May 6, I'll be performing in a quartet assembled by LA bassist Jeff Schwartz, with Ellen Burr on flute and Charles Sharp, reeds. Can’t wait! Avant Music News gave us a great writeup. Should be a adventurous evening, presented by Open Gate Theater…we play around 8:00, preceded by the Vogel Saxon Duo at 7:00. Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock, 2225 Colorado Blvd. Admission is $10 (students, seniors, and past series performers half price); parking is free.

On the first Sunday of every month for the last 20 years, Open Gate Theatre has presented challenging improvised music at the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts. May’s event features two groups: the Saxon/Vogel Duo and a quartet assembled by bassist Jeff Schwartz.

Percussionist Jonathon Saxon has worked in forms from heavy metal (with Armored Saint) to free jazz and is best known for his acclaimed 2015 album Acceleration with ex-Ornette Coleman drummer Grant Calvin Weston and Los Angeles icons Steuart Liebig and Wayne Peet. For this show he teams with saxophonist Alexander Vogel, a gifted free jazz and noise player to improvise on jazz and folk melodies.

For the other set, Jeff Schwartz (Santa Monica Symphony, MESTO, Andrea Centazzo) has formed a special group by inviting his two most frequent collaborators: flautist Ellen Burr (LA Flute Orchestra, Adam Rudolph, West Coast Chamber Jazz Trio) and reedman Charles Sharp (CSU Fullerton New Music Ensemble, Adam Rudolph, Baast) to join harpist/composer Anne LeBaron for a set of free improvisation. Although LeBaron has had an impressive career in improvised music with artists including Derek Bailey, Peter Kowald, and Muhal Richard Abrams, her Los Angeles performances are rare and this will be her first collaboration with the other members of the quartet.