Dawn of Midi

Dawn of Midi, a trio composed of bassist Aakaash Israni, pianist Amino Belyamani and percussionist Qasim Naqvi, perform their ground-breaking compositions note-for-note without ever appearing the least bit predictable. As carefully cultivated as their aesthetic is, it’s also been known to incorporate, willfully and otherwise, such wildly divergent influences and interests as Aphex Twin, the Police, Can and Ms. Pac-Man. Dawn of Midi’s sets are as red-blooded and rhythmic as a seamlessly mixed DJ set, casting spells on crowds in the same way the group’s favorite experimental and electronic acts have for decades. The New Yorker‘s music critic, Sasha Frere-Jones, wrote “an hour flew by in what seems like minutes” after witnessing their high-wire act last year, and Radiolab host Jad Abumrad added “[I’ve] seriously never seen anything like these guys.” Dysnomia, their just released, album is being called ‘totally unprecedented’ and ‘a work of lunatic genius’.  Catch them now along with another trio, DC-based jazz-punkers Les Rhinocéros, who are releasing albums on John Zorn’s Tzadik label and making compellingly raw blends of world, noise, ambient and rock.