimitable Witches, a violin/flute duo who can play Berio’s Sequenzas like it’s fun and improvise together like they share limbs. Neglect this mighty musical offering at your peril!
As always, doors at 8:30, show at 9. $5-10 sliding scale
redroom.org
Judith Hamann is a cellist from Melbourne, Australia. Her performance practice stretches across various genres encompassing elements of improvised, art, experimental, and popular music. Currently her work is focused on expressions of immersion and saturation: explored through durational, spatialised and electroacoustic approaches to sound, as well as an examination of psycho-physical materials and manifestation of ‘shaking’.
Judith has studied contemporary repertoire with cellists including Charles Curtis and Séverine Ballon, as well as developing a strong practice in improvisation and sonic arts through collaborative projects both in Australia and internationally. She has worked with artists and ensembles including Oren Ambarchi, ELISION ensemble, Dennis Cooper, Maya Dunietz, Jürg Frey, Graham Lambkin, Alvin Lucier, Sejiro Murayama, Toshimaru Nakamura, The Necks, NYID, Michael Pisaro, Ilan Volkov, Tashi Wada, and La Monte Young. Judith is a member of Golden Fur, Hammers Lake, SYSTEM (with Anthea Caddy), The Argonaut String Quartet, and a duo project with Rosalind Hall.
judith-hamann.com
soundcloud.com/judithhamann
JR is a guitarist from Australia. Her practice encompasses performance, composition, arrangement and production. Her approaches to acoustic and electric guitar, ensemble music and electro-acoustic works are characterized by the navigation of thematic material derived from unstable harmonic and rhythmic territories
She has collaborated with notable musicians such as Jon Rose, Anthony Pateras, Suze Whaites, Clayton Thomas, George Lewis, Phil Minton, Judy Bailey, Bob Ostertag, Tony Buck (The Necks) and Liz Kosack. She has produced works for notable groups such as Ensemble Offspring, the Berlin Splitter Orchestra, Small Room (DE), the Living Room Theatre, as well as many ongoing active projects in Australia and Europe.
The Witches create performances that weave together improvisations, original and commissioned works, and reimaginings of music from their colorful backgrounds and interests. Ledah Finck (violin, viola, compositions) and Louna Dekker-Vargas (flutes) explore the fine lines between beauty and ugliness, strength and fragility, focusing on mining the subtle layers of timbre that lie between their two treble instruments.
www.witchtunes.com
www.soundcloud.com/thewitches
