Roulette

Name: Roulette
Address: 509 Atlantic Avenue, New York, NY, 11217, US
Telephone: +19172670363
Rating: 4.4

One of the most creative and prolific centers for experimental art in the United States since 1978. Founded in Tribeca, based in downtown Brooklyn.

Roulette began in 1978 as a spontaneous presentation of work by artists in a loft on West Broadway in Tribeca, and has since evolved into an internationally recognized experimental art center. Now based in Downtown Brooklyn, Roulette supports artists through presenting a substantial and diverse program of experimental music, dance and intermedia, commissioning new work, paying the artists professi

onal fees, and finding artists an audience interested in learning about traditions and developments in these art forms.

01/24/2025

A special one from the archive to remember Tom Johnson, who passed away on Dec 31, 2024. On Sunday, March 22, 1987 at Roulette’s original Tribeca loft, Tom performed his marathon piece “Chord Catalogue”—the 8,178 chords possible in one octave, played in sequence.

Tom (1939 - 2024) was a minimalist composer, music critic, and former student of Morton Feldman who documented “the renaissance of avant-garde music in downtown New York during the 1970s” for , covering artists like Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, and Yoshi Wada ().

“I like to think of the CHORD CATALOGUE as a sort of natural phenomenon—something which has always been present in the ordinary musical scale, and which I simply observed, rather than invented. It is not so much a composition as simply a list…” (Tom in his program notes, 1987).

🎧🏛️ Full program and audio recording are freely accessible on our website! Also linked in bio

01/22/2025

Join us THIS WEEK for the third annual Improv Nights: A Tribute to Derek Bailey, a three-night run bringing together master improvisers to perform in multiple configurations and combinations. The series was originally initiated by John Zorn, to whom Bailey was a dear friend and mentor.

Bailey’s passion for pure improvisation continues to influence generations of musicians. For these three nights we return to the Improv Night tradition that began as benefits for The Stone, and that have been, in many ways, inspired by Derek Bailey’s legendary Company Weeks.

Tickets in bio! Pics by from Improv Nights on Jan 19, 2023. Find the Livestream on our YouTube.

2025 LINEUP ⬇️⬇️⬇️

THU, JAN 23: Craig Taborn, Kenny Wollesen, Wendy Eisenberg, Ikue Mori, Zeena Parkins, Brandon Lopez, Patricia Brennan, Ned Rothenberg, Chris Williams, gabby fluke-mogul, Jim Staley

FRI, JAN 24: Nava Dunkelman, Zeena Parkins, Brandon Lopez, Marty Ehrlich, Sylvie Courvoisier, Patricia Brennan, Leo Chang, Nate Wooley, Chris Cochrane, Charmaine Lee, Jim Staley

SAT, JAN 25: Lesley Mok, Nava Dunkelman, Wendy Eisenberg, Brandon Lopez, Ned Rothenberg, Marty Ehrlich, Sylvie Courvoisier, gabby fluke-mogul, Leo Chang, Nate Wooley, Jim Staley

01/14/2025

ALMOST SOLD OUT! Legendary duo John Zorn & return to Roulette for an intimate night of adventurous music on Saturday, February 15. ⏳Grab your tickets in our bio before they’re gone.

01/08/2025

UPCOMING AT ROULETTE

Sun Jan 12: IMPRESSIONS: Improvisatory Interpretations on “A Love Supreme” with Ravi Coltrane & Guests
Ravi Coltrane celebrates the 60th Anniversary of John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. Presented by NYC Winter Jazzfest and Impulse!

Wed Jan 15: Take Two: ganavya reimagines ‘Les Filles de Illighadad’
Acclaimed vocalist ganavya performs traditional songs inspired by female Tuareg band Les Filles de Illighadad. Presented by NYC Winter Jazzfest.

Thu Jan 16: Patrick Higgins & Yarn/Wire
Z’s guitarist plays his new ambient electronic album VERSUS alongside Yarn/Wire’s NYC premiere of his composition “Three Lines of Flight.”

Fri Jan 17: JACK Quartet Plays John Zorn’s Memento Mori and Necronomicon
Two of Zorn’s greatest masterworks mark his triumphant return to the string quartet medium—with JACK Quartet and guest soloist Ikue Mori.

