The October Revolution of Jazz & Contemporary Music

Karuna brings together two of the most innovative, influential and creative percussionists in modern music, who have enjoyed a collaboration reaching back to a chance encounter between two 14-year-old aspiring percussionists in a downtown Chicago drum shop. Hailed as a “pioneer in world music” by the New York Times, composer-percussionist Adam Rudolph has melded a variety of traditions, both cultural and musical, for more than four decades. He’s performed extensively with Don Cherry, Jon Hassell, Sam Rivers, Pharoah Sanders and especially Yusef Lateef, with whom he recorded 15 albums ranging from duets to large ensemble collaborations In addition, Rudolph leads the ensembles Moving Pictures, Hu: Vibrational, and the Go: Organic Orchestra. Mentored by the legendary saxophonist Fred Anderson, Hamid Drake became a vital part of the Chicago avant-jazz scene while touring (alongside Rudolph) with Don Cherry. Drake has worked extensively, on both hand percussion and trap drums, with Anderson, William Parker, Peter Brötzmann, Joe McPhee, David Murray, Ken Vandermark and fellow Chicago percussionist Michael Zerang. For the October Revolution performance, the duo will be joined by multi-instrumentalist Ralph Jones, who enjoys a near-telepathic relationship with Rudolph through their own long-standing collaboration.