Outside the Spotlight
Outside The Spotlight is a series of jazz and improvised music events in Lexington, KY. We give a home to artists making music that doesn't fit with commercial sensibilities and build an environment where artists and audience can interact more directly.
We want to expand the the availability of this music to anyone who is interested. Performances are at smaller venues and are generally donation / pay-what-you-want.
Photo by Brian Connors Manke
OTS 234 - BALLISTER
April 8, 2025
7pm, All Ages, Free (Donations appreciated)
Lexington Art League's Loudoun House
BALLISTER returns to Outside the Spotlight!BALLISTER is:
Dave Rempis on saxophone
Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello
PNL on drumsThis free-wheeling trio first came together at a closed session in 2009, and as any fan of improvised music can imagine, the band hit hard from the first note and hasn’t looked back since. The unabashed energy of Rempis and PNL, coupled with the electrified cello antics of Lonberg-Holm, make for a powerful listening experience that combines driving grooves with noisy textures and occasional melodic interjections. These sliding and overlapping rhythms often give the music a feeling as if a rug is slowly being pulled out from underneath the listener while the music still maintains a strong forward momentum. Reference points include the Julius Hemphill groups of the 70's and 80's featuring Abdul Wadud, Ornette Coleman's Prime Time, and the early-70's explorations of Miles Davis' electric bands.The band currently has eleven releases under its belt, including Bastard String (self-released, 2010) Mechanisms (Clean Feed Records, 2012) Mi Casa es en Fuego (self-released, 2013), Both Ends (Bocian Records, 2014, LP only), Worse For The Wear (Aerophonic Records, 2015) and The Ballister Monologues (Astral Spirits, 2015, cassette only/limited edition). Slag (2017), Low Level Stink (Dropa Disc, 2017), Znachki Stilyag (Aerophonic Records, 2020) and Chrysopoiea (Not Two, 2022), and Smash and Grab (Aerophonic Records, 2024, limited edition vinyl / cd). They’ve also toured both North America and Europe extensively in that time.
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Coming Soon...
OTS 236 - Microplastique
June 13, 2025
7pm, All Ages, Free (Donations appreciated)
Lexington Art League's Loudoun House
Please sign up for our e-mail list to stay up-to-date on all Outside the Spotlight shows!
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