July 8, 2010
Henry’s ‘Sonic Noon’ concert series starts — next performances are Aug. 5, Sept. 2
The Henry Gallery kicked off its annual Sonic Noon concert series July 1 with Ethel’s Effel, a trio composed of Ivan Arteaga, saxophone; Natalie Hall, cello; and Abbey Blackwell, bass. The three played in the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Sculpture Court just outside the Henry’s eatery, Molly’s Cafe.
“The type of music we play is known as free improv jazz,” Hall said. “It generally does not have a tonal center. It is instead based on how we interact with (or talk to each other) through our instruments.”
In this case, the music was inspired by paintings hanging at the Henry Gallery. Blackwell chose the paintings on which to comment musically, Hall said, and the three practiced improvising together a few days before the concert.
All three of the musicians are affiliated with the UW School of Music. Arteaga graduated in June, Hall is a senior and Blackwell is a sophomore. And all three are regulars at a series called Racer Sessions, a weekly gathering held at Cafe Racer (near the corner of Ravenna Boulevard and Roosevelt Way) where many jazz students from the UW play free improv jazz from 8 to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
“I am a cello performance major here at UW and have not dabbled in the improv world until recently, when Ivan asked Abbey and me to play in the contemporary concert with the Jazz Lab class last quarter,” Hall said. “Playing this type of music is so empowering and zen-ful to the musician. It allows me to express my voice, not a composer’s. When I was playing with Abbey and Ivan, I was talking to them (through my instrument) about the work of art that we were presenting.”
Now in its third year, the Sonic Noon concert series is co-presented by the Henry and the School of Music. There is no charge for the concerts, which are presented from noon to 1 p.m. The other two concerts in the series will be on Thursday, Aug. 5 and Thursday, Sept. 2.
Hall said she, Arteaga and Blackwell had never played together as a trio before the concert last week, but “the three of us are good friends, bound by our love of music and our desire to push the progression of music forward.”
