Friends, it is the third Wednesday of May on the 20th and I am THRILLED to present two trombone drum duos at Tangible Books. Trombones and drums are some of my favorite instruments and the trombonists and drummers you will witness at this performance have been known to cause eye-widening, jaw-dropping, ear-wiggling joy. Do NOT miss this convening of Chicago innovators right here in Bridgeport. Featuring the mystical Nova Zaii, the spiritual Tromblau, the wise Jeb Bishop, and the forward pushing Tom Lowery (who also made this poster). There will be snacks! See you there!
Please join us for Teiku’s “Klang” record release show Friday June 5 at Moondog Cafe here in Detroit!
Teiku played one of the first shows in our shop and blew us away. They went into the studio the next day and we are proud to be releasing the resulting album on our label Ginkgo Records.
Teiku are also playing a record release show in Chicago at Constellation on Sat June 6
LPs will be available at the release shows, in our shop, and in fine record stores around the country. Preorder link is in our bio!
Chicago pianist Josh Harlow and Detroit percussionist Jonathan Barahal founded Teiku around the concept of using their respective families’ unique Passover melodies as conduits for new forms of spontaneous musical expression. Their sophomore album Klang expands on the reinterpretation of traditional sounds by drawing source material from the wider community, rare manuscripts, voice recordings, and memories of late-night ritualistic chants.
Reflecting on the intention behind Teiku, bandleaders Harlow and Barahal said, “The process of reframing our ancestral melodies to make this music reminds us to keep searching and imagining. As Jews we embrace our spiritual and cultural heritage of care and community, of rituals and questions. We reject all forms of state violence that have become associated with that heritage by power crazed genocidal nationalists. To that end we dedicate this set of music to the Palestinian people and all suffering people.”
Teiku is made complete by bass clarinetist Jason Stein (Natural Information Society) and bassist Jaribu Shahid (Griot Galaxy), and the group moves fluidly move between frenetic density, subtle timbral explorations, electronic processing, and complex mixed meter, among other stylistic territories. The interplay between the quartet is masterful and effortless, locking into a spontaneous group consensus that reflects deep contemplation and raw expression. Throughout Klang, unique family Passover melodies become vehicles for deeper discovery and ultimately, transformation. The melodies are transfigured, deconstructed, and reframed, but their essence— that of gathering, collective power, and remembrance — remain.
Teiku “Klang” LP out June 5 on Ginkgo Records!
Release shows:
Fri 6/5 at Moondog Cafe in Detroit
Sat 6/6 at Constellation in Chicago
Chicago pianist Josh Harlow and Detroit percussionist Jonathan Barahal founded Teiku around the concept of using their respective families’ unique Passover melodies as conduits for new forms of spontaneous musical expression. Their self-titled 2024 debut was a meditation on their shared history and a tribute to the ancestral melodies that they grew up singing. Sophomore album Klang expands on this reinterpretation of traditional sounds by drawing source material from the wider community, rare manuscripts, voice recordings, and memories of late-night ritualistic chants. Five of Klang’s six tracks represent the same Passover song/liturgical text, with each becoming a completely distinctive and unique melody when filtered through regional and family variations.
Reflecting on the intention behind Teiku, bandleaders Harlow and Barahal said, “The process of reframing our ancestral melodies to make this music reminds us to keep searching and imagining. As Jews we embrace our spiritual and cultural heritage of care and community, of rituals and questions. We reject all forms of state violence that have become associated with that heritage by power crazed genocidal nationalists. To that end we dedicate this set of music to the Palestinian people and all suffering people.”
Teiku is made complete by bass clarinetist Jason Stein (Natural Information Society) and bassist Jaribu Shahid (Sun Ra Arkestra, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Griot Galaxy), and the group moves fluidly move between frenetic density, subtle timbral explorations, electronic processing, and complex mixed meter, among other stylistic territories. The interplay between the quartet is masterful and effortless, locking into a spontaneous group consensus that reflects deep contemplation and raw expression. Throughout Klang, unique family Passover melodies become vehicles for deeper discovery and ultimately, transformation. The melodies are transfigured, deconstructed, and reframed, but their essence— that of gathering, collective power, and remembrance — remain.
This is a snippet of our trio set at the lovely @moondogdetroit a few months back, courtesy of @rubinbooty . A version of this arrangement, and 5 more arrangements, is available on the forthcoming record. (If you would like to see us play this live, stay tuned and watch this space!)
As ever we rearrange and reframe unique and rare Passover melodies, meditating on the freedom-impulse of Exodus, the lineage of exploratory Creative Music, and the struggle for liberation under imperialism. All of those things happen with community.
We are lucky to be part of a strong musical community: we shared a special fiery bill in the cold weather that night with two beautiful acts, Detroit’s Taqsim (@taqsim.live ) and Chicago’s Ishmael Ali/Bill Harris (@ishmaelalimusic , @wc_harris_ )
Ishmael and Bill played a rousing rendition of Sun Ra classic “We Travel the Spaceways” with a guest appearance from Alex Harding. See you at the next one.
