Colin Stetson and Tyondai Braxton coming to Motorco

The song “Red Horse (Judges II)” off of Colin Stetson’s 2011 album New History Warfare, Vol. 2 sounds like a brooding hip-hop beat, its propulsive bass line and rim tap percussion chugging along with ominous ferocity. But wait: it’s not a hip-hop beat at all, nor did a bass or drum kit have any part in the production. The force behind all of those sounds is Stetson alone, armed with nothing more than a gargantuan bass saxophone and a series of well-placed mics. It’s a feat that approaches miraculous, and this Friday Stetson will bring that technical wizardry to Motorco Music Hall in a double bill with guitarist/composer Tyondai Braxton.

“I never answer that question,” Stetson responded animatedly when asked to describe his music to someone unfamiliar with his work. “I think it does every single kind of music a great disservice to have any kind of word attached to it before it’s experienced.”

If anyone is qualified to make such a claim it is Stetson. The saxophonist has recorded and toured with everyone from indie idols Arcade Fire and Bon Iver to Irish songstress Sinead O’Connor and James Murphy’s beloved dance-rock outfit LCD Soundsytem. Equally known for his cutting-edge solo career, Stetson cites the unlikely duo of Jimi Hendrix and Bach as his two greatest influences.

“They’re just innovators,” he said. “That’s always been a fascination of mine, people who are unwavering as to their particular vision.”

Stetson himself could be considered a part of the modern music vanguard, wrenching effects from his bass saxophone that often seem impossible. Using circular breathing—a technique that allows the player to sustain notes for long periods of time—as well as microphones placed on the body of the instrument and on his own neck, he creates multi-layered pieces that feature vocalizations and percussive finger movement in addition to the saxophone’s sound.

Opener Tyondai Braxton, an accomplished guitarist and composer, bears a similarly impressive pedigree and technical prowess. A co-founder of acclaimed math-rock group Battles, he has also received commissions from two of the country’s premiere new music ensembles, Kronos Quartet and Bang on a Can. His solo work involves the use of loops and digital delays to create hypnotic sonic textures reminiscent of minimalist composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass. His interest in loop technology, however, is largely the result of pragmatism. After his band in college broke up, “I had to start working alone and keep myself entertained,” he said. “Suddenly [digital delays] gave me insight into being able to lay down an idea, and lay down an idea counter that. It allowed me to be reactive to what I was doing and build these landscapes.” That fortuitous discovery has blossomed into a lauded career. His 2009 solo record Central Market received stellar reviews from the likes of Pitchfork and Allmusic.com.

Aaron Greenwald, director of Duke Performances, feels that the two performers are ideally qualified to share a bill.

“[Their music] seems to find a really sweet spot; it clearly has one foot in the universe of indie rock and another in the universe of experimental or contemporary classical,” he said. “Both artists reconcile those impulses really well. And the fact that they’re doing it as solo artists makes it all the more compelling.”