Rhizome: Lia Kohl + Whitney Johnson / TALsounds / Naoco Wowsugi
$10-$25 sliding scale
- Lia Irene Kohl, cello
- Whitney Johnson (Matchess), viola
- Natalie Chamie (TAL Sounds), synthesizers & electronics
- Naoco Wowsugi, gong
Lia Kohl and Whitney Johnson began improvising together in Chicago in 2018. What started with free exploration has coalesced in a set of sounds, approaches, and open compositions that take form on an upcoming record on Drag City, set to be released in November 2024. Drawing on their individual practices, Lia and Whitney have been delighted to discover their similarities and differences. Both Lia and Whitney are string players (cello and viola, respectively), composers, and sound artists based in Chicago. Both of their wide-ranging practices include solo composition and performance, installation, improvisation, and collaboration. Lia's work centers curiosity and patience, an exploration of the mundane and profound possibilities of sound. As Matchess, Whitney's practice asks listeners to engage with their own skepticism and belief in the effects of sound on bodies and minds.
Cross-discipinary artist Naoco Wowsugi will present a solo gong performance.
About Lia Irene Kohl, cello
About Natalie Chamie (TAL Sounds), synthesizers & electronics
Natalie Chami (b. 1987) is a proud Canadian-born Lebanese American who adopted the TALsounds moniker in 2009 for her explorations in the drone, ambient, and improvisational disciplines. Through her masterful synth work, operatic vocals, and nuanced sculpting of mood and atmosphere, Chami's music strikes a balance between the extremely personal and the selflessly transportive. Chami has shared bills with Merzbow, Tortoise, Mary Lattimore, Mdou Moctar, and more. In 2020, she released 'Acquiesce', available on NNA Tapes.
https://www.talsounds.com/About Naoco Wowsugi, gong
Naoco Wowsugi is a community-engaged artist who blurs the lines between being an artist and an engaged citizen. As a first-generation immigrant living and working in Washington, DC, Wowsugi's cross-disciplinary projects—including portrait photography, participatory performance, sound healing, and horticulture—explore the nature of belonging and inclusive community building.
https://www.wowsugi.com/