James Chance & the Contortions + Special Guests

Interior + Tally Ho Promotions proudly presents:

James Chance & The Contortions

A
key figure in No Wave, Chance has been playing a combination of
improvisational jazz-like music and punk in the New York music scene
since the late 1970s, in such bands as Teenage Jesus and the Jerks,
James Chance and the Contortions, James White and the Blacks, The
Flaming Demonics, James Chance & the Sardonic Symphonics, James
Chance and Terminal City, and James Chance and Les Contortions. His
music can be described as combining the freeform playing of Ornette
Coleman with the solid funk rhythm of James Brown, though filtered
through a punk rock lens.
Born and raised in Milwaukee and Brookfield,
Wisconsin, Chance attended Michigan State University, then the
Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee, dropped out and moved to
New York City in 1976. He quickly became active in both the free jazz
and no wave punk rock scenes. His first band in New York in 1976 was an
instrumental quartet with violin, drums and bass called Flaming Youth.
After studying for a short time under David Murray, Chance formed The
Contortions, who fused jazz improvisation and funk rhythms, with live
shows often ending in violence when Chance would confront audience
members. The Contortions reached a wider audience with their
contribution to the Brian Eno-compiled No New York collection of No Wave
acts.

Chance’s stage and musical persona were finalized by romantic partner and agent Anya Phillips, who
died
of cancer in 1981. Frictions between Chance and band members eventually
led to a breakup of the Contortions in the fall of 1979. The
Contortions released one album, Buy, in late 1979, and another album,
Off White, under the pseudonym James White and the Blacks in 1980
(featuring Lydia Lunch under the pseudonym Stella Rico). Chance
re-formed James White and the Blacks with a completely different lineup
that appeared on the 1982 album Sax Maniac which was dedicated to
Phillips. The group released one more album, Melt Yourself Down, a very
limited Japanese release.

The first version of the Blacks was set
up by Joseph Bowie. Shortly after, Defunkt emerged out of the Blacks. In
1982 Chance toured with the re-formed James White and the Blacks with
his brother David “Tremor” Siegfried and his band David and the
Happenings from Carbondale, Illinois, playing Chicago, their hometown
Milwaukee, and much of the Midwest. Chance briefly relocated to Paris,
returning to New York City in 1983 to record the album James White
Presents The Flaming Demonics. In 1987, he contributed saxophone to The
False Prophets’ Implosion album.
In 2001, Chance reunited with
original Contortions members Jody Harris (guitar), Pat Place (slide
guitar) and Don Christensen (drums) for a few limited engagements.
Original keyboard player Adele Bertei appeared briefly, but bass player
George Scott III had died of an accidental drug overdose in 1980 and his
slot was filled by Eric Sanko. The reunited group has played twice at
the All Tomorrow’s Parties music festival, and, in 2008, at the PS1 Warm
Up series. Chance has also recorded with Blondie since coming out of
his semi-retirement. Tiger Style records released the 4-CD box set
retrospective Irresistible Impulse to critical acclaim in 2003.

In addition to limited engagements with the original Contortions, Chance
has occasionally performed and recorded with the Chicago band Watchers.
In Europe he performs with James Chance & Les Contortions, French
musicians who have been his backing band since 2006. They played a 15
show Europe tour in April and May 2007 and were back in Europe in
October 2007. In May 2012 they released the CD Incorrigible! on the
French label LADTK, comprising seven Chance originals and two covers,
all of them brand new recordings.

In 2009 Chance made occasional
appearances playing keyboards in NYC with a trio, with the material
restricted to close readings of jazz standards. In June 2012, Chance
played in Portland, OR with local group Ancient Heat as his backing
band. They played a number of songs from various points in his career,
including a new cover of Gil Scott-Heron’s “Home is Where The Hatred
Is.”

In early 2013, James toured Europe extensively with Les
Contortions, and also made his first ever South American appearance, in
Sao Paolo, at Virada Cultural 2013. He continues to play engagements in
NYC and elsewhere.

+ Special Guests TBA

Tickets are £15 advance from See Tickets & Dice.