Percussionist and bandleader Tommy Carroll returns to the Art Institute of Chicago with fellow musicians Beau Barry, David Boykin, and Lyn Rye to activate the museum’s Grand Staircase with their unique and powerful combination of musical visions. Celebrate the holiday season and discover new ways of experiencing and interpreting art through the lens of improvisational sound.
Meet the Performers
Beau Barry is the curator and composer for The Beau Barry Quartet . He traces his quest for music to an ancient lineage. Beau’s story is a yogic adventure of the highest order. At the age of 22, Beau studied yoga and mysticism with Goswami Kriyananda of the Temple of Kriya Yoga . At the end of a year, Kriyananda told the students to find the courage to discover what they wanted to do with their lives. Beau decided his greatest desire was to play the saxophone.
David Boykin began studying music on the clarinet at the age of 21 in 1991 and first performed professionally in 1997. Since 1997 he has released over 20 recordings as a leader; appeared as a featured guest on other prominent musician’s recordings; performed at major international jazz festivals and smaller jazz venues locally and globally; and founded Sonic Healing Ministries, which is an organization dedicated to the spiritual evolution of humanity through music.
Tommy Carroll is a Chicago-based drummer and bandleader working primarily in the areas of improvised music, folkloric percussion and experimental rock. He leads Calculated Discomfort, an electro-acoustic ensemble showcasing his cinematic compositions, and Prosthetic, a futuristic dance band. He has released six albums and performed on more than 30 recordings as a collaborator in styles ranging from Puerto Rican folk to indie rock to modern hip hop. Described by the Chicago Reader as a workhorse drummer, Tommy can be found performing all around the city and the Midwest. As a totally blind musician, Tommy strives to promote the ingenuity and humanity of disability culture and joy of improvisation in all he does.
Lyn Rye is a Chicago bassist, singer, and composer whose second album, Soft Blood, was released on September 9, 2022. According to Scapi Magazine, Rye is “a versatile bassist who plays with folk, jazz, hip-hop, and rock musicians…someone who can create genuine newness. Being able to create beats, sing, play bass, and collaborate allows them to escape any boxes threatening to confine their music to genres.”
What to Expect
This musical performance will take place on the second floor of the Grand Staircase (Gallery 200), which is most accessible from the Michigan Avenue entrance of the museum. Elevators are nearby for those who need them. Viewing areas will be limited to the area around the staircase banister, and small sections of the stairways. Seating will be limited so guests should expect to stand. The Grand Staircase is a high traffic area and there will likely be crowds.
