Hassles ft. Terrie Ex, Ken Vandermark, Paal Nilssen-Love and Jon Rune Strøm
Sugar Maple 441 E. Lincoln Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53207
A staple of the Chicago jazz and experimental music scenes (and the Milwaukee jazz scene, through sheer proximity), Ken Vandermark is the rare artist who never seems to repeat himself. Shuffling between tenor and baritone saxophones and the clarinet, the composer has juggled countless projects over the years, including the Free Fall Trio, Territory Band and, until 2010, The Vandermark 5, in addition to dozens of duets and collaborations. This year he’s dedicating himself to yet another new ensemble: Hassles, featuring guitarist Terrie Ex and drummer Paal-Nilssen-Love, one of Vandermark’s go-to collaborators. Their brand of free-jazz often flirts with Tropicalia and post-punk.