MEPHISTA: Sylvie Courvoisier, Ikue Mori & Susie Ibarra October 21, 2008

Three of downtown's most dynamic performers join forces to form Mephista-one of the first all women supergroups (Susie Ibarra, Sylvie Courvoisier, and Ikue Mori). Separately these three have worked with some of the most important musicians in new music (Derek Bailey, William Parker, John Zorn, Fred Frith, Mike Patton, Dave Douglas, etc.)-together they have created a whole new kind of music spanning the worlds of rock, classical, jazz and electronica. Sensitive, powerfuland exotic.

Susie Ibarra, percussionist and composer of experimental and avant garde music is currently living in New York City. She received a music diploma from Mannes College of Music and B.A. from Goddard College. Susie Ibarra studied percussion with Daniel Druckman, Filipine Kulintang with Danongan Kalanduyan and drum set with Buster Smith, Vernel Fournier and Milford Graves. As a percussionist, she has performed Filipine Kulintang gong music, southeast asian gong music, jazz and avant jazz with various ensembles, improvised music with the NY downtown scene and solo work. She can be heard on various recordings performing with John Zorn, Pauline Oliveros, Derek Bailey, William Parker, Dave Douglas, John Lindberg, and Wadada Leo Smith. Susie Ibarra currently performs with her trio, Susie Ibarra Trio with Jennifer Choi & Craig Taborn, Mark Dresser & Susie Ibarra Duo , Mundo Ninos with Roberto Rodriguez , and Electric Kulintang with Craig Taborn,Trevor Dunn & Roberto Rodriguez

Sylvie Courvoisier was born and raised in Lausanne, Switzerland. As a composer, she has been commissioned to write music for concerts, radio, dance and theater. Her newest release as a leader "ABATON" with Mark Feldman and Erik Friedlander is on ECM Records. As a pianist and improviser, she plays and records with different artists such as Mark Feldman, John Zorn, Tony Oxley, Yusef Lateef, Butch Morris, Tim Berne, Herb Robertson, Joëlle Léandre, Dave Douglas, Ellery Eskelin, Ikue Mori, Fred Frith, Michel Godard, Mark Nauseef… Since 1998, Sylvie Courvoisier has been based in Brooklyn, New York. Her recent work includes: "Abaton", a trio performing her compositions with Mark Feldman violin & Erik Friedlander cello, "Sylvie Courvoisier Quintet", Vincent Courtois, Gerald Cleaver, "Duo" with Mark Feldman playing John Zorn’s music "Vincent Courtois Trio" the French cellist's group with Ellery Eskelin saxophone. "John Zorn's Cobra", “Yusef Lateef 4tet”, Adam Rudolph and Joseph Bowie, "Herb Robertson Quintet", Tom Rainey and Mark Dresser, Various Duo and Solo Concerts.

Ikue Mori moved from her native city of Tokyo to New York in 1977, started playing drums and soon formed the seminal NO WAVE band DNA, with fellow noise pioneers Arto Lindsay and Tim Wright. DNA enjoyed legendary cult status, while creating a new brand of radical rhythms and dissonant sounds; forever altering the face of rock music. In the mid 80’s Ikue started in employ drum machines in the unlikely context of improvised music. While limited to the standard technology provided by the drum machine, she has never the less forged her own highly sensitive signature style. Through out in 90’s She has subsequently collaborated with numerous improvisors throughout the US, Europe, and Asia, while continuing to produce and record her own music. 1998, She was invited to perform with Ensemble Modern as the soloist along with Zeena Parkins, and composer Fred Frith. Ikue won the Distinctive Award for Prix Ars Electronics Digital Music category in 99. In 2000 Ikue started using the laptop computer to expand on her already signature sound, thus broadening her scope of musical expression. Current working groups include a quartet with Kim Gordon, DJ Olive and Jim O’Rourke, duo project with Zeena Parkins, Trio with Haco and Aki Onda and Hemophiliac with John Zorn and Mike Patton.

Official Website: http://www.roulette.org/events/2008_10.html