Roulette Intermedium, a venue that has provided space for experimental art to New York City audiences since 1978, will host a slew of Avant-programs this fall, including a series of performances in honor of free jazz pioneer Anthony Braxton’s 80th birthday, a celebration of Dr. Muhal Richard Abrams for the 60th anniversary of influential experimental organization, the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), and a performance by Cuban-Haitian composer Aruán Ortiz, who will explore “Afro-diasporic identity through the lens of new music & avant-jazz, with scenes from his opera,” according to the venue’s website.
Roulette Intermedium, which has called downtown Brooklyn home since 2010, ushered in the coming of Fall on September 17 with a performance of John Zorn’s Cobra, an experimental game piece that featured over a dozen musicians onstage, performing sporadic, improvised pieces that were cued from cards and hand motions by Zorn, who conducted the show. The piece is never performed the same way twice, as the players take control over the direction of the music within the confines set by the conductor, providing for a once-in-a-lifetime sonic journey through landscapes of harsh noise and irreverent beauty.
The venue seeks to “support artists and present performances of innovative music, movement, and media art; build audiences interested in experiencing new work; and trace the evolution of experimental performance in a freely accessible public archive,” according to the mission statement on their website, which also hosts the extensive collection of concert videos, show flyers, and photos. They also livestream lots of performances, allowing audiences around the world to venture into the realm of underground music in NYC from the comfort of their own homes.
Roulette offers discounted student tickets for most shows, and is hosting several free programs, including a performance of Anthony Braxton’s music by George Lewis and Mary Halvorson in November, and the Triple Canopy Symposium in October. Members also have the opportunity to score free and discounted tickets, and memberships start at $100 annually.
More information about membership opportunities can be found at https://roulette.org/membership. For a a list of all upcoming shows and to view the extensive, free and public archive, visit roulette.org/calendar and roulette.org/archive.