duo B. Royal Rumble Improv Invitational
Friday Jan 30, 7-10pm
Temescal Arts Center
Admission $15 at the door
duo B., the extreme improvising duo of bassist Lisa Mezzacappa and drummer Jason Levis, celebrates the release of its fifth record (Incomplete, Open on Queen Bee Records) with a Royal Rumble music improvisation marathon. Levis and Mezzacappa will hold court at Temescal Art Center continuously for three hours, with special guests joining to challenge them at timed intervals throughout the evening.
Challengers:
Cory Wright
Randy McKean
Ben Davis
Safa Shokrai
Matt Ingalls
Myles Boisen
Dan Plonsey
Jordan Glenn
Lorin Benedict
Saki Minamimoto
Steve Adams
Mark Pascucci-Clifford
Rent Romus
Henry Hung
Liberty Ellman
John Ingle
Beth Schenck
Jon Arkin
Crystal Pascucci-Clifford
The Jazzschool Conducted Improvisation Ensemble
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Doors That Only Open in Silence (open participation, non-hierarchical workshop in free improvisation)

Monthly series of improvisation research at Temescal Arts Center. Bring your instrument or come to listen. Movement and other disciplines encouraged. No advance notice needed — just show up.

Small groups will be randomly assembled from submitted names immediately before each group plays. Set up before 8:00 and be as ready to play as possible. We try to keep transition time between groups at a minimum. Over by 10pm.

Bring your own gear. As a rule, there are not instruments available to share. Anyone requiring amplification should bring a small amp. It’s recommended to bring an extension cable and power strip if you need power. Outlets and supplies are limited. Get in touch if you have any questions or special requests.

community agreements:
- Open and welcoming attitude.
- Respect for the space, which is an artist-run community resource. (Please show extra care for the recently refurbished dance floor.)
- Respect for other people and their instruments.
- - Be mindful of the personal space you inhabit while performing to ensure no harm is done to any people, instruments, etc.
- - Leave floor space for movement and movers. Secure your instrument when you’re not playing.

7:30 PM (over by 10 PM, see schedule below)
TAC: Temescal Art Center
511 48th Street, Oakland
Donations for the venue rental are encouraged.

7:30 - Load-in — everyone sets up simultaneously.
8:00 - Random trios (or other small groups), about 7 minutes each depending on number of participants.
9:00 - Second round of random trios.
10:00 - Sound must stop.

videos from past editions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_HPASqyjYfIjlxrLSSkeQ6VZHDZNx9DG

mailing list: https://heule.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9cd317ce9b99ee106279105ed&id=fcc26e79a5
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Doors That Only Open in Silence (open participation, non-hierarchical workshop in free improvisation)

Monthly series of improvisation research at Temescal Arts Center. Bring your instrument or come to listen. Movement and other disciplines encouraged. No advance notice needed — just show up.

Small groups will be randomly assembled from submitted names immediately before each group plays. Set up before 8:00 and be as ready to play as possible. We try to keep transition time between groups at a minimum. Over by 10pm.

Bring your own gear. As a rule, there are not instruments available to share. Anyone requiring amplification should bring a small amp. It’s recommended to bring an extension cable and power strip if you need power. Outlets and supplies are limited. Get in touch if you have any questions or special requests.

community agreements:
- Open and welcoming attitude.
- Respect for the space, which is an artist-run community resource. (Please show extra care for the recently refurbished dance floor.)
- Respect for other people and their instruments.
- - Be mindful of the personal space you inhabit while performing to ensure no harm is done to any people, instruments, etc.
- - Leave floor space for movement and movers. Secure your instrument when you’re not playing.

7:30 PM (over by 10 PM, see schedule below)
TAC: Temescal Art Center
511 48th Street, Oakland
Donations for the venue rental are encouraged.

7:30 - Load-in — everyone sets up simultaneously.
8:00 - Random trios (or other small groups), about 7 minutes each depending on number of participants.
9:00 - Second round of random trios.
10:00 - Sound must stop.

videos from past editions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_HPASqyjYfIjlxrLSSkeQ6VZHDZNx9DG

mailing list: https://heule.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9cd317ce9b99ee106279105ed&id=fcc26e79a5
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The return of the Return the Gift curated series (Series 2) starts off with the first of four great shows, with three great performing artists featuring Sucker Crush, Sheena Dham, and Tasya Abbot.


