This weekend the Trepanations series is back with multi-disciplinary artist Taji Ra'oof Nahl and the trio Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth. Working with installation, video, performance, sonic compositions, sculpture, and painting, Nahl describes his practice as “artistic avant-garde journalism.”
Taji Ra'oof Nahl, also known as TR7, is a conceptual artist and 2024 Guggenheim Fellow recognized for his innovative staged productions that blend audio and visual media across various settings, including museums and public spaces. His series "Abstract Dynamics" features collaborative projects that explore a fusion of improvisation, experimental sounds, jazz, cinematic elements, and hip hop traditions.
In this installment of Abstract Dynamics TR7 will be accompanied by Scott Verrastro on drums and percussionas well as multi-instrumentalist, composer/performer, and educator Jamal R. Moore .
Jamal has worked and recorded with are Wadada Leo Smith, Roscoe Mitchell, Nicole Mitchell, Archie Shepp, David Ornette Cherry, Tomeka Reid, Dr. Bill Cole, DJ Lou Gorbea, George Duke, Sheila E, David Murray, JD Parran, Ras Moshe, Hprizm, (Antipop Consortium) Tatsua Nakatani, Hamid Drake and the late Yahyah Abdul Majid (Sun Ra Arkestra). He is an affiliate of The Pan African Peoples Arkestra of the late Horace Tapscott, Black Praxis of David Boykin, member of Konjur Collective, and co-creator of Ancestral Duo with Luke Stewart. Jamal currently leads his own groups, Akebulan Arkestra, Napata Strings, Black Elements Quartet, Organix Trio, and Mojuba Duo.
Scott Verrastrois a drummer and percussionist based in Philadelphia, PA. He runs Clavius productions and plays in a variety of musical projects, with a focus on improvisation.
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Sharper than a Serpent's Tooth is a trio consisting of:
Brian Rogersis a Philadelphia based saxophonist in addition to his own projects he plays with the Chad Taylor Quintet and Bobby Zankel's Wonderful Sound 5.
Philadelphia residentDave McDonnellgot his start in Chicago’s thriving rock and jazz underground. Cutting his teeth with Elephant 6 adjacent groups like bablicon and Icy Demons, McDonnell went on to form the avant/synth-rock group Michael Columbia. He is likely best known in Chicago as a founding member of the group Herculaneum, a critically acclaimed unit with a five-album discography. David’s work combining afro-beat with jazz and his electronic compositions has found an outlet with Dave McDonnell Group, whose album, the time inside a year, can be found on the Delmark record label.
Matt Englegrew up in the Philadelphia area and has been an active member of the creative and improvised music scene for 20 years. Matt defies categorization seamlessly moving among different styles and disciplines his work extends to the world electronic music, featured on his recording with poet Michael Szekely under the name of The Alternative View recently Matt recorded with the Chad Taylor quintet for a release on Otherly Love records and titled smoke shifter his love of the acoustic bass matches the intimacy of the pairing of his mind and body to this particular instrument his deep interest in birds waves unique people esoteric sounds the moon and all celestial objects helps to increase the emotional spiritual and creative content of his work in music.
He has contributed to many situations in music previously performing and or recording with Chad Taylor, Bobby Zankel, Sonic Liberation Front, Shot By Shot, Yapp, Split Red, Dave Liebman, Marshall Allen, Sam Newsom, Rick Lannacone, Jamie Branch, Elliott Levin, Anthony Pirog, Raymond King, David Middleton, Dan Blacksburg, Vince Johnson Muhammad Ali, Oliver Lake, Tim Berne, Thurman Barker and Brandon Seabrook among many others.