In 1990, Thirsty Ear made its emergence as a record label of its own, quickly accelerating its position and becoming one of the top alternative independent labels within the U.S. music industry. Since its beginning in 2000, the story of the Blue Series has been one of focused, organic evolution. From free jazz masters, legends in their own time, to some of the most innovative producers working in the world of modern hip-hop and electronic music, the Blue Series has come to encompass some of the most exciting developments in creative music since the turn of the new millennium.
October 1—Saturday
8 pm
Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid (guitars) Others TBA
10 pm
Free Form Funky Freqs
Vernon Reid (guitars) Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bass) G. Calvin Weston (drums)
October 2—Sunday
8 pm
Lafayette Gilchrist
Lafayette Gilchrist (piano) Michael Formanek (double bass) Andrew Cyrille (drums)
10 pm
Lafayette Gilchrist
Lafayette Gilchrist (piano) Steve Swell (trombone) Darius Jones (alto sax) Michael Formanek (double bass) Andrew Cyrille (drums)
October 4—Tuesday
8 pm
Greg Ward Quartet
Greg Ward (alto sax, composition) Dave Miller (guitar, electronics) Josh Ginsburg (bass) Marcus Gilmore (drums)
10 pm
Jon Irabagon & Mike Pride with Mick Barr
“I Don't Hear Nothing But the Blues" Trio
Jon Irabagon (tenor sax) Mike Pride (drums) special guest Mick Barr (electric guitar)
October 5—Wednesday
8 and 10 pm
DJ Spooky and Antarctica Ensemble “The Book of Ice"
DJ Spooky (turntables) and ensemble
October 6—Thursday
8 pm
Elliott Sharp Trio
Brad Jones (bass) Ches Smith (drums) Elliott Sharp (saxophones, guitar)
10 pm
Elliott Sharp and Orchestra Carbon
Jenny Lin (piano) Rachel Golub (violin) Danny Tunick (percussion) Reuben Radding, Kevin Ray (basses) Ha-Yang Kim (cello) Briggan Krauss (sax) Oscar Noriega(reeds) Curtis Fowlkes (trombone) Elliott Sharp (guitar)
October 7—Friday
8 and 10 pm
Matthew Shipp Trio
Matthew Shipp (piano) Michael Bisio (bass) Whit Dickey (drums)
October 8—Saturday
8 and 10 pm
Matthew Shipp Trio
Matthew Shipp (piano) Michael Bisio (bass) Whit Dickey (drums)
October 9—Sunday
8 pm
Peter Evans, Weasel Walter, Mary Halvorson Peter Evans (trumpet) Weasel Walter (drums) Mary Halvorson (guitar)
10 pm
Mara Rosenbloom Quartet
Mara Rosenbloom (piano, composition) Sean Conly (bass) Nick Anderson (drums) Darius Jones(alto sax)
October 11—Tuesday (KR)
8 pm
Mat Maneri, Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock
Mat Maneri (viola) Kris Davis (piano) Ingrid Laubrock (sax)
10 pm
Mat Maneri, Ed Schuller, Randy Peterson
Mat Maneri (viola) Ed Schuller (bass) Randy Peterson (drums)
October 12—Wednesday
8 pm
Mat Maneri, Matt Moran, Garth Stevenson, Randy Peterson
Mat Maneri (viola) Matt Moran (vibes) Garth Stevenson (bass) Randy Peterson (drums)
10 pm
Mat Maneri, Lucian Ban, John Herbert, Gerald Gleaver
Mat Maneri (viola) Lucian Ban (piano) John Herbert (bass) Gerald Cleaver (drums)
October 13—Thursday
8 pm
Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut
Greg Ward (alto sax) Joe Sanders (bass) Damion Reid (drums)
10 pm
HPRIZM: High Priest of the Antipop Consortium Presents Black
Goliath
High Priest of the Antipop Consortium (beat composer, vocalist) Micah Gaugh (sax)
October 14—Friday
8 pm
Mary Halvorson Quintet
Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet) Jon Irabagon (alto sax) Ingrid Laubrock (tenor sax) Jacob Garchik (trombone) Mary Halvorson (guitar) John Hebert (bass) Ches Smith (drums) Quintet plus special guests.
10 pm
Dawn of Midi
Aakaash Israni (bass) Qasim Naqvi (percussion) Amino Belyamani (piano)
October 15—Saturday
8 pm
Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone
Jessica Pavone (viola)Mary Halvorson (guitar)
10 pm
Personal Heat
Jessica Pavone (violin, voice) Amnon Freidlin (guitar, electronics, processed voice) Your trashiest local psychics deploy iced electronics; processed vocals, violin, and guitar; prismatic melodies; and scrambled pulsations to set out on a sweeping hunt of the ultra-verse. FREE.
