Offbeat. the High Art of the Underground Beat Scene

Friday, May 31
6-9pm
FREE

Join MOCA, TMA, UA Fred Fox School of Music, and Palm Village Worldwide for an evening exploring the innovative medium of beat-making, which will change the way you think about the possibilities of sound. Experience these performances among the exhibition “Groping in the Dark” curated by Alex Young, further tying the music to “interdependent ecologies of mind, society & environment.” This one-night event will feature sound artists from Los Angeles and Tucson, including Altrice, Jansport J, Slim Jeff & June West. Each artist will reveal the innovative possibilities of beat-making, which will change the way you think about consuming sound. Following the performances, learn more about this emergent scene through a discussion with the performing artists about themes such as Cyborg Identity & Sonic Language.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Altrice (https://soundcloud.com/altrice)
Tucson native Michael Sadatmousavi, known in the producer scene as Altrice, has an affinity for imperfect samples and found sounds. Influenced by house and hip hop from the nineties, he strives to pay homage to these styles while still nourishing experimental desires. Primarily producing and sharing music from his bedroom desk, he also spins at local venues, using tempo and key to create seamless nightlife soundtracks. Expect an album release, along with a handful of DJ sets, this summer.

Jansport J (https://jansportjmusic.com/)
A humble gem of Los Angeles’s alternative hip-hop scene, Jansport J is inspired by his atmosphere and musical geniuses of the ‘90s. Given his name as a testament to his long-running habit of carrying his JanSport backpack everywhere he goes, it’s now not only the backpack that is sticking with him; having gathered a strong following of loyal fans and admirers of his soul and funk-inspired, boom bap beats.

Slim Jeff (https://soundcloud.com/slimjefferson)
Born and raised in Leimert Park, the center of the Black arts scene in Los Angeles, Slim Jeff grew up heavily influenced by his parents’ eclectic music collection. He raps a rare combination of witty punch lines and raw, thoughtful content. Slim Jeff is currently working on his full length debut album Palm Village, through which his management company Palm Village Worldwide was conceptualized.

June West (https://soundcloud.com/junewest)
June West calls the road home, but part of her lives in Tucson. She evokes music and experiences that touch the soul, and dips into a wide variety of genres for inspiration, be it rare soul, 90s R&B, psych folk, experimental pop, or fuzzed-out rock & roll. She will gradually be releasing new music in 2019 reflecting her sonic journey from soulful desert blues into the abyss of the electronic beat scene.