# Ken Vandermark > Musician & composer ## Posts - [New Detroit Recording Session: June 19, 2026](https://kenvandermark.com/new-detroit-recording-session-june-19-2026/): Ben Hall has called it a residency, and that seems true.  Since I got to Detroit on Sunday, June 14th, the time has been filled with rehearsals, performances, recording sessions, composing.  Friday was no exception- Ben put together the beginning of a new ensemble with Zekkereya El-magharbel (trombone), Cyrus Pireh (guitar), and me on baritone sax.  The construction of the material was unique to my experience.  Often musicians bring compositions to a rehearsal or recording with perhaps a lead sheet for all instruments, or separate parts based on instrumentation, but rarely creating a specific part for the drummer.  Often, drummers are […] - [Experiments 2026: #3 & #4/work with Ben Hall](https://kenvandermark.com/experiments-2026-3-4-work-with-ben-hall/): Experiments 2026: #3 & #4/work with Ben Hall.  2026 has included a number of shifts in creative strategy for me.  Starting in reverse from this spring to the beginning of the year, I began to work in new ways with the help of musician/artist/polymath, Ben Hall: first with the duo Ellington Skeletons (our initial work began in November of 2025 but has developed more thoroughly during this year), and with the group he formed with Sharon Udoh (organ)/Indira Edwards & Mike Khoury (violas)/Garrett Frees (reeds)/Cyrus Pireh (guitar): Field Kitchen, which Ben asked me to compose for. Ellington Skeletons is a unique […] - [Living Poets Society](https://kenvandermark.com/living-poets-society/): Mixing material with Nick Broste by a sextet with Beth McDonald (tuba/electronics), Erez Dessel (keyboards), Josh Berman (cornet), Lily Finnegan (drums), and Nick Macri (acoustic/electric bass); with readings by poets Ed Roberson, Kai Ihns, and Ken Taylor; recorded at the Green Mill on August 1st and 2nd last year.  I met: Beth several years ago, someone rocking the scene as hard as she does now; Erez through Ben Hall; Josh back in the late 90’s, who has remained a key figure as a musician and presenter for decades; Lily through Kris Davis; Nick through Tim Daisy; Ed at a Corbett vs. […] - [Autumn 2025-Spring 2026: Influences & Impacts](https://kenvandermark.com/autumn-2025-spring-2026-influences-impacts/): Though the last half year has focused on the performance of lots of exciting music at home and abroad, much inspiration came from other art sources and focused listening to recordings.  Here are lists of the resources that have impacted me most from the autumn of 2025 through the spring of 2026.  Particular mention should be made of Fred Moten’s book, “In The Break: The Aesthetics Of The Black Radical Tradition,” which, among other things, led me to re-read “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison; to watch the documentary “Finally Got the News” directed by Rene Lichtman, Peter Gessner, and Stewart Bird; […] - [Prime Cuts #5: To Live and Die in L.A. & Weekend](https://kenvandermark.com/prime-cuts-5-to-live-and-die-in-l-a-weekend/): William Friedkin was an extraordinary film director.  The French Connection (1971) is one of my favorite movies and Sorcerer (1977) and To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) are also exceptional.  Early on, Friedkin suggested a deep admiration for the French New Wave with a bit of French graffiti, “La Dernier Cri” (which translates to “The Latest Trend” in English), a non sequitur written on the side of a rundown city building during a scene in The French Connection.  This enthusiasm pushed him to re-envision Henri-Georges Clouzot’s absolute classic, The Wages of Fear, as the fever dream Sorcerer; this task, perhaps […] - [Collaborators in 2025](https://kenvandermark.com/collaborators-in-2025/): Gigs with the DKV Trio concluded the music of 2025 for me, and I’d like to thank the people I was able to collaborate with last year.  All of you had an important impact on me, whether it was from a single performance, rehearsals, a concert tour, a recording or mixing session.  As 2026 begins and continues, I’ll be bringing the information and inspiration you gave me into what comes next, musically and otherwise.  My deepest appreciation to each of you with a hope that the year ahead brings some optimism and beauty in the face of the chaos that we’re […] - [Edition Redux: OCT-LOFT Jazz Festival, Shenzhen, China, October 2025](https://kenvandermark.com/edition-redux-oct-loft-jazz-festival-shenzhen-china-october-2025/): 12/23/25: On the 26th and 27th of December I’ll be playing my last concerts of the year, as always with the DKV Trio at Elastic Arts.  