October 1—Saturday
8 pm
Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid (guitars) Others TBA
10 pm
Free Form Funky Freqs
Vernon Reid (guitars) Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bass) G. Calvin Weston (drums)
October 2—Sunday
8 pm
Lafayette Gilchrist
Lafayette Gilchrist (piano) Michael Formanek (double bass) Andrew Cyrille (drums)
10 pm
Lafayette Gilchrist
Lafayette Gilchrist (piano) Steve Swell (trombone) Darius Jones (alto sax) Michael Formanek (double bass) Andrew Cyrille (drums)
October 4—Tuesday
8 pm
Greg Ward Quartet
Greg Ward (alto sax, composition) Dave Miller (guitar, electronics) Josh Ginsburg (bass) Marcus Gilmore (drums)
10 pm
Jon Irabagon & Mike Pride with Mick Barr
“I Don't Hear Nothing But the Blues" Trio
Jon Irabagon (tenor sax) Mike Pride (drums) special guest Mick Barr (electric guitar)
October 5—Wednesday
8 and 10 pm
DJ Spooky and Antarctica Ensemble “The Book of Ice"
DJ Spooky (turntables) and ensemble
October 6—Thursday
8 pm
Elliott Sharp Trio
Brad Jones (bass) Ches Smith (drums) Elliott Sharp (saxophones, guitar)
10 pm
Elliott Sharp and Orchestra Carbon
Jenny Lin (piano) Rachel Golub (violin) Danny Tunick (percussion) Reuben Radding, Kevin Ray (basses) Ha-Yang Kim (cello) Briggan Krauss (sax) Oscar Noriega(reeds) Curtis Fowlkes (trombone) Elliott Sharp (guitar)
October 7—Friday
8 and 10 pm
Matthew Shipp Trio
Matthew Shipp (piano) Michael Bisio (bass) Whit Dickey (drums)
October 8—Saturday
8 and 10 pm
Matthew Shipp Trio
Matthew Shipp (piano) Michael Bisio (bass) Whit Dickey (drums)
October 9—Sunday
8 pm
Peter Evans, Weasel Walter, Mary Halvorson Peter Evans (trumpet) Weasel Walter (drums) Mary Halvorson (guitar)
10 pm
Mara Rosenbloom Quartet
Mara Rosenbloom (piano, composition) Sean Conly (bass) Nick Anderson (drums) Darius Jones(alto sax)
October 11—Tuesday (KR)
8 pm
Mat Maneri, Kris Davis, Ingrid Laubrock
Mat Maneri (viola) Kris Davis (piano) Ingrid Laubrock (sax)
10 pm
Mat Maneri, Ed Schuller, Randy Peterson
Mat Maneri (viola) Ed Schuller (bass) Randy Peterson (drums)
October 12—Wednesday
8 pm
Mat Maneri, Matt Moran, Garth Stevenson, Randy Peterson
Mat Maneri (viola) Matt Moran (vibes) Garth Stevenson (bass) Randy Peterson (drums)
10 pm
Mat Maneri, Lucian Ban, John Herbert, Gerald Gleaver
Mat Maneri (viola) Lucian Ban (piano) John Herbert (bass) Gerald Cleaver (drums)
October 13—Thursday
8 pm
Greg Ward's Phonic Juggernaut
Greg Ward (alto sax) Joe Sanders (bass) Damion Reid (drums)
10 pm
HPRIZM: High Priest of the Antipop Consortium Presents Black
Goliath
High Priest of the Antipop Consortium (beat composer, vocalist) Micah Gaugh (sax)
October 14—Friday
8 pm
Mary Halvorson Quintet
Jonathan Finlayson (trumpet) Jon Irabagon (alto sax) Ingrid Laubrock (tenor sax) Jacob Garchik (trombone) Mary Halvorson (guitar) John Hebert (bass) Ches Smith (drums) Quintet plus special guests.
10 pm
Dawn of Midi
Aakaash Israni (bass) Qasim Naqvi (percussion) Amino Belyamani (piano)
October 15—Saturday
8 pm
Mary Halvorson and Jessica Pavone
Jessica Pavone (viola)Mary Halvorson (guitar)
10 pm
Personal Heat
Jessica Pavone (violin, voice) Amnon Freidlin (guitar, electronics, processed voice) Your trashiest local psychics deploy iced electronics; processed vocals, violin, and guitar; prismatic melodies; and scrambled pulsations to set out on a sweeping hunt of the ultra-verse. FREE.
