Culver City Observer -

The Santa Monica Public Library’s acclaimed Soundwaves new music series continues with events in September through December, all at the Main Library’s Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

All the musical performances are on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. September 2, at 3:30 p.m., rising star Patrick Shiroishi presents music for four saxophonists. On October 7 Anna Homler sings in invented languages and creates sound with found objects, joined by Jorge Martin on electronics and series coordinator Jeff Schwartz on string bass. November 4 composer Michael Jon Fink picks up his guitar for a set of music inspired by the experimental side of cool jazz, with clarinetist Brian Walsh and cellist Derek Stein. Bay Area clarinetist Ben Goldberg visits December 2 with an all-star trio including Grammy and Tony-winning bassist Todd Sickafoose and drummer Scott Amendola, and on December 9 Berlin-based oboist Cathy Milliken, a founding member of Ensemble Modern, performs with Jeff Schwartz and series co-founder Daniel Rothman (clarinet).

Soundwaves is also teaming with the Angel City Jazz Festival to host a talk by composer/performer Nicole Mitchell, on her recent book The Mandorla Letters: For the Hopeful, on Thursday, October 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the MLK Auditorium. Mitchell’s book is an original, powerful, and accessible blend of Afrofuturist fiction, memoir, ecofeminist manifesto, and notes on her music. A book sale and signing will follow her talk.

Since 2016 Soundwaves has regularly presented free concerts of cutting-edge music at the Santa Monica Public Library, supported by the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library and the Amphion Foundation, and including collaborations with the Angel City Jazz Festival, Piano Spheres, Jacaranda Music, Microfest, Cold Blue Music, and the dog Star Orchestra.

Soundwaves focuses on noncommercial music, drawing on Los Angeles’ deep history of experimentation in rock, jazz, classical, and uncategorizable creative music, bringing the underground back to the westside. Visit soundwavesnewmusic.com for more information, including videos of many past shows.

All Library programs are free and open to the public. Seating is limited and on a first arrival basis. For more information, call (310) 458-8600 or visit smpl.org. The Auditorium is wheelchair accessible. For other disabled services, call Library Administration at (310) 458-8600 one week ahead. The Main Library is directly served by Big Blue routes 1, R10 and 18. Other bus routes and the Blue Line stop nearby. Ride your bike. Bike racks are available.