What we’re about
This group is for people who appreciate music and other forms of art beyond the mainstream, with a particular focus on the avant-garde or otherwise odd. Free Jazz, Musique Concrete, Atonality, Noise Music, Outsider Art, Surrealism, Dada, Junk Art, ...you name it! Not all events will necessarily be "weird", but simply off the beaten mainstream path.
This is intended to be an oasis from crass commercial banalities.
I'll post events that interest me, but I am also interested in hearing from artists, musicians, and other creative types about their events that I can share with members. Post your events and ideas in the "Discussions" section. I want this group to also be a vehicle that helps support artists and organizations that are doing interesting creative work.
The only requests are that we keep things friendly and civilized. MAGA not welcome.
Upcoming events
12
Seth Parker Woods, Julia Bullock, and Conor Hanick - "From Ordinary Things"
UCLA Nimoy Theater, 1262 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, USWe saw Bullock and Hanick perform Messiaen's "Harawi" last fall at the Wallis, and Seth Parker Woods most recently at REDCAT and Ojai.
Date: Thu, Jan 15, 2026 at 8 pm
Optional dinner at 6:30
Venue: Nimoy Theater
1262 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Parking: $3 after 5:00 pm
For information on parking, nearby restaurants, etc. visit the Nimoy Theater website: https://cap.ucla.edu/ucla-nimoy-theater
Tickets: $38.08 - $48.67
https://cap.ucla.edu/event/seth-parker-woods-julia-bullock-and-conor-hanick
"A cellist of power and grace" — The Guardian
“Bullock [is one] of the strongest American actor-singers to emerge in recent years.” — The New Yorker
“Performing with his back to an audience seated in an arc around him, Mr. Hanick’s playing was breathtaking, at once penetrating and mystifying.” — The New York Times
Powerhouse musicians Seth Parker Woods, Julia Bullock and Conor Hanick unite for an evening that showcases titan composers of lyricism and storytelling from the 20th and 21st centuries.
A three-time Grammy nominee, Woods has garnered a reputation for his versatile and inventive musicality, earning him global acclaim and the 2022 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award. Woods is joined by Bullock, a Grammy-winning classical singer and artist, whose commanding operatic voice has conquered every genre from Baroque to contemporary. Hanick, a pianist praised for his precision and articulation of classic and contemporary fare, rounds out the trio.
Together, the musicians perform the works of George Walker, John Tavener, Ravel, Andre Previn and Nina Simone, as well as a new commission by Tania Leon (who was at Ojai this year).4 attendees
FREE! Discussion: How Nina Simone Changed the World
Newman Recital Hall (AHF 151), University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089, Los Angeles, CA, USFree discussion and Q&A that is part of a 3-evening event called "Nina Simone, Beyond Category", which also includes a 2-evening concert Jan. 26 & 27 (each evening is posted as a separate event.
Date: Jan 23 at 7pm PST
Venue: USC Newman Recital Hall
3616 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089
Free, but you must RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-nina-simone-changed-the-world-registration-1977943742980
How Nina Simone Changed the World
A Q&A with Pulitzer Prize–Winning Writer and Critic Salamishah Tillet and Jason King, Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music
Discussion and Q&A. Part of "Nina Simone Beyond Category", How Nina Simone Changed the World brings Pulitzer Prize–winning writer and critic Salamishah Tillet to the University of Southern California for a special conversation in anticipation of the 2027 publication of her forthcoming work, All the Rage: Nina Simone and the World She Made.
In this thought-provoking conversation event with Jason King, Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music, Tillet explores Simone’s enduring legacy as a cultural force and freedom fighter. Presented as part of Thornton’s Nina Simone: Beyond Category series, the evening invites audiences to consider Simone not just as an artist, but as a cultural innovator who, years after her passing, continues to reshape the landscape of possibility.
Nina Simone: Beyond Category is an event series presented by USC’s Thornton School of Music as part of its now annual Beyond Category Series. This groundbreaking program examines Nina Simone’s singular artistic voice and her multifaceted approach to music and the making of culture. Widely celebrated as a global icon of jazz, blues, and civil rights activism, Simone’s work was deeply rooted in classical music, which helped shape her phrasing, harmonic language, and improvisational brilliance. Fusing that classical precision with the emotional power of gospel, jazz, and blues, among other styles, Simone defied genre boundaries and created a body of work that remains uncategorizable—bold, boundary-breaking, and timeless.
View the entire Nina Simone: Beyond Category series here:
Monday, January 26, 2026: To Be Free – The Revolutionary Music of Nina Simone (Night One) INFO
Tuesday, January 27, 2026: To Be Free – The Revolutionary Music of Nina Simone (Night Two) INFO5 attendees
FREE! To Be Free: The Revolutionary Music of Nina Simone Concert #1
Newman Recital Hall (AHF 151), University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089, Los Angeles, CA, USFree Concert that is part of a 3-evening event called "Nina Simone, Beyond Category", which includes a discussion on Jan. 23 and a 2-evening concert Jan. 26 & 27 (each evening is posted as a separate event.)
