By Susie Davidson
CORRESPONDENT
The Zeitgeist Gallery will once again transcend far beyond its midsized physical dimensions this Saturday evening, with an ever-expansive entertainment bill featuring avant-musical and techno masters Ken Field, Neil Leonard, James Merenda, John Voigt and William Buchanan.
Rob Chalfen’s Subconscious Café, a center of convergence for those for whom Billy Joel just won’t do, has been an avatar on the local scene with its eclectic offerings and intelligent selections of artists who live, breathe and feel the postmodern musical edge.
With their universally appealing and expert performance styles, alto saxophonists Neil Leonard and Ken Field dispel variances between genres. Field, who plays in the groups Birdsongs of the Mesozoic and the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, has produced compositions for Sesame Street, HBO, the Movie Channel, the Sundance Channel, and PBS. He has released several CDs of his multilayered saxophone work, and is currently preparing a masterclass CD for the Saxophone Journal. In addition to myriad university and arts organization residencies, he has played with many major names in varied musical ensembles, and performed for fellow sax aficionado President Bill Clinton.
Saturday’s appearance with Leonard will be a first-time collaboration. “Leonard has performed internationally, including in Spain, Cuba, Canada, Puerto Rico, Poland, Russia, and at New York's Carnegie Hall,” said Field of his colleague’s equally vast portfolio. “He has worked with Don Byron, and has released his own experiments combining acoustic saxophones with computer-based processing systems.” Leonard currently teaches at Berklee College of Music.
Joining Leonard and Field will be drummer and percussionist Will Buchanan, whose extensive touring has included dates in the U.S., Canada, Spain, Greece, and Russia, in both classic and popular music concerts. He is an active area freelance player as well who is known for synthesizing jazz, indie rock, African drumming, parade music, and minimalism.
Field, Leonard and Buchanan will be followed by the James Merenda Trio at 10 p.m. "Merenda is a very happening alto genius of the purest avant stripe," said Chalfen. The trio also features Cambridge's reowned John Voigt on bass, and Buchanan will join them as well on drums.
Merenda, who often leads a Jazz Jam at the Center for Arts in Natick, is a Brooklyn, New York native who has performed for over ten years in the Boston area. In addition to his original trio, Perilous Foil, he has played with many local ensembles including The Either Orchestra and The Ardvark Orchestra. He has played with, among others, Joe Hunt, Barry Reis, George Schuller, Ed Schuller, Mike Rivard, George Garzone, John McNeil, Eric Rosenthal and Luther Gray. He has also recorded with eminent pianist Ran Blake on Hatology and has made three independent recordings. Currently, Merenda is collaborating with Brandon Seabrook/Phantom Power Supply, as well as leading the Masked Marvels, an ongoing project which performs compositions of Charles Mingus. He is on the faculty of the Brookline Music School at 25 Kennard Rd. in Brookline.
On Saturday, Merenda will bring the three musicians together for the first time.
“John Voigt has recorded for Aum Fidelity, Ayler Records, Eremite, Box Holder, and RRRecords, in a video with Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore,” noted Merenda. “He’s played at Bell Atlantic, Sound Unity, Fire In The Valley, and Vision Festivals, and has had many gigs at the Knitting Factory.” In recorded projects and on stage, Voigt has played with Billy Bang, Borah Bergman, Peter Brotzmann, Roy Campbell, Denis Charles, Marilyn Crispell, Andrew Cyrille, Stu Dempster, Bill Dixon, Paul Flaherty, Bill Frisell, Malcolm Goldstein, Milford Graves, Joseph Jarman, Keith Jarrett, Oliver Lake, Jeanne Lee, Joe McPhee, Jemeel Moondoc, Thurston Moore, Joe Morris, Lawrence "Butch" Morris, Paul Motian, Bern Nix, and Zenna Parkins. “Also, he has published articles on Henry Grimes, Charles Mingus, Don Cherry and Morton Feldman,” noted Merenda. Voigt’s lecture and teaching credits have included appointments at the Institute of Jazz Studies, Berklee College, Boston Arts Academy and the Massachusetts College of Art.
Rob Chalfen presents the Subconscious Cafe New Music Series on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8:30 p.m. at the Zeitgeist Gallery, located at 1353 Cambridge St. in Inman Square. Doors open at 8 p.m.; tickets are $10 or best offer. This is an all ages production. For ticket information, visit www.zeitgeist-gallery.org or call 617-876-6060. Performers’ CDs are sold at the shows.