“Approaching Free Jazz” with the Monica Shriver Quartet featuring special guest Rahsaan Barber is a special event for anyone interested in learning more about playing and listening to Free Jazz. The ensemble will play some examples from our repertoire and talk about our individual and collective approaches to making music under the experimental “Free Jazz” label. We will share our backgrounds, which are quite diverse, and provide historical context for our music. We will talk about the different ways to “play free”, including how to make good musical decisions, the importance of tension and resolution, and how to get more comfortable with taking musical risks. The event will be free and open to all ages, but seating is limited. MSQ features Monica Shriver, Matt Endahl , Alec Newnam, and Derrek Phillips; with special guest Rahsaan Barber

This performance is made possible with the support of Jazz Road, a national initiative of South Arts, which is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.