Dot Jazz

Saturday, September 7, 2024
8:00 - 9:30 PM

The 2024-2025 Dot Jazz Series kicks off on September 7th with the Ivanna Cuesta Quartet. In addition to Ivanna on drums and electronics, the quartet also features saxophonist Rick DiMuzio, pianist Jose Soto, and bassist Max Ridley.

Ivanna Cuesta was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and attended the Dominican Republic Conservatory and Berklee College of Music. The drummer, composer, educator and synthesist released her debut album, Letter to the Earth, in June. This collection of original compositions and free improvisation is inspired by Cuesta’s love of the natural environment of her home country and by her concern about the state of the planet: “Since I was little I always loved nature and I was surrounded by many trees, rivers, and beaches in my country, the Dominican Republic. But climate change is a reality, and everything that I experienced as a child has been disappearing so fast— and now, they are just memories.”

In addition to her work as a bandleader, Cuesta is an in-demand sideperson. Recent appearance include Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Claudia Medina, Kevin Harris, Gabrielle Goodman and many others.

“There are no lectures here. Just, at times, an atmospheric plea in music, to help save our planet.” – Tim Larsen, Jazz Views.

Thursday, October 10, 2024
7:30 - 9:00 PM

Ian Coury is an award-winning 10-string bandolim (Brazilian mandolin) player from Brazil who has shared stages with Brazilian legends like Toninho Horta and Hamilton de Holanda. Still in his early 20s, he is a gifted composer and a phenomenal master of his instrument.

English-born cellist and composer Catherine Bent, an alumna of Cirque du Soleil, has performed and recorded with artists as diverse as Joe Jackson, Lee Konitz, Donna Summer, and poet laureate Robert Pinsky. She tours in Brazil and Europe and has a worldwide reputation as the leading cellist in Brazilian choro music.

The two have a musical connection that transcends their backgrounds and crystallizes around their passion for the Afro-European traditions of Brazil.

Catherine Bent has developed a rhythmic technique for playing the cello that replaces the guitar and percussion in a traditional rhythm section. Each instrument deftly contributing melody, rhythm and harmony, the duo is complete in itself: lyrical, harmonically sophisticated, and deeply grooving.

Ian and Catherine’s unique instrumentation and flights into spontaneous territory set them apart from other choro musicians in Brazil and beyond. In addition to representing both classic and modern repertoire, they also perform their original compositions in choro, samba and forró styles.

Saturday, November 23, 2024
8:00 - 9:30 PM

The Revolutionary Snake Ensemble is a funk/street beat improvisational brass band performing a unique blend of original and traditional music. Labeled “explosive” by the Boston Globe.

Leader Ken Field is a saxophonist/composer/improviser/one of Boston’s most dedicated and versatile musicians. Since 1988, he has been a member of Birdsongs Of the Mesozoic, a New Music/ chamber rock ensemble that began as a spinoff from the legendary Mission of Burma. The story of the RSE began Field assembled an improvisational horn and percussion group in 1990 to entertain at a pagan women’s ritual celebration. Field decided to continue the project, conceiving it initially as an improvisational group rooted in Boston’s free jazz/improv scene.

NYC Jazz Record writes that “Revolutionary Snake Ensemble has been putting its unique and somewhat twisted twist on the New Orleans brass band tradition for more than 25 years…hard-partying avant-funk, with boisterous soloing.”

KBCS Seattle Public Radio says that RSE “continues to mine the vein of New Orleans – with post-bop, and touches of Avant – this band cooks; edgy, raucous, fun, and first rate!”

And the Boston Herald adds that “People tend to think of second line bands – brass bands steeped in New Orleans traditions – as instant party starters. It’s a great compliment, maybe the best compliment ever, but it limits the sonic and emotional range of these bands. Revolutionary Snake Ensemble can absolutely get a party started. But on the local horn collective’s fourth album, I Want That Sound!, the players also explore the wild outerlands of jazz.”

Thursday, December 5, 2024
7:30 - 9:00 PM

Israeli bassist Ehud Ettun has introduced himself to the international Jazz scene playing with George Garzone, Fred Hersch, Danilo Perez, Donny McCaslin, Anat Cohen, Eli Degibri and others. He is known for his unique approach to the upright bass as a melodic instrument, and not only as a bass instrument. His uniquely developed techniques make him an in-demand bassist all around the world. He has performed in venues ranging from the Blue Note, New York, to Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and concerts and festivals in Europe, North America South America and Asia.

For this Dot Jazz appearance, Ehud will debut a new project, the Desert Snow Quartet featuring Angela Varo on violin, Tim Ray on piano and Andre Sudol on drums.

“Ettun can conjure the deep soulfulness of Charlie Haden.” – The Boston Globe