Elaine Mitchener's The Rolling Calf performs dissonant free jazz to films of black avant-garde at ICA

In August, at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), Elaine Mitchener's free-jazz ensemble, The Rolling Calf, delivered live soundtracks for films showcasing black avant-garde icons Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, and Donald Rodney. The performance intertwined Mitchener's vocal expressions with bowed double bass and saxophone, generating a sense of dissonance. The films portrayed a woman amidst waves or within a forest, heightening the atmosphere of tension. The author considered the roots of free jazz in the civil rights movement of the 1950s, contrasting the performance's raw energy with the refined ambiance of a nearby bar. Citing Stanley Milgram's obedience studies, the author concluded with applause and later enjoyed uplifting music on Spotify, questioning the idea that impactful music must always be pleasant.