Percussionist and composer Doug Perkins, a founding member of the heralded chamber percussion group Sō Percussion, directs this exclusive event as part of the SFJAZZ John Luther Adams Festival, held at the Sutro Baths in San Francisco. Tessa Brinckman, Terry Longshore, Kenneth Shirk and Jared Brown are the representing Oregon contingent.

Described by The New York Times as “the ultimate environmental piece” and lauded by eminent New Yorker critic Alex Ross as “one of the most rapturous experiences of my listening life,” Inuksuit is an innovative composition for up to 99 percussionists placed singly or in small groups throughout a large open-air space. Named for the iconic human-shaped stone monuments erected by indigenous peoples of the Arctic to mark important locations, Inuksuit is intended to create a harmonious marriage of music and geography that allows the audience to create their own experience as they move within the vast performance area. As listeners’ walk, the balance between various musicians located within the space changes, mixed with the natural sounds of the environment – a primary aspect of the concept the composer calls “sonic geography.” The recording of the work won the 2015 GRAMMY Award for “Best Contemporary Classical Composition,” and filmmaker Len Kamerling’s feature-length film Strange and Sacred Noise includes footage of the piece performed on the tundra in Alaska.

For more information visit the SF JAZZ page.