Mike Reed’s Separatist Party

Starting with minimal loops and adding concentric layers, Separatist Party creates a collage inspired as much by Don Cherry and Pharoah Sanders as by the Krautrock of Can, keyboard explorations of Terry Riley, and street preacher monologues.

Over the last two decades, Chicago-based musician, composer, bandleader and AACM-member Mike Reed has emerged as a dominant force within Chicago’s diverse artistic community, both through the music he makes and the live events he produces. In addition to leading or co-leading several working bands, all rooted deeply in jazz and improvised music, Reed is founding director of the Pitchfork Music Festival, the current programming chair of the Chicago Jazz Festival, and the owner and director of the acclaimed performing arts venues Constellation and Hungry Brain. Separatist Party brings together Reed’s trio featuring vocalist Marvin Tate and multi-instrumentalist Ben Lamar Gay with the mesmerizing synth eclecticism of Bitchin Bajas, last seen at Solar Myth with three unforgettable, sold out performances last December.