Random Acts
Chatter performs at SITE Santa Fe; Too Many Zooz plays Meow Wolf; Fiesta Fela takes over the Railyard; and the Jean Cocteau Cinema features singer Tom Russell
Chamber music, adjusted: Chatter
Chatter, an Albuquerque-based musical ensemble, gives a 90-minute performance at SITE Santa Fe (1606 Paseo de Peralta) at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13. On the docket are vocal and instrumental works by David Lang (his Death Speaks, in which the composer “translates and adjusts” excerpts from 32 Schubert songs in which the character of Death addresses the listener), Leo Brouwer, Alvin Lucier, Bunita Marcus, and Dai Fujikura (his Prism Spectra, in which the solo violist exerts control over the surrounding electronic sounds). The event includes a reading by poet Don McIver. Tickets ($15, with discounts for the young) can be reserved through chatterabq.org. — James M. Keller
Back in the saddle: Tom Russell
Tom Russell has been playing his folksy Americana mix since the 1970s, first in Canada, then in Texas, San Francisco, and New York — where he met his longtime sideman, Andrew Hardin. His songs have been recorded by Johnny Cash, k.d. lang, Iris Dement, and others, and he had an extended correspondence with the poet Charles Bukowski that became a series of concept albums, including 2005’s Hotwalker: A Ballad
for Gone America. Russell, who in recent years has focused his lyrics on the American Southwest, plays at the Jean Cocteau Cinema (418 Montezuma Ave.) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. Visit jeancocteaucinema .com or call 505-466-5528 for ticket availability. — J.L.
Life in a brass house: Too Many Zooz
Buskers come to the aural rescue of New York City commuters — filling subway tunnels with music that ranges from the melancholy to the boisterous. Too Many Zooz, a trio that got its start at Union Square, is on the loud, funky end of the spectrum. Their “brasshouse” style and dance moves went viral a few years ago, and in 2016 they played backup for Beyoncé and the Dixie Chicks at the Country Music Awards. Too Many Zooz play Meow Wolf (1352 Rufina Circle) at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, with special guest Honeycomb. Tickets to the all-ages show are $17 in advance and $20 on the day of the show, meowwolf.com. — Jennifer Levin
Africa dreaming: Fiesta Fela!
African music, art, and culture are celebrated annually in Santa Fe at Fiesta Fela!, an all-day festival in Railyard Park (740 Cerrillos Road), 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. Named for Nigerian musician and human rights activist Fela Kuti (1938-1997), the event features traditional and contemporary music and dance, as well as children’s activities like pottery, painting, and drum making. Bands include The Swank Brother, Terra Watts, and Jaka. There is no charge for admission to Fiesta Fela! For a complete schedule, go to afreekasantafe.org or call 505-919-9194.
— J.L.