Thollem/Chase

Brian Chase, drummer for Yeah Yeah Yeahs / NYC improv and experimental scene, and Thollem McDonas, perpetually traveling and collaborating pianist and composer, mix their musical worlds forging extreme blues punk rock folk allusions with abstract maximalism. They'll be touring in support of their new album "Dub Narcotic Session" on New Atlantis Records.

Brian Chase is a drummer and composer living in Brooklyn, NY. Growing up on Long Island, he started taking private music lessons at a young age, leading to a BM from the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. Though he works in a variety of contexts, Brian is probably best known as a member of the group Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a band that has toured extensively throughout the world and has been nominated for three Grammys. On the new music side, Brian is very active in the experimental music scene, largely based around the community of John Zorn's club, The Stone. In this setting, performance collaborations include those with Alan Licht, Chris Cochrane, Anthony Coleman, Jeremiah Cymerman, Thollem McDonas, David First, Jessica Pavone, and Robbie Lee, amongst more.

Thollem grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area rigorously studying the standard classical repertoire, then quit it all in his early 20s dedicating himself for many years to grassroots political activism (particularly anti-war efforts, deforestation issues and ecological restoration work). He's now been touring for 7 years perpetually, and has released 33 albums of his own and in collaboration with others on 15 different vanguard labels in 5 different countries. A brief cross-section of his many collaborations have included Stefano Scodanibbio, Nels Cline, Pauline Oliveros, William Parker, Susie Ibarra, Mike Watt, John Dieterich, Carmina Escobar, Gino Robair and Rent Romus. He is also the founding director of Estamos Ensemble, a long-term project bringing together improvisers and composers from both sides of the U.S./Mexico border. He regularly gives workshops and is a published author.

www.thollem.com/thollemchase