Improvised Music Series: Devin Gray, Will Greene/Ishmael Ali/Lily Finnegan
Schedule
Thu, 30 Apr, 2026 at 08:30 pm
UTC-05:00Location
3429 W Diversey #208, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois 60647 | Chicago, IL
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An evening defined by restlessness and sonic curiosity - excited to feature drummer and sound artist Devin Gray on his solo US tour, followed by a new Chicago trio by Will Greene that will take the momentum to new levels.8:30 pm:
Devin Gray - drums, electronics
9:30 pm:
Will Greene - saxophone, guitar
Ishmael Ali - cello
Lily Finnegan - drums
$15 / $10 w/ Student ID - Tickets Available at the Door
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About The Artists:
Berlin/NYC–based drummer Devin Gray is an artist driven by velocity, imagination, and an unshakeable commitment to the unknown. Rooted in jazz but propelled by an expansive curiosity, Gray moves fluidly between forward-leaning composition, high-intensity improvisation, and genre-agnostic experimentation; establishing himself as a vital and unpredictable presence in contemporary creative music. His work with artists such as Kris Davis, Luke Stewart, Gerald Cleaver, Ellery Eskelin, Michael Formanek, Dave Liebman, and Ralph Alessi ranges from precision-built ensembles to volatile, moment-to-moment collaborations highlighted by a drummer who treats the kit as both engine and instrument of color and microscopic detail. What ultimately sets Gray apart is not just his formidable technique or restless versatility, but a compositional mind with a bandleader’s vision giving each musical situation its own internal logic. With Gray behind the drums, expectation is irrelevant—the only certainty is forward motion.
This improbable improvising trio rides the edge between sonorous melodies, atonal outbursts, and tilted grooves — creating music that feels both elemental and unpredictable. Individually, each artist in the trio brings a distinct voice: Will Greene’s saxophone moves effortlessly between melodious phrasing and jagged rupture; Ishmael Ali’s cello oscillates between textural articulations, idiomatic gestures, and rhythmic grooves; and Lily Finnegan’s percussive approach spans pliant, groove‑oriented dialogue to fractured, pointillist soundscapes, providing a platform for both abstraction and lyricism. Together, their interplay coalesces into a dynamic conversation that propels the trio into spaces at once visceral, exploratory, and delightfully capricious.
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Where is it happening?
3429 W Diversey #208, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois 60647Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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