Two creative virtuosos coming out of Chicago jazz and blues meet for a wide-ranging exchange. Melford begins with solos including a remarkable rendition of Ornette Coleman’s Passion Culture and soulful original works. Jenkins steps in for the second half for open improv duos that both tickle and explode. Myra Melford is a composer/pianist whose projects like Snowy Egret and Tiger Trio reflect her inspiration working with Henry Threadgill, Jaki Byard, Butch Morris, Marion Brandis and many other influences including the poetry of Rumi and the Huichol Indians of Mexico. Violinist Leroy Jenkins emerged as part of the AACM and the Revolutionary Ensemble with bassist Sirone and the drummer Jerome Cooper and moved into more traditional classical forms influenced by Muhal Richard Abrams, Anthony Braxton, Bill T. Jones and others. Recorded live in concert at Roulette 21 April 2006.

Tracking The Odds: The Roulette Concert Archive is a monthly hour-long radio special produced by Roulette Intermedium (roulette.org) and broadcast in partnership with Wave Farm’s WGXC 90.7-FM and Standing Wave Radio. The broadcasts feature selected highlights from Roulette’s New York experimental music space dating from the early 1980s to the present. Thousands of rare, formative, and often unheard recordings by innovators and adventurous musicians populate the archive. Tracking The Odds airs the third Thursday of each month at 1 a.m. ET and is archived at wavefarm.org.

Founded in 1978, Roulette operates a 400-seat concert hall on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn with a focus on experimental and unorthodox music and performance across all genres and media. It's archive of thousands of audio and video recordings is currently being restored.

Pictured: A screening, reading, and performance for Henry Hills' film "Money" at Roulette (1985) with dancer Pooh Kaye surrounded by (L-R) John Zorn, Tom Cora, Ciro Baptiste, (obstructed, possibly Sally Silvers), Abigail Child, Diane Ward, Susie Timmons, Alan Davies, Bruce Andrews, Ikue Mori, Jim Staley, Butch Morris. Photo: Lona Foote.