Exactly two months ago I was in China, performing with Edition Redux at the incredible OCT-LOFT Jazz Festival in Shenzhen.  That was the final concert for the quartet in 2025, the culmination of a Chicago residency at the Hungry Brain during September (with a performance at the Sound & Gravity Festival), and a tour in Europe in October (that concluded with a recording session for our next album, at Shenk Studio in Amsterdam)- an amazing […] - [Update: November 9, 2025](https://kenvandermark.com/update-november-9-2025/): About to embark on a tour in Europe with Paal Nilssen-Love and organized by him.  This means lots of intense and inspiring music (13 concerts), lots of traveling (8 countries), and 2 days off- what else could I possibly expect with Paal at the helm? Full concert details: https://kenvandermark.com/all_events/ Though focused on getting ready for this next series of performances, I’d like to acknowledge and thank Joe McPhee and John and Jim of Corbett vs. Dempsey for encouraging me to compose and record a new album of solo music, a set of compositions and improvisations dedicated to Joe, entitled “October Flowers” […] - [IN ROTATION & IN ADDITION: Winter 2024-Summer 2025](https://kenvandermark.com/in-rotation-in-addition-winter-2024-summer-2025/): I like to keep track of the ideas and work in this journal as a reference to what has influenced and affected me over time.  Alongside the collaborations I am fortunate enough to have with other musicians and artists, there’s the research I like to do through recordings, art exhibits, books, and film that move my thinking forward.  I collect those details and publish them about twice a year.  Here’s the compendium of that information between the winter of 2024 and summer of 2025. In regard to the albums I listened to, there was a focus on material that I felt […] - [Edition XL & poets at The Green Mill: night one](https://kenvandermark.com/edition-xl-poets-at-the-green-mill-night-one/): Edition XL and the poets Ed Roberson, Ken Taylor, and Kai Ihns will be back at The Green Mill tonight- Saturday, August 2nd, at 8pm- for our second series of performances.  The experience of last night’s event was incredible.  After months of work and a preliminary show at the Jazz Estate in Milwaukee, Edition XL got on stage for 3 sets and took the music to new heights, turning conception into reality.  I am so grateful to be able to work with Beth McDonald, Erez Dessel, Josh Berman, Lily Finnegan, and Nick Macri.  Also lifting the bandstand were the poems of Ed […] - [Edition XL with poets Ed Roberson, Kai Ihns, and Ken Taylor](https://kenvandermark.com/edition-xl-with-poets-ed-roberson-kai-ihns-and-ken-taylor/): Announcing two special nights of music and poetry in Chicago!  On Friday and Saturday, August 1st and 2nd, the new ensemble, Edition XL, will make its Chicago debut at The Green Mill with acclaimed poets, Ed Roberson, Kai Ihns, and Ken Taylor.  Each night will feature three sets of original music to be introduced by a short reading from one of the poets. I feel that all the arts are connected, creatively and often socially, and the performances taking place on August 1st and 2nd at the Mill are a case in point.  I was introduced to Ken Taylor’s work when he […] - [Interview for PostGenre: Music Beyond Category](https://kenvandermark.com/interview-for-postgenre-music-beyond-category/): In advance of my No Idea residency in Austin on May 29 and 30, 2025, organized by Chris Cogburn, I was interviewed by Rob Shepherd for his “PostGenre: Music Beyond Category” site. Article below: My thanks to Rob for the great discussion and ongoing coverage of the music. - [Back To ESS To Work With Corbett vs. Dempsey](https://kenvandermark.com/back-to-ess-to-work-with-corbett-vs-dempsey/): On Thursday, July 17th, I returned to Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago to complete mixes on two projects for the Corbett vs. Dempsey label, with major assistance from John Corbett, Jim Dempsey, and engineer Alex Inglizian.  The first album was for the “October Flowers for Joe McPhee” recordings made on March 17th in front of a small gathering at John and Jim’s gallery.  The second set of material was for “The Magic Number” event documented almost exactly two years ago, on July 15th, 2023 at Constellation, which also included Jason Adasiewicz, Mats Gustafsson, Joe McPhee, Roscoe Mitchell, and Nate Wooley.  