AT A GLANCE

FORMAT: SOLO VOCAL/TRUMPET/SAXOPHONE PERFORMANCE

INSTRUMENTATION: VOCALS/TRUMPET/SAXOPHONE, LIVE ELECTRONICS, LOOPING, AND IMPROVISATION (AS APPLICABLE)

GENRE: PREMIUM RAP MUSIC, MODERN JAZZ, IMPROVISATION, EXPERIMENTAL

PERFORMANCE LENGTH: 30MIN, 45MIN, 60MIN

IDEAL VENUES: LISTENING ROOMS, ART GALLERIES, PERFORMING ARTS CENTERS, MUSEUMS, UNIVERSITIES, FESTIVALS, AND SITE-SPECIFIC SPACES

AUDIENCE: LISTENERS INTERESTED IN CONTEMPORARY JAZZ, PREMIUM RAP MUSIC, IMPROVISATION, SOUND EXPLORATION, AND INTIMATE CONCERT EXPERIENCES

AVAILABLE FOR: CONCERTS, FESTIVALS, ARTIST RESIDENCIES, GALLERY PERFORMANCES, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS

TENNISHU’S SOLO PERFORMANCES ARE AN EXPLORATION OF SOUND, SPACE, AND SPONTANEITY. CENTERED AROUND THE EXPRESSIVE VOICE OF THE SAXOPHONE, EACH PERFORMANCE UNFOLDS IN REAL TIME, BALANCING COMPOSED IDEAS WITH IMPROVISATION TO CREATE MUSIC THAT IS UNIQUE TO THE MOMENT. NO TWO PERFORMANCES ARE ALIKE; EACH IS SHAPED BY THE ACOUSTICS OF THE ROOM, THE ENERGY OF THE AUDIENCE, AND THE NATURAL EVOLUTION OF MUSICAL CONVERSATION.

DRAWING FROM MODERN JAZZ, AMBIENT MUSIC, EXPERIMENTAL COMPOSITION, AND THE RICH TRADITION OF BLACK AMERICAN IMPROVISATION, THESE PERFORMANCES EMBRACE BOTH SIMPLICITY AND COMPLEXITY. AT TIMES INTIMATE AND MEDITATIVE, AT OTHERS RHYTHMICALLY CHARGED AND EMOTIONALLY EXPANSIVE, THE MUSIC INVITES LISTENERS INTO AN EXPERIENCE OF DEEP ATTENTION AND DISCOVERY. SILENCE, TEXTURE, MELODY, AND BREATH BECOME AS MEANINGFUL AS THE NOTES THEMSELVES, CREATING PERFORMANCES THAT REWARD PRESENCE AND ACTIVE LISTENING.

DEPENDING ON THE SETTING, PERFORMANCES MAY FEATURE SOLO SAXOPHONE, LIVE ELECTRONICS, LOOPING, OR OTHER SONIC ELEMENTS THAT EXPAND THE EXPRESSIVE POSSIBILITIES OF THE INSTRUMENT WHILE REMAINING GROUNDED IN THE IMMEDIACY OF LIVE PERFORMANCE. EVERY TECHNOLOGICAL ELEMENT SERVES THE MUSIC RATHER THAN DEFINING IT, ALLOWING EACH CONCERT TO RESPOND ORGANICALLY TO ITS ENVIRONMENT.

WHETHER PRESENTED IN A CONCERT HALL, ART GALLERY, LISTENING ROOM, MUSEUM, FESTIVAL, OR SITE-SPECIFIC SPACE, TENNISHU’S SOLO PERFORMANCES CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE IMPROVISATION BECOMES A SHARED EXPERIENCE BETWEEN PERFORMER AND AUDIENCE. RATHER THAN PRESENTING A FIXED PROGRAM, EACH PERFORMANCE IS APPROACHED AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE, COMMUNICATE, AND DISCOVER SOMETHING THAT COULD ONLY EXIST IN THAT PARTICULAR PLACE AND TIME.

AT ITS CORE, THE SOLO PROJECT REFLECTS TENNISHU’S BELIEF THAT IMPROVISATION IS MORE THAN A MUSICAL TECHNIQUE—IT IS A WAY OF LISTENING, RESPONDING, AND CONNECTING. THESE PERFORMANCES INVITE AUDIENCES INTO THAT PROCESS, CREATING MOMENTS OF REFLECTION, CURIOSITY, AND GENUINE HUMAN CONNECTION THROUGH THE SIMPLE ACT OF MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER IN THE PRESENT MOMENT.