Lexington, Kentucky: VDMA quartet with Ishmael Ali/Tim Daisy/Allen Moore/Ken Vandermark

A concert featuring a set of short solo performances followed by a set of improvised music by the first time quartet of Ishmael Ali (cello), Tim Daisy (drums), Allen Moore (turntables/electronics), and Ken Vandermark (reeds).  VDMA is Chicago drummer Tim Daisy’s 50th Birthday Tour Ensemble; a powerhouse quartet representing the vanguard of Chicago’s renowned avant-garde and experimental music community. Organized by veteran percussionist Tim Daisy to commemorate his milestone 50th birthday, the group is intentionally designed as a multigenerational bridge linking different eras of sonic exploration.

It unites iconic, long-established stalwarts of the movement with some of the city’s most forward-thinking, emerging creative voices. By merging traditional acoustic instruments like reeds, cello, and drums with modern turntablism and electronics, the quartet blurs the lines between free jazz, noise, and electroacoustic composition.