#5142, Music for Saxes
Listen to music for saxophone from composer Travis Laplante, the Jeff Parker ETA IVtet, and the Chicago-based sax quartet ~Nois. Plus trio music from English jazzer Alabaster DePlume.
Guitarist Jeff Parker is probably best known for his work in the Chicago-based post rock band Tortoise, but he’s had a prolific career as a soloist and a sideman. In the past few years he’s been leading his ETA IVtet, an all-star group of musicians (saxophonist Josh Johnson, bassist Anna Butterss, and drummer Jay Bellerose) - on the L.A. experimental music scene. Together, they create transcendent, long-form minimalist journeys into innovative, often uncharted territories of groove-oriented, painterly, polyrhythmic, minimalist and mantric improvised music (Bandcamp liner notes).
The latest record, a statement of joy called Happy Today, was improvised and recorded live at Lodge Room in Los Angeles on August 20, 2025. Parker describes the intuitive listening that allows the band to stretch out, “Because of the time that we've spent together there’s a maturity to the listening—a very special version of deep listening.”
Then, hear Composer and saxophonist Travis Laplante's latest release, Estuary, which is an enveloping sonic landscape that focuses on the “inherent beauty of sustained sound”, (Fomo Vinyl). These four layered voices of tenor saxophone - minimally processed - result in two extended compositions that draw inspiration from drone, ambient, and natural soundscapes. Hear some of the title track.
Plus, work by violinist, improviser, and composer Darian Donovan Thomas for the Chicago-based saxophone quartet ~Nois, who are making music on the boundary of contemporary classical music and improvisation. (Their bio blurb sentence is way better: "Think *NSYNC meets John Zorn and you are probably close to the right thing..."). Also, hear music from English saxophonist, spoken word poet, composer, and activist Alabaster DePlume from a session recorded on a day-off from tour featuring bassist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Tcheser Holmes. - Caryn Havlik
Program #5142, Music for Saxes (First aired 5/18/26)
ARTIST: Travis Laplante
WORK: Estuary [1:33]
RECORDING: Estuary
SOURCE: Carrier Records
INFO: https://travislaplante.bandcamp.com/album/estuary
ARTIST: Alabaster de Plume
WORK: Glass [5:31]
RECORDING: Dear Children of Our Children, I Knew: Epilogue
SOURCE: International Anthem
INFO: https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/dear-children-of-our-children-i-knew-epilogue
ARTIST: Hayes Greenfield
WORK: Into the Grid [4:09]
RECORDING: Painting in Sound
SOURCE: Sunnyside Records
INFO: https://sunnysiderecords.bandcamp.com/album/painting-in-sound
ARTIST: ~Nois
WORK: Darian Donovan Thomas: Sun Thrower [9:26]
RECORDING: What is ~Nois
SOURCE: New Amsterdam Records
INFO: https://www.newamrecords.org/albums/what-is-nois
ARTIST: Travis Laplante
WORK: Estuary [15:23]
RECORDING: Estuary
SOURCE: Carrier Records
INFO: https://travislaplante.bandcamp.com/album/estuary
ARTIST: Jeff Parker ETA IVtet
WORK: Happy Today [8:39]
RECORDING: Happy Today
SOURCE: International Anthem
INFO: https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/happy-today
