Vijay Iyer, piano, and Rudresh Mahanthappa, alto saxophone

Award-winning Indian-American pianist and composer Vijay Iyer performs in duo settings with two of his most brilliant colleagues, who are also up-and-coming Asian-American creative musicians. On Monday, February 23, Iyer is joined by the New York-based alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, who makes his first Bay Area appearance. Also of Indian descent, Mr. Mahanthappa has performed with the likes of Jack DeJohnette, Steve Coleman, Von Freeman, and Fareed Haque, and has been described by tenor titan Joe Lovano as "one of the freshest, strongest young voices on the alto saxophone that I've heard in a long time." Iyer and Mahanthappa have performed around North America as a duo, performing original jazz compositions and improvisations that draw from their Indian ancestry as well as their experiences as people of color. Mahanthappa also appears on Vijay Iyer's brand-new compact disc, "Architextures" (Asian Improv Records AIR 0034), the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 1995 debut, "Memorophilia" (AIR 0023).