2019: Social Stutter Quartet

Beth Schenck: alto sax, compositions
Kasey Knudsen: alto sax
Phillip Greenlief: tenor sax
Cory Wright: tenor and baritone saxes

Social Stutter, a saxophone quartet led by composer/altoist Beth Schenck, blurs the line between strictly written chamber music and soaring free jazz. Solos emerge from the natural order of intricately written lines that, although begin simply in structure, twist and distort themselves into surprisingly complex shapes and forms. Unlike traditional saxophone quartets, some of the pieces are composed for two altos and two tenors, which leads itself to denser harmonic territory and a uniquely homogenous sound. Masters of texture and nuance, the quartet has a keen awareness of how to support and push one another's creative boundaries.

Social Stutter Quartet (photo by Peter B Kaars)