That […] - [Studio Work](https://kenvandermark.com/studio-work/): Two days were spent at Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago this week, each focusing on different aspects of documenting the creative process.  On Wednesday, July 9th I recorded an interpretation of a composition by John Cage which Cage sent by fax to the photographer and filmmaker, Chris Felver, in October of 1991 (Felver’s films include “All the Notes”, a documentary about Cecil Taylor; chrisfelver.com).  This performance of the material is meant to be used as part of a documentary about the artist that Felver is currently working on (as is a version, called “The Unquestioned Answers”, by Andrew Culver who was Cage’s […] - [Discussion with Furkan Çolak](https://kenvandermark.com/discussion-with-furkan-colak/): Furkan Çolak, a member of the Noesis Collective of musicians and artists based in Ankara, Turkey, recently got in touch to interview me.  The discussion was in-depth and far ranging and has just been published in English and Turkish on the Noesis website. Link to Turkish version: https://noesiscollective.com/cagin-baskisini-dayanismayla-asmak-ken-vandermark-ile-bir-soylesi/ Meeting Furkan and learning about Noesis has been a significant reminder for the importance of mutual support during these very troubled times.  That, no matter how far apart we may be geographically, we can still live in the same neighborhood: socially, culturally, and politically.  My thanks to Furkan and the Noesis Collective for […] - [Edition XL concert update](https://kenvandermark.com/edition-xl-concert-update/): Back in February, work with the sextet Edition XL began.  As you can tell from these rehearsal photos taken in March the temperature in Chicago has climbed substantially since then… The band has three upcoming concerts: The Jazz Estate in Milwaukee (Saturday, July 26), and two nights at the Green Mill in Chicago (Friday/Saturday, August 1 and 2). Six months of preparation has been necessary, from the compositional standpoint and to understand how the modular pieces can be organized vertically and horizontally (the material can be superimposed and sequenced linearly in multiple ways).  Josh Berman, Erez Dessel, Lily Finnegan, Nick Macri, […] - [After and Before](https://kenvandermark.com/after-and-before/): In John Yau’s brilliant book, “A Thing Among Things: The Art of Jasper Johns” (Distributed Art Publishers: 2008), Yau often brings up the idea that Johns flipped the conventional idea of chronology as “before and after” to “after and before”, putting the viewer into a space to experience “now”: after something has taken place and before the next occurs.  I have frequently thought about this idea following the back-to-back experience of performing with a version of the NRG Ensemble in Chicago then concerts with Mabel Kwan and the quintet of Kory Cook, Matthew Frerk, Stefan González, Jonathan Horne in Austin. The […] - [What will be, will be- Sly Stone is gone.](https://kenvandermark.com/what-will-be-will-be-sly-stone-is-gone/):  No other musician aside from Miles Davis and Duke Ellington had such a long-term creative impact on me.  Since I was a child, I’ve listened to all their work.  Then later, as a musician myself, I have researched their ideas on a regular basis.  As I said to a close friend yesterday, “Perhaps he’s now at peace.  Though I love his music very much and always will, he sacrificed too much for it.”  Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s recent documentary, “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)”,  goes into detail about Sly Stone’s sacrifices and those that other Black American musicians have made to […] - [Prime Cuts #4: “Love Power Peace” (Polydor, 1992), James Brown](https://kenvandermark.com/prime-cuts-4-love-power-peace-polydor-1992-james-brown/): This series of essays, that explore the ideas of sequencing and montage between two pieces of recorded music or two film scenes, continues with another one of my favorite albums: the document of James Brown’s performance with the JB’s at the Olympia Theatre in Paris on March 8th, 1971, “Love Power Peace”.  The material was originally to be released as a triple LP in 1972, but this idea was scrapped when key members of the JB’s left the band for financial reasons after the group toured in Europe in March of 1971.  