Ken Vandermark

In one week I’ll be heading on the road to perform in San Antonio (Slab Cinema, 5/22), Austin (Monk’s, 5/23), and Dallas (The Wild Detectives, 5/24) with the Chicago/Texas Sound Ensemble, a new group with Kory Cook (drums), Matthew Frerck (bass), Stefan González (vibraphone), and Jonathan Horne (guitar). The band was initially formed with the help of percussionist and presenter, Chris Cogburn, when I was invited by Chris to be featured as part of the first No Idea artist residency along with Mabel Kwan last May in Austin. Because the music was so successful everyone thought we should make this a working group, and now we have. The Chicago/Texas Sound Ensemble will be performing compositions written by all members of the quintet during this trip, in preparation for a recording session scheduled in August (of all times of year!) in Austin. See you in Texas! Links to full concert details in bio. @radioman210 @stefineb @jonathanfhorne @mfrerk @chriscogburn @noideafestival @shelbysweetheartdog #DennisGonzalez #improvisedmusic #experimentalmusic #freejazz

Living Poets Society: mixing material with Nick Broste by a sextet with Beth McDonald (tuba/electronics), Erez Dessel (keyboards), Josh Berman (cornet), Lily Finnegan (drums), and Nick Macri (acoustic/electric bass); with readings by poets Ed Roberson, Kai Ihns, and Ken Taylor; recorded at the Green Mill on August 1st and 2nd last year. I met: Beth several years ago, someone rocking the scene as hard as she does now; Erez through Ben Hall; Josh back in the late 90’s, who has remained a key figure as a musician and presenter for decades; Lily through Kris Davis; Nick through Tim Daisy; Ed at a Corbett vs. Dempsey reading to celebrate the publication of “found poem(s)” a book of Ed’s work and Ken Taylor’s photographs; Kai through Ken Taylor; Ken through John Yau; Nick through Mabel Kwan who recommended that I record with him at Palisade Studios for the Edition Redux album “Broadcast Transformer”. Everything is connected. @nbroste @bethtuba @54bpm @josh.berman.chicago @lil.g.finn @nckmcr @bbbenhalll @krisdavismusic @timothymark1976 @shelbysweetheartdog @jyauwriter @heyclown @corbettvsdempsey #KaiIhns #EdRoberson

🚨 @corbettvsdempseymusic restocks in the house! 🚨 The extraordinary roster of this label includes important work from artists in the Catalytic Sound musician collective back in action, including @zpribbon , @matsgustafssonsax , and @ken_vandermark . 📦 Buy 3 or more items and save on shipping! 📦 Get these beauties at the Link in Bio! #zeenaparkins #kenvandermark #matsgustafsson #corbettvsdempsey #new

FIRE ROOM 🔥 'Broken Music' is back in stock at our online store // @ken_vandermark , @lassemarhaug & @paalnilssenlove deliver raw, explosive energy. Recorded in 2005 at Grand Sport Sudios in Oslo — Don't sleep on this one, from the amazing and historic Atavistic catalogs! 🔗 Hit the Link in Bio. #kenvandermark #lassemarhaug #paalnilssenlove #atavistic #electronics

On Saturday, May 30th at 2 pm, we will once again be celebrating the birthday of our dear friend Mars Williams (b. May 29th, 1955) who passed in 2023. This time, we’ll debut the “Horns From Mars,” featuring a trio of players who currently play on instruments that Mars worked with throughout his life. For this version of the piece, Ken Vandermark will bring Mars’ Hungarian taragato and the Bb Buffet clarinet that he grew up playing. Gerrit Hatcher and I will bring the two 1920’s Martin soprano saxophones that Mars played on - one brass, and the other silver-plated. For the second set, Rin Peisert - a Chicago-based performance artist and dear friend of Mars - will work alongside her frequent collaborator David Hurlin to activate Mars’ massive collection of musical toys which are currently housed as part of the Mars Williams Archive at Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago. This will be the latest incarnation of Mars Williams Toy Story! This concert is completely FREE and open to the public. Many thanks to ESS for serving as the fiscal sponsor of this performance, and for their dedicated work on the Mars Williams Archive.

Thanks to Bill Meyer and Dusted Magazine for the recently published review of my solo album, “October Flowers for Joe McPhee”, released on Corbett vs. Dempsey. This recording has deep personal significance for me. Joe has been and remains a key source of inspiration, as a beautiful musician and as a beautiful human being. When CvD gave me the opportunity to record compositions I first wrote to celebrate Joe at the book release of his memoir co-written with Mike Faloon, “Straight Up, Without Wings: The Musical Flight of Joe McPhee” in October of 2024, I thought immediately of Joe’s own solo album, “Tenor”, released by Hat Hut in 1977. I wanted to evoke the power of that music while making something that was my own. When Bill Meyer states, “So hold your wreath; in its micro scale, severe attention to detail, and sublimated emotion, October Flowers for Joe McPhee is more like a masterful ikebana arrangement.”, it means something. (Link to full review in Dusted and to purchase “October Flowers for Joe McPhee” in bio) @ruthbeault @dustedforreal @corbettvsdempseymusic @johnccorbett @jimddempsey #JoeMcPhee #improvisedmusic #freejazz #contemporarymusic

