Brandon Lopez continues his 2018 residency with the ISSUE debut of his piano trio, dubbed "Mess," with pianist Sam Yulsman and drummer Chris Corsano. Lopez has, in his own words, “spent some time attempting to hammer another nail in the coffin for the American thing.” With Mess, he attempts to dismember the notion of the piano trio to create a counterpart where each instrument functions outside of their supposed traditional roles. A sprawling thing devoid of harmony or melody, the trio insists giving violence and silence equivalent weight.

Brandon Lopez's second residency presentation, ALLS WELL THAT ENDS is situated in a series of works in development that use idiosyncratic improvisational techniques within forms of traditional and graphic notation, as well as aural development, to approach broader themes of catharsis and ritual religiosity.