Rafiq Bhatia: Breaking English

Heralded by The New York Times as “transcending real sound in real time with the unexpected,” New York composer and guitarist Rafiq Bhatia seeks to shatter preconceptions about how much can be said without a word—and, for that matter, who can say it. Bhatia’s latest work for electroacoustic trio, Breaking English, is an evening-length live performance, featuring Ian Chang on electronic and acoustic drums and Jackson Hill on bass and synthesizers, transformed into an immersive multimedia experience by visual artist Michael Cina and video artist Hal Lovemelt. With its sculptural approach to composition, Breaking English is Bhatia’s deepest integration to date of intricately designed sound art with the riskier art of improvisation. Breaking English is co-commissioned by The Jazz Gallery, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music Series & The Walker Art Center, Newfields: A Place for Nature & the Arts, and the Toledo Museum of Art.