The saxophonist and composer in several settings: his quartet with Micah Thomas on piano, Daryl Johns on bass, and Kweku Sumbry on drums; his trio with pianist David Virelles and drummer Mike Mitchell; and in a quartet led by vibraphonist Joel Ross, plus observations on collaboration, community, justice, and memory. Wilkins is a 2021-22 Roulette Resident Artist.

Composer/keyboardist Anthony Coleman with stories and samples of his bands, solo work from improv to stride piano, projects for large and small ensembles, the Downtown and Radical Jewish Music movements, and an embrace of musical culture from Harlem to Herzegovina, Korea to Vienna, with appearances by Roy Nathanson, Charles K. Noyes, Jim Pugliese, Don Byron, and many more, all recorded at Roulette between 1986-2016.

The composer and violist in conversation with examples from a variety of projects recorded at Roulette including string and orchestral ensembles. As a performer and composer, Pavone is interested in repetition, song form, sympathetic vibration, and the physicality of her instrument utilizing both traditional notation and improvisatory techniques. Her association with musical masters including Anthony Braxton, Mary Halvorson and others has amplified her musical voice and vocabulary in recent years. Her newest piece, Lull, for string octet and soloists, will debut at Roulette on 19 November 2021.

Composer J.G. Thirlwell aka Foetus, Clint Ruin, Manorexia, Steroid Maximus, and Xordox, walks us thought his musical journey from experimental rocker to the concert stage and soundtrack work for animated TV shows (Venture Bros, Archer) and films. We’ll hear examples from these projects alongside excerpts from his 2017 solo concert at Roulette, entitled Cholera Nocebo. Thirlwell returns to Roulette with new material on Dec. 7, 2021.

The composer/guitarist and MacArthur “genius” awardee discusses everything from guitar tech to string quartets, illustrated with musical excerpts from Roulette Archive concerts including the projects Code Girl, Thumbscrew, a duo with Deerhhoof’s John Dietrich, and collaborators Ches Smith, Jonathan Finlayson, Amirtha Kidambi, John Hébert, Michael Formanek, Tomas Fujiwara, Adam O’Farrill, and Jon Irabagon. Halvorson’s latest projects debut at Roulette Sept. 8-9, 2021.

Saxophonist Lenny Pickett discusses his career straddling popular culture and the avant-garde, from his work with David Bowie and Saturday Night Live to his own ensemble work for dance, film, and the concert hall, illustrated with examples from 1984-2018 including the Borneo Horns, his score for choreographer Bebe Miller, and plenty of gospel and R&B influenced pyrotechnics. With appearances by Jack Bashkow and Stan Harrison on saxes; a quartet with Michael Wolff, piano, James Genus, bass, John Hadfield, percussion; and a duo with Cheryl Hardwick, piano.

The composer and clarinettist discusses his fascination, influences, and obstacles to film scoring and re-imagining 20th Century classics, illustrated with excerpts including his projects ranging from Messiaen to Warner Bros. cartoons and inspiration from Lalo Schifrin to Jean Michel Basquiat.

Equal parts composer, vocalist, and storyteller Shelley Hirsch is universally admired for an astounding gift firing off free association between words and sounds, which is our focus in this edition. Here with collaborators keyboardist/arranger Simon Ho, turntablist Christian Marclay, guitarist Kazuhisa Uchihashi, pipa master Min Xiao Fen, electronic percussionists Ikue Mori & Samm Bennett, cellist Okkyung Lee, keyboardist David Weinstein, and Horst Rickels’ Mercurius Wagen.

The drummer discusses origins, influences, and compositions with excerpts from his always collaborative projects: 7 Poets Trio (with Patricia Brennan, vibraphone and Tomeka Reid, cello), Thumbscrew (with Michael Formanek, bass and guitarist Mary Halvorson), a duo with bassist Meshell Ndegeocello, and Triple Double for Fujiwara and Gerald Cleaver, drums; Halvorson and Brandon Seabrook, guitars; and Ralph Alessi, Adam O’Farrill, trumpets.

The mysteriously named composer/sound artist investigates sonic properties of traditional drums and percussion “objects” including discarded industrial materials, toys, and even food, plus a fascination with the Trinidadian steel pan. From the Roulette Archive dating 1984-2017, solos, duo projects with Takehisa Kosugi and Yves Musard, a trio (The Chutneys) with Gelsey Bell & Chris Cochrane, some conversation, and more.