Ironically, the JB’s were formed in 1970 when most of Brown’s previous […] - [Svetlost w/Nilssen-Love & Vandermark pt. 4](https://kenvandermark.com/svetlost-w-nilssen-love-vandermark-pt-4/): After arriving in Skopje, Macedonia on April 12th to begin work with Svetlost (Kiko Novkovski [drums], Deni Omeragić [electric bass], and Nino Spirovski [Bb clarinet, tenor & soprano sax]), the first half of this new project focused on rehearsals (Paal Nilssen-Love joined the group on April 15th), concerts (in Skopje at MKC-Cinema Frosina on the 16th and in Sofia, Bulgaria at Club Singles on the 17th), and a recording session (with the sound engineer Vladan Drobicki).  Deni coordinated all the logistics beautifully, the pacing involved provided ideal circumstances in preparation for the recording on Saturday, April 19th in the rehearsal space […] - [Damon Locks: "We Are Our People/Listen To This" exhibition at Goldfinch Gallery, Chicago](https://kenvandermark.com/damon-locks-we-are-our-people-listen-to-this-exhibition-at-goldfinch-gallery-chicago/): Thankful to be back in Chicago after the project with Svetlost and Paal Nilssen-Love (more on the second half of that tour shortly) and in time to see Damon Locks’ “We Are Our People/Listen To This” exhibition at Goldfinch before it leaves the gallery on May 3rd.  I encourage anyone who is in town and interested in art and ideas to visit the show while you still can: 12-4pm on Friday, May 2nd and especially on Saturday the 3rd when Damon will be in conversation with fellow artist, Andres L. Hernandez at 1pm: Goldfinch, 319 N. Albany Ave., Chicago.  As stated […] - [Svetlost w/Nilssen-Love & Vandermark pt. 3](https://kenvandermark.com/svetlost-w-nilssen-love-vandermark-pt-3/): After a strong second concert in Sofia, Bulgaria at Club Singles on Thursday night, which pulled the new material into sharper focus, the group set up and recorded with Vladan Drobicki in a small “pocket cinema” space in the large building that houses the MKC-Cinema Frosina, where the ensemble premiered its music for a packed house on April 16th (link to full review by Nenad Georgievski: https://nenadgeorgievski.substack.com/p/svetlost-ken-vandermark-and-paal).  The rehearsals that began with Svetlost (Deni Omeragić [electric bass], Nino Spirovski [tenor and soprano sax, Bb clarinet], Kiko Novkovski [drums]) last Sunday, added Paal on Tuesday, coupled with the concerts in Skopje and Sofia, meant the band was primed […] - [Svetlost w/Nilssen-Love & Vandermark pt. 2](https://kenvandermark.com/svetlost-w-nilssen-love-vandermark-pt-2/): Following a second rehearsal with Deni Omeragić, Nino Spirovski, and Kiko Novkovski on Monday afternoon, Paal Nilssen-Love joined the project on Tuesday after flying from Chicago to Oslo on Monday, going to his home outside of town to do construction on it, then returning to an airport hotel that night so he could to fly to Skopje at 6am to meet with the group.  Of course his flight was delayed.  After arriving at the apartment he’ll be sharing with me and quickly dropping off his luggage, we went to get some much needed coffee with Deni and the sixth member of […] - [Album coverage: "Broadcast Transformer" and "This Is Not A Holiday"](https://kenvandermark.com/album-coverage-broadcast-transformer-and-this-is-not-a-holiday/): The process of creating new work and documenting it has been essential to me for decades, driven by periods early on when both were difficult and the knowledge that Herbie Nichols, one of the composer/improviser icons in my field, had so little of his music recorded (in addition, though he wrote and played music for horn players, there is only a chronicle of his trio material).  So, it’s gratifying that two of my most recent albums, by Edition Redux and the duo with Terrie Ex, have recently obtained strong reviews, thanks to Paul Acquaro and Eyal Hareuveni for the insightful coverage:  When one approaches a new […] - [Svetlost w/Nilssen-Love & Vandermark pt. 1](https://kenvandermark.com/svetlost-w-nilssen-love-vandermark-pt-1/): Rehearsals with Deni Omeragić, Kiko Novkovski (pictured above), and Nino Spirovski of Svetlost began in Skopje on April 13th.  We were able to work through four out of the five compositions I wrote for the project, quite an accomplishment considering we had never played together and I had not met all of them until the day before.  