Thu-Sat Jan 23-25: Improv Nights 2025: A Tribute to Derek Bailey
The third annual celebration of the late guitarist bringing together master improvisers, organized by Jim Staley.

Wed Jan 29: WORKSHOP: Ellen Fullman & Theresa Wong
Wong and Fullman share an interactive workshop featuring Fullman’s Long String Instrument, cello, electric guitar scordatura, and more.

Thu & Fri Jan 30 & 31: Ellen Fullman & Theresa Wong
A composition exploring the essence of string resonance with cello, electric guitar, and Fullman’s Long String Instrument.

Thu Feb 6: Dreamcrusher: Music Makes Me High
New music and a bespoke stage performance by electronic artist for their 2024-2025 Roulette Commission.

Fri & Sat Feb 7 & 8: Bill Frisell: In My Dreams
Guitar icon dreams up a new group with Petra Haden, Rudy Royston, Thomas Morgan, Jenny Scheinman, Eyvind Kang, and Hank Roberts.

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first and last slides: at Roulette in October 2024 by

12/20/2024

Roulette is hiring Event Staff! This role assists with front-of-house operations for Roulette performances and special events produced by rental clients. Previous experience in customer service, ticket sales, event production, and hospitality is required, as is a flexible schedule with evening and weekend availability. Interest in experimental music, movement, and media is a plus. Apps due by Jan 6. Link in bio for more info (roulette.org/opportunities).

12/16/2024

SATURDAY DEC 21 - PHILL NIBLOCK WINTER SOLSTICE: 6 HOURS OF MUSIC AND FILM ❄️ 6pm-midnight

As the longest night of the year unfolds, Roulette stages Phill Niblock’s annual Winter Solstice concert for the 14th consecutive year—for the first time following the composer/filmmaker’s passing. The annual event features Phill’s multimedia performance style: multiple projections, mainly of his major film work “The Movement of People Working” (1973-1991), soundtracked by compositions from throughout his over 50 year career.

“The Movement of People Working” is a documentary collection of multiple short videos with extremely minimalist editing, focused on people in their daily activities and tasks of manual labor, including hammering, sewing, weaving, raking, harvesting, dyeing, fishing, and more—featuring over 25 hours of mostly 16 mm footage from Peru, Mexico, Hungary, Hong Kong, Brazil, Lesotho, Portugal, China, Japan, on Sumatra, and in the Arctic. Accompanied by Phill’s droning compositions, the piece creates both a visually and sonically immersive, rhythmic, unbroken and “bewitching” structure.

Tickets in bio! 🔗 Livestream selections from Winter Solstice 2023, last pic by in 2022

12/11/2024

There’s still merch in stock! Order by Dec 15 to get yours shipped before the holidays. ❄️ Here’s our “Audio Archive” Tee and “Stamp” Tote, both made of 100% reclaimed waste cotton from the LA-based .world. Each item is well made and has a really nice hand feel. Shop and listen to your shirt at the link in bio. 🌍

🌟All purchases made before Jan 1 will receive a $5 discount code for a Winter Season Show!

12/10/2024

UPCOMING AT ROULETTE

Wed Dec 11 - Kalia Vandever Quartet: In My Dream House
Grammy Award Winning trombonist/composer shares material from her new body of work with Mary Halvorson, Kanoa Mendenhall, and Savannah Harris.

Thu Dec 12 - Simon Hanes: GARGANTUA
A new composition for large ensemble, consisting of 3 drum sets, 3 electric basses, 3 trombones, 3 french horns, and 3 voices by Simon Hanes (Tredici Bacci).

Fri Dec 13 + Sat Dec 14: Two World Premieres by William Parker
Legendary bassist, composer, improvisor, and multi-instrumentalist William Parker unveils two new works over two nights with two ensembles.

Thu Dec 19: Contemporary East I: DoYeon Kim / Leo Chang
Pianist Yuko Fujiyama’s Contemporary East Series returns to Roulette with four ensembles across two days; night 1 features DoYeon Kim Quintet + Leo Chang’s Young Mong.

Fri Dec 20: Contemporary East II: Lesley Mok / Yuko Fujiyama
Continuing Yuko Fujiyama’s Contemporary East Series, night 2 features Mok’s record The Living Collection, followed by Fujiyama Duos.

Sat Dec 21: Phill Niblock Winter Solstice 2024: 6 Hours of Music and Film
The 14th consecutive year of Phill Niblock’s annual immersive Winter Solstice concert for the first time following the composer/filmmaker’s passing.