Announcing MAY 2026 ADDITIONS at Soundstream 💥 25 new additions at the CS Radio! 🎶 New albums from @aerophonicrecords , @theexband , @blonkjaap duos, Ab & Ig last Wig effort, also all the fantastic @ken_vandermark Territory Band albums including the last one with Fred Anderson live at the Millenium Park in Chicago… @paalnilssenlove & @matsgustafssonsax duos, Ab Baars classic trio, Terp additions from Terrie & co and more… 🎶 So much stuff to discover and revisit! 👉 Join in at the Links in Bio. 🎶 #new #freejazz #digital #stream #improvisation

Autumn 2025-Spring 2026 pt. 19: IN ROTATION: Various Artists, “Burkina Faso: Rhythms of the Grasslands” (Nonesuch). Various Artists, “Burkina Faso: Savanna Rhythms” (Nonesuch). Various Artists, “Caprices: Sciarrino, Carter, Nunes, Boulez” [performed by Irvine Arditti] (aeon). Various Artists, “Afro Baby: The Evolution of the Afro-Sound in Nigeria 1970-79” (Soundway). Various Artists, “Mossi du Burkina Faso: Musiques de cour et de village” (Prophet). Various Artists, “Nigeria 70: The Definitive Story of 1970’s Funky Lagos” (Afro Strut). Various Artists, “The Original Sound of Burkina Faso” (Mr Bongo).

Autumn 2025-Spring 2026 pt. 18: IN ROTATION: Dinah Washington, “Eight Classic Albums” (Real Gone Jazz). Dinah Washington, “Seven Classic Albums” (Real Gone Jazz). Christian Wolff, “Bread and Roses” (Wergo). Christian Wolff, “Early Piano Music (1951-1961” [performed by John Tilbury & Christian Wolff] (Matchless). Christian Wolff, “Early Piano Pieces” [performed by Steffen Schleiermacher] (hat[now]ART). Christian Wolff, “Kompositionen 1950-1972” (Edition RZ). Christian Wolff, “ten exercises” (New World).

Autumn 2025-Spring 2026 pt. 17: IN ROTATION: Swell Maps, “International Rescue” (Alive Records). Swell Maps, “Jane from Occupied Europe” (Secretly Canadian). Swell Maps, “The John Peel Sessions” (BBC/Mute). Swell Maps, “Mayday Signals” (Easy Action). Swell Maps, “A Trip to Marineville” (Secretly Canadian). David Tudor, “Music for Piano” (Edition RZ). David Tudor, “Piano Avant-Garde: Recordings 1956-1960” (hat ART). Fats Waller, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” (Quadromania). Fats Waller and his Rhythm, “The Middle Years Part 1 (1936-38)” (RCA/Bluebird). Fats Waller and his Rhythm, “A Good Man Is Hard To Find: The Middle Years Part 2 (1938-40)” (RCA/Bluebird).

Autumn 2025-Spring 2026 pt. 16: IN ROTATION: Zoot Sims, “The Modern Art of Jazz by Zoot Sims” (Dawn). Zoot Sims, “That Old Feeling” (Chess). Zoot Sims, “Zoot Sims Goes to Jazzville” (Dawn). Zoot Sims, “Zoot (Sims) goes to town with Frankie Rosolino” (Vogue). Zoot Sims - Bob Brookmeyer, “Morning Fun” (Black Lion). Zoot Sims/Al Cohn/Tony Scott, “East Coast Sounds” (Jazzland). Zoot Sims et Henri Renaud, “Jazz in Paris” (Gitanes). Bessie Smith, “Volume 1: Queen of the Blues” (JSP Records). Bessie Smith, “Volume 2: Empress of the Blues” (JSP Records). Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Klavierstücke I-VIII & XI” [performed by David Tudor] (hat ART).

Autumn 2025-Spring 2026 pt. 15: IN ROTATION: Marvin Gaye, “I Want you” (Tamla). Dexter Gordon, “Dexter Blows Hot and Cool” (Fresh Sound). Billie Holiday, “Lady in Satin” (Columbia). Jaipur Kawa Brass Band, “Fanfare du Rajasthan” (Iris Musique). Joy Division, “Heart and soul.” (Rhino). George Lewis, “The George Lewis Solo Trombone Record” (Sackville). Joe Newman with Zoot Sims, “Locking Horns” (Fresh Sound). Pee Wee Russell, “Weary Blues” (Quadromania). Erik Satie, “The Early Piano Works” [performed by Reinbert de Leeuw] (Philips). Gil Scott-Heron, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised ...Plus” (Flying Dutchman). Archie Shepp/Horace Parlan, “Trouble in Mind” (SteepleChase).