Natural Information SOciety Community ensemble with ari brown

saturday, september 28

TIME: 9:30pm-10:30pm

VENUE: international House. 1414 east 59th st.

Natural Information Society Community ensemble with ari brown

Since Time Is Gravity, credited to Natural Information Society Community Ensemble with Ari Brown, presents a newly expanded manifestation of acclaimed composer and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Abrams’ nearly 15-year, 7-albums-and-counting ensemble. Of the album, Stuart Broomer writes, "Since first developing Natural Information Society (NIS) in 2010, Joshua Abrams has been gradually expanding the group’s conceptual underpinnings, its musical references, and the sheer number of the group’s members. Its music is, in a sense, an expansive form of minimalism, based in repeated and overlaid rhythmic patterns, ostinatos, and modality. Its roots, its scale, and its meaning become clearer in time. If time is gravity, it also allows us to carry more. Having begun as fundamentally a rhythm section with Abrams’ guimbri at its core, the version here can stretch to a tentet, including six horns." 

Since Time Is Gravity has received critical recognition, including Mojo Magazine's #1 Underground Album 2023, Pitchfork's 30 Best Jazz and Experimental Albums 2023, The Wire 2023 Rewind 50 Top Releases (All Genres), and The Boston Globe's 50 Favorite Albums 2023. NIS has performed at the Berlin Jazz Festival (2023); Constellation Chicago (2022, 2023); Festival International Musique Actuelle Victoriaville, Canada (2024); Guelph Jazz Festival, Canada (2022); Millennium Park (2021); Pioneer Works, Brooklyn (2023); and Pitchfork.

The musicians:

Joshua Abrams — guimbri, composition
Lisa Alvarado — harmonium, stage setting
Mikel Patrick Avery – drums
Josh Berman – cornet
Ari Brown — tenor saxophone
Ben LaMar Gay – cornet
Nick Mazzarella — alto saxophone
Jason Stein — bass clarinet
Mai Sugimoto — flute, alto saxophone