Sucker Crush
Sheena Dham
Tasya Abbot
Doors: 7:30/ Show: 8:00 PM
Donation: $10-25


SUCKER CRUSH:
Marissa Deitz is a composer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based out of Oakland, CA. Marissa has studied at Columbia College Chicago and Mills College, where she focused on electroacoustic composition using the cello, voice, and custom electronics as hyperinstrument. Marissa now writes songs under the moniker Sucker Crush, expanding or collapsing the project with a rotating cast of players featuring string sections, three part harmonies, distorted guitars, or delicate solo fingerpicking. Deitz also facilitates an online songwriting community called Music Every Week, which has provided resources and creative accountability for songwriters since 2019.

marissadeitz.com; Instagram @sucker.crush


SHEENA DHAM:
Sheena Dham (she/her) is a first- generation Gujarati American musician, solo/collaborating sonic artist, and songwriter. She uses electronic and acoustic sound elements to help bring stories of the peripheral and third-culture experience to life. In her work, she's exploring the idea of "musical rematriation". Her compositions, songs, and performances have been featured in art spaces including the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), de Young Museum (San Francisco), Proyectos Públicos (Mexico City), and Harvard Graduate School of Design (Cambridge), outdoor brands that include Red Bull, The North Face and Arc'teryx, and documentary film featured at CANNESERIES and beyond. In addition to her work as a collaborating artist, she releases experimental multi-genre music with Psychic Eye Records.

sheenadham.com


TASYA ABBOT:
Sheena Dham (she/her) is a first- generation Gujarati American musician, solo/collaborating sonic artist, and songwriter. She uses electronic and acoustic sound elements to help bring stories of the peripheral and third-culture experience to life. In her work, she's exploring the idea of "musical rematriation". Her compositions, songs, and performances have been featured in art spaces including the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), de Young Museum (San Francisco), Proyectos Públicos (Mexico City), and Harvard Graduate School of Design (Cambridge), outdoor brands that include Red Bull, The North Face and Arc'teryx, and documentary film featured at CANNESERIES and beyond. In addition to her work as a collaborating artist, she releases experimental multi-genre music with Psychic Eye Records. Sheena Dham (she/her)

Instagram @ tasyaabbot
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The return of the Return the Gift curated series (Series 2) continues with the second of four great shows, with three great performing artists featuring Jas Stade, Sachi's Mirror, and Tom Djll/Jordan Glenn Duo.


12 March:
Jas Stade
Sachi's Mirror
Tom Djll/Jordan Glenn Duo
Doors: 7:30/Show: 8:00


JAS STADE:
Drawing upon her background in classical guitar & art rock (as 1/3 of Oakland's Gumby's Junk), Jas Stade blends whimsy & technicality into an ever-shifting sonic landscape. Her collection of miniature songs, Bite Size, released in 2022, explores a kaleidoscope of tones. Tracks shift from wobbly, surreal walls of sound to crisp fingerpicked ditties. Circus music mingles with fingerstyle and folk in this brief but enchanting love letter to the versatility of the guitar. Smoke & Mirrors, Jas’ debut album is another textural delight for the world of guitar music. Recorded to 1/4 inch tape and released in Summer 2025,Smoke & Mirrors is meditative, tongue in cheek, and best enjoyed late at night.
jas-stade.com/


SACHI'S MIRROR:
Sachi’s Mirror is the creative alias of Oakland-based experimental violinist and composer Shaina Pan. Her live performances are ever-evolving and often enlist the support of additional musicians to create intimate, semi-improvised soundscapes that evoke elements of ambient, dream pop, and avant-garde classical composition.
Instagram: sachis__mirror


Tom Djll/Jordan Glenn DUO:
Tom Djll first studied electronic music at the Colorado College on the EMS Synthi 100. He spent the years 1981-1998 working with the Serge Modular Music System. Deep Listening work with Pauline Oliveros, 1991-2003. At the Mills College Contemporary Music Center 1993-95, he developed a personal trumpet language alongside electronic and microtonal studies. Beginning in 2012, Djll shifted back to analog systems and electroacoustic interfaces. Currently Djll concentrates on presenting and explaining chaotic sound-worlds, inspired by the work of Rob Hordijk. Recent collaborations with Gino Robair, Suki O'Kane, Rova Saxophone Quartet, Axel Dörner, and the trio EUPHOTIC with Cheryl Leonard and Bryan Day.

Oakland based drummer Jordan Glenn has worked closely with Fred Frith (FF Trio, Gravity Band), William Winant, Zeena Parkins (The Adorables), Roscoe Mitchell, Ben Goldberg, Todd Sickafoose, John Schott, Lisa Mezzacappa, Kyle Bruckmann, Michael Coleman, Matthew Welch and bands Jack O’ The Clock, Secret Chiefs 3, The Rova Sax Quartet, tUnE-yArDs and the collective Sifter with Rob Ewing, Beth Schenck and Lisa Mezzacappa. He composes/conducts the large, percussion heavy band BEAK, and since 2007 has led the sax/drum trio Wiener Kids. He also has been commissioned to create scores for evening-length dance pieces by Sharp & Fine and Liss Fain Dance.
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The return of the Return the Gift curated series (Series 2) continues with the third of four great shows with three great performing artists featuring S'Hells Gate, Heavy Arts Ensemble, and X Medianoche.


