Archer / Caroline Davis + Wendy Eisenberg

Ars Nova Workshop presents the international improvisatory quartet Archer, featuring Dave Rempis and The Ex’s Terrie Ex, at Solar Myth on April 11, 2024. 

Saxophonist, improviser, and composer Dave Rempis has been an integral part of the thriving Chicago jazz and improvised music scene since 1997. Rempis burst onto the creative music scene at the age of 22 when he was asked to join the now-legendary Chicago jazz outfit The Vandermark Five. He later founded the expansive label Aerophonis Records to document the many Chicago-based groups for which he’s currently known, including The Rempis Percussion Quartet, The Engines, Ballister, Rempis/Abrams/Ra, Wheelhouse, Triage, The Rempis/Rosaly Duo, and The Rempis/Daisy Duo. His latest venture, Archer, continues the Windy City tradition of collaboration with Dutch and Scandinavian innovators, bringing him together with Terrie Ex, guitarist and co-founder of the legendary Dutch post-punk/no-wave collective The Ex; as well as the Norwegian rhythm section of bassist Jon Rune Strøm and drummer Tollef Østvang, who were members of the powerhouse free-jazz trio Universal Indians.

The show opens with a special duo performance featuring saxophonist Caroline Davis and guitarist Wendy Eisenberg. Mobile since her birth in Singapore, Caroline Davis has an eclectic range of expressions, influenced by her changing environment as a child. She has performed and shared spaces with creatives worldwide, including Lee Konitz, Angelica Sanchez, John Zorn, Terry Riley, Billy Kaye, Jean Rohe, and Tomeka Reid. Wendy Eisenberg’s music draws from a wide range of influences, including free jazz, experimental rock, and contemporary classical music, among others. She has released several albums as a solo artist and as a member of various ensembles, including the trio Editrix and the experimental rock band Birthing Hips. Eisenberg has performed extensively across the United States and Europe, sharing stages with artists such as Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, and Lightning Bolt.