Ars Nova Workshop welcomes the “ecstatic minimalism” of Natural Information Society back to Philadelphia at The Fabric Workshop and Museum for two intimate shows on October 12.

“Aficionados of transcendental music often have to choose between spiritual jazz & minimalist drone for their perfect hit, but the records of Joshua Abrams and his Natural Information Society essentially unite the best of both worlds.” -Mojo

Natural Information Society (NIS) represents a convergence of musicians and artists to create sonic harbor, meditative space, and kinetic momentum music. Realizing compositions by composer Joshua Abrams, the group’s core quartet includes Abrams, Lisa Alvarado, Mikel Patrick Avery, and Jason Stein. Working the seams between minimalism, jazz, and experimental practice, the band has become a reference for contemporary non-idiomatic creative music. They have recorded seven albums for Eremite Records as well as collaborations with Bitchin Bajas for Drag City Records. Their next record, Perseverance Flow, will be released on Eremite Records this fall.

These special performances celebrate Lisa Alvarado’s tenure as artist-in-residence at the Fabric Workshop, and take place within her exhibition, Talismans for a Theater of Resistance.