Nick's Cousins | Arts + Literature Laboratory | Madison Contemporary Arts Center

Nick's Cousins

Join us at the Arts + Literature Laboratory on Friday, September 20 at 8:00pm for an evening of jazz with Nick's Cousins, featuring Matty Harris (saxaphone), Eric Carranza (guitar), and Byron Johnson-Blanchard (drums). Tickets are $10 in advance (https://nickscousins.bpt.me/) and $15 at the door. Student tickets $5 off with a valid school ID. Advance ticket sales end 1 hour before the show. Doors open at 7:30pm.

With members hailing from diverse musical backgrounds, Nick’s Cousins finds common ground and rises up to fill a gap in the vibrant Minnesota music scene.  At the intersection of high-energy rock and improvised jazz solos, experimental harmonies meet blazing-fast odd meters. A portion of Nick’s Cousins’ repertoire consists of stripped-down, raw versions of pieces from Harris’ 2016 avant-garde large ensemble release Matty Harris Double Septet (pfMentum recordings) which featured septuagenarian woodwinds legend Vinny Golia and was mastered at Capitol Records. 

A few record review excerpts (LP+CD):

"A program brimming with...horns based convergences, soulful proclamations, subtle melodic inventions and pieces often designed with embryonic buildups and burgeoning choruses.” -AllAboutJazz.com 

"This is gorgeous and often profound and thoroughly meditative."  -KUCI 88.9 FM (Los Angeles) 

The remainder of Nick’s Cousins’ program consists of both original compositions and traditional songs from around the world reimagined in the band’s unique style.  In October 2018, Nick's Cousins had the experience of a lifetime travelling to Nepal for eight performances, including four at Jazzmandu: The Kathmandu Jazz festival.

 

The concert series is supported in part by Alchemy, WORT 89.9FM, Heid Music, and HotelRED. Student ticket discount made possible by Grant Samuelsen Real Estate.

Saxophonist Matty Harris plays a dozen woodwinds and earned B.F.A. and M.F.A. music degrees at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) with jazz legends Charlie Haden, Wadada Leo Smith, Vinny Golia and Joe LaBarbera.  His compositions were chosen three times for the Capitol Records CalArts Jazz CD project.  In addition to being a bandleader, Matty is an in-demand sideman in the Twin Cities, performing with local favorites Roma di Luna as well as pit orchestras. 

Guitarist Eric Carranza is a titan of the twin cities music scene. His chameleonic guitartistry can be heard in varied settings from touring with the future-pop outfit Har Di Har to playing intimate duo shows with tabla player Suwal Singh.  Rocky Schulze honed his virtuosic prog-rock style of bass guitar playing while a member of math-metal band Children of Euler.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

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