CHICAGO! - FRI APRIL 24, 7:30pm Water, Earth & Air Trio at @midnight.tea.chicago in the Fine Arts Building (410 S. Michigan Ave, Studio #825). Ticket 🔗 in bio. Thanks to @rami.atassi for the invite.
🔔💥🔊✨
My Kouri Harlow Davis trio (with @joshdimension and @vincentdavisdrums ) finally birthed a name, thanks to the help of @thesoniccollage . The Water, Earth & Air Trio is a project that has been developing for some time. I have been studying with both Vincent (Air) and Josh (Earth) for a few years, so we have a unique, intuitive, and energetic bond. We have fun. We challenge each other. We support each other. We talk shit. We hold each other accountable. All for The Music and the Spirit of Sound. This will be a really special offering. Vincent is even bringing out the gong! Come pack the house and celebrate life with us. It promises to be a tasty treat after a long day. week. A long month. A long season. A long 922 days. A long decade. A long century. A long 250 years. A long millennium.
Slide three & four photos by @afterthequake .
April Third Friday update: Josh Harlow will be performing a solo piano set. Josh, in addition to being a wonderful performer, will also be teaching piano at Bridgeport Music Collective on Tuesdays.
About the musician: Josh Harlow is a pianist, keyboardist, presenter, and composer in Chicago who expresses a creative and luminous energy. Josh’s music draws from a variety of influences, including an insatiable curiosity, the woods in New England, Lake Michigan, friends, and family. Current projects include the liberation music project Teiku, the toy instrument exploration microplastique, and curating the monthly Tangible Music series in Bridgeport. Josh has performed or recorded with Wadada Leo Smith, Vincent Davis, Jaribu Shahid, John Lindberg, Dana Jessen, and many other inspirations of all generations and styles.
Reminder that Teiku’s sophomore album, Klang, is coming out June 5th on @ginkgo_records and you can Pre-order it now on from the Ginkgo Records Bandcamp (link in bio).
Featuring the sounds of @jonathanbarahaltaylor@joshdimension@jasonstein33 and Jaribu Shahid and covering a vast musical landscapes with intentionality and passion. We are excited to share this music with you.
More news, including release show and tour info, coming very soon.
Chag Sameach, and a reminder that this music is liberation music, and emphatically anti-apartheid, anti-imperial, and anti-settler colonial b.s.
well folks, on April 15 it’s the third Wednesday of the month in Bridgeport, which means it’s time for Tangible Music! get that tax extension and come down to hear two masters of abstraction and imagination performing in solo and duo configurations. highly rare and distinguished sounds will be created, snacks will be available, your ears will bloom with possibilities! see you at Tangible Books!
ANNOUNCEMENT: We are releasing Teiku’s Klang LP on June 5 2026! The group played one of our first in-store shows last summer and blew us away. They went into the studio the next day, and we are thrilled to be releasing the resulting album. Pre-order link in bio.
Chicago pianist Josh Harlow and Detroit percussionist Jonathan Barahal founded Teiku to interpret their respective families’ unique Passover melodies as conduits for spontaneous musical expression. Their debut, released in 2024, was a meditation on their shared history and a tribute to the aurally transmitted ancestral melodies that they grew up singing. Their sophomore album, Klang, expands on this concept by drawing source material from the wider community, rare manuscripts, voice recordings, and memories of late-night ritualistic chants. Five of the six tracks represent the same Passover song/liturgical text, but each, due to regional and family variations, is a completely distinct and unique melody. These melodies are transfigured, deconstructed, and reframed, but their essence, of gathering, collective power, and remembrance, remains.
Made complete by bass clarinetist Jason Stein (Natural Information Society, Hearts and Minds) and bassist Jaribu Shahid (Sun Ra, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Griot Galaxy), the group employs masterful interplay to fluidly move between frenetic density, subtle timbral explorations, electronic processing, and complex mixed meter, among other stylistic territories. The quartet realizes a compelling texture through spontaneous group consensus that reflects deep contemplation and raw expression.
“The process of reframing our ancestral melodies to make this music reminds us to keep searching and imagining. As Jews we embrace our spiritual and cultural heritage of care and community, of rituals and questions. We reject all forms of violence that have become associated with that heritage by genocidal nationalists. To that end we dedicate this set of music to the Palestinian people and all suffering people. Thank you to our families, our mentors, and our friends, who continue to teach us the way forward in a fractured world.”
-Josh Harlow and Jonathan Barahal, bandleaders
this Wednesday it’s that time of the month for tangible music! this is going to be unlike the previous tangible musics. Fly Music! Seriously not to be missed for anyone who is curious about the sound of flies being dissected or the associated sound world being developed. People are buzzing.
Wearing my finest patterns to invite you, the reader, to attend a performance in Detroit or Chicago of my dear beloved Teiku. Jonathan and I will be joined by two singular voices on their instruments in their respective cities, Jaribu Shahid and Jason Stein.
Detroit is tomorrow at Moondog Cafe with bright lights Taqsim and Ishmael Ali/Bill Harris. 8pm.
Chicago is Sunday at the incredible community leaders’ headquarters, the Bridgeport Music Collective. 7pm.
