Mid-Atlantic Wilderness is an experimental improvisation series that I host with Patrick McMinn. Each show we feature a selection of instrumentalists, movers, and or/visual artists grouped in various ways to present around 6 sets of delightful, strange, unexpected, and sublime sounds.

I started this series in August of 2021 because, while the world was starting to open up again after pandemic shutdowns, the High Zero Foundation and Red Room were not yet holding in-person shows of experimental music and I was eager to connect with other improvisers and play together. My goal was to create a welcoming, casual environment where we could take risks trying new things, and where young performers or musicians new to improvisation could find opportunities to get experience playing with others.

When putting together the lineup for each show, I aim to invite a diverse group of people, considering primarily their musical backgrounds and the scenes they belong to, the kinds of sounds they make, their age, gender, and race. This approach has resulted in folks who might not otherwise have met forming relationships that have led to new and exciting collaborations outside of Mid-Atlantic Wilderness, which I’m particularly proud of.

Above all, I am interested in fostering and supporting an inclusive community around improvisation, while balancing our efforts to support others in the scene who are also putting on experimental music shows. And it is a wonderful benefit that I get to enjoy regular opportunities to play music with friends, old and new.