Eschatology Records Presents: XNN DANCE CHAOS MAGIC “Don’t think we ain’t rehearsing!” I remember these words being spoken by Daniel Carter 3 or 4 hours into our first “rehearsal” as a group. Musical instruments had not yet been touched - we were consumed by deep conversation, most of which was framed by the shift in reality caused by the 2016 election which had just occurred around the time the group was formed. In fact, Daniel was paraphrasing Cecil Taylor, who he remembered had relayed the same words to his group, when one of their rehearsals had transformed into a several hours long conversation. Looking back, it’s easy to see that quote, in that moment, as representative of the central concept of XNN. A typical XNN session begins upon Daniel’s arrival, exuberantly sharing the bevy of new current events, philosophical, and musical information he’s been digesting that week as he takes his time unpacking his multitude of instruments. Never failing to present challenging, alternative perspectives, the group dialogue runs the emotional gamut from curiosity and surprise, to anger and frustration - always landing on laughter and love. It occurs to me now that, quite literally, this was and is the way we prepare to play. In some ensembles, it makes sense to go over sheet music and chord changes in order to prepare the music. For XNN, though, the hang is essentially practicing the ability to exist in paradoxical and liminal spaces. Can we remain curious and open to new perspectives while standing firm in the principles that make us who we are? To what extent can we sincerely consider an idea that challenges everything we think we believe? What better training to play improvised music than to deal with these questions! After years of this process, XNN has coalesced into a collective with a unique ability to stand firm in their individual musical personalities while collectively reaching something greater. Ben Cohen’s remarkable focus in building sound, expanding tone and developing ideas - Daniel Carter’s one of a kind ability to twist, alter and subtly shift melodic phrases without ever abandoning his own melodicism - Eli Wallace’s patience, stability and complete command of his wholly unique tonal palette, and my personally developed repertoire of global rhythm language - all this and more seamlessly blends into a music that is free, danceable, chaotic and peaceful all at once. Born in 2016, the year that our society entered an unprecedented period of polarization - XNN provides a living, musical example of how different perspectives and individuals might co-exist while creatively improvising in order to arrive at something beautiful based on a mutual respect of the other’s humanity. It’s our hope that this small, yet sincere offering, might in some way, move someone, in that direction. -Dan Kurfirst ​ Daniel Carter is an American experimental saxophone, flute, ​ clarinet, and trumpet player active mainly in New York City since the early 1970s. One of the legendary masters of creative music. Born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania in 1945. Carter is a prolific performer and has recorded or performed with William Parker, Federico Ughi, DJ Logic, Thurston Moore, Yo La Tengo, Sun Ra, ​ Cecil Taylor, scientist/musician Matthew Putman, Patrick Holmes, ​ ​ ​ ​ Sabir Mateen, Cooper-Moore, Sam Rivers, David S. Ware, Yoko Ono, Medesky Martin and Wood and Jaco Pastorius among others. Ben Cohen is a Brooklyn based saxophonist and composer. After growing up in ​ rural Tennessee, Ben went to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he studied with such luminaries as Jerry Coker and Donald Brown. After graduating, he moved to NYC where he continued his education under the tutelage of Ellery Eskelin. Now a regular on the Brooklyn creative music scene, Ben performs with Daniel Carter, Deric Dickens, Danny Fisher-Lochhead, John Merrit, Kenny Warren, Zach Clarke and many others. He leads his saxophone trio Viriditas and his record label Eschatology Records. Eli Wallace is a pianist, improviser, composer, and curator who resides ​ in Brooklyn, NY. Since moving from Oakland, CA in 2015 he has established himself in the New York improvised and creative music scene, constantly seeking out improvisers with a similar predilection such as Daniel Carter, Ingrid Laubrock, Michael Foster, Billy Mintz, Andrew Smiley, Sandy Ewen, Carlo Costa, Sean Ali, Brandon Lopez, Erika Dicker, Joe Moffett, and many others. His musical education was granted by Lawrence University, Appleton WI, and New England Conservatory, Boston, MA. Dan Kurfirst is an NYC based percussionist, composer and ​ improviser. He has performed extensively in the New York City world music and improvised music scenes for years and has performed with various groups throughout Europe, India and the Middle East. Over the years Dan has been blessed to work amongst some of the world’s most creative musicians, including Matt Darriau, Cheick Hamala Diabate, Hamid Drake, Adam Rudolph, Noam Vazana, Brad Shepik,Daro Behroozi and many others. .