A meditation on making it through + music on the way
Good afternoon friends! First off, thanks to everyone who made it out to Elastic last week for my Trio's performance. It was great to see some people I...
My thoughts on art in our moment + friendly reminder for Elastic Thursday
Hello friends! At the end of last week I went on a deep dive into my creative archive. Revisiting old recordings both released and unreleased brought back...
Compositions at the improvised music series? What!
Hi friends! Over the past few years, improvisation has been my primary focus as a band leader. In particular, I've been interested in long-form suite-style...
Where is Calculated Discomfort going in 2025?
Happy new year friends! I've been seeing a lot of people say this year was full of ups and downs, and I can't disagree. It's a tumoltuous time to be a human,...
Join me at the Art Institute of Chicago next week
Every December since 2018, I've done an end-of-year show called the Winter Clearance Event. It's usually at a more informal venue or gallery, but this year...
Birth of a band + festivities
Hi friends! Hope you all had a solid fall all things considered. I'm writing to let you know about a couple things I'm doing to wrap up the year that I think...
Putting in the time, to have a good time
Happy fall friends! I was just telling someone the other day how I believe music is a constant process of iteration. You get a group together, play a few...
Two big shows this week
Hello friends! I'm excited to check in with you all and let you know about two very exciting things happening in the Calculated Discomfort world this week....
Come out Tuesday for a free show and a fun night
Happy summer friends! This time in Chicago is the best time for live music, nice weather and friends anywhere in the world in my opinion. As I mentioned in a...
It's time for music, among people
Hi friends! First off, thank you all so much for the support for The Harmony of Rhythm so far. It's nice to know this concept that has been bouncing around...
Step into a new sound world (album out now)
At long last, The Harmony of Rhythm is here. This album is not just a glimpse into my musical world, but a representation of how I hear the world as a whole....
Setting the scene with sound / a sneak peek
Hi friends! It's a beautiful day in Chicago. I'm checking in to give you all a little sneak peek of Tuesday's album release, and to explain why this...
The menu for May
Hello friends! Hope you are all well and enjoying the turn of the season. I'm actually headed to San Francisco for a few days for a breath of fresh air...
Blood money out of art, blood money out of everything
Hi friends, I was planning to release the next single from The Harmony of Rhythm this week, but I ended up spending the time I had set aside to prepare the...
Join me on the sonic path of totality
Good morning friends! Nothing enhances and expands the emotion of a moment the way music does. To me, music captures and amplifies the vibrations of a...
Talking about the weather... or something
Good morning! It's a timeless clichet: don't have anything to talk about? Talk about the weather. But lets be honest... The weather is super important--and...
How music and sports are kind of the same thing
Good morning friends! My greatest creative inspiration lately has come from books--and science fiction and speculative fiction books in particular. Out of...
New album is immanent
Hello friends! Welcome to the new version of this newsletter. I had to switch email services at the end of last month. With any luck, it will feel pretty...
Rhythm, humor and a fallen log
Hello friends! Today I have a video for you courtacy of the 3Arts Disability Culture Leadership Initiative. In October fellow artist Kennedy Healy and I sat...
This month: drums meet machines
Hello friends! First off, I need to let you know that this will be one of the last newsletters I'll be sending through Tiny Letter. Don't worry, these...