NORTHWEST NEW WORKS
If you missed On the Boards' excellent opener, be sure to catch NWNW's final weekend. Choreographer Corrie Befort has corralled composer Tom Baker, who scored Fold Upon Fold for microtonal vibraphone, traditional drums, bowed cymbals, and bamboo sticks. Herbert Bergel serves up portions of his rock opera Voyage of the Beagle (Darwin or Snoopy, I'm not sure which), and the multifarious Zeke Keeble composed reflect/deflect for the locust dance company. Also Sat April 19 at 7:30 pm. On the Boards, 100 W Roy St, 217-9888, 7:30 pm, $8-$15.
MONSTER DEFIANCE HEADQUARTERS
Why do I like noise? Because a timbral feast awaits those willing to delve into distortion. This noise trio celebrates its sophomore CD release with fellow travelers Verbal Aggression. 2nd Avenue Pizza, 2015 Second Ave, 956-0489, 8 pm, free.
SATURDAY APRIL 19
DANIEL MENCHE
This amazing Portland-based sound artist has recruited two must-hear sonic explorers who do live gigs all too rarely, Dale Lloyd and Matt Shoemaker. Lloyd, best known for curating the phonography.org series of field recording compilations, manipulates assorted location recordings, electroacoustic dronescapes, and assorted found objects. With laptop in hand, Shoemaker presents a new piece and plans to sit "nearly motionless in front of his computer." Thanks to the magic of contact microphones, Menche's performance focuses on organic sound sources, especially his own amplified heart, skin, lungs, and larynx. Polestar Music Gallery, 1412 18th Ave at E Union St, 329-4224, 8 pm, $8.
MONDAY APRIL 21
RONALD PATTERSON
Violinist Patterson presents an assortment of works for string duo and string quartet. On the program: Vivaldi's Four Seasons, a couple of duos for violin and viola by Handel and Chailley, as well as one of my favorite string quartets, Ravel's scintillating Quartet. Meany Theater, UW Campus, 543-4880, 7:30 pm, $8/$10.
STEVE KORN QUARTET
In a recent issue of All About Jazz, a must-read Seattle rag for local jazz-heads, drummer Steve Korn wrote a marvelous piece about drum solos. He advises, "Try to look to the music for material. That is, don't play every lick you know for five minutes.... What makes the open solo most effective is ensuring that one's solo relates to the composition in some way." Indeed. Still Life Cafe at the Grand Illusion, 1403 NE 50th St, 523-3935, 8 pm, $7.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 23
SCORES OF SOUND DAY ONE
While it seems this multi-day smorgasbord of Cornish students and faculty just happened, it actually transpired last December. Talented classical, jazz, and experimental players plunge into a range of music, from gamelan to bebop to classical chamber music. At 1 pm you can hear the cryptically christened "Rhythm Section," while "Jazz Ensemble I" and "Piano Repertoire" start at 2 and 3 pm, respectively. The "Composers" have their say at 5 pm, and the "Fusion Ensemble" starts (presumably) cooking at 8 pm. Kerry Hall at Cornish College, 710 E Roy St, 325-6500, 1 pm, free.