Date: Jan 26 at 7:30pm PST
Venue: Bovard Auditorium
3551 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Free, but you must RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/to-be-free-the-revolutionary-music-of-nina-simone-registration-1977929283732
A two-night concert reimagining Simone's catalog—presented as part of USC Thornton’s "Nina Simone: Beyond Category" series.
### Admission
Admission is free. Help us continue to offer free events by making a tax-deductible donation at https://visionsandvoices.usc.edu/support.
### Description
Performed by USC Thornton School of Music students, faculty, alumni, and special guests, this unique concert event, taking place over the course of two evenings, celebrates Nina Simone’s classical training and its profound influence on her expansive, genre-defying musical vision, her creative genius, and her lifelong pursuit of personal, artistic, and collective freedom.
Simone’s singular musical voice unfolded through her original compositions and powerful re-imaginings of others’ work. Known for fusing styles as varied as blues, jazz, gospel, and classical—especially her early grounding in composers like Bach and Czerny—Simone created music that transcended genre in order to speak truth to power. Despite facing structural barriers and systemic limitations throughout her career, she courageously addressed civil and human rights struggles head-on, infused her art with a deep global consciousness, and offered searing reflections on the complexities of Black existence in America. Simone persisted in crafting a liberated artistic identity that has inspired generations and served as a wellspring.
Co-curated and hosted by celebrated pianist Lara Downes, USC Thornton School of Music Dean Jason King, and Jayson Jackson, Oscar-nominated co-producer of What Happened, Miss Simone?, these concerts offer a powerful reimagining of Simone’s catalog—an offering in the spirit of her liberation, transformation, and artistic life lived “beyond category.” Simone simultaneously stands as an important artistic muse for Lara Downes’ national initiative, The Declaration Project, an invitation across the nation for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to reflect on core concepts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence draws near on July 4, 2026.
Click here to learn more.
Related Events:
Friday, January 23, 2026: How Nina Simone Changed the World INFO
Tuesday, January 27, 2026: To Be Free – The Revolutionary Music of Nina Simone (Night Two) INFO
Presented by USC Visions and Voices and the USC Thornton School of Music in collaboration with the Recording Academy Black Music Collective.
Show less12 attendeesFREE! To Be Free: The Revolutionary Music of Nina Simone Concert #2
Newman Recital Hall (AHF 151), University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, CA 90089, Los Angeles, CA, USFree Concert that is part of a 3-evening event called "Nina Simone, Beyond Category", which includes a discussion on Jan. 23 and a 2-evening concert Jan. 26 & 27 (each evening is posted as a separate event.)
Date: Jan 27 at 7:30pm PST
Venue: Bovard Auditorium
3551 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Free, but you must RSVP. The link to RSVP will be posted here when it's made available.
A two-night concert reimagining Simone's catalog—presented as part of USC Thornton’s "Nina Simone: Beyond Category" series.
### Admission
Admission is free. Help us continue to offer free events by making a tax-deductible donation at https://visionsandvoices.usc.edu/support.
### Description
Performed by USC Thornton School of Music students, faculty, alumni, and special guests, this unique concert event, taking place over the course of two evenings, celebrates Nina Simone’s classical training and its profound influence on her expansive, genre-defying musical vision, her creative genius, and her lifelong pursuit of personal, artistic, and collective freedom.
Simone’s singular musical voice unfolded through her original compositions and powerful re-imaginings of others’ work. Known for fusing styles as varied as blues, jazz, gospel, and classical—especially her early grounding in composers like Bach and Czerny—Simone created music that transcended genre in order to speak truth to power. Despite facing structural barriers and systemic limitations throughout her career, she courageously addressed civil and human rights struggles head-on, infused her art with a deep global consciousness, and offered searing reflections on the complexities of Black existence in America. Simone persisted in crafting a liberated artistic identity that has inspired generations and served as a wellspring.
Co-curated and hosted by celebrated pianist Lara Downes, USC Thornton School of Music Dean Jason King, and Jayson Jackson, Oscar-nominated co-producer of What Happened, Miss Simone?, these concerts offer a powerful reimagining of Simone’s catalog—an offering in the spirit of her liberation, transformation, and artistic life lived “beyond category.” Simone simultaneously stands as an important artistic muse for Lara Downes’ national initiative, The Declaration Project, an invitation across the nation for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to reflect on core concepts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence draws near on July 4, 2026.
Click here to learn more.
Related Events:
Friday, January 23, 2026: How Nina Simone Changed the World INFO
Tuesday, January 27, 2026: To Be Free – The Revolutionary Music of Nina Simone (Night Two) INFO
Presented by USC Visions and Voices and the USC Thornton School of Music in collaboration with the Recording Academy Black Music Collective.
Show less7 attendees
Past events
630
Group links
Organizers
Members
1,325