S'Hells Gate
Heavy Arts Ensemble
X Medianoche
Doors: 7:00 PM; Starts 7:30
Donation: $10-25


S'HELLS GATE:
S’hells Gate emerges from love, rage, and resistance, confronting pervasive cultural violence, genocide, and predatory capitalism through a volatile release of energy, where devotion and collective catharsis are forged into a sonic weapon against hate. They'll be joined by their projectionist, Fyusha.

Instagram: instagram.com/s__hellsgate


HEAVY ARTS ENSEMBLE:
Heavy Arts Ensemble is a collective of Bay Area musicians and media artists. Through a collage of extended melodic improvisation, live sampling, modular synthesis, live visuals, the outer edges of experimental beat culture, avant-garde jazz, drone and radical software, Heavy Arts Ensemble seeks to push deep grooves into trance-inducing states. The collective features a rotating lineup alongside core members: Joel Reber- reeds // percussion David Alvarez - reeds // percussion Tommy Wong- reeds // percussion Melanie Marie- live visuals // percussion Justin Esposito- double bass // percussion Diego Munguia- modular sampler // reeds // percussion

heavyartsensemble.com


X MEDIANOCHE:
X Medianoche is an artist & sound designer. They create multichannel feeling spaces, places to practice the erotic tool of presence through the use of sound as a prayer for a less numbed out, more available to revolutionary visions world. X designs and curates sound environments for screen, performance, visual arts & events grounded in deep body listening. They have collaborated on sound design projects with Anamika Singh at the Chazen Museum of Art, OYSTERKNIFE at Grace Cathedral and Paz G at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. In 2025, X shared a series of 4.4 works ~ Film for Listening (Treasure Map) for Ears of Moss at SutroFM and Film for Listening (Ferrofluid) at The Ever Afters Campout. Their work is made possible by god, spirit guides, angels, love, friends, teachers, time travel, strangers, music, mistakes, saturn, sound healing, synchronicities, pdfs, and probably you.

xmedianoche.com; Instagram: @experimentsatmidnight
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The return of the Return the Gift curated series (Series 2) continues with the fourth of four great shows, with two great performing artists featuring Gamelan Encinal and Elenora.


26 March:

Gamelan Encinal
Eleanora
Doors: 7:30/Show: 8:00 PM
Admission: $10-25


GAMELAN ENCINAL:
Gamelan Encinal is an American aluminum gamelan ensemble founded by Stephen Parris in 2014. Their focus is on the performance of new and existing works for just tuned American gamelan. The instruments used for the ensemble are inspired by central Javanese gamelans, and use the same tuning used by Lou Harrison and Bill Colvig for various gamelans they built. The instruments have been built over a number of years by Daniel Schmidt with the aid of Lydia Martin, Stephen Parris, and various students of Mills College, and members of the greater bay area gamelan community. Current members of the ensemble are Myra Chachkin, Richie Jensen, Patrick Liddell, Stephen Parris, Joel Skavdahl, and Mitch Stahlmann.

gamelanencinal.com


ELEANORA:
Eleanora is the solo project of Ellie Denison from New England. A classically trained harpist, Ellie balances composition and experimentation in introspective pieces. Her work demonstrates an intuitive sense of flow that finds a place for each feeling. Her latest album, Lamentations of An Bhean Sí, was released in early 2025 and is currently based in Oakland.

linktr.ee/eleanoraharp
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Doors That Only Open in Silence (open participation, non-hierarchical workshop in free improvisation)

Monthly series of improvisation research at Temescal Arts Center. Bring your instrument or come to listen. Movement and other disciplines encouraged. No advance notice needed — just show up.

Small groups will be randomly assembled from submitted names immediately before each group plays. Set up before 8:00 and be as ready to play as possible. We try to keep transition time between groups at a minimum. Over by 10pm.

Bring your own gear. As a rule, there are not instruments available to share. Anyone requiring amplification should bring a small amp. It’s recommended to bring an extension cable and power strip if you need power. Outlets and supplies are limited. Get in touch if you have any questions or special requests.

community agreements:
- Open and welcoming attitude.
- Respect for the space, which is an artist-run community resource. (Please show extra care for the recently refurbished dance floor.)
- Respect for other people and their instruments.
- - Be mindful of the personal space you inhabit while performing to ensure no harm is done to any people, instruments, etc.
- - Leave floor space for movement and movers. Secure your instrument when you’re not playing.

7:30 PM (over by 10 PM, see schedule below)
TAC: Temescal Art Center
511 48th Street, Oakland
Donations for the venue rental are encouraged.

7:30 - Load-in — everyone sets up simultaneously.
8:00 - Random trios (or other small groups), about 7 minutes each depending on number of participants.
9:00 - Second round of random trios.
10:00 - Sound must stop.

videos from past editions: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_HPASqyjYfIjlxrLSSkeQ6VZHDZNx9DG

mailing list: https://heule.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9cd317ce9b99ee106279105ed&id=fcc26e79a5
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