Nick Zoulek part of Eighth Blackbird series reviewed by Julia W. Rath

**** Highly Recommended! In an eclectic, avant garde, and robust exhibition, Nick Zoulek not only excels in playing his beloved saxophone but goes steps beyond. A master of inventing as yet unheard sounds and sound combinations on the baritone sax, Zoulek makes his instrument warble and drone. He performs a variety of original compositions that can affect you on a visceral level. His sometimes raw, sometimes polished pieces run the gamut from what seem like finger exercises and studies in breathing to unexpected plays on sound-crafting: ranging from bold resonances a foghorn or elephant might make to oddments bordering on traditional jazz. His all-instrumental works are occasionally pierced by his stirring singing voice. The longer I listened to the intricacies of the music, the more I respected all the amazing and difficult work put into it: from the physicality of the circular breathing to the injection of vulnerability and lived experience, summoned up from Zoulek’s youth in Wisconsin and his artistic mastery in Paris.

The online concert, produced by the Chicago Artists Workshop (CAW) and Eighth Blackbird, consists of a good number of segments. On occasion Lisa Kaplan (on piano) and Matt Duvall (on percussion) accompany the saxophonist/composer, although for most of the time, he performs alone. The multitalented Zoulek is also a media artist. He has produced, directed, and filmed short videos, some of which are interspersed throughout the show. For example, in an animated short called “Amplituhedron”, his music accompanies Simsies’ (Josh Simmons) shifting computer graphics, while in a short film called “Silhouette of a Storm Bent Tree” Nicole Spence and eleven other dancers perform to his composition. His film called “Symmetry in Memories” similarly features dancer Claire Cuny, who elaborates on his rhythms to tell a story. And in “From All of Our Love This Was Lost”, Dan Schuchart and Maggie Seer act and dance with expressive movements and facial expressions that only add to the dissonance.

Described as a “surreal narrative” by the producers, the collage of components was pieced together exceedingly well, in large part due to Zoulek’s proficiency with doing his own camerawork and video production. Various portions of the program were prerecorded in advance at the Eighth Blackbird’s production facility at 4045 N. Rockwell Street, in Chicago, while Zoulek’s earlier short films and videos were subsequently edited into the final version. Camera and sound design, switching, editing, and graphics were nicely handled at all stages of production and post-production.

Throughout college, I played clarinet and can deeply appreciate the technical proficiency and breathing techniques involved in playing a woodwind instrument well, not to mention all of the practice time involved. So I loved the presentation in its entirety and found it to be inspiring and unique. The question that lingers in my mind is this: How much would the general public enjoy something this artsy, acerbic, and cutting edge? You won’t know the answer unless you experience something like this for yourself!

Nick Zoulek, saxophonist, composer, and media artist, was presented as a videostream on March 10, 2021 by the Chicago Artists Workshop (CAW) and Eighth Blackbird as part of their online concert series. A virtual audience that evening provided questions for the artist, which he answered live.

For more information about this and other offerings, please visit https://www.eighthblackbird.org/.

Tickets for this one-time livestreamed event were $20 per household (suggested), but options include choosing a price or becoming a donor to the organization. Please go to the donate section on the Eighth Blackbird website to help support their mission of promoting performing artists in Chicago and the Midwest.

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