StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Bhob Rainey

As fate would have it, news of saxophonist Bhob Rainey's performance next Tuesday, December 23 at the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center reached StLJN HQ just as yr. humble editor was attempting to decide on a subject for this week's video post. So, in keeping with the spirit of improvisation, here are a couple of video clips that give a taste of Rainey's approach to spontaneous music.

Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Rainey studied at the New England Conservatory of Music with free jazz saxophonist Joe Maneri and released his first CD, Ink, in 1997. Since then, Rainey has been involved in a wide variety of improvised music projects, including the ensemble Nmperign, which is a duo-plus-occasional-guests effort with trumpeter Greg Kelley, and the BSC, a large ensemble that uses both acoustic instruments and electronics.

Both of today's clips are from the No Idea Festival, a festival of improvised and experimental music held in February 2008 in Austin, TX. The first video features Nmperign, which here consists of Rainey and Kelley plus Sean Meehan on snare drum. The second clip is an excerpt from Rainey's solo set at the festival. His solo concert Tuesday at LNAC starts at 8:00 p.m., and admission is $5.