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Live Concert with Chris Speed's Yeah NO

Chris Speed, Cuong Vu, Skuli Sverrisson, Jim Black, Ted Reichman




Wednesday, May 12, 2004
Slought Foundation

Chris Speed's Yeah NO

Please join us on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 from 8-10pm at Slought Foundation for a live concert by Chris Speed's Yeah NO with Chris Speed, Cuong Vu, Skuli Sverrisson, Jim Black and Ted Reichman.

Following early improvisation-heavy rehearsals, Yeah NO began in 1996 and developed subsequently into an unusual book of music. Influenced by free jazz, modern rock, eastern folk and minimalism, these musicians have been at the center of new music in New York City. Yeah No has recorded four albums including the new release 'Swell Henry' on Squealor Records.


Born in Seattle, Chris Speed began playing music at age five on the piano, adding the clarinet and orchestra rehearsals at age eleven, and started concentrating on jazz, improvisation and the tenor sax in high school. In 1987 he moved to Boston where he studied at the New England Conservatory and co-formed Human Feel. A resident of Brooklyn since 1992, Chris made his initial contribution to New York City music as a member of Tim Berne's Bloodcount, and has since contributed extensively to the downtown music world. Besides Yeah NO, Chris plays in Pachora, a Balkan Rom influenced band with four recordings (Astereotypical, Ast, Unn and Pachora).

Trumpeter Cuong Vu was born in Vietnam to musical parents and emigrated to Seattle at age six. He is a graduate of the New England Conservatory where he studied with master improviser Joe Maneri. He co-led Saft/Vu (Ragged Jack, Avant), and has been touring and recording frequently with his trio (featuring Stomu Takeshi) and most recently with guitarist Pat Metheny.

Born in Reykjavik, electric bassist Skuli Sverrisson graduated from Berklee College and has appeared on over 30 records with Icelandic artists, including his group Pax Vobis, and Mo Boma. Aside from his ongoing collaborations with Laurie Anderson and Pachora, he also has two new recordings, Napoli 23 (Smekkleysa) and Eftir Pogn (Ñmi jazz). His solo record Sermonie (Extreme), features tape compositions "taking audio snapshots of the interior architecture of sound," joining electronics and extended techniques for the electric bass.

Percussionist Jim Black grew up in Seattle, moved to Boston in 1985 to attend Berklee, and has lived in Brooklyn since 1991. A founding member of Pachora and Human Feel, he also has toured and recorded with Tim Berne's Bloodcount, Dave Douglas's Tiny Bell Trio, Ellery Eskelin, Uri Caine's Mahler and Bach Projects, and his own band Alas No Axis. The latest cd Habyor will be out in June on Winter & Winter Recordings.

Born in Aroostook County, Maine, recent addition Ted Reichman is best known as accordion player for Anthony Braxton, Marc Ribot and Paul Simon. Ted was also the founder of the new music series at Tonic, NYC. He recently finished his first album of original music for Tzadik records (playing guitar, electronics, keyboards, percussion and zither in addition to accordion) and composed and performed the soundtrack for the upcoming film "Rick."

This program was made possible in part through the generous sponsorship of ars nova workshop



Organized by Mark Christman
Co-presented with ars nova workshop


MLA Style: Chris Speed, et al. "Live Concert with Chris Speed's Yeah NO." Slought Foundation Online Content. [12 May 2004; Accessed 4 February 2012]. <http://slought.org/content/11226/>.






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