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first and last slides: and in September by

12/06/2024

“by far the best of the year and a night I will think about for a long time” — on Wadada Leo Smith and Amina Claudine Myles on Wednesday night. 😌

Listen back to this special show via livestream or audio on our website archive and YouTube.

✨More magic happening this weekend with Fred Frith’s solo show TONIGHT 12.6, followed by Normal Give or Take (Fred Frith, Sudhu Tewari, and Lotte Anker) on Saturday 12.7, and Catalytic Festival on Sunday 12.8!

pics by

12/03/2024

A few snapshots of ’s beautiful hand-drawn book illustrating each story in her new album, Encounters and Collisions. Get your copy of the album + the book at the release show at Roulette next week on Monday, Dec 9th! With on sax, on cello, and on piano. Tickets in bio! 🏠

11/19/2024

UPCOMING AT ROULETTE

Tue 11.19 - [POSTPONED] Lines of Light Vocal Ensemble
A vocal ensemble collective utilizing non-hierarchical and mutual modes of creation, composition, and improvisation.

Thu 11.21 - ICE and Steven Schick: Touch Trace by Zosha Di Castri
A new work exploring the importance of intimacy and human contact in a world marked by forced separation and isolation.

Sat 11.23 - Ali Akbar Moradi & Pejman Hadadi: Sacred Music of Kurdistan (RBA)
A rare NY appearance of two of Iran’s most renowned musicians performing ecstatic Kurdish music from western Iran.

Wed 12.04 - Wadada Leo Smith and Amina Claudine Myers: Central Park’s Mosaics of Reservoir, Lake, Paths and Gardens
Two AACM legends perform a reflective, meditative, and sonic odyssey concerning nature.

Fri 12.06 - Fred Frith Solo
New, solo work for the guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser’s 75th birthday celebration.

Sat 12.07 - Normal Give or Take (Fred Frith, Sudhu Tewari, and Lotte Anker)
Part two of the guitarist’s 75th birthday celebration: a trio with long-time collaborators and friends from very different worlds.

Sun 12.08 - Catalytic Festival 2024
The Catalytic Sound cooperative announces the fifth edition of its international music festival including major figures in the scene.

Mon 12.09 - Sara Serpa: “Encounters and Collisions” Album Release
A reflection on change and loss, Encounters and Collisions portrays episodes from Serpa’s life since moving from Portugal to the US.

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first+last pics by from Tashi Wada’s show in Sep 2024; vid in our archive

$WINTER 2025 IS LIVE!! Tickets and full calendar at roulette.org 🎟️❄️⛷️☕️\\//\\ .nyc .frisell ...$

11/18/2024

WINTER 2025 IS LIVE!! Tickets and full calendar at roulette.org 🎟️❄️⛷️☕️

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.nyc .frisell .carter.composer .louis

cover photo of at SUN RA MARATHON in April 2024 by

11/07/2024

Beautiful photos of composer/vocalist/performance artist with multi-instrumentalist/composer Richard Horowitz, capturing moments of their collaborations in life and music.

A new body of unheard recordings from the duo were recently enshrined in The Invisible Road Original Recordings, 1985 – 1990 (out Nov 8 on + ). The record tracks Sussan and Richard’s collaboration in the 1980s downtown NY scene. Originally bonding over a cassette by Paul Bowles, the music that bloomed from their creative partnership combined “ancient cultural touchstones and cutting-edge technology.” They shared some of their work at Roulette in 1986—find the audio on our website archive.

“Deyhim and Horowitz filtered their experiences in Asia, Africa, and Europe through their avant-garde POV. The result is a hypnotic swirl of tones and tongues, evoking a constantly shifting roll call of intercontinental identities while creating a world unto itself” (, last Friday’s Album of The Day)

Don’t miss your chance to see Sussan live on Tue 11.12 as she returns to Roulette for a solo performance dedicated to the late Richard Horowitz! Featuring special guests , , , and . Tickets in our bio.

Photo creds: Slide 2, 3 & 4 by , courtesy of

11/04/2024

NEXT WEEK Thu-Sat, Nov 14-16: Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith return to Roulette to present their new improvisational dance, 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘸𝘯. Molly and Eleanor’s work is intimate, feminist, and so deeply synergistic it’s “almost bewildering” (). Don’t miss them!! Tickets at the link in bio!

𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘸𝘯, like the artists’ other work, continues to problematize femme objectification and shame in relation to dance. The artists describe the project as exploring “a relationship to improvisation as a feminist exclamation, such as: Yes, this is a fully improvised dance! And: Yes, its methodology depends on us knowing and caring for one another! And, finally: Yes, it is about resourcing what we already have.” 🙌

pics by

10/29/2024

UPCOMING AT ROULETTE

Fri-Sat 11.01-11.02 - Triple Canopy Symposium 2024
A two-day annual symposium by the digital magazine , bringing together artists, writers, performers, technologists, and researchers. Fri and Sat

Tue 11.05 - Bill Nace and Haley Fohr
A special collaboration between experimental musician/composers Bill Nace of Body/Head w and Haley Fohr of Circuit des Yeux.

Wed 11.06 - Guy Klucevsek and Volker Goetze: Little Big Top Quartet
Formed in 2022 to accompany Little Amal Walks to Snug Harbor Cultural Center in Staten Island, the quartet celebrates their new album.

Thu 11.07 - Interpretations: Marty Ehrlich / Ingrid Laubrock
The 35th Interpretations Series opens with a double bill from woodwind/multi-instrumentalist Marty Ehrlich and saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock.

Tue 11.12 - Sussan Deyhim: Whispers From the Underworld (In Memory of Richard Horowitz)
The innovative composer, vocalist, and performance artist presents compositions from her prominent international collaborations.

Thu-Sat / 11.14-11.16 - Molly Lieber and Eleanor Smith: Prairie Dawn
A dance work problematizing femme objectification. Now that Lieber and Smith are older their tropes relate to grief, parenting, and return.

Sun 11.17 - Theresa Wong: Fluency of Trees
A solo work for cello and voice exploring connection to the primal sentience of the natural world.

TICKETS IN BIO 🔎🔎🔎

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first+last pics from Phill Niblock Forever by

10/28/2024

Tune in today (10/28) at 3pm Eastern for “Tracking the Odds”, Roulette’s monthly radio program for Wave Farm / WGXC. Featured is a recently rediscovered gem within the archive from electronic music progenitor Paul Demarinis, performing live at Roulette in 1985.

Composer Paul DeMarinis combines interactive software, synthetic speech, physics, and noise with invented, obsolete or abandoned technologies. In the 1980s DeMarinis was part of a small group of downtown New York artists utilizing emerging technologies and techniques including custom computer chips, software and hardware interventions, circuit building and bending, alternate controllers, interactivity, and multimedia installation art. This group developed technological pathways that impact experimental and commercial music production to this day. Born in 1948, the artist studied at Mills College with Terry Riley and Robert Ashley, and is a Professor in the Department of Art & Art History at Stanford University.

Link in bio for the stream 🎶🤖🎶

10/21/2024

Clips of composer/vocalist Ellen Christi from Gilles Corre’s documentary about the Chicago jazz scene, 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 (2003) — clip 2 is with Tatsu Aoki. Catch Ellen tomorrow night at Roulette with her ensemble featuring Dave Burrell, Ken Filiano, Michael T.A. Thompson, and special guest .

Since the mid-seventies, Ellen Christi has steadily gained ground as an important contributor to American improvised music and contemporary jazz. Christi came to NY in the nascent period of the downtown loft scene; she was introduced to a musicians’ collective by Jimmy Hopps at 501 Canal Street, where she lived and performed for many years. She was later one of the co-founders of the nonprofit, New York City Artists’ Collective.

Address

509 Atlantic Avenue
New York, NY
11217

Telephone

+19172670363

Website

http://roulette.org/

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Videos

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵, composer Joseph Daley celebrates his 75th birthday with a debut of compositions centering conical bore instruments. Daley will conduct a wide cast of musicians including the True Unity Bass Association, Boston Tuba Scholars, and Antiphonal French Horn Ensemble. The performance will bring together elements of jazz, avant garde and contemporary music. Here's a clip of Daley from the 2013 documentary, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗲𝘀, which follows Daley’s process and inspirations as he conducts a string orchestra for his album of the same name. Watch the full video on Daley’s YouTube page. Grab tickets here: https://roulette.org/event/composer-joseph-daley-at-75/