LA Arts Hosts the
Titus Abbott Collective
Plus Paint & Drums Duo
SATURDAY MAY 18 2024
168 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME 04240
6:30PM DOORS
$20
An electrifying evening of spontaneous creativity at LA Arts in Lewiston. On Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 7 PM, prepare to be captivated by not one, but two mind-blowing improvised music performances.
First up, the Paint and Drums Duo, featuring the incomparable NYC-based drummer Michael Sarin playing solo drums, teamed up with Maine-based artist M P Landis to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience. Then, brace yourself for the exhilarating sounds of the Titus Abbott Collective. Led by the innovative composer Titus Abbott on saxophones with bassist Rob Gerry and John Mettam on drums, this jazz/improv ensemble is set to ignite the stage with a blend of original compositions and spontaneous creations. Witness the magic of “instant composition” as each piece comes to life before your very ears, never to be repeated again!
Titus Abbott is a US based saxophonist and composer. He is dedicated to finding contemporary expression in jazz while honoring its rich tradition. His compositions are characterized by intricate melodies, harmonies and rhythms that are an invitation to close listening. Specializing in soprano saxophone, Titus balances his repertoire as a multi-instrumentalist on alto and tenor saxophones and bass clarinet.
As an improviser and composer Titus has worked and recorded with a wide range of collaborators from his native Canada to Europe and the US. These include Graham Collier, Eddie Pévost, The Grand Union Orchestra, Ashley Maher, George Koller, Frank Carlberg, Pascal Niggenkemper, Michael Sarin, Marilyn Lerner, Curtis Clark, Nate McBride, Luther Gray, Sean Conly and many others performing at venues, concert halls and jazz festivals worldwide.
New music composition and film music composition are also part of the fabric of Titus’ career which include composer credits on films by Louis Pascal Couvelaire, Thiago DaCosta, Louis Frederick and recent World Premieres of his compositions “Liminal Moment” for Two Pianos and Percussion and “The Gardener Trio” a middle eastern music influenced chamber work for piano, clarinet and violin as part of a concert to commemorate the Armenian Genocide.
Rob Gerry
Double and electric bassist Rob Gerry is an active freelancer in northern New England and is a member of NH-based minimalism/jazz group Weird Turn Pro, New Orleans-style swing band Midnight BBQ, and Portland-based wedding and function band Mixology.
As a composer his works have been performed by numerous soloists, chamber groups, and large ensembles including the UNH Wind Symphony and the seacoast’s OURBIGBAND.
Rob is also an experienced arranger, music theory teacher, private instructor, and corporate training professional.
John Mettam
A versatile and energetic musician, John has toured extensively in the US, Canada, Europe, and
Japan, and appears on over 50 recordings. He has worked with jazz greats Marc Ribot, Ran Blake,
and Herb Robertson, legendary New Music mavericks Bobby Previte, Mark Feldman, David Tronzo, Matt Darriau & Paradox Trio. In Boston, he founded the third stream improv group Third Ear, and upon moving to New York he was quickly snatched up by downtown legends EZ Pour Spout and Goats in Trees. His deep understanding of song structure, broad dynamic range and musicality have made John a natural choice for the many singer/songwriters he has worked with, including Dee Carstenson, Vicki Genfan, Melissa Sheehan, Cynthia Hopkins, and Broadway Diva Melissa Errico.
M P Landis
Born in Lancaster, PA in 1965, M P Landis has been working in various visual media since childhood. In 1989, he moved to Provincetown, MA to concentrate on painting and began exhibiting almost immediately and was awarded a solo exhibition at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum in 1995. Soon after, he moved to Brooklyn, NY where he was very active in the NYC downtown music scene, photographing and painting both on and off the stage, and collaborating with musicians, writers, dancers and other visual artists. In 2015, he and his family moved to Portland, Maine.
Since 1990 he has been in over 30 solo exhibitions and numerous 2- person and group exhibits and is included in many public and private collections.
“Through my work I am always interested in the dialogue between process and artifact, the doing and the finished. This tension is ever present in how I work and what and how I choose to exhibit.”
Michael Sarin
Since 1990, drummer Michael Sarin has been at the center of New York City’s genre-bending jazz and improvisational music community. His versatility and musical wit helped forge long associations with forward-looking artists Ben Allison, Frank Carlberg, Thomas Chapin, Dave Douglas, Mark Dresser, Erik Friedlander, David Krakauer, Myra Melford, and Mario Pavone. He has performed a wide range of others, including Lee Konitz, the Klezmatics, comedian Pete Barbutti, Fred Wesley, and John Zorn.
His unique style and approach to the drum set has abetted musicians looking to expand the definitions of jazz and improvised music; he can be heard on hundreds of recordings. Michael has performed on six continents–in major and minor festivals, concert halls famous and infamous, big and small. He is a longtime faculty member of the Maine Jazz Camp.