Dykes and Young, the duo of bassist Laura Dykes (Houston, TX) and violinist Jeffrey Young (Philadelphia, PA), makes meditative, ecstatic, acoustic music grounded in deep listening. Beginning with improvisation in spaces with special atmospheres and acoustics, they create musical structures that over time become fixed compositions.
Laura and Jeffrey first met over a decade ago as students at the Oberlin Conservatory. They reconnected professionally through their work on NOMOZART, a project of LUCERNE FESTIVAL Young Performance developed in Switzerland from March-September 2017, featuring six instrumentalists directed by a choreographer in a fully staged production for young audiences. They began developing their duo work during the March 2018 tour of NOMOZART to Luxembourg and five cities in Switzerland. They continued development in Austin, Texas while working on a structured group improvisation by harpist Mélanie Genin, which premiered at NMASS Festival in July 2018. The duo made its premiere tour of the Southwest in January-February 2019, including performances at the Oh My Ears Festival in Phoenix, AZ, and toured the Northeast in June 2019, including a performance at the Re:Sound Festival in Cleveland, OH.
“June 8 was the busiest day for the Re:Sound Festival, with three concerts around the city…the duo Dykes & Young set a high bar for the acts that would follow over the course of the day.” -Jarrett Hoffman in clevelandclassical.com, Re:Sound Festival at Praxis Fiber Workshop and Bop Stop (June 8)
Listen to a livestream of a full set by Dykes and Young on WGXC 90.7-FM here (performance starts at 18:45).
Laura Dykes has been experimenting with timbre for well over a decade. Versed in folk, rock, and classical music, she dedicates much of her time to improvisation. Experimenting with theatre, dance, sound, video, and installations has taken her on tours across the US and Europe. Influenced by artists such as Pauline Oliveros, Sonic Youth, and John Cage, her aesthetic is unique and carefully manipulated to blend with surroundings and engage audiences. https://lauradykes.com
Jeffrey Young is a composer and violinist who specializes in experimental, rock, and classical music. He performs with thingNY, LUCERNE FESTIVAL ALUMNI, and The World/Inferno Friendship Society, among others. Much of his work is created through collaborative, interdisciplinary processes with other artists, including several projects combining music and theater that have toured across North America and Europe. As a solo performer, he creates music for violin and the software Ableton Live. http://jeffrey-young.com
Past Performances by Dykes and Young
Monday, November 25, 2019, 7:30pm at Nameless Sound‘s They, Who Sound series at Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main St, Houston, TX
Dykes and Young Northeast tour summer 2019
Tue, June 4, 5:30pm potluck, 6pm music at Camphill Soltane, 224 Nantmeal Rd, Glenmoore, PA, with Patrick Spatz, Scott Wells [Facebook event]
Wed, June 5, 7:30pm, Alia Musica presents at The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination, 5006 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, tickets $10, with Darksoft [Facebook event]
Sat, June 8, 1pm at Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project‘s Re:Sound New & Experimental Music Festival, Cleveland, OH (festival runs June 6-9), tickets $8 student/$12 general + festival pass options, with Stephanie Lamprea [Facebook event]
Sun, June 9, 7pm at 3 Door Studios, 121 S Main St, Oberlin, OH, with Rob Galo
Mon, June 10 at Rhizome DC, 6950 Maple St NW, Washington, DC, tickets $10, with unknown sound collective and Pen Palindrome [Facebook event]
Tue, June 11, 9pm at Zissimos Bar upstairs, 1023 W 36th St, Baltimore, MD, with Peter Redgrave & Khristian Weeks, Bonnie Lander/John Dierker/Paul Neidhardt
Wed, June 12, doors open 8-9pm at AC Studio, show 9pm (no late entry!), 319 N 11th St, 6th Floor, Philadelphia, PA, with Asimina Chremos [Facebook event]
Thu, June 13, 7:30pm, Home Audio at Jeff’s old apartment, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, NY, RSVP and donate $10-20 here to receive address, with LEYA, Jason Anastasoff [Facebook event]
Fri, June 14, 8pm at HiLo, 365 Main St, Catskill, NY, with Pamelia Stickney and Brian Dewan[Facebook event]
Sat, June 15, doors 7:30pm, show 8pm, ORG: sonic safari at secret location in the South End, Boston, MA (email me for address), $15-20 suggested donation, with HAPPY55 and Alisa Apreleva and animated shorts by Bryan Papciak
Dykes and Young inaugural tour, January-February 2019
Sat, January 26:
-8pm: duo performance with dancer Ali Honchell at Top Ten Records, 338 W Jefferson Blvd, Dallas, TX, with Lorelei K/Kill The World, Monte Espina {Facebook event}
-10:30pm: group improv at Tradewinds Social Club, 2843 W Davis St, Dallas TX {Facebook event}
Sun, January 27, 7pm at Charles Adams Studio Project, Lubbock, TX, with warren-crow+warren-crow, Llano Estacado Monad Band {Facebook event}
Tue, January 29, 7pm at The Tannex, 1417 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM, $5-10, with Sunny, James Whiton, Mark Weaver {Facebook event}
Wed, January 30, 7pm at Interference Series at Kickstand Kafe, 719 N Humphreys St, Flagstaff, AZ, with Reference Sine {Facebook event}
January 31-February 3: Oh My Ears Festival, Phoenix, AZ:
Fri, February 1: duo performance at Trans Am Cafe, 1506 Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ {Facebook event}
Sat, February 2: composer premieres with Black House Collective at Sessions Recital Hall at Phoenix College, 1202 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ {Facebook event}
Sun, February 3, 3pm at American Institute of Thoughts and Feelings presented by Casa Libre en la Solana, corner of N Santa Rita Ave and E Florita St, Tucson, AZ, with Rogue Darlings (Samantha Bounkeua and Erin Henderson), Justin Nalley {Facebook event}
Mon, February 4, 7:30pm at Glasbox, 210 Poplar St, El Paso, TX
Tue, February 5, 7:30pm at High Wire Arts, 326 W Josephine St, San Antonio, TX, with Jessica DeCuir {Facebook event}
Thu, February 7, doors 7:30pm/music 8pm at Laura’s House, email me for the address, Austin, TX, with Andrew Stoltz, Thomas Echols, Tiago da Silva {Facebook event}