| Dear friends, This is pianist Vijay Iyer sending you greetings for 2018. I am writing to let you know about some upcoming concerts on the east and west coasts. FAR FROM OVER, our sextet release on ECM Records, was voted the #1 album of 2017 in the NPR Jazz Critics' Poll, and showed up on year-end lists in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Boston Globe. We'd love to share some music with you in person If you're in NYC this week, we're performing at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street btwn. 8th & 9th Avenues) from Tuesday through Saturday, January 9th-13th, with sets at 8:30pm and 11pm each night. Graham Haynes - cornet & flugelhorn Steve Lehman - alto saxophone Mark Shim - tenor saxophone Vijay Iyer - piano Stephan Crump - bass Tyshawn Sorey (Tu-Th), Marcus Gilmore (Fri-Sat), drums - You may recall last summer's sad news, which shook the music world: Geri Allen, one of the great pianist-composer-bandleaders of the last century, passed away on June 27 at age 60. We are celebrating her life a few times in the coming months. On Monday, January 15 at 8pm, I will participate in a tribute concert for Ms. Allen as part of Winter JazzFest, organized by the great drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, at The New School's Tishman Auditorium, 63 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003. Earlier that afternoon at 2pm, I will take part in a panel discussion on music and gender, featuring the legendary Angela Davis, along with Lara Pellegrinelli, Arnetta Johnson, and Ms. Carrington. ***On this topic, I hope you'll take a few minutes to read and sign the important open letter posted by the brilliant members of the We Have Voice collective, and share the link to their website. Their intervention could not be more timely. - Heading west: On January 17 I'll be at University of Redlands for a talk and solo performance. After that, we'll be heading to the Bay Area, settling in at SFJazz Center for a four-night run, in my second season as a Resident Artistic Director. January 18: Pianos for Geri Allen Vijay Iyer, Kris Davis, & Craig Taborn, pianos January 19: Vijay Iyer Trio with Stephan Crump, bass & Marcus Gilmore, drums January 20: Vijay Iyer Sextet w/ Graham Haynes, cornet & flugelhorn; Steve Lehman, alto saxophone; Mark Shim, tenor saxophone; Stephan Crump, bass; & Marcus Gilmore, drums January 21: THUMS UP with Himanshu Suri (Heems), lyrics; Arooj Aftab, vocals & electronics; Rafiq Bhatia, guitar; V.I., piano & electronics; Kassa Overall, drums visuals by Chiraag Bhakta / *Pardon My Hindi - Back east: As things gear up at Harvard this term, there are a few special events on the horizon: Friday, February 9, 8pm. BLIND SPOT at the Institute for Contemporary Art, Boston. Teju Cole, texts & images; V.I., piano; Okkyung Lee, cello; Patricia Brennan, vibraphone & marimba; Stephan Crump, bass.
Friday, February 16 - Saturday, February 17, Harvard University: TIMELESS PORTRAITS AND DREAMS: A Symposium and Conference in honor of Geri Allen.
Two concerts and two days of panel discussions featuring top musicians and artists who worked with Allen will honor her creative vision, artistic collaborations, and the role she played in establishing the shape of music today. Organized by Professor Ingrid Monson and others. Performances by Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran, Craig Taborn, Don Byron, Oliver Lake, Carmen Lundy, Kenny Davis, Tia Fuller, and Yosvany Terry. Keynote address by Prof. Farah Jasmine Griffin. Sunday, March 4 at 3:00 pm
John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, Harvard University
Parker Quartet in concert, performing works by faculty composers:
Hans Tutschku, Behind the light Chaya Czernowin, String Quartet
Vijay Iyer, Time, Place, Action (with V.I., piano) - That's enough for now Thank you for reading. I hope to see you soon out there somewhere soon. Best wishes, Vijay vijay-iyer.com   
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