2022-11-06
• 7pm: Henry Fraser, Lester St. Louis (fb) @ [stone circle theatre at the] ridgewood presby church (all ages), 59-14 70th ave, ridgewood, queens // TICKETS
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Lester St. Louis
photo by Peter Gannushkin
Lester St. Louis (b.1993) is a New York born and based Composer, Improviser, Cellist, Sound Designer and Curator.
His work traverses through performance, installation, curation, artistic research and recording. His works are rooted in dynamic environments of improvisation both sonically and socially, ecstatic sound worlds. flow and interaction. He has performed internationally throughout The U.S, The E.U, Canada, China and in South America; and collaborates with artists such as Chris Williams [under the moniker HxH], Edi Kwon Jaimie Branch, Dre A. Hočevar, Charmaine Lee, Isabel Crespo Pardo, Emeka Okereke, TAK Ensemble, The International Contemporary Ensemble, Random International, Superblue, Terrence Nance, Found Sound Nation, Amirtha Kidambi and many more. As a composer, Lester has been commissioned by artists such as The JACK Quartet, RAGE THORMBONES, Jennifer Koh, String noise Ghost Ensemble among others. He is deeply excited to see what new ventures and collaborations the future may bring and those that will be made.
insta: @lesterst.louis
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Henry Fraser
photo by Sabrina Santiago
Born in Boston, MA in 1991, Henry Fraser grew up immersed in music - singing, playing piano and cello, studying theory and ear training. He began playing the double bass at 14, sparking an interest in improvisation via the music of Charles Mingus. Fraser moved to NYC in 2014, after graduating from New England Conservatory of Music, and has been actively working in the areas of jazz, free-improv, noise, and spectral music. Much of Fraser’s work is rooted in his music for solo double bass, which has culminated in three releases - Briggs, Buzzed, and as is the morning, is - establishing him as a technical and creative force among his generation of bassists. The self-titled release of his band, The Full Salon, was featured in Rolling Stone’s “6 Paths Through Jazz in 2020”. Fraser has toured throughout the US and abroad, playing such venues as the Panama Jazz Festival, Mompox Jazz Festival, Moers Festival, Unlimited Festival in Wels, Austria, Roulette Intermedium, Joe’s Pub, and Pioneer Works. As a composer, he has written for the collaborative ensemble, Maestro Day, released an album of his string trio, Blockwise VII, and was commissioned to contribute two works for The Rivers School Conservatory’s 42nd annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young (2020). In 2021, Fraser was selected as a fellow for the Art OMI Music residency, in 2022 his trio, Nepenthae, participated in a residency at KO Arts in Marfa, TX. Most recently, Fraser was named a 2022 NYSCA/NYFA Finalist in the category of Music/Sound, was invited to participate in the Uncool Residency in Poschiavo, Switzerland this September, and the SWR NEWJazz Meeting taking place this November.
insta: @henry__fraser + henry-fraser.com