STAVE SESSIONS

Stave Sessions celebrates contemporary music of all kinds in a relaxed club setting at the Crystal Ballroom at Somerville Theatre in Davis Square.

Nathalie Joachim | Wednesday | March 20 | 7pm

In Ki moun ou ye, flutist, vocalist, and composer Nathalie Joachim takes us through an intimately staged song cycle that ponders the titular question: “Who are you?” Performed in both English and Haitian Kreyòl, the immersive work weaves a vibrant tapestry of Joachim’s live voice and intricate electronically sampled vocal textures. Ki moun ou ye invites listeners into an exploration of personal history and draws upon the voice’s historic and ongoing role as a tool for survival, healing, preservation of self, fellowship, and an affirmation of freedom.

JIJI | Thursday | March 21 | 7pm

“One of the 21 composers / performers who sound like tomorrow” (The Washington Post), JIJI is equally at home on acoustic and electric guitar, and is the first guitarist to win the prestigious Concert Artists Guild Award in 30 years. She is a must-hear, once-in-ageneration artist. Her program, Classical Goes Electric, begins in the Italian Renaissance and ends in the present day, bringing together composers like Paganini, Tania León, Steve Reich, and JIJI herself.

Chromic Duo | Friday | March 22 | 7pm

Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan, as Chromic Duo, use toy pianos, “real” pianos, electronics, and multimedia to uncover truths and reimagine human connection. Their program Room of Oceans invites audiences to reflect on the question, “how can we create moments of connection and empathy?” Through a series of new commissions and nature-inspired works by Chopin, Ravel, Olafur Arnalds, and Brian Eno, and commissions from Cassie Wieland and Nyokabi Kariũki, Chromic creates a space for audience members to reflect on their current state of being and experience an undercurrent of dynamic emotions.

Mark Lettieri Group | Saturday | March 23 | 7pm

Five-time Grammy winner Mark Lettieri makes his in-person Celebrity Series debut with his group in this Stave Sessions concert. He creates acclaimed guitar-based instrumental music and is a member of leading jazz fusion collective Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. As a session musician proficient in a multitude of styles, he has recorded and performed in virtually every genre of popular music with both independent and major-label artists.