On Tuesday, Paal Nilssen-Love will arrive and we’ll have my material and the pieces organized by Svetlost prepared to go over with him in advance of our first concert here on Wednesday, April 16th, at MKC. This is my fourth trip to Skopje, the most […] - [Prime Cuts #3: “Sans Soleil” (Argos Films: 1983), directed by Chris Marker.](https://kenvandermark.com/prime-cuts-3-sans-soleil-argos-films-1983-directed-by-chris-marker/): In the Prime Cuts essays so far I’ve focused on music and how two tracks on an album placed back-to-back can impact each other (Abide With Me and Well You Needn’t from “Monk’s Music” by Thelonious Monk; also Money Jungle and Fleurette Africaine from “Money Jungle” by Duke Ellington).  The series is also meant to examine the ramifications of how two scenes in a film placed next each other create the effect of A+B=C, or why Robert Bresson’s statement from Notes on The Cinematograph, “The same image brought in by ten different routes will be a different image ten times”, is […] - [Edition XL: next steps](https://kenvandermark.com/edition-xl-next-steps/): Very happy to be working with (left to right) Erez Dessel, Nick Macri, Lily Finnegan; and Beth McDonald, Josh Berman on the ensemble project, Edition XL. I began composing for the group during early February in preparation for rehearsals that began in the second half of that month and have continued through March.  At this point, seven pieces have been completed: one “triptych” working with different tempos that explore a generalized “jazz lexicon”, a second triptych to focuses on “free-funk” ideas influenced by Miles Davis’ “Cellar Door Sessions”, and the beginning of a third triptych that’s going to investigate different musical […] - [Recording "October Flowers for Joe McPhee"](https://kenvandermark.com/recording-october-flowers-for-joe-mcphee/): On the evening of March 17th one of the most significant recording sessions of my career took place.  It was held at the Corbett vs. Dempsey gallery in front of a small audience, with Alex Inglizian recording.  The material consisted of pieces I originally wrote to celebrate the gallery’s publication of Joe McPhee’s extraordinary memoir, “Straight Up, Without Wings: The Musical Flight of Joe McPhee” (co-written by Mike Faloon) which took place on October 18th of last year.  John Corbett liked the compositions and wanted to document them being played in the space that they were initially performed. The six pieces form […] - [Prime Cuts #2: “Money Jungle” (Originally issued on LP by United Artists Jazz, 1963; reissued on LP by Blue Note, 1986, first reissue on CD, 1987, corrected reissue on CD, 2002), Duke Ellington. ](https://kenvandermark.com/prime-cuts-2-money-jungle-originally-issued-on-lp-by-united-artists-jazz-1963-reissued-on-lp-by-blue-note-1986-first-reissue-on-cd-1987-corrected-reissue-on-cd-2002-duke/): This is the second in a series of essays that are meant to explore the impact two pieces of music can have when lined up back-to-back on an album, and to also consider the ramifications two scenes in a cinematic montage or between films can have.  I’ve selected the title track to Duke Ellington’s trio recording with Charles Mingus and Max Roach, “Money Jungle”, which is followed by another of Ellington’s compositions, “Fleurette Africaine” for this week’s article. I’ve been writing a lot about Duke Ellington in the last few weeks, and with good reason- I have been around his music […] - [Prime Cuts #1: “Monk’s Music” (Riverside, 1957), Thelonious Monk](https://kenvandermark.com/prime-cuts-1-monks-music-riverside-1957-thelonious-monk/): I thought it would be interesting to start a series of write-ups about specific aspects of recordings that I find remarkable, also regarding cinema.  After seeing the new documentary, “Becoming Led Zeppelin”, and listening to Jimmy Page’s insistence that the band’s albums focus on the possibilities of the LP format versus singles, I considered how opposite that attitude was from this age of streaming services, where the focus is on one track selected for a listener by algorithms most certainly derived from payola scams.  I grew up going to concerts by bandleaders like Art Blakey and Johnny Griffin and listening to […] - [What Would Ellington Do? Pt. 2](https://kenvandermark.com/what-would-ellington-do-pt-2/): What Would Ellington Do? Pt. 2: As the work continues on composing for Edition XL- a new project with Josh Berman, Erez Dessel, Lily Finnegan, Nick Macri, and Beth McDonald- I’ve already set my sights on the reference material for the next triptych: Cecil Taylor’s early period, before the bar line was broken, when Denis Charles was most often the drummer and Buell Neidlinger was the bassist.  