In the new Philadelphia Weekly:
Andy Laster’s Sounds of Cairo
Thu., Oct. 21, 8pm. Free. The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St. 215.573.3234 www.arsnovaworkshop.org
It’s said that New York’s downtown improvisers don’t bother traveling north of 14th Street. But they’re as geographically adventurous as it gets, incorporating sounds from Eastern and Central Europe, the Middle East and just about everywhere. Andy Laster, when he’s not lending his alto and baritone saxophone talents to groups led by Satoko Fujii, Erik Friedlander, Bobby Previte and others, has made a good showing with his own projects, including the bands Hydra and Lessness. This week he’ll rummage through the history of Egyptian popular song, performing early 20th-century works by Jewish composers including Zaki Murad and Dawud Husni. Also on board will be Alex Waterman on cello, Curtis Hasselbring on trombone and Kermit Driscoll on bass. — David R. Adler
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