Michael Sarian’s Esquina + Dave Ballou and the for-tet

Thursday September 10th at Rhizome DC at 6950 Maple Street NW, DC. Doors at 6:30, music at 7:00. Admission $20-$30, sliding scale. Advance tickets.

An evening of music with two amazing ensembles led by trumpeters Michael Sarian and Dave Ballou.

Michael Sarian (trumpet, electronics) with Esquina.

for-tet: Dave Ballou (trumpet), John Dieker (bass clarinet), Adam Hopkins (bass), Mike Kuhl (drums).

MICHAEL SARIAN’S ESQUINA draws inspiration from Miles Davis’s groundbreaking work with electronics and extended improvisation. Described by Bandcamp Daily as “taking the lessons of Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew and hauling them into the 21st century,” this innovative project features Sarian’s loosely structured compositions and graphic scores, seamlessly integrating themes and sounds from his Armenian heritage and Argentine upbringing. Emphasizing group interplay, ESQUINA allows the ensemble to explore and create performances that evolve with each show, highlighting the spontaneity and depth of contemporary jazz in a fresh and captivating way.

Following the release of their debut album on Greenleaf Music, ESQUINA has toured extensively across North America, with performances in Canada through Montreal, Toronto, Guelph, Waterloo and Perth, alongside major U.S. cities including Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and New York. Their sophomore album, In This Desert, is set for release in August of 2026 on Burning Ambulance Music.

https://michaelsarian.bandcamp.com/album/esquina

The “for-tet” is a quartet of musicians from Baltimore, MD and, more recently, Richmond, VA. IN the words of trumpeter and instigator DAVE BALLOU:

“The “for-tet” is an ensemble of improvisers assembled for a performance on July 3, 2024, at Rhizome in Washington, DC. Although we had performed together before, I wanted to see what we could do with these compositions. But the intention was to perform these pieces with no rehearsal or discussion of the structure.

This performance was so memorable because of the group interactions and musical decisions. We understood right away that each piece provides the context, and we create the structure. When Walsh and Collin asked me to record for Shiny Boy Press, I thought this would be the perfect outlet for these compositions and this ensemble.”

The resulting album is “Flat Rat” - https://daveballou.bandcamp.com/album/flat-rat