Conversing Music: Rhythmic Coordination in Jazz Improvisation

This event explores the process of musical communication through the lenses of rhythmic production and ensemble coordination in the context of jazz improvisation. The audience will be invited to engage in conversations on musical creativity and the role of complex rhythms in the communication of emotion and meaning through the musical medium.

Nori Jacoby is interested in exploring the role of culture in auditory perception, using iterated learning alongside classical psychophysical methods to characterize perceptual biases in music and speech rhythms in populations around the world. His previous work focused on the mathematical modeling of sensorimotor synchronization in the form of tapping experiments as well as the application of machine-learning techniques to model aspects of musical syntax, including tonal harmony, birdsong, and the perception of musical form. He is currently a Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience at Columbia University. Previously, he was a postdoc at the McDermott Computational Audition Lab at MIT, and a visiting postdoctoral researcher in Tom Griffiths's Computational Cognitive Science Lab at Berkeley. Nori completed his Ph.D. at the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the supervision of Naftali Tishby and Merav Ahissar, and holds a M.A. in Mathematics from the same institution. His research has been published in journals including Current Biology, Nature, Nature Scientific Reports, Philosophical Transactions B, Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Vision, and Psychonomic Bulletin and Review.

Originally from Hummelstown Pennsylvania, Jeff Groh studies Biology and Music Composition at the University of British Columbia. Jeff has performed in various settings during his time in Vancouver, including the UBC Jazz 1 and Jeff Groh Trio with peers Jaelem Bhate and Jacques Forest. He has studied piano with Alan Matheson and composition with Fred Stride and Dorothy Chang. His original compositions incorporate elements of contemporary classical, jazz, funk, and gospel.

Jacques Forest is a young bassist from Calgary, experienced in both classical and jazz playing. Currently living in Vancouver to study orchestral bass with Ken Friedman at the University of British Columbia, he works regularly on the jazz scene as a freelance musician. Influenced by jazz bassists such as Scott LaFaro, Gary Peacock, Charlie Haden, and Mike Downes, his sound incorporates these influences and also draws from his work with the classical medium. Jacques has performed with many groups, including the inaugural JazzYYC Youth Lab Band, AIBF Honour Jazz Band, 45th Avenue Big Band, UBC Jazz 1, Jeff Groh Trio, Jaelem Bhate Group, Last Call, Jeff Groh New Quartet, and Andrew McDonald Trio.

Aaron Graham is an award-winning composer, performer, and educator. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Kentucky, and a Master’s Degree at the University of British Columbia, where he is currently a Doctoral Fellow and teaches music courses. As an emerging composer, Aaron won the 2014 PAS International Percussion Composition Contest with his percussion ensemble piece “Sleeping Bear.” Aaron’s works have been performed across the United States and Canada, by both professional and university ensembles. He has also travelled across North and South America playing drum set, percussion, and singing with various pop, rock, and country groups. An active educator, his teachings and reviews have been published in Percussive Notes, The Instrumentalist, International Journal of Music and Performing Arts, and The National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy. He resides in Vancouver (BC) with his wife Kelly.

Jaelem Bhate is a conductor, composer, and percussionist from Vancouver, B.C. whose musical diversity has come to define his career. Jaelem is currently pursuing his Master of Music degree in Orchestral Conducting at UBC. He has conducted many ensembles throughout the lower mainland and is heavily involved in new music projects. Jaelem is also active as a composer both locally and internationally, having written music for a wide array of ensembles and soloists. He founded and directs the 45th Ave Jazz Band, a 17-piece jazz orchestra that exclusively performs his compositions. His works have been featured on recital programs throughout Canada and the United States, and his music will be featured as part of the 2018 Jean Coulthard Readings, presented by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.