The Santa Monica Public Library will present percussionist/composer Alex Cline and vocalist/pianist Areni Agbabian at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 20 in the Main Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium at 601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Combining stirring, evocative compositional material with open, subtle improvisation, Agbabian and Cline will present a set of original, introspective, spontaneous, and uncategorizable music that explores the realms of the sonically rich, emotionally spacious, and spiritually adventurous.
Areni Agbabian is a highly accomplished pianist and distinctively sonorous vocalist as well as a resourceful composer whose deep and eclectic musical background includes classical music performance, traditional Armenian liturgical singing, and free improvisation. Perhaps best known for her beautiful vocal contributions to the music of pianist Tigran Hamasyan, Agbabian has worked with a variety of notable artists largely in the creative jazz genre. She is an artist of unusual depth and breadth as well as uncommon sensitivity.
For this performance she will be paired with Alex Cline, a veteran drummer-percussionist-composer long known for his work with such artists as Julius Hemphill, Vinny Golia, Arthur Blythe, Bobby Bradford, Tim Berne, Henry Grimes, Don Preston, Hafez Modirzadeh, John Carter, Jeff Gauthier, Charlie Haden, Joseph Jarman, and countless others, including his twin brother, guitarist Nels Cline. In his collaborations with Agbabian, he focuses largely on some of the resonant metal percussion instruments in his vast collection, including many instruments originating in various parts of Asia.
The blending of such arresting sounds with Agbabian’s expansive, probing piano explorations and pure, crystalline voice creates a rich and vibrant musical adventure in which the listener may be both dramatically moved and gently soothed.
Learn more about the Soundwaves concert series at soundwavesnewmusic.com
This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and on a first-arrival basis. The Santa Monica Public Library is wheelchair accessible. For special disabled services, call Library Administration at 310-458-8606 at least one week prior to event. For more information, visit smpl.org or contact the Santa Monica Public Library at 310-458-8600.
