Month: March 2022

After retiring his project Dirty Beaches, Zhang has been focusing on explorations of improvised music, Free Jazz, and his new role as a composer. His newer compositions predominantly works with saxophone, synthesizers, percussion, and piano, furthering his research on ritualistic music of liminality. Besides his solo work, he is also a member of a Free Jazz/experimental trio with Portuguese minimalist/architect David Maranha, and Free Jazz Drummer Gabriel Ferrandini in Lisbon. Zhang currently works as a composer for film soundtracks, along with acting in independent films.

Tracklist – Artist / Track          

1) Alice Coltrane – Naima

2) Bill Dixon – Relay Dance #1

3) Dai Fujikura – My butterflies (for wind orchestra)

4) Franco Battiato – Aries

5) Henry Flint – S&M Delirium

6) Laurie Spiegel – Drums

7) Ryuichi Sakamoto – 2nd Movement, Anger

8) Sei Miguel & Pedro Gomes – The pale star III: Imaginary Grass

9) Gal Costa – Canção Que Morre No Ar

10) Gal Costa – Chululu

A playlist on the correlations between composition and improvisation.