Though the later chapters in Taylor’s career are rightfully celebrated for advancing the field of music I’m involved with, the material he created in the late 1950’s/early 60’s has fascinated me too.  And, though […] - [5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Chicago Jazz: The Art Ensemble of Chicago](https://kenvandermark.com/5-minutes-that-will-make-you-love-chicago-jazz-the-art-ensemble-of-chicago/): Very flattered to have been asked by Giovanni Russonello of the New York Times to contribute to “5 Minutes That Will Make You Love Chicago Jazz” alongside Dee Alexander, Lauren Deutsch, Brent Hayes Edwards, Peter Margasak, Scott McNiece, Roscoe Mitchell, Mike Reed, Howard Reich, Tomeka Reid, Mark Ruffin, and Giovanni Russonello.  The article was published today and when asked to select “one video or audio track that you would play to make someone fall in love with the sound of the Windy City. It can be from any era, ‘jazz’ subgenre, artist, etc.”, it was very, very challenging to pick from so many incredible options connected to Chicago’s […] - [Edition Redux/Edition XL](https://kenvandermark.com/edition-redux-edition-xl/): Many thanks to Bill Meyer for his February 27 review in Dusted magazine of “Broadcast Transformer” by Edition Redux.  Though it’s always gratifying to get a positive response to the work, Bill’s recognition and demonstration of how my interest in cinema has impacted the music with Erez Dessel, Lily Finnegan, and Beth McDonald is especially significant.  Link to the complete review here: https://dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/post/776662319567699968/edition-redux-broadcast-transformer You can order copies of “Broadcast Transformer” from Catalytic Sound (https://catalyticsound.com/albums/broadcast-transformer/) and Audiographic Records (https://editionredux.bandcamp.com/album/broadcast-transformer) The quartet with Beth, Erez, and Lily has been expanded to a sextet that includes Josh Berman and Nick Macri for a special project […] - [What Would Ellington Do?](https://kenvandermark.com/what-would-ellington-do/): “What would Ellington do?”  I grabbed that idea from director Billy Wilder (“Double Indemnity”, “Sunset Boulevard”, “Ace in the Hole”, “Some Like It Hot…), who asked “How would Lubitsch do it?” in reference to his hero, filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch, as I began work re-thinking the material for a new ensemble project, Edition XL (expanding the quartet of Erez Dessel, Lily Finnegan, and Beth McDonald to a sextet including Josh Berman and Nick Macri). On August 1st and 2nd this group will perform at the Green Mill, one of my favorite places to play in this or any city.  As much as […] - [New York Eye And Ear Control/Michael Snow](https://kenvandermark.com/new-york-eye-and-ear-control-michael-snow/): An excellent time Sunday evening with John Corbett getting to talk about the work of one of my heroes- visual artist, filmmaker, musician, Michael Snow- at a presentation of his films “New York Eye and Ear Control” (1964) and “Sshtoorrty” (2005) by Doc Films, a student-led, volunteer-run movie theater and film society at the University of Chicago.  I had not seen “New York Eye and Ear Control” projected on a screen since I was at university at McGill in Montreal, when I was studying film and taking a series of courses in experimental cinema in the mid 1980’s.  Snow was one […] - [Cash only, except when it’s free](https://kenvandermark.com/cash-only-except-when-its-free/): Cash only, except when it’s free.  Though there is always incredible art taking place in Chicago, what’s even more remarkable is that so much of it is available for free.  Every Friday from 5-7:30pm, Chris Foreman- a truly magnificent Hammond B-3 organ player- performs jazz and soul standards at the Green Mill without a cover charge (though any self-respecting fan of music would contribute something to bucket on top of the keyboard before leaving…).  Coupled with the atmosphere of the Mill, it’s an experience that doesn’t exist anywhere else, yet- in Chicago- it can be experienced on a weekly basis for […] - [San Franciso Film Trilogy](https://kenvandermark.com/film-observations-01-27-25/): There are still a few days for folks who have access to the Criterion Channel to see an obscure crime film from Blake Edwards, “Experiment in Terror”, released in 1962 between his movies, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Days of Wine and Roses”.  It leaves the platform at the end of the month.  