Saturday, January 31
The Quin Kirchner Group @ Heaven Gallery (Chicago)
This newly formed improvisational outfit features four young standouts in Chicago’s jazz, rock, and electronic scenes.
The quartet’s style is more accessible than the type of experimental/free jazz that one might imagine from an improvisational outfit; according to alto/soprano saxophonist Charles Gorczynski, the group’s songs aim to sound more like compositions, using repeated melodies and apparent sections.
This makes sense in the context of the members’ other groups: Gorcynzki’s Colorlist, upright bassist Matt Ulery‘s Loom, and clarinetist / tenor saxophonist Elliot Bergman‘s NOMO, for which Kirchner also drums.
The night’s other set belongs to the collaboration of bass clarinetist Jason Stein, pianist Jim Baker, and bassist Josh Abrams — a trio with its own esteemed members that should rely more on solos and less on conventional structure.