Looking Back, Moving Forward: Improvisations at Real Art Ways

Improvisations

Real Art Ways
Hartford, CT

Joe Morris and I have been working to gather together a group of artists for our third year of Improvisations at Real Art Ways.  Part of that work has involved taking stock of what we have already accomplished here in Hartford.  Since 2011, thirty-three artists have performed across eighteen concerts.  More and more, we find the work bringing to mind family.  There is real community present and growing between audience, artists and our partners at Real Art Ways.  And that's a good thing: it informs the music.

Season II / 2012-13
Nine concerts featuring eleven guest artists

Mark Dresser, Marco Eneidi, Ramón López
Jean Carla Rodea and Gerald Cleaver, Allan Chase
Tyshawn Sorey, Pascal Niggenkemper and Charles Downs

Matt Maneri, William Parker

Season I / 2011-2012

Nine concerts featuring twenty-two artists

Alex Ward and Dominic Lash

Noah Kaplan and Ben Hall, Yasmine Azaiez and Ben Stapp
Ken Filiano, Charlie Waters and Andrew Barker

Sara Schonbeck and Michael Evans

Jim Hobbs, Petr Cancura and Luther Gray

Chris Cretella and Nigel Taylor, Kyoko Kitamura and Rick Rozie
Jason Kao Hwang and Nathan Bontrager
JD Parran and Dean Bowman

Season III begins September 15 with Tatsuya Nakatani.  Nate Wooley and Ken Vandermark will join us in October followed by Fay Victor in November.  Much more is motion, and we are excited to be back for a third year.  The Improvisations series is built upon an authentic and deep collaboration between local artists - Joe Morris, Stephen Haynes - and a vital contemporary arts organization with deep roots in the region - Real Art Ways.  This relationship is a singular one, reflective of the unique and powerful work that is shared with listeners every season through the concert experience.

Images of Stephen Haynes and Joe Morris by Rob Miller