Byron Asher is a clarinetist and saxophonist, composer and improviser based in New Orleans. He holds a Masters of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of New Orleans (UNO) and is one-third of Nutria, a trio dedicated to original instrumental music and named in honor of the swamp rat, and leads ensembles large and small. Another one of Byron's projects is Skrontch Music , an iterative composition project that explores the histories and lineages of jazz in New Orleans through contemporary composition and improvisation. The initial composition for this project was written for a 10-piece ensemble. Incorporating elements of sound collage and primary source documents, the piece addresses the intertwined histories of the formation of New Orleans jazz and anti-Jim Crow activism, setting them in a contemporary soundscape that resonates with today's musical and political landscape. The piece was researched and composed during his 2016 artist residency at A Studio In The Woods. The debut Skrontch Music recording was recently released on New Orleans' Sinking City Records . The recording was generously supported by grants from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and the Puffin Foundation. Tonight these recordings will be performed live for Snug Harbor's intimate audience to introduce the project's public release, a truly special experience. Byron Asher's Skrontch Music ensemble tonight features: Byron Asher - clarinet, tenor saxophone Ricardo Pascal - clarinet, tenor saxophone Tomas Majcherski - clarinet, alto saxophone Brent Rose - soprano and alto saxophones Shaye Cohn - cornet Emily Frederickson - trombone Steve Glenn - sousaphone Oscar Rossignoli - piano James Singleton - bass Paul Thibodeaux - drums