The film is so unknown it’s actually not listed in some of Edwards’ filmographies, yet it’s extraordinary on many levels, and apparently an influence on a number of directors, including the recently passed David Lynch (the neighborhood where one of the main characters, Kelly Sherwood [played impressively by Lee […] - [Further work...](https://kenvandermark.com/further-work/): Further work at Experimental Sound Studio with Terri Kapsalis on her audio art version of her book, “Jane Addams’ Travel Medicine Kit”, took place on Tuesday, January 22nd with Damon Locks added to the mix and Alex Inglizian again behind the board. Damon created incredible pieces based on sampling components of the songs I recorded for Terri at the first session, on January 16th: “Mountains of Alonistaina”, “The Land of Noonday Night”, “Lonesome Blues”, and “I Didn’t Raise My Boy To Be a Soldier”, and some built around sonic suggestions from Terri (a rhythmic groove Damon invented from a recording of […] - [On Thursday, January 9th, polymath Terri Kapsalis invited me to join her at Experimental Sound Studio...](https://kenvandermark.com/on-thursday-january-9th-polymath-terri-kapsalis-invited-me-to-join-her-at-experimental-sound-studio/): On Thursday, January 9th, polymath Terri Kapsalis invited me to join her at Experimental Sound Studio to begin work on a recording project that will also involve Damon Locks.  Based on her book, “Jane Addams’ Travel Medicine Kit” (which is organized something like a series of museum didactics, containing information that intersects with the content and forensic investigation of Addams’ kit which is housed at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum in Chicago), Terri is developing an audio art piece that incorporates the text, compositions connected to the text (from rebetika, an early Chicago jazz recording, as well as a protest song […] - [Much gratitude to all the artists](https://kenvandermark.com/much-gratitude-to-all-the-artists/): Much gratitude to all the artists I had the opportunity to perform with in 2024. This work, sometimes for one set or a recording session, sometimes for a series of concerts together on the road, brought beauty and inspiration to a complex, challenging year. That beauty and inspiration will continue to carry me in 2025, a year that promises to be even more complex, even more challenging. My thanks for your perseverance in the face of the obstacles, for sharing the ideas, imagination, and vision, for making the world better than it would be otherwise: Jason Adasiewicz, Farida Amadou, Zoh Amba, […] ## Pages - [Press Photos](https://kenvandermark.com/press-photos/) - [Blog](https://kenvandermark.com/blog/) - [Active Bands](https://kenvandermark.com/band/) - [Discography](https://kenvandermark.com/discography/) - [About](https://kenvandermark.com/about/): Ken Vandermark (USA 1964) is an avant-garde composer, improviser, saxophonist/clarinetist, curator, and writer; director of the Catalytic Sound musician cooperative since 2012, has run Audiographic Records since 2014; in 1999 was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in music.  He moved to Chicago from Boston in 1989 and has worked continuously from the early 1990s onward, both as a performer and organizer in North America, Europe, Latin America, Japan, and Ethiopia, recording in a large array of contexts, with many internationally renowned musicians (such as Fred Anderson, Ab Baars, Martin Blume, Peter Brötzmann, Sylvie Courvoisier, Tim Daisy, Kris Davis, Dieb 13, Hamid Drake, Terrie […] - [Ken Vandermark](https://kenvandermark.com/): Ken Vandermark (USA, 1964) is a renowned avant-garde composer, improviser, saxophonist/clarinetist, curator, and writer. He has collaborated and recorded with key figures from the AACM (Fred Anderson), New York’s Downtown scene (Ikue Mori), FMP (Peter Brötzmann), British improvisation (Paul Lytton), post-punk (Terrie Ex), Ethiopian music (Getachew Mekuria), and Japanese free jazz (Akira Sakata). Since 2012, he has directed the Catalytic Sound cooperative and runs Audiographic Records (founded 2014). In 1999, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for his contributions to music. - [Contact](https://kenvandermark.com/contact/): For bookings, questions and inquiries please fill the form below and i’ll get back to you shortly. Contact form ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/